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NASB | Acts 20:28 "Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Acts 20:28 "Take care and be on guard for yourselves and for the whole flock over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as overseers, to shepherd (tend, feed, guide) the church of God which He bought with His own blood. |
Subject: Married by church and not state? |
Bible Note: Sorry about the gender misunderstanding. In that case, you are right, the responsibility would not be with your spouse to provide for you. Of course, it is not prohibited, either. A good Proverbs 31 wife would be doing her best to make good use of the resources God provides. Gratefully, we are not yet at a stage where our government watches everything we do. The onus of responsibility is on us to notify them of changes in our status that effect their dealing with us. So, unless you plan on talking to them about your public marriage, it would be concealment by omission, which is lying. Furthermore when you accept each payment check, you are tacitly agreeing to the terms whereby you received it. The law bases many of its decisions on something we inherited from the British called "common law." If you live long enough with a woman, or you declare her your wife to others, you have what is called a common law marriage. Although this marriage has no ceremony, license, or vows, it is considered a legal marriage. Although many people now equivocate on these laws in order to avoid one thing or another, nevertheless they have prevailed for quite some time. This kind of marriage would be no different -- legally -- to the kind you are describing. One sure way to find out, however, is to do the following: Give the government office in question a call and explain to them your situation. Explain the kind of marriage you will be having and how it is not the kind in which they are interested. See how they respond. :-) You should also consider that you might be interfering with how God chooses to provide for you. He will always use means that will not be questionable to anyone. Remember, what does it matter how much money you have, as long as you belong to God? Submit entirely to Him, and He will see to it that these things are provided. I'd also give pause to the entire plan. When we are to move, God always provides the means by which we can do so. Sometimes lacking the resources is a way that God closes door. You asked, "Would a medically handicapped male, unable to work, also be termed as being worse than an infidel?" Only if you had the means to provide for your family and you failed to do so. In Him, Doc |