Physical attraction, compatibility, loneliness, Family influence, Cultural aspects, Personality and personal interests might be some of the causes that influence the choice we might make in selecting a Marriage Mate, I'm sure there are others. It was predetermined by God what choice we will ultimately make in any given situation, but since we don't know the end from the beginning of any matter, like God does, we still have to make a choice. Even choosing to do nothing is still a choice.
Yes there is others and even betters.
What about, -because these world at these time of history might be too dark and dangerous to stay by our selfs, -Because two can help each other mutually, -For companionship and spiritual connection (if you have been blessed enough to find real spiritual conection),, These sounds like very good reasons.
And then I was wondering, with what else as this good, these could be compared with? Probably a bouch of companionship and spirituals conections and a bounch of mutual encourage, Was these not what Paul had with the people he used t write with? And It is kind of what these forum is about, but then still, I guess we need have a balance between online communication and off-line communication.
I sometimes wonder about the first communities trying to follow Jesus teachings while living toguether at one specific location, there was people there who was married and on many others different stages of their life. What a good eviroment for faster spiritual grow and inspiration between the members. I am sure they used to sing and play instruments often. I remember somewhere where it says; the ones who are married as if they where not. They where all eating often toguether while making comments and memories regarding their very same Creator or simply having fun in the table.
Do we have a choice with regards to who we take to the marriege embasy and firm a paper with and probably interchange rings?
I will chose it someday, hopefully with out games and straight into her face; Hey how are you doing?, would you.. in a year or two??
of course based, if it ever happen, it would be based in all the million choices that God have put behind me, including these post. (but hopefully, God willing, familys influences, lame cultural aspects, relative aspects of personality and my appeal for pure external beauty atraction doesn't stay in the way).
I didn't mention anything related to Spiritual connection, not that it isn't something to hope for in selection of a Marriage Mate, however, a person could be "Unevenly Yoked," even in a situation where there is Spiritual compatibility(Same Beliefs, etc). This was the case for Me in past Marriages, where in other areas, specifically and foremost "Personality incompatibility" was the major problem and the Marriage became intolerable, We were unevenly yoked. Ray has mentioned that Marriages are not primarily Spiritual, at least initially, but are Carnal and don't necessarily involve Love. Thankfully for me, that's not the case. I value personality compatibility as foremost in making a selection. This mindset is the result of much cause/effect from my many experiences in this area(Marriage).
Excerpts from Ray's Paper "Unevenly Yoked."
"Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 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. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, says the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty" (II Cor. 6:14-18).
The phrase "unequally yoked together" is the translation of just one Greek word, heterozugeo, which is a compound word that means, "to yoke up differently; to associate discordantly; unequally yoke together." It is used but this one time in the Bible.
have personally seen marriages between a believer and a non-believer that were more loving and equally yoked than some marriages between two believers. So we need to pay close attention to ALL the words of these profound Scriptures.
We can advise and try to help people see different aspects of a situation. We can relay our own personal knowledge of such things. But we should not get involved in being overly righteous in these matters lest we be guilty of "forbidding to marry" (I Tim. 4:3), which is a doctrine of demons (Verse 1).
The key is becoming "unequally yoked." And that can mean marriage, but it can also mean which church one attends; of which clubs one is a member; which establishments one goes to for entertainment; which TV shows become a regular habit; with whom one becomes business partners; Etc.
Never become unequally yoked with anyone, and always avoid: "unrighteousness, darkness, Belial [an epithet of Satan], infidels, and idols."
We've all seen matches made in heaven that didn't work out, and conversely, we've seen marriages doomed to failure from day one, that are still going strong (or maybe not so strong, but still going, nonetheless) after 30 and 40 years. Only God knows for sure how marriages will turn out. Birds of a feather flock together, but then again opposites attract. Marriage is an area best left up to the bride and the groom.
I thought this was an excellent paper, wish it was available to me twenty years ago, but it wasn't God's plan for me, glad I'm learning from it now. Samson.