Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan.
... Do you suppose if Jacob had scorned his father's blessing and disobeyed his charge that it wouldn't be a sin for him to marry a daughter of Canaan? Perhaps not, but I believe otherwise. In this respect, the deceiver, Jacob, honored his father. If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband's brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband's brother unto her.
any chance that someone could have violated this precept? Then again, it was this very precept that made it possible for BOAZ to take another wife, namely RUTH. Surely a good student of the Bible knows how important it was for Boaz to take Ruth for his wife.
They shall not take a wife that is a whore, or profane; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband: for he is holy unto his God.
I am certain that some here would agree that breaking this one would still be considered commiting a sin -- even today. But it is a scripture that is applicable to the Levitical Priesthood. Does it apply to the men of God today? Are the saints of God permitted to take whores and profane women for wives under the new covenant? Does God now permit His priests to marry profane whores since all born again men are considered priests and kings?
Leviticus 21
13 And he shall take a wife in her virginity. 14 A widow, or a divorced woman, or profane, or an harlot, these shall he not take: but he shall take a virgin of his own people to wife. 15 Neither shall he profane his seed among his people: for I the LORD do sanctify him.
... But this is all Old Testament stuff. Does it even count for anything today?
Thou shalt not take thee a wife, neither shalt thou have sons or daughters in this place.
... is it even possible that the Lord does not desire His annointed to take certain spouses from certain places today?
another one...
A man shall not take his father's wife, nor discover his father's skirt.
So... who should marry and who should not?
IF it really isn't a sin to marry anyone you choose why are there so many prohibitions concerning who we marry in the Bible? (Or are all these prohibitions done away with because the law is old and no longer counts these days?) What would be the criteria for a true, genuine, and godly marriage today?
If unlawful marriage = adultery, is not that unlawful marriage also a sin?
...Now I confess that John the Baptist did tell Herod that it was not lawful for him to marry Philip's wife because Herod married his brother's wife. Even this was established UNDER the law. BUT... while we are on the topic with respect to the dispensations, all that Christ said concerning marriage before his crucifixion was stated under the law as well. (Even the part about cutting off your hand and pulling out your eyes.) Jesus came to fulfill the law. Nonetheless the scripture says that Herod did indeed marry another man's wife.
When is marriage a sin?
A: When it is ungodly marriage.
2 Corinthians 6
14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers:
for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial?
or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols?
for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.
... some will say that this scripture has nothing to do with marriage but I can testify that it has a great deal to do with it.
One of the most powerful bonds any human can ever hope to experience is the yoke of the marriage bond. Yes, I do believe that marriage can be a sin -- especially if it is possible to actually "marry" another man's wife while she is "put away" (that means separated, not necessarily "divorced" ). According to scripture, all divorced people have been "put away" but not all people who have been "put away" are divorced... at least not according to my knowledge of biblical divorcement.
Then this whole "marriage" thing needs a definition. How is it possible for a man to actually, genuinely, MARRY a woman who is already married??? I don't get it. AND... if she would already be married to another prior to remarriage, while married... this is a sin called "adultery"... The product of a marriage, is it not?
Is it not therefore a sinful marriage?
Will God sanctify this?
For some bizzare reason the enemy keeps whispering a dark lie into the waxen ears of some well meaning people who want to believe that "Marriage is honorable in all" really means, "All marriage is honorable" and for some supernatural reason that message is readily heard. No, sorry... that one I will not swallow. Not all marriage is honorable. Let's try this again:
What is the Biblical definition of marriage?
might I attempt to offer one from the Old Testament?
Deuteronomy 22
28 If a man find a damsel that is a virgin, which is not betrothed, and lay hold on her, and lie with her, and they be found; 29 Then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel's father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife; because he hath humbled her, he may not put her away all his days.
Now this is a very nice and concise biblical definition of genuine marriage. One of my favorites, in fact. It doesn't beat around the bush... Cuts to the chase, you might say. It just lays it on the line. But it is an OLD TESTAMENT example of marriage so it probably isn't an acceptable example for the mainstream churches of this "modern" era. I mean, how many women marry as virgins in this day and age? If this were the criteria today I don't think there would be very many "official" marriage ceremonies in church. So again.. when is it called a "marriage"? I think that before we discuss divorce and remarriage we need to be able to agree on what a genuine, biblical, marriage is in the first place. It would seem that not all of us here really know.
After determining a BIBLE definition for marriage the rest should naturally fall into place, I suspect.