{"id":87755,"date":"2025-06-12T14:10:26","date_gmt":"2025-06-12T19:10:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/?p=87755"},"modified":"2025-06-12T16:18:46","modified_gmt":"2025-06-12T21:18:46","slug":"did-i-marry-my-teenage-boyfriend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/did-i-marry-my-teenage-boyfriend\/","title":{"rendered":"Did I marry my teenage boyfriend?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\t

Question:<\/h2>\n

Hello Sir,<\/p>\n

I hope you’re doing well. I have a quick question and would truly appreciate your biblical insight regarding marriage covenants.<\/p>\n

When I was in high school, at the age of 15, I had a boyfriend with whom I was sinfully involved, and I’ve since repented and deeply regretted those choices. I’m now in my 30s and have been married to another man for the past 15 years.<\/p>\n

This may be a silly question, but I’m hoping to put to rest a worry I’ve had since reading an article about common-law marriages online recently.<\/p>\n

In an emotional moment during that teenage relationship, we exchanged what felt like “marriage vows” in a burger chain restaurant. He gave me a ring from a quarter machine, and 1-2 of our teenage friends were there, mostly watching and giggling. There were no adults present, no church involvement, and no legal paperwork; we later broke up – no legal process or divorce was ever involved.<\/p>\n

I now understand that biblical marriage is a covenant, not just a feeling or private promise. But just to put this worry to rest, would that teenage moment be considered a real marriage or covenant in God’s eyes? And is my current marriage still valid and binding before God?<\/p>\n

Thank you so much for your time and for your faithful service in helping others walk in truth.<\/p>\n\t

Answer:<\/h2>\n

See “Marriage Covenants<\/a>.” You played at getting married, but there was no marriage. In particular, where you live, you could not have married without your parents’ consent and a court order at the age of 15. While your state technically recognizes common law marriages, you did not meet the age requirement. Biblically, you did not have a record of the “marriage,” and I suspect that you did not exchange oaths before God.<\/p>\n\t

Response:<\/h2>\n

Thank you, sir! God bless!\u00a0<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Question: Hello Sir, I hope you’re doing well. I have a quick question and would truly appreciate your biblical insight regarding marriage covenants. When I was in high school, at the age of 15, I had a boyfriend with whom I was sinfully involved, and I’ve since repented and deeply regretted those choices. I’m now…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[489,64],"class_list":["post-87755","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-covenants","tag-marriage"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":49580,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/are-we-married-when-he-never-divorced-his-wife\/","url_meta":{"origin":87755,"position":0},"title":"Are we married when he never divorced his wife?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 6, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hi, I have a question. My boyfriend and I were in love, we loved God and wanted to be married, but he was married before. He married this woman, she cheated on him, he wanted a divorce but could not find her. They had been separated for seven years,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":20146,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/weve-been-living-together-for-five-years-and-dont-need-a-paper-to-prove-our-love-but-i-want-to-make-it-right-with-god-what-should-i-do\/","url_meta":{"origin":87755,"position":1},"title":"We’ve been living together for five years and don’t need a paper to prove our love, but I want to make it right with God. What should I do?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 12, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: My boyfriend and I have been together for almost 7 years. We have lived together for 5. We are not ready for marriage. He and I think we don't need a piece of paper to prove our love, but I want to make it right with God. Is there\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":8577,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/i-really-appreciate-your-article-the-institution-of-marriage\/","url_meta":{"origin":87755,"position":2},"title":"I really appreciate your article, “The Institution of Marriage”","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 13, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I just finished reading your article from the Internet entitled \"The Institution of Marriage,\" and wanted to comment on how\u00a0comprehensive, well-written, and\u00a0accurate it is.\u00a0 I'm a scholar of the Word myself, and truly appreciate reading godly interpretations and discussions such as this.\u00a0 I'm going to share it with my\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":3066,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/are-all-marriages-spiritually-binding\/","url_meta":{"origin":87755,"position":3},"title":"Are all marriages spiritually binding?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 11, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hello, I attend a church of Christ, and my boyfriend of several years was baptized about a few years ago. We broke up last year for several months due to some differences but have since decided to be back together. My boyfriend is in the military and during the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":25294,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/am-i-married\/","url_meta":{"origin":87755,"position":4},"title":"Am I married?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 17, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: OK. Well, let me provide some background information. I am a believer. I met a girl who is also a believer.\u00a0 We became boyfriend and girlfriend. During the relationship, we would talk about marriage and getting married and the intent of the relationship was to one day get married.\u00a0\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":68935,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/i-found-out-that-the-woman-im-dating-had-a-fake-marriage-when-she-was-younger\/","url_meta":{"origin":87755,"position":5},"title":"I found out that the woman I’m dating had a fake marriage when she was younger","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 20, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I have a question, as my head has been scrambled these past few days, though I have been praying. I have been talking to this lady for some time now, and everything has been going well. 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