The American “church” has many traditions that simply have no biblical basis.  While some of those traditions aren’t harmful, some are.  One that I’ve come up against is the non-biblical tradition of needing a license from the State to be “officially” married.  Today’s church foolishly conflates the State’s legal marital status, with the biblical concept of husband and wife.  As you consider the issue, you’ll be confronted with the fact that nowhere in the entirety of the bible are we told to get a license from the State.  We made that one up out of thin air.

Shame on us.

In the same way that we reckon that if the Old King James was good enough for Paul … it’s should be good enough for us, we foolishly think that a marriage license went back to Jesus’ time. If you bother to research the history of an American marriage license, you’ll find that it was instituted, among other things, to keep whites from marrying blacks.  George Washington did not have any such license with Martha.

We read over and over in the Old Testament of a man “taking” a wife.  There was certainly a Jewish ceremony to celebrate the marriage … but no license.  It was “official” when Boaz took Ruth.  It was “official” when Rebekah left her home and traveled with Abraham’s servant to Isaac. 

As any man who’s had more than one wife knows, it’s universally “official” when she says “give me your wallet” … and he gladly hands it over!  😊

But more importantly, it’s “official” when the doctor says it’s stage 4 cancer … and for the next 4 years he gives up all that he is to serve her … to keep her alive … until she dies.  It’s “official” when the doctor says, “the aneurism was so severe that it should have fried his brain”, but he didn’t die … and for the next 10 years she gives up her life to serve him … until he dies.  It’s “official” when those two who endured so much loss take each other and become a “unit” to serve the living God.

It’s “official” when God says it’s official.  When His hand is in the matter.  When He brings together a man and a woman at His pleasure … in his time … for His will.

It is that “union” that no man can break.