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And isn't sex what makes marriage in the eyes of God, not the ceremony?

To marry is to enter into a special kind of covenant, as Pilgrim said. Marriage involves more than becoming one flesh through sex, otherwise there would be no such thing as adultery or fornication.

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Doing the ceremony would (1) legalize their marriage and (2) bring the church into covenant with them to promote the health of their marriage and in raising the child in hopes that he/she will come to faith.

What disastrous consequences might result from having the woman marry an unbeliever, and him raise the children? He could very well lead the children astray, if not her; she must not be joined to him in marriage.

Kyle

I tell you, this man went down to his house justified.