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by Glenn Blaylock on February 8th, 2008
As long as the couple entered into the relationship in good faith (i.e. they thought that they were legally married), then they are guilty of no sin. The sin resides with the person who misled the couple into thinking that they were married. The couple, however, should seek to get legally married ASAP.
by charis on October 24th, 2008
lol, last i checked, city hall wasn't around when adam and eve got married..
some friends of mine made a marriage commitment to each other one night, by themselves, before God, and didn't have it legally ratified until some years (and a child) later, and only because for some reason i can't remember, they had to. was it less of a marriage? i don't think so in the least. they were both serious in their hearts and made the promise before God.
by bagicide stayed 10 months too long on July 5th, 2008
If you make a commitment before God, you are married. He isn't looking to trip you up on a technicality so He can send you to Hell. He wants you to make your best effort to do the right thing. And He doesn't want you to do the right thing because He wants you to jump through hoops. He wants you to do the right thing because it will make you happy. And He wants you to do the right thing because that is how we show our love for him. Say you have loving parents who have done their best to love you, teach you, discipline you, provide for your needs and prepare you for your future. Would it be a loving thing to rebel against them and make their lives a living hell? If you love your parents and they have done right by you, wouldn't you do your best to do what's right and make them proud? That is what God wants of us. He has provided this beautiful world for us to live in. He has provided all the materials we need for a good life. He has provided loving laws, which if all of us abide by them there will be plenty for every man, woman and child in this world. He provided for our entry into eternity, at the expense of tremendous sacrifice on his own part. All he wants in return is that we do our best to do the right thing, live by his laws, love each other, love him. If we all do that, there won't be any of the evil that causes such pain in this world.
by Sheriff Raff -Answerhag on February 8th, 2008
This sounds very remote. Please explain how the marriage wasn't "legal"? Was one of them already married? Was it a phony person who officated the marriage. Please provide more details.
by GodJesusOne on May 14th, 2009
I believe that God accepts the commitment of two who are dedicated to Him in marriage. God judges the heart of man in any manner. With that said the marriage certificate is just a record but the heart is the inevitable proof beyond the marriage certificate. Just like two people who marry for reasons other than a commitment to one another under God - makes the marriage non-existent to God even if the marriage certificate exists.
by killdrphil - reasonable for a madman on February 8th, 2008
I would say that if God thinks yes, then, that would make him quite the prick (not saying He isn't one already).
by albert nonymous "A" nonymous for short. on June 8th, 2009
There is no marriage ceremony in the bible.
A man simply "Takes a wife"
There is no ceremony, no going before the preacher, No justice of the peace and no state licensing.
There is nothing in the bible whatsoever about that.
You take a wife {She moves in with you) You're married jack!
by Twisted Taco on June 8th, 2009
Sounds to me like god needs to be modernized. There are much more important things in the world today than fornication and somebody should tell the guy that
by Skeeter on June 8th, 2009
Fornication isn't about having sex without a valid marriage license. If you are a true Bible believing couple, you must understand that God does not acknowledge the marriage certificate or the blessing of a man or church to consider whether you are married or you have committed fornication. Marriage and fornication are defined explicitly in His Word. You were married to the first person, of the opposite sex, that you were sexually intimate with.
I can't provide the defense for this in this one paragraph, but only refer you, as I do to so many like you asking these questions, to an excellent book, which I discovered - "It's Good For A Man Not To Touch A Woman" (by Edward Ridenour)(www.mbgod.com). This book will answer very pointedly your question and give you a complete understanding of biblical marriage that is not being taught to Christians in the churches. If you really want to know the truth, I highly recommend it.
by thatsJustme on May 14th, 2009
legal ,earthly does not matter...heavenly, God accepted those vows...so in HIS EYES..no, they did not fornicate...those first vows stand no matter how many times u marry..HE only acknowledges the first...til death do u part..:)samaritan woman at the well....;)
by ImaCatholic2 on October 24th, 2008
No.
Sin is a deliberate thought, word, deed, or omission contrary to the eternal law of God. You cannot sin on accident.
If both entered their marriage in good faith then no sin was committed.
If one entered the marriage in good faith and the other knew the marriage would be void then the first did not sin and the second did commit sin.
If both knew the marriage would be void then both committed sin.
With love in Christ.
by coffeemaniac can cry on October 24th, 2008
You can be married by an ordained minister, who forgot to file the paperwork. Legally, on paper, you're not married, but the couple is still married "in God's eyes". - That is an answer and here is another:
I do not know any verses to back this up, but I do remember a minister once saying that when two people have sex, then they are married in God's eyes because God does not see sin. I believe it was a longer explanation than that, but that was the gist of it from memory.
by ICU says April is Autism Awareness Mo. on October 24th, 2008
No, I dont think so because you thought you were legally married. I also think you would be married in the eyes of God considering the circumstances. He knows your heart.
by dead leaves raked in a pile on October 24th, 2008
If they continue to have sex they might be considered at fault, but not before.
by .avallach on October 24th, 2008
Marriage in God's eyes has absolutely nothing to do with man's law. No, they did not sin.
by Rabbit on July 5th, 2008
I believe that either way if the two people showed concern about whether or not it was a sin, God would be forgiving and understand the situation. They say he is a forgiving God so whether or not it is a sin, i dont know, but i know that God would understand if they truly did not know but cared enough to ask forgivenes.
by Tom 47 is back in his bear COAT on February 9th, 2008
No. "legality" is man's law, not God's. If they were married in their own hearts, and believed themselves to be married under God's law and man's at the time, then they were.
by Zebulon on February 8th, 2008
That would depend on what kind of demon prosecutor God employs.
by Midgardsormr on February 8th, 2008
Since we're talking about Mosaic law, the appropriate passages concerning marriage laws are in Leviticus 18 & 20. There are no allowances for annullments given in the Mosaic law--anyone who marries someone who is a close relative is to be put to death. And so is their spouse. The same punishment is declared for having sex with a close relative outside of wedlock.
Take note that in the early Hebrew culture, it would be impossible to marry someone and later find out that you were related. Kinship and lineage were very important to the Hebrews, and a marriage was something of a financial transaction between the two families. If one party's lineage was not known, no marriage would take place.
However, the Good News is that Christians are no longer judged under the Law unless they reject the grace given to us by Christ. "Where sin abounds Grace abounds more," and "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ."
I can't speak for how a rabbi would interpret the situation.
by Moosemose on February 8th, 2008
So I guess Ur saying We are All Bastard Children from Adam & Eve??? There was no "Legal System" back then! God, Not Man does the Marriage Ceremony!!! The "System" is just there for Extortion & Control!!! John
by Cyndi Ninja on February 8th, 2008
No, just because they aren't married legally (because of a mix up) doesn't mean that the marriage is void in the church.
by andthenitsgone on October 24th, 2008
1) They get married.
2) Marriage "wasn't legal"....Why not?
by DudeLer 2 on June 8th, 2009
God's Law does not apply to today's activities. Jesus cancelled out all the Laws with His Two New Laws. 1. Love Our Holy Father with all your heart, and soul and mind. 2. Love your neighbor as you would love yourself. Jesus said it is more important to follow the Spirit of the Law, than the Letter of the Law. The Law was originally made for the Jews. So they would see Their Creator in the Law. Instead they saw the Letter and missed the Spirit. No, if they are still in love then they did not fornicate.
by ladyshakespeare on June 8th, 2009
no, God doesnt condemn them because of a fraud discrepency of the person performing the marriage. To the best of their knowledge, they were "married." I love that attempt to make God look evil though; that was sort of clever (sort of.)
by themyelinsheath on June 8th, 2009
God doesn't care if we have sex, married or not. God isn't paying attention to us like the Bible says, he's much too busy. If he notices us at all it's in the same manner as we when we have an itch.
by Randoley on June 8th, 2009
People got married long before their were rules regarding it. As long as they made the commitment before God and were faithful to Him and each other then that is all He cares about.
by Captain4876 on July 16th, 2010
I don't think the Bible's so legalistic on this. They wouldn't have sinned in the eyes of God, but they should probably remarry before they have sex again.
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You're reading Let's just say two Bible believers get married. Afterwards, they find out that their marriage wasn't legal at the time of the marriage, so their marriage becomes void. If they had sex, did they commit fornication according to God's law?
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Comments
Very good answer. Thank you. :)
by AnonymousGirl on February 8th, 2008
Ditto.
by Moongrim on June 8th, 2009