You said marriage is 'legal' or 'right' or 'accepted' in the eyes of God so long as "we follow the custom, that's just the accepted practice for society of the culture and time period in which we live." So I merely was pointing out that you can't really have it both ways,can you?
Well since we are still physically in this world we do have to live according to the laws of the land - society and there is nothing wrong with partaking of the benefits the gov offers, when we have paid taxes. Peter teaches that we are to submit ourselves to ordinances of man.
1Peter 2:12 having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.
v. 13 Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme,
v. 14 or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good.
But as we are also to obey God, first and foremost, and Scripture certainly does ordain and promote marriage, then we should get married. Now how are we to go about the marrying of 2 people, when the Bible only gives us the rudimentary bases for it, "leave father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh"? Well we follow the accepted custom for where we live. Is this a contradiction, by saying it needs to be both ways... you need to marry according to Scripture and society? I don't think so.
Now when you insert same sex marriage into the equation, that is a whole other aspect and I have shown, in Scripture, it's not an acceptable practice in the eyes of God, according to Paul. So there you have it, unless you are in accordance with what the Scripture teaches is God's will, as same sex marriage is not, so God certainly does not honor it.
State/gov can validate whatever they choose... and there is much in this world that believers do not partake in. That is an absolutely key element in believers walk, to know how to "live peaceably" (Rom 12:18) in this world and not be conformed to this world.
Rom 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
1Peter 4:1 Therefore, since the Messiah suffered in a mortal body, you, too, must arm yourselves with the same determination, because the person who has suffered in a mortal body has stopped sinning,
v. 2 so that he can live the rest of his mortal life guided, not by human desires, but by the will of God.
mercy, peace and love
Kat