What is marriage?

According to the bible you must be married before having sex right. Now please don't answer whether this statement is correct or not or even whether God exists or not.

What I want to know is what counts as sex according to the bible?

Now I live...

in South Africa and there are 4 ways you can be seen to be legally married in the eyes of our law.
1. Get married the usual way with a whole ceremony etc.
2. Get married in court, which means signing a a certain paper.
3. A traditional marriage in any of the ways of our many cultures.
4. Just by living together for a number of years you are deemed to be married in the eyes of the law.

So what does it then mean to be married? And when are you allowed to have sex then according to the bible

In ancient times, marriage consisted of a contract (generally verbal) between a buyer and a seller of a daughter. Once the money was paid from the husband to the girl's father, they were considered married.

If there are any gods out there, do you really think they fixate on human ceremonies, legal procedings, and cash transactions? If there are any gods out there obsessing over sex, surely they are interested in a committed relationship and honesty - and nothing more.

Well a common law marriage is not marriage in God's eyes. And according to my preacher, even a lustful thought is a sin. My youth group leader once told me, when I asked how far is too far, he said if you even have to ask, you've gone too far. I guess its all or nothing.

When you love someone deeply...thats marriage in God's eyes.

Think about it. Back in ancient times, it was normal for men to have multiple wives, sometimes even encouraged. In the modern context, that is adultery (except in Islamic society), but in ancient times it was perfectly acceptable. Why? Because a man was supposed to love any woman he laid with

I don't think any man can provide you with a perfect answer - you would have to ask God what constitutes 'fornication', which is a sin.

***According to the bible you must be married before having sex right.***

NOPE. It doesn't say that...

Are you trying to justfiy somthing by technicality? There are no loop holes where G-d is going to say Opps you got me, well no harm done as I should have specified. Sex is G-d's gift to married couples kind of says that he wants you to be married.

Tseirpeht

ok, now when according to the above is a couple married? This isn't a loop hole, but the definition of marriage has changed in 2000 years. So what counts as marriage today.

marriage is a bond that forcefullyl keeps you together with a person by law.

***Sex is G-d's gift to married couples KIND OF SAYS THAT he wants you to be married.***

...kind of, huh? That's pretty vague. Again, open for interpretation.

Well, I get asked that question a lot about marriage, but I finally came to the conclusion that Marriage is suppose to be a promise to God that you will love that person and only that person. But I honestly think that Marriage should be from your heart I think any marriage would be fine. Anyways that is my idea of marriage. Good luck on your search for the answer you want. =D

Forgive me ifeelcrazy123 I was going by my religious law. The bible was never written with the intent for a system of government to abolish it. I am simply stating that it is a gift by G-d to married couples.

To the modern law it is main focus is that of the rights of the spouse, like parental rights, taxation status and emergency decision making. (Thats only in America though, I am sorry missed the part where you mentioned you were from Africa)

Example of my interpretation: The powers that be (government) say you can not own a hand gun untill you have taken a safty course. So you go out and buy a hand gun anyway but never shoot it.

Sorry to offend you captainassassin, by my faith is not a popular one on this site.
As for the intent ot the question was to recieve advice from different people, no specific religion was given. Obviously my is faith not welcome here so I will carry my matters else where.

getting married (man a woman) any of the 3 way(N 1 OR 2 OR 3)
according to the bible you can ve sex with you re husband/wife for when you re in a marrage relationship

***Sorry to offend you captainassassin***

...you didn't...

***by my faith is not a popular one on this site.***

Incorrect. Your 'MISINTERPRETATION of your faith' is not popular. Since the bible does not state that pre-marital sex is wrong, nor does it state that sex is ONLY for married people.

***As for the intent ot the question was to recieve advice from different people, no specific religion was given.***

Riiight... that's why the BIBLE was referenced several times in the question.

Just to correct the Bible does indeed state that premarrital sex (fornification) is wrong and sinnful.

The Bible says:

Mat 15:19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications (meaning: noun: voluntary sexual intercourse between persons not married to each other
), thefts, false witness, blasphemies:

Mat 15:20 These are the things which defile (meaning: to make unclean or impure)a man.

***Just to correct the Bible does indeed state that premarrital sex (fornification) is wrong and sinnful.***

No... it doesn't...

The Bible doesn't say that premarital sex is fornication, the ENGLISH DEFINITION does...

The definition of 'fornication' in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin differ from the English definition. Since the scriptures were written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin LONG BEFORE English, AND since the English definition is the ONLY one that differs; the English definition is not valid, when dealing with the original message of the scripture. The definition was amended as yet another way to control the masses.

FYI: When the bible talks of 'fornication' it is referring to 'having sex with prostitutes' ...period...

silence once more. I must say captainassasin, I love your closing lines.