WATCH THE VIDEO ON THE FUTURE OF MARRIAGE– 

COMMENTARY Value of Family (2008)

Source: Family First  Released October 2008

Fiscal Benefits of Marriage and Reducing Family Breakdown in New Zealand

More on Why Marriage Matters

 

WATCH BOB McCOSKIE TALK ABOUT THE FUTURE OF MARRIAGE

COMMENTARY: “What constitutes marriage according to the Bible?”

Source: Got Questions .org 

The Bible nowhere explicitly states at what point God considers a man and a woman to be married. Due to the Bible’s silence on this matter, identifying the precise moment a man and woman are married in God’s eyes is a complex undertaking. Here are the three most common viewpoints: 1) God only considers a man and a woman married when they are legally married—that is, when they become husband and wife in the eyes of the law. 2) A man and a woman are married in God’s eyes when they have completed some kind of formal wedding ceremony involving covenantal vows. 3) God considers a man and a woman to be married at the moment they engage in sexual intercourse. Let’s look at each of the three views and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each.

1) God only considers a man and a woman married when they are legally married. The scriptural support typically given for this view is the command to obey the government’s laws (Romans 13:1–7; 1 Peter 2:17). The argument is that, if the government requires certain procedures and paperwork to be completed before a marriage is recognized, then a couple should submit themselves to that process. It is definitely biblical for a couple to submit to the government as long as the requirements do not contradict God’s Word and are reasonable. Romans 13:1–2 tells us, “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.”

However, there are some weaknesses and potential problems with this view. First, marriage existed before any government was organized. For thousands of years, people were getting married with no such thing as a marriage license. Second, even today, there are some countries that have no governmental recognition of marriage, and/or no legal requirements for marriage. Third, there are some governments that place unbiblical requirements on a marriage before it is legally recognized. As an example, some countries require weddings to be held in a Catholic church, according to Catholic teachings, and overseen by a Catholic priest. Obviously, for those who have strong disagreements with the Catholic Church and the Catholic understanding of marriage as a sacrament, it would be unbiblical to submit to being married in the Catholic Church. Fourth, to make the legitimacy of the marriage union solely dependent on government statutes is to indirectly sanction the statutory definition of marriage, which may fluctuate.

More on What constitutes marriage according to the Bible?

WATCH BOB McCOSCRIE SEMINAR ON MARRIAGE AND OTHER FAMILY MATTERS

WATCH THIS VIDEO ABOUT NZ LONGEST MARRIED COUPLE

View these Centre Right NZ Political Party Policies and voting position on MARRIAGE.

Note: Policies subject to change. Please check the Policy Links for the latest Policy if available. These are the voting positions of party leaders for the 2014 General Election as reported to Family First who asked the questions below. Please refer to the linked website ‘Value Your Vote 2014‘ for more information and updates.

PARTY	POLICY/VOTING POSITION	LINK TO SITE
Questions asked for the 2014 election GREEN answers support the Conservative position.	Marriage 1 Man/Woman: Will you SUPPORT or OPPOSE a bill which seeks to redefine marriage as being between one man and one woman only? Oppose polygamy / group marriage:Will you SUPPORT or OPPOSE a bill which proposes the redefinition of marriage to allow not only any gender but any number of people? e.g. polygamy, group marriage Encourage marriage: Do you SUPPORT or OPPOSE policies that specifically encourage and strengthen marriages?
	Marriage 1 Man/Woman: OPPOSE Jamie Whyte Oppose polygamy / group marriage: UNDECIDED Jamie Whyte Encourage marriage: UNDECIDED Jamie Whyte	POLICY LINK
	Marriage 1 Man/Woman: OPPOSE Peter Dunne Oppose polygamy / group marriage: OPPOSE Peter Dunne Encourage marriage: OPPOSE Peter Dunne	POLICY LINK
	Marriage 1 Man/Woman: SUPPORT Winston Peters Oppose polygamy / group marriage: OPPOSE Winston Peters Encourage marriage: SUPPORT Winston Peters	POLICY LINK
	Marriage 1 Man/Woman: OPPOSE John Key Oppose polygamy / group marriage: OPPOSE John Key Encourage marriage: SUPPORT John Key	POLICY LINK
	Marriage 1 Man/Woman: SUPPORT Colin Craig Oppose polygamy / group marriage: OPPOSE Colin Craig Encourage marriage: SUPPORT Colin Craig	POLICY LINK
FAMILY FIRST POLICY REQUEST (Family First is not a political party)
	⇒ Develop policies that encourage a cultural shift towards a lifelong exclusive commitment expressed in marriage. ⇒ Family relationship centres. ⇒ Subsidised pre-marriage and marriage counselling ⇒ Amending welfare and tax systems to eliminate disincentives to marriage and marriage penalties ⇒ Protect marriage in law as one man – one woman. Uphold marriage as the national community ideal. ⇒ Abandon the concept of no fault divorce, and place the weight of the law on the side of spouses seeking to defend their marriage ⇒ Establish joint custody following divorce, not just shared responsibility.	REQUESTED POLICY LINK

FAMILY FIRST www.familyfirst.org.nz
ORGANISATION TOPICS: Sex Ed in Schools, Mindfulness in Schools, Wicked Campers, Paid Parental Leave, Easter Trading, Into the River, Pedophile Register, Income Slitting, Street Prostitution, Child Care Debate, Billboards, City Pokie Deal, Gambling Harm, Bail Laws, Auckland Brothel, Child Support, Alcohol Law Reform, Outrageous Fortune, Anti-smacking, HPV Vaccine, RU486, Child Abuse, Child Poverty, Smacking Law, Gender, Screen Time, Euthanasia, R18 Sex Ed, Day Care, Youth & Alcohol, Value of Family, Why Marriage Matters, Family Issue Polls, Anti-smacking Polls, Family Meals, Smacking Cases
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About this organisation Family First is NOT a political party and has no intention to be one. Their role is to be a voice for families in the public domain, and to research and advocate for family and marriage issues.Family First has released its ‘Principles on Family’ – 11 principles highlighting the meaning and significance of the term ‘family’. While there are many forms of family in today’s society, these principles hold true as to what we need to encourage and protect.It has been adapted from “The Natural Family: A Manifesto” developed by the World Congress of Families. The World Congress of Families has been held since 1997 in Prague, Geneva and Mexico City, and was held in Poland (May 07). Note: The below image is a recent screen grab and may not be up to date. Click on the image to see the latest info.
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FAMILY LIFE www.familylife.org.nz
ORGANISATION TOPICS:MARRIAGE, PARENTING
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About this organisation Changed lives; that’s what motivates us. We love hearing stories of husbands, wives, and children whose lives are different because of an interaction with something that we’ve been part of. That’s what we’re about at FamilyLife; to inspire and equip couples to be successfully married for a lifetime. FamilyLife is a non-profit, faith-based, charitable trust committed to building strong marriages and families. Note: The below image is a recent screen grab and may not be up to date. Click on the image to see the latest info.

FAMILY LIFE INTERNATIONAL www.fli.org.nz
ORGANISATION TOPICS: ABORTION, EUTHANASIA, MARRIAGE, SEX EDUCATION, BIOETHICS
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About this organisation Family Life International NZ is a Catholic pro-life, pro-family organisation which has John Paul II Centres for Life in Auckland and Wellington and a dedicated team in Dunedin.  We provide practical help to women and girls facing an unplanned pregnancy, free pregnancy tests and pregnancy counseling.  Family Life International also offers post-abortion healing.  We educate on all the life issues from conception through to natural death including topics such as contraception, abortion, euthanasia, assisted suicide, sex education, eugenics, prenatal testing, IVF, marriage and gender ideology. Note: The below image is a recent screen grab and may not be up to date. Click on the image to see the latest info.

THE NATIONAL MARRIAGE COALITION OF NEW ZEALAND www.marriage.org.nz
ORGANISATION TOPICS: MARRIAGE
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About this organisation The National Marriage Coalition is a coalition of like minded organisations which believes that every child has a fundamental right to both a mother and a father. The best way to secure this right is to establish a loving and stable marriage between a man and a woman for life. The best way to protect and support children, is to protect and support marriage. Therefore marriage should be encouraged and supported by government, society and individuals in every possible way Note: The below image is a recent screen grab and may not be up to date. Click on the image to see the latest info.

PROTECT MARRIAGE www.protectmarriage.org.nz
ORGANISATION TOPICS: MARRIAGE
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About this organisation One Man. One Woman. That’s Marriage. Marriages are a matter of significant public concern, as the record of almost every culture shows. If it weren’t for the fact that sexual intercourse between a man and a woman leads to children and brings with it a further obligation to care for those children, the notion of marriage would probably never have existed, and the state would not have been interested in it. The state – which did not invent marriage – has no authority to re-invent it. Note: The below image is a recent screen grab and may not be up to date. Click on the image to see the latest info.

COVENANT KEEPERS https://www.covenantkeepersinc.org
ORGANISATION TOPICS: MARRIAGE, MARRIAGE RESTORATION
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About this organisation Founded as a Ministry of Helps to local churches, Covenant Keepers, Inc. ® ministers to people who are hurting in their marital relationships. However, unlike most marriage ministries, we specialize in working with only one-half of the couple. Experience has proven marriages can be healed if only one person in the marriage will apply scriptural principles to the situation. These biblical concepts are now being used to minister hope and healing to individuals and Covenant Keeper Groups around the world. Covenant Keepers, Inc. ® is a non-profit organization that began in Tulsa, Oklahoma and is now located in Charlotte, North Carolina. It was founded in 1987 by Marilyn Conrad. In 2013 Marilyn retired as National Director. The ministry is now led by Rex and Carolyn Johnson. Covenant Keepers has Boards of Directors/Trustees in the USA, Australia, Canada and New Zealand. There are covenant keepers in more than 100 countries. Note: The below image is a recent screen grab and may not be up to date. Click on the image to see the latest info.

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