Can we really be sure about what the Bible said

[spunjalebi]

Regarding marriage as a sacrament, preserving virginity for marriage, annulments, and related?

The reason why I am asking is because I know many Christians who don’t believe in the concept of a sacrament, and also don’t believe that marriage is a sacrament. When I ask them what they do believe marriage is, they usually tell me that the Bible says marriage is a deeply spiritual bond which cannot be “turn asunder” by man. When I point out that people get divorced all the time, that’s usually when they say it doesn’t dismiss the fact of what the Bible says. Okay so I do agree with that for the most part…but how do WE know that the Bible says marriage is a sacrament?

If the Bible says marriage is a sacrament, then how do we know the Bible’s instructions for annulments? Are annulments even mentioned in the Bible? Where does the justification for an annulment come from?

How do we really know that the Bible talks about preserving virginity for marriage in particular? St. Paul does talk about how a virgin should remain so, and “it is better to marry than burn with passion,” but does that necessarily mean that Bible actually says wait until marriage? How do we interpret the Bible regarding these issues without going beyond the context of what it says and misapplying a translation?

 

[MarcoPolo]

The Bible condemns fornication, which means sexual relations outside of marriage.

Your friends’ interpretation on divorce is simply wrong. The Bible does condemn divorce and turn asunder amounts to separating what God has joined, which is sinful.

Regarding annulments, the first flaw in thinking is to assume all theological matters of the faith must be spelled out in the Bible. That is a false premise and should be discarded. Jesus sent the Spirit to guide the Church in truth till the end of the age, and we should trust the Spirit to do that. And the Church passes on the Spirit’s teaching on annulments. Still, there is Scripture that supports annulments, as detailed in this article under the sub-head “An Exception to the Rule?”

 

[po18guy]

If the Bible says marriage is a sacrament, then how do we know the Bible’s instructions for annulments? Are annulments even mentioned in the Bible? Where does the justification for an annulment come from?

How do we really know that the Bible talks about preserving virginity for marriage in particular? St. Paul does talk about how a virgin should remain so, and “it is better to marry than burn with passion,” but does that necessarily mean that Bible actually says wait until marriage? How do we interpret the Bible regarding these issues without going beyond the context of what it says and misapplying a translation?

Scripture clearly spells out that those who engage in sexual relations outside of marriage are fornicators. Those who violate their marriage vows of chastity are adulterers. “Bible only” Christians have the severe handicap of living in a partial vacuum regarding moral teaching. Many moral principles are spelled out in the bible, but they need proper interpretation, so that their presentation corresponds exactly with God’s will. See Nehemiah 8:8 and Acts 8:30-31. While bible only Christians often have the teachings right, they cannot be absolutely sure as they rely on private interpretation for their doctrine. Example: The bible only Presbyterian church believes that abortion is allowed. From the website of the US Presbyterian church:

archive.pcusa.org/101/101-abortion.htm

Abortion Issues

Presbyterians have struggled with the issue of abortion for more than 30 years, beginning in 1970 when the General Assembly, the national governing body of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) declared that, “the artificial or induced termination of a pregnancy is a matter of careful ethical decision of the patient…and therefore should not be restricted by law…”(1) In the years that followed this action, the General Assembly has adopted policy and taken positions on the subject of abortion.

In 2006 the 217th General Assembly approved language that clarified the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) position on problem pregnancies.

When an individual woman faces the decision whether to terminate a pregnancy, the issue is intensely personal, and may manifest itself in ways that do not reflect public rhetoric, or do not fit neatly into medical, legal, or policy guidelines. Humans are empowered by the spirit prayerfully to make significant moral choices, including the choice to continue or end a pregnancy. Human choices should not be made in a moral vacuum, but must be based on Scripture, faith, and Christian ethics. For any choice, we are accountable to God; however, even when we err, God offers to forgive us.

I was surprised to see the phrase “moral vacuum” used in their reasoning, as that is partially what they are operating in! If one is not supposed to divorce, how can abortion be moral? On principle, is not the joining of sperm and egg equivalent to “What God has joined together, let no man put asunder”?

The Catholic Church has the God-given benefit of the Magisterium, or teaching authority, promised by Christ and received at Pentecost. The Sacraments were instituted by Christ as a means of conferring God’s grace upon us (CCC 1131). Thus, we have the absolute assurance that the Church teaches without error and that what she proclaims can be relied upon to be God’s revealed truth.

 

[spunjalebi]

How do you respond to the argument that the Bible does NOT say all sex outside marriage is sin or is wrong?Could you provide scriptural references?

 

[po18guy]

How do you respond to the argument that the Bible does NOT say all sex outside marriage is sin or is wrong?Could you provide scriptural references?

Matthew 5:32 “But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery”.

Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God”.

There are many more scriptures that pertain to this. Just who are you arguing with? Sounds like some “Christian” sex club…