In these times we are living in, there are so many people living together without the benefit of the legal papers. Christians and non-Christians alike are living together. They are saying that they are married. Many are saying, well I have "lived with" my husband prior to being married legally. Others have said that we have all lived together even my sister and her husband, my friends and even workers, Christians and non-Christians also. And they need to confirm the reality of the situation and by stating that many have been married for over 20 years without a legal marriage certificate.
Recently I read this question being asked by someone who said that their nephew is now "living with" his future spouse. The person asking the question asserted: “they've been together since being high school sweethearts and are both working, going to college, committed to their relationship and plan to be legally married one day. But the question she asked was that there is an upcoming family event in which one of the family members wants to put a stipulation on the nephew that he not share a bedroom with his fiancee while present at the reunion. Doing so would go against her convictions that sharing a bedroom is only for marriage. I agree with that; however, in my mind they are just as married now as they will be when they have a legal piece of paper proving that they married. It seems as if the legality of getting married is for the benefit of men, rather than for the blessing of God. God looks at the heart, not at the outward appearance. So, help me out—does a person have to have a legal document to say they are married in God's eyes?”
Well this lead me to ask the question "what is a vow"? A vow, marriage or otherwise, is a religious undertaking to do something or not do something. Vows are taken voluntarily and in the presence of others as a witness because once taken they are regarded as compulsory. God takes vows very seriously.
. . . YOU SHALL NOT MAKE FALSE VOWS, BUT SHALL FULFILL YOUR VOWS TO THE LORD.
—Matthew 5:33
. . .I shall pay my vows to the Lord; Oh may it be in the presence of all His people.
--Psalm 116:14
. . .You shall be careful to perform what goes out from your lips, just as you have voluntarily vowed to the LORD your God, what you have promised
--Deuteronomy 23:23
. . .Your vows are binding upon me, O God.
--Psalm 56:12
Did you know that paper was not even used to record marriages as recently as 300 years ago. One of the reasons guests are invited to your wedding is to SERVE AS A WITNESS BEFORE GOD what you are vowing. The vow is what is important, not the paper.
It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay.
--Ecclesiastes 5:5
A good name is to be more desired than great wealth
--Proverbs 22:1
We are commanded by scripture to abide by the law of the land, which requires us to register our marriage VOWS. Did you know that in most countries, the tax you pay is based on your marital status? Therefore, we must obey the law.
Now back to the question that was asked regarding your sin-accepting mindset of your nephew: Just because you grieve God's heart with your own unrepentant sexual sin, it will never justify your nephew doing the same. Your brazenly cavalier attitude of "everybody's doing it" will cause you a great deal of heartache. Our hats off to the family member willing to take a stand for her Biblical convictions.
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
-- Ephesians 4:30
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.
-- Galatians 6:7
Let me give you a little illustration through a story:
There was a story of a wealthy oil tycoon that one day lay on his deathbed. His pastor talked to him of God's healing power.
"Pastor," he gasped, "if God heals me, I'll give the church a million dollars."
The pastor prayed for him and anointed him with oil. Miraculously, the man revived and within a few short weeks was out of the hospital. One day, several months later, he and the pastor chatted on the sidewalk in front of a hardware store.
"You know," the pastor said, "when you were in the hospital dying, you promised to give the church a million dollars if you got well. We haven't gotten it yet."
"Did I say that?" the tycoon asked. "
"I guess that goes to show how sick I really was!”
This is an amusing story to us, however, it illustrates how lightly we take vows in this generation. At this time of year, many people tend to make "New Year's Resolutions". We often joke about how quickly we broke that resolution to "not eat sweets", or "to go to the gym every day in the new year". But again, it just illustrates how lightly we take our vows. As you can see from the scriptures above, GOD does take vows seriously.
As we head into the New Year, let's take a moment today to assess our lives. What vows have you made that you have not taken seriously? What sins are you making light of? Let's resolve to get serious in our relationship with the LORD and live in a way that brings HIM glory!
Recently I read this question being asked by someone who said that their nephew is now "living with" his future spouse. The person asking the question asserted: “they've been together since being high school sweethearts and are both working, going to college, committed to their relationship and plan to be legally married one day. But the question she asked was that there is an upcoming family event in which one of the family members wants to put a stipulation on the nephew that he not share a bedroom with his fiancee while present at the reunion. Doing so would go against her convictions that sharing a bedroom is only for marriage. I agree with that; however, in my mind they are just as married now as they will be when they have a legal piece of paper proving that they married. It seems as if the legality of getting married is for the benefit of men, rather than for the blessing of God. God looks at the heart, not at the outward appearance. So, help me out—does a person have to have a legal document to say they are married in God's eyes?”
Well this lead me to ask the question "what is a vow"? A vow, marriage or otherwise, is a religious undertaking to do something or not do something. Vows are taken voluntarily and in the presence of others as a witness because once taken they are regarded as compulsory. God takes vows very seriously.
. . . YOU SHALL NOT MAKE FALSE VOWS, BUT SHALL FULFILL YOUR VOWS TO THE LORD.
—Matthew 5:33
. . .I shall pay my vows to the Lord; Oh may it be in the presence of all His people.
--Psalm 116:14
. . .You shall be careful to perform what goes out from your lips, just as you have voluntarily vowed to the LORD your God, what you have promised
--Deuteronomy 23:23
. . .Your vows are binding upon me, O God.
--Psalm 56:12
Did you know that paper was not even used to record marriages as recently as 300 years ago. One of the reasons guests are invited to your wedding is to SERVE AS A WITNESS BEFORE GOD what you are vowing. The vow is what is important, not the paper.
It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay.
--Ecclesiastes 5:5
A good name is to be more desired than great wealth
--Proverbs 22:1
We are commanded by scripture to abide by the law of the land, which requires us to register our marriage VOWS. Did you know that in most countries, the tax you pay is based on your marital status? Therefore, we must obey the law.
Now back to the question that was asked regarding your sin-accepting mindset of your nephew: Just because you grieve God's heart with your own unrepentant sexual sin, it will never justify your nephew doing the same. Your brazenly cavalier attitude of "everybody's doing it" will cause you a great deal of heartache. Our hats off to the family member willing to take a stand for her Biblical convictions.
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
-- Ephesians 4:30
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.
-- Galatians 6:7
Let me give you a little illustration through a story:
There was a story of a wealthy oil tycoon that one day lay on his deathbed. His pastor talked to him of God's healing power.
"Pastor," he gasped, "if God heals me, I'll give the church a million dollars."
The pastor prayed for him and anointed him with oil. Miraculously, the man revived and within a few short weeks was out of the hospital. One day, several months later, he and the pastor chatted on the sidewalk in front of a hardware store.
"You know," the pastor said, "when you were in the hospital dying, you promised to give the church a million dollars if you got well. We haven't gotten it yet."
"Did I say that?" the tycoon asked. "
"I guess that goes to show how sick I really was!”
This is an amusing story to us, however, it illustrates how lightly we take vows in this generation. At this time of year, many people tend to make "New Year's Resolutions". We often joke about how quickly we broke that resolution to "not eat sweets", or "to go to the gym every day in the new year". But again, it just illustrates how lightly we take our vows. As you can see from the scriptures above, GOD does take vows seriously.
As we head into the New Year, let's take a moment today to assess our lives. What vows have you made that you have not taken seriously? What sins are you making light of? Let's resolve to get serious in our relationship with the LORD and live in a way that brings HIM glory!
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