Hi Bradford,
I think that marriage is important for many reasons. Adam and Eve were called husband and wife (Gen 3: 6,8), so they were married by God in some way.
Here is an email from Ray, that might give you other possiblities.
http://www.forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,2721.0.html ---------------------------
Marriage
« on: May 07, 2006, 07:00:24 PM »
hi Brother Ray, I have a question, my botfriend and I want to get married but we don't want to do it with the government. We both know that there is a marrage paper in the family bible. How do we go about it? is that a legal document? please help
thank you
love in Christ
jessica and lee
Dear Jessica:
Any Justice of the Peach at any Courthouse, or any Captain of a Cruise Ship can legally marry you for a few dollars. You can be married in any church or a wedding chapel. There are reasons to have a legal marriage license, that can be of benefit to you and your family in later life.
God be with you,
Ray
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The part of your question about Matt 22: 30, I believe Jesus is talking about after being resurrected there will not be sexual relations, because for one thing I don't believe there will be children being born, but more than that I think that the time after resurrection people will be beyond physical relationships, as I believe sex is for the flesh gratification only. that's just the way I see it
Here's another email from Ray.
http://bible-truths.com/email12.htm#angels ---------------------------------------------------------
[Ray Replies]
Dear Abed:
Thank you for your email and questions.
Gen. 6 has absolutely NOTHING to do with "fallen angels." The "sons of God" and the "daughters of men" is not speaking of mortals and spirit beings. This is just another one of Christendom's fables.
Jesus plainly told us that,
"Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God., For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage [why? why aren't they given in marriage? Answer....] ...but are AS THE ANGELS of God in heaven" (Matt. 22:30).
The angels CANNOT MARRY (they have no 'marriage apparatus' if you know what I mean). Yet we are told in Gen. 6:2, that "they took them WIVES of all which they chose." To have a "wife" one must be "MARRIED." The sons of God and the daughters of men are BOTH HUMAN.
I believe that verse 4 of Gen. 6 is a terrible translation in the King James. Since most translators have bought into the 'angels fornicating with women' theory, most of them have a very strange translation of this verse. There are whole words in this Hebrew verse that are not even translated at all in most versions.
Notice this translation from the Concordant Version:
"Now the DISTINGUISHED come to be in the earth in those days, and moreover, afterward, coming are those who are sons of God to the daughters of the human, and they bear for them. They are the MASTERS, who are from the eon, MORTALS with the name."
Sorry I don't have time to explain the meaning of all these verses, but at least I want you to know that this is not a case of angels fornicating with women.
God be with you,
Ray
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mercy, peace, and love
Kat