It is our job as Christians, as those who love the Lord, to obey his commands. Some of these commands are very blunt: 'do not committ adultery' comes to mind. Others of them are written with a broader brush, showing up in pattern and precept in various ways throughout Scripture. Each of these needs to be placed in their context; just as Jesus expands our knowledge of the meaning of adultery by including lustful thoughts.

Some of the things we see in Scripture are obvious 'good in themselves'; the laws against murder and theft come to mind. Others are principally symbolic (such as communion and baptism) and do not seem, as laws, to actually have physical effect. But there is no real hard and fast line of separation between these two uses. The laws against murder and theft are important symbolically in reflecting God's holiness and His creation of life and property. Baptism and communion increase our social feelings of community and bind us together.

So it is with the laws regarding marraige. The pattern and precept of marriage has been obscured greatly in recent years. The practical effect of this has been a breakdown in social restrictions. As at least a partial result, fornication, abortion and divorce are rampant.

And also as regards the church, the destruction of symbology has resulted in a destruction of the things symbolized. No longer do wives submit to their husbands as Lord; and large blocks of the church are similarly avoiding the Lordship of our husband. Just as we have obscured the forms of the process of marriage; so have we obscured the other forms of the church; replacing elders with democracy for example.


There are a myriad of websites etc. speaking of the parallelisms between our betrothal as the church and features of Jewish marriage. One particuarly interesting site is: http://www.biblestudymanuals.net/jewish_marriage_customs.htm

Just a glimpse into some of the parallels he draws:

Our obedience to Christ should include our obedience to the forms that He instituted and affirmed. By following this pattern and precept we will be building His church in His way; in this particular case by building generation on generation in righteous obedience.

Thus we are proposing this document, and particularly the covenant. We are proposing that the patriarchs of this age gather together in covenant. That they seek, when need so requires, a bride for their sons. They seek this bride from among the family of the faithful: with whom they are in covenant. The fathers agreeing, a Betrothal is covenanted. The children can then commit their hearts to each other.