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If, in fact, the bible is the authority for what Christians believe: what scripture(s) form the basis for the belief that living together in a committed relationship not legally married, is a sin?
The Marriage license was not in existence until the early 1900's. Despite the lack of a government issued legal document, Christians still considered themselves married before that time, are there any scriptures that support that belief or defines what is required by God to be 'Married'? To clarify, my question is:what is the biblical basis for undocumented marriages being sinful?

Rachel Weeks
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  • I'm not referring sex in a non-committal relationships or pre-marital sex. The argument side that I need scripture support is, if two people vow to God and each other and live as husband and wife, without being legally married, is it a sin? What scriptures support that as truth? – Rachel Weeks Oct 02 '16 at 11:05
  • I looked for questions that address Christians who live together as married without a marriage license are they living in sin? If so, what scripture support that belief? In the links you provided, I did not see any reference to whether a couple committed to each other living as husband and wife ( married without a license) is a sin with scripture that supports that belief.....only found Q&A on is premarital sex permissible or not? – Rachel Weeks Oct 02 '16 at 12:01
  • I'm in a conversation with friends who have been disowned from their family because they are believers who have chosen to live together in all aspects as husband and wife but without a legal document...having being taught that the scriptures says this is a sin, and being told by church leaders when I posed the question, that I was merely seeking a loop hole to justify their sin....I was hoping I could get some scripture support for this teaching/belief. If an existing link is available please let me know. – Rachel Weeks Oct 02 '16 at 12:22
  • Various persecuted Christian groups through history have been forced to have only a "religious" wedding, with no state sanction of it. Often in such contexts Christians see a difference between "living together in a committed relationship" and "having taken marriage vows before family and friends," even if neither one involves government approval. – Nathaniel is protesting Oct 02 '16 at 12:41
  • So asking, "What is the biblical basis for a marriage not sanctioned by the government?" might be a legitimate question, if you frame it as being legally or morally impossible for a Christian to receive state sanction for a marriage. – Nathaniel is protesting Oct 02 '16 at 12:46
  • Both friend and I raised up in the Independent Fundamentalist Baptist (legalistic) doctrine but I currently attend a Wesleyan Church same teaching...... I have found most Evangelical's have the same belief. – Rachel Weeks Oct 02 '16 at 13:08
  • Truly searching for scripture support to have clarity on this issue and have a belief based on scriptures and not just on what had been taught for years in the church as truth. – Rachel Weeks Oct 02 '16 at 13:28
  • I think what you've edited this to is a big improvement in terms of focus. You may find this related question helpful even though it has been closed: Scriptural Basis for different kinds of marriage. – bruised reed Oct 02 '16 at 14:21
  • Rachel, you've updated the title, but not the body, of your question, and now it's not clear what you are asking. Biblical basis for marriage not sanctioned by government? Or biblical basis for it being sinful to ___? – Nathaniel is protesting Oct 02 '16 at 17:30
  • Rachel, a few edits have been made to your question – could you review it and see if it still asks what you are trying to learn? And please tell us if you want the biblical basis for undocumented marriages being sinful, or for being acceptable. – Nathaniel is protesting Oct 05 '16 at 11:10
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    I think you are on the wrong track Rachel. The issue with your friends is not that they didn't get married by the government, but that they didn't get married at all. – DJClayworth Oct 05 '16 at 12:40
  • I finally figured out the difficulty I am having with the frame of this question. Marriage as a social norm/rite/institution predates the written scriptures, to the point that it had a form that was so well grounded in custom that it was almost axiomatic. Added to the context of the times in which scripture was written, and various levels of fusion between church and state (in the OT, for example) the "separateness" of who condones a wedding isn't even a topic, in scripture, in terms of what our modern (and comparatively recent) norms and rules are. – KorvinStarmast Oct 06 '16 at 19:58
  • If the issue is then that "they didn't get married at all" what then is the Biblical guideline or 'rule' as some would say or simply What does the bible say one must do to be taken in marriage as opposed to living in sin? I only find "man will leave...and they cleave" and the "two become one flesh" and the New Testament references that it was until death of one or the other or adultery. – Rachel Weeks Oct 09 '16 at 07:40
  • I understand the traditions of men and cultures differ, how does stepping outside of culture or traditional norms constitute sin when sin literal translation "missing the mark"? 264. hamartano ham-ar-tan'-o perhaps from 1 (as a negative particle) and the base of 3313; properly, to miss the mark word used in John 8:7 He that is without SIN...... – Rachel Weeks Oct 09 '16 at 07:41

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