"Spiritual Marriages"
 

Does anyone around here know the Scriptures used to promote "Spiritual Marriages"?

A situation in my town has arisen that concerns this.

Thank You to anyone who can help?

Nina

Re: "Spiritual Marriages"
 

Help us a little here...
How do you define "spiritual marriages" in this context?

Re: "Spiritual Marriages"
 

I think that is from the Book of MOrmon

Re: "Spiritual Marriages"
 

Are you speaking of when you are married you become one?

Re: "Spiritual Marriages"
 

I did a search Nina and couldn't find anything that refers to spiritual marriages.

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Just taking a guess, but I think you are asking about scripture that is not in the Bible, but writings of Joseph Smith the prophet for the Mormons.

Re: "Spiritual Marriages"
 

I think I have only heard of that through the Mormons...are there other churches that teach it?

Re: "Spiritual Marriages"
 

The "Spiritual Marriages" I'm trying to understand are the ones where the man says that he married the wrong woman and that God really meant for him to be married to someone else in a "Spiritual Marriage".

Thanks again for any help,
Nina

Re: "Spiritual Marriages"
 

I don't think there is scripture to support that.

Re: "Spiritual Marriages"
 

To my knowledge there is no such scripture in the Holy Bible.

Re: "Spiritual Marriages"
 

that sounds like rib doctrine to me...

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Branhamite doctrine maybe?

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False doctrine!

Re: "Spiritual Marriages"
 

yes, I agree it is false doctrine...

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I knew of a guy that was musician and he married a gal that didn't like picking of course he said he married the wrong woman, but there was nothing spiritual about it.

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Sister,
Do they have Scripture that they twist to teach this "rib doctrine"
or is it some kind of "revelation"?

Thanks,
Nina

Re: "Spiritual Marriages"
 

pardon me but this is a subject that sets me on edge. I know an IDIOT, and yes he is that, who said this very thing. He left his wife and their two beautiful daughters and married a girl that was many years younger than him. They now pastor a church because his pastor at that time would not sanction his actions. I do not know what scriptures, if any, he used to back it up. Personal opinion is that it was not scripturally based but more that he was just wanting a reason to leave his wife.
I have no idea what kind of church he pastors or if there are any that even go to it. They thing that got me most was the girls mother was all for it and excited. He was not even divorced and was already spending time at her house and taking her out because he know she was his Rachel. (not the girls name but a reference to him being married to the wrong woman. His first wife was his Leah. Thought he was some sort of Jacob I think)
Talk about the ignorant. They will justify anything that suits their lifestyle.

Re: "Spiritual Marriages"
 

I was just going to post that when I saw that you already had.

I hadn't heard of that for a long time.
I think it taught that God intended a certain woman for each man and she was his designated "rib." If a guy was married to a woman and saw someone else and felt attracted to her, she might be his "rib." If his current wife was not his "rib" that meant that God had not actually joined them together so their marriage was not really valid in God's sight. If so, he could leave his wife and marry his "rib" because that was what God intended all along. At least that's how I understood it.

Re: "Spiritual Marriages"
 

Bro Markum

Missionary to Portugal

Use to always tell me, if it wasn't the will of God before you married someone, well it became the will of God after you did it.

Re: "Spiritual Marriages"
 

Nina...there is ZERO scriptural support for the type of "spiritual marriage" you're referring to.

I don't know this person, but it makes me think someone might be looking for a spiritual justification to get out of their marriage and marry someone else.

Re: "Spiritual Marriages"
 

They have no scripture. Brother Epley would be the best to tell you how they teach such a thing...however they believe that everyman has a perfect rib for him out there somewhere and off they go (some of them) looking for the rib..of course the rib must be a virgin!

Re: "Spiritual Marriages"
 

When Eliezer, Abraham's steward went to find a wife for Isaac he prayed that God would show him signs that he was "on the right track" (Genesis 24:11-15). Some people cite this passage (among others) to show that God has some how "preselected" our mates for us.

The one thing that they seem to miss however, is that in this passage Eleizar was to select a bride for Isaac from among a group of people - not necessarily one specific girl! What Eliezar prayed for in Genesis 24:11 was the ability to fulfill his vow that he had made in Genesis 24:1-9. He was to get a bride from Abraham's kinsmen in Aram - and apparently Eliezer was partial to a girl who would go along willingly - an important consideration for a gentleman! And also important because Isaac was not to go to Aram under any circumstances.

On the subject of "spritual marriages" as you describe, I think it's best if folks are a little more honest with themselves and stopped trying to use God for their own purposes. Moses in the Law allowed for divorce "because of the hardness of your hearts..." I really don't think God would have inspired Moses to make such an allowance if it foiled some sort of divine match making service.

In the New Testament we have 1 Corinthians 7 that deals with marriage, divorce and remarriage. Notice 1 Corinthians 7:39 - the woman in question, "she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord...." The only caveat placed upon her other than "in the Lord (in the Christian faith)" is "whom she will." It's her choice!

When issues like divorce come up in our lives or in the lives of those around us, we are often faced with some very unsettling thoughts and feelings. We begin to doubt ourselves and our ability to discern and find God's favor. And while there is little we can do to keep from questioning ourselves, our faith in God should remain unshakable.

A divorce and remarriage may reveal some shortcomings about ourselves - but there really isn't a "divine matchmaking service" that we failed to hook up with somewhere along the way. To come along after the fact and suddenly "discover" such a "service" reveals that many of the shortcomings that were present to begin with are still there and need to be worked out before a person brings their mess into the life of another.

Re: "Spiritual Marriages"
 

Thank You everyone.

The Leah/Rachel illustration is a provocative one.


It's sad when men use the polygamy from the Old Testament to condone their lust.

But, is polygamy justified by the OT and NT for the ordinary folk; those not in ministry?

Nina

Re: "Spiritual Marriages"
 

I'm sorry to disagree with you here on this subject. I believe there is "one" person that God knows would be your ideal mate. And that is why I believe we should pray that God would lead us to that person.

However, IF you don't find that person the first time around doesn't, in my opinion, give you the right to leave that one and go searching again for the right one. But IF for some reason you do not work it out and do go searching again, I believe it would behoove you to do some serious prayinga and soul searching to find that right person.

To indicate that God is not interested in our choice of mates, is extremely short sighted in my opinion.

Re: "Spiritual Marriages"
 

I have heard someone say they believe you have a "spiritual mate" but that doesn't mean you marry them. Their opinion was they will lead you spiritually.

I have no idea where they came up with this thought.

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I don't know how you got the idea "God is disinterested" from what I said. What I said was the choice was "yours" to make. And God is very interested in the choices we make.

The idea that there is someone "out there" that God has chosen for you but that He will not unerringly lead you to seems wrong to me. It seems like God is playing a game if we look at it from this point of view, IMHO. "Guess who I chose for you... guess incorrectly and you may or may not like what's behind Door Number 3! But you gotta live with it because the Almighty won't tell you which door to select!"

If God does have a single "soul mate" selected for just me, and if I did choose "incorrectly" then I should have every reason in the world (and every reason in heaven!) to dump the one I'm stuck with and hook up with the one that I now feel God had chosen for me all along. Of course with me being a simple and fallible man, you would have to just accept the fact that "God's choices" for me tend to get younger and blonder as I get a little older. Eventually I'll find the "right" one and I'll know she's "right" because her freckles will match up to my liver spots.

Of course, this makes a mockery of your point and is no where near what you intended. But my point is that we are freewill agents. I believe that there are personality types that when matched together create real "soul mates..." but - and this is the good news for those who are looking: there are probably a number of people out there who would qualify. I think you should pray and seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit in making such an important decision. But what this type of prayer usually ends up doing is to show us own own weaknesses and faults and makes us more aware of ourselves - thus highlightling the role another person would play in our lives. It would hopefully also point out the burdens and weaknesses that we would bring to the relationship.

For two people to start a relationship based upon the premise of "Are you the right one for me?" is selfish and burdens the relationship with silly fairytails that won't come true. Instead, how about, "Am I good enough that anyone in their right mind would be willing to put up with me?" http://www.apostolicfriendsforum.com...ons/icon11.gif

In my view love is not a lottery to be won or lost - pick the right number (person) and you "win." Love is a quality and virture that each of us should strive to cultivate and to give to others. If by happenstance you find someone that you can uniquely love - more power to you. But be responsible with your choices because God is very much interested in them.

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Does it matter really, since Jesus did NOT condone it?

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Re: "Spiritual Marriages"
 

Brother,
When did Jesus 'not condone it'?
Nina

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Brother,
You have opened a can of worms, for sure!
Nina

Re: "Spiritual Marriages"
 

Their scriptural support comes from "What God has joined together let no man put asunder" and thus they believe that if a marriage was born out of youthful lust or rebellion to parents or on the rebound,, then this was never a true marriage because it was not instituted through careful prayer and consideration. Therefore, they believe that since GOD didn't join you together spiritually... mans laws and paper certificates are not enough to make you married in GODS EYES

Re: "Spiritual Marriages"
 

What about two "sinners" in the world? Not raucus "sinners," maybe a couple of non-practicing dominational types who got bored with the old religion and haven't found "the Truth®?" These may be your next door neighbors or the people down the street. Are they "unmarried" in your opinion? Could you, for example, freely set up a date between the lady and my ne're-do-well brother-in-law? I mean, both appear to be "available" under your scheme and it'd be nice to get this guy off of my sister's hands. You and me wouldn't be "sinning" would we?

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Seems the laguage he used was singular... If a man divorce is wife and marry another... The context seems to imply he did not have many.

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I was thinking along the same lines, except my sister has never been married. She is officially an old maid at 42 and counting!!!

Re: "Spiritual Marriages"
 

Brother,

I printed this for my "soul mate" to read later. :lol
Your wisdom and wit are the reason my limited time on AFF is spent trying to read everything You post.
I wish I knew who You are and what You have published so I could read more.

I thank You for sharing Your soul with us.

Nina

Re: "Spiritual Marriages"
 

I believe if we give God complete control of our lives He will give us that perfect mate. It happened to me. I am writing my life story and by doing so I can see how God has worked in my life including giving me the wife I needed. If you on your own pick the what you think is the wrong mate, you'd better do what you can to make it right and that's not walking away. That is NEVER justified.

My Dad was a great marriage counsler. He said "whatever the problem is; fix it!"

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Brother,
Even "Christians" could and do wrest this to make 'unbeliever' mean what they want it to mean.

In other words, the husband is a "christian" and his wife doesn't believe things exactly like he does so when the newest model arrives the wife suddenly becomes an 'unbeliever' and another one bites the dust.

Nina

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Brother,

This is probably the scripture that will be used when the man in question is confronted.

Thank You for responding,

Nina

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Brother,
Do You believe this?
Nina

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Do You think that this one "implication" overrules centuries of seemingly approved OT marriages?