 <ul>
<li> <b>Definition:</b> <i>The State of being united to a person of the opposite Sex as husband or wife in a consensual and contractual Relationship recognized by law</i>
<p>
<li> <b>Covenant:</b><i>
<ul>
<li> A Marriage Covenant is a commitment made in the Presence of God , and is valid until Death . 
<li> It is a commitment that is irrevocable and does Not depend on the Performance of either spouse. 
<li> Marriage is a covenantal Relationship between husband, wife and the Creator.
<li> Covenantal Marriage Spiritually , emotionally and Physically unites a man and women together as husband and wife.
<li> When the spouses` Spiritual , Emotional and Physical Relationships with each other are All Strong , and each spouse`s Relationship with God is Strong , the Marriage is Strong and balanced.
</i>
</ul>
<p>
<li> <b>Contract:</b><i>
<ul>
<li> A Marriage contract is a commitment made in the Presence of a legal Authority , and is valid until the contract is broken. 
<li> It is a commitment that is kept until one spouse, or both, fails to perform according to the contract.
<li> A Marriage contract is a bi-lateral legal agreement between two people. 
<li> It is a performance-based agreement. 
<li> It is binding Only as long as each spouse performs according to the contract. 
<li> If one spouse fails to adequately uphold the contract, the other spouse can Choose to no longer be Bound by the contract.
</ul>
</i>
<p>
<li> <b>Purpose:</b> 
<ul>
<li> Genesis 2:24 <br><i>
Therefore shall a man leave his Father and his Mother , and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.</i>
<li> Prepare Children for life
<ul> 
<li> teaching them where they came from
<li> teaching them Life principles
<li> <b>teaching them about God </b>
</ul>
</ul>
<p>
<li> <b>Benefits:</b>
<ul>
<li> Family - Love , sharing Life experiences
<li> Economic - more Wealth is produced
<li> Physical Health - better Health , lower infant mortality and less drug use
<li> Spiritual Health - where Individuals rightly fit in God`s plan
</ul>
<li> <b>Holy Matrimony:</b>
<dir>
In Light of recent Legislation that affects the implementation of Marriage and Government positions toward married Individuals it is Time that Christians Consider an alternative to Marriage . Only the Union of a man and a woman is acknowledged by God . There are at least two Government Benefit policies that prevent men and women becoming married.
<ol>
<li> assistance to single mothers
<ul>
<li>  Department of Human Services
<li>  Department of Social Service - Provides WIC, food stamps, daycare assistance and Health care assistance such as Medicaid and Medicare.
<li>  Transportation Assistance
<li>  Soup Kitchen
<li>  Rent assistance
<li>  Free or reduced meals for school-aged children
<li>  Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) - A Federal assistance program that provides temporary cash assistance and food stamps to single Mothers and low-income Individuals , showing a need.
<li>  Low Income Housing Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) - A Federal assistance program that provides assistance with energy-related costs, including paying utility bills, weatherization procedures and/or energy-related Home repairs.
</ul>
<li> Social security Benefits tied to deceased spouses
</ol>
In the case for unwed Mothers there are tremendous resources available to the Mother as long as she stays unmarried. In the case of Individuals ( primarily women ) with deceased spouses the Benefit continues as long as the individual Receiving the Benefit remains unmarried. So we See that in both of these cases Government Legislation has Created a disincentive for marriage.
<p>
From a Christian Perspective remaining unmarried while having sexual relations is Immoral . It is Fornication for which there are many condemning scriptures:
<ul>
<li> Matthew 15:19 <br><i>
For out of the Heart proceed Evil Thoughts , murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, False Witness , blasphemies:</i>
<li> Acts 15:20 <br><i>
But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from Fornication , and from things strangled, and from blood.</i>
<li> Romans 1:29 <br><i>
Being filled with All Unrighteousness , Fornication , Wickedness , covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, Debate , deceit, malignity; whisperers,</i>
<li> 1 Corinthians 6:13 <br><i>
Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall Destroy both it and them. Now the Body is Not for Fornication , but for the Lord ; and the Lord for the body.</i>
<li> 1 Corinthians 6:18 <br><i>
Flee Fornication . Every Sin that a man doeth is without the Body ; but he that committeth Fornication sinneth against his own body.</i>
<li> 1 Corinthians 7:2 <br><i>
Nevertheless, to avoid Fornication , let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.</i>
<li> Galatians 5:19 <br><i>
Now the Works of the Flesh are Manifest , which are these; Adultery , Fornication , uncleanness, lasciviousness,</i>
<li> Ephesians 5:3 <br><i>
But Fornication , and All uncleanness, or covetousness, let it Not be once named among You , as becometh saints;</i>
<li> 1 Thessalonians 4:3 <br><i>
For this is the Will of God , even your Sanctification , that ye should abstain from fornication:</i>
<li> Jude 1:7 <br><i>
Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, Giving themselves over to Fornication , and going after strange Flesh , are set forth for an Example , Suffering the vengeance of Eternal fire.</i>
</ul>
<p>
Since the prevailing tide is for Government Legislation to legitimize Marriages between two men or two women it is clear that Marriage has become a legal term, Not a Spiritual term. That being the case, it is entirely appropriate for Christians optimize their legal status without Moral retribution. This means that Christians may remain unmarried ( for the sake of legal status and associated Benefits ) and yet have sexual relations with their partner. The Only Way this can be Morally Justified is by the couple entering into Holy Matrimony. Holy Matrimony would involve a Spiritual Service in which the Christian man and woman commit themselves through sacred vows before their Heavenly Father . In Holy Matrimony there would be no Need for Marriage Licenses or other legal trappings. The contract would be entirely Spiritual in Nature . There would be no Need to register it in any Church or Government records.
<p>
The Benefits for moving away from Marriage to Holy Matrimony are as follows:
<ul>
<li> The unwed Mother maintains her legal status and Receives assistance from Government programs.
<li> The unwed Mother is Morally upright through Holy Matrimony.
<li> The widowed individual maintains her legal status and continues Receiving the Social security Benefit from their deceased spouse.
<li> The widowed individual is Morally upright through Holy Matrimony.
</ul>
<p>
Individuals, Just as corporations, are Bound to Obey the letter of the Law . Corporations maximize their positions with Respect to the laws. Individuals should maximize their positions with Respect to the Law . Jesus put it this way:
<dir>
<p>
Matthew 22:21 <br><i>
They Say unto him, Caesar`s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar`s; and unto God the things that are God`s.</i>
</dir>
<p>
Marriage and Family are institutions that God Ordained . Many have cried for `separation of Church and state</i> while legislating into God`s domain. Moving toward the institution of Holy Matrimony into which the Government has no Power is a reasonable implementation of the <i>separation of Church and state</i> position.
<p>
The sooner Christians move toward adopting Holy Matrimony as the basis for Spiritual Unions and thus Families the better.
</dir>
</ul>