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speratus said:
Assuming the minister properly verified the consent of parents and the posting of the bans, he should know that <span style="background-color:yellow">the Christian couple was pronounced husband and wife by God prior to the wedding rite</span>. As the agent of God, he should merely publicly announce that the couple are husband and wife.
Nonsense!! <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/igiveup.gif" alt="" /> If your novel idea was true, then any "couple" could freely engage in sexual activity with God's blessing, since according to you, they are already married. However, Scripture calls such sexual activity FORNICATION, i.e., sex BEFORE marriage. (cf. Jh 4:17, 18; 1Cor 7:1, 2, 9; 1Thess 4:3; et al) Marriage in Scripture is never a private matter, i.e., a simple private commitment between two parties, but rather it is a community affair where two believers come before the Church to profess publicly to bind themselves in covenant before the Lord and the saints, who will hold them accountable to that covenantal vow. Betrothal is the intent TO marry. It is not marriage itself.

FYI, O.T. marriage arrangements/contracts made by parents on behalf of their children are not binding upon those in the new covenant administration.

In His grace,

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simul iustus et peccator

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