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Due to our society's deteriorated values of the
sacredness of marriage, an increasing number of ministers require premarital
counseling with couples before they will perform a marriage ceremony. Years
past, when divorce was less frequent and children had better family role
models, such counseling was not as common. Counseling will usually establish
a scriptural foundation for marriage and try to prepare them for the
inevitable challenges ahead. A minister generally feels that he has been given a sacred trust by God to perform a marriage, and will be reluctant to discharge such functions for a couple who are obviously unprepared. Many ministers may refuse to perform a marriage between a Christian and an unbeliever, between persons who have been previously divorced without scriptural grounds, or for other reasons of conscience.
This article is from the book, What People Ask About the Church, authored and copyrighted © by Dr. Dale A. Robbins, 1990-2015, and is a publication of Victorious Publications, Grass Valley, CA - Nashville, TN. Unless otherwise stated, all scripture references were taken from The New King James Bible, © Thomas Nelson Inc., 1982. You may download this article for personal use as long as you retain credit to the author. Obtain permission before reproducing copies for any reason, by filling out our simple use permission form. Many of our writings are also available as free pdf tri-fold pamphlets, which can be downloaded for reproduction from our Online Catalog. For media reproduction rights, or to obtain quantities of this title in other formats, email us. A newer revised version of this book is available from Amazon. If you have appreciated these online materials, help us reach the world with the Gospel by considering a monthly or one-time tax-deductable donation.
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