Is a marriage still valid if it was done by a woman?
Question:
Good evening brother.
I would again like to commend you for the wonderful work you and the brethren are doing on your website on behalf of the Lord and His church.
My question: A friend of mine recently got married. She and her husband were wed in a denominational church by a female “pastor”. In light of I Timothy 2:9-15, will God honor the marriage? I believe being married by a female judge or elected official is acceptable, but how does God view a woman “preacher” presiding over a wedding ceremony?
Answer:
Weddings are not a work of the church. If it were, then people married before becoming Christians would not be considered married. However, Paul said, "But to the rest I, not the Lord, say: If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her. And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy" (I Corinthians 7:12-14). This would mean that even people married in a pagan temple would still be considered married.
Therefore your friend is still married even though you and I would not accept such an arrangement for our own weddings.
Response:
I understand. I appreciate your response, brother Hamilton, and thank you for clarifying this for me. God bless and keep up the outstanding work!
