Musing – Does “Separation of Church & State” Apply to Marriage?

Hebraic Musing – Does “Separation of Church & State” Apply to Marriage?

While the concept of “Separation of Church & State” is alleged to be in the Constitution, it actually is not.  However the concept and use of the phrase guides many decisions in the governance of our nation’s laws and customs.  My life’s purpose is to promote the sacredness of Biblical Marriage (In fact, I’ve authored a book with that title); thus my deep concern about attacks on traditional biblical marriage.  I have some questions about a perceived conflict between “Separation of Church & State” and the concept of biblical marriage?

Marriage was given to us as a gift from God and thus is the responsibility of the Church to govern.  The sanctity of marriage is well emphasized in Hebrews 13:4 – “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.”  Why then, when a minister officiates a wedding, said minister has to be approved by the State for the marriage to be recognized?  Has the State usurped jurisdiction over recognition of the Church’s sacrament of marriage? 

On the other side of the issue, divorce is a legal act now governed by the State and occurs with increasing frequency.  Yet divorce is not accepted biblically and for years was forbidden by the Church.  The Catholic Church, as I grew up, strictly prohibited divorce with ex-communication as the penalty (with annulment as the questionable escape mechanism).  And Jesus was very clear when He said (in red letters)  "Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her.  And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery." Mark 10:11-12  (Note 1)

The granting of divorce has become an increasingly recognized way of life today, and divorce decrees are being granted by the State.  I have heard little or no preaching in Church(s) against divorce.  Is the Church being forced to go along with the State’s willingness to grant divorces?  Thus, divorce has had to be accepted by the Church as a popular life style in today’s society.   Can we have “Separation of Church & State” when the two seem to be inextricably intertwined? (Note 2)

It gets deeper when the Church’s acceptance of divorce becomes so prevalent that it is perceived to be sanctioned, contrary to the biblical sacrament of marriage.  Those caught in the LGBT (Note 3) lifestyle want acceptance by the Church since the Church has already weakened its position on the sanctity of biblical marriage.  Thus the argument, why shouldn’t LGBT folks have acceptance AND approval by the Church since the State has now given approval, even approving homosexual marriage? (Note 4) 

Has the church abdicated its responsibility for the sanctity and governance of marriage to the State?  

Critical caveat – If you are reading this and feel condemnation because you have been through a divorce, please consider that Satan wants us to look back while Jesus wants us to look forward.  View your current situation looking forward, not backward.   We, the Church, have participated in the problem, thus we all need to repent, ask forgiveness and vow to honor the biblical sacrament of marriage from this day forward.

Points to ponder

What’s next as the State rules on more Judeo-Christian moral issues?

When have you heard Matthew 19:8-9 preached from the pulpit? 
Or Malachi 2:16?  "I hate divorce," says the Lord God of Israel…

Which should we be honoring – The Church’s Lord or the State’s Laws?

"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." Matt. 3:2

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                   March 28, 2017

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage” “Musings - A Victorious Life”  “Musings - The Torah and New Testament”
Weekly “Hebraic Musings”      www.InsightsByYosef.com

Notes #1 thru 4 are extensive, challenging and supplementary.  They are available on request.

Notes and supplements to
Hebraic Musing – Does “Separation of Church & State” apply to Marriage?

This is a huge subject for the general size format of Hebraic Musings so the notes here are supplementary:

1.      Jesus’s words in Matthew 19:8-9 differ somewhat from verses in Mark and Luke about divorce.  “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard.  But it was not this way from the beginning.  I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery."  
The Matthew rendition requires a willingness to study Matthew’s version of the discourse with a Jewish mindset and understanding of the legal bickering of the Jews with Jesus.  I propose or postulate, that if Jesus actually said except for "marital unfaithfulness” there are only two ways he said it.  He was giving the same concession Moses allowed, which He was not himself in agreement with the issue, or he was using Hosea and wife Gomer, as the standard of unfaithfulness.  In either case he never gave permission to remarry.  The divorce in itself doesn’t constitute adultery; the divorce has to be followed with remarriage to constitute adultery.  So if you wish to divorce your wife/husband because of “marital unfaithfulness” using Hosea and Gomer as the standard; ok, but you still can’t remarry.  

2.      The State needs to control the legality of the minister to join a couple because when it divorces they need a legal contract to begin with.  If you want to legally separate a couple you first need a legal document that has put them together so that it can be legally taken apart.  Stop divorce, and you no longer need the state’s involvement in the marriage; and “inheritance rights” issues are minimalized.

3.      LGBTIQ is the newest acronym.  It stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgender, Intersexed, Queer or Questioning.  This is almost humorous; does anyone see that there is no end to this list?  If we accept one sin as ok, where does it end?  In fact, I’ll predict that someday a “P” will be added for Pedophilia; and then a “B” for Beastiality. 

4.      The LGBT movement is no longer interested in acceptance by the Church, they are starting to get that.  What they want now is endorsement. 

Additional perspectives from a respected source:

The real issue is that men of old and of today want to divorce their wives so as to remarry another. They were looking for a loophole to get out of their marriage.  Interestingly enough it’s possible Jesus permitted Moses’ exception to stand but never agreed to the motive of their hearts to remarry.  And today most Christian men treat the Bible as a legal document to justify or condemn behavior to suit their own desires; rather than clinging to the heart of the word of God and working out their salvation with fear and trembling.  

Another perspective to consider, the Bible was written at a time when men ruled.  Women were not on the same status as men.  Therefore the discourse in Matthew’s gospel deals with the motive of men.  Women’s motives are far more involved and not always so simple to define.  Women don’t usually want a divorce for the purpose of remarrying.   Yes it happens.  but not on the scale that men do it.  Men get tired of the old model and want to trade it in on a newer model.  There is more here to be studied and researched than I have time to focus on.

Another thought, or perspective to consider; how many men start relationships with single women as opposed to another married women?  Generally speaking…Men want sex.  Women want security.  That’s why many young women don’t want a young man because they don’t exude security like an older man with an established career that offers a greater sense of security.   This is a very complicated subject.  But not nearly as complicated as the problems remarriage brings, like the doors of “Pandora’s box” being opened. That was the whole idea of "Pandora’s box”, it is an allegorical idea of mysteries that could not be calculated nor comprehended in their ramifications on the human condition.   Thus the spiraling out of control of what is sexually permissible in today’s culture.  (Is the term “today’s culture” an oxymoron?)