In reply to Rev. Steve Andrews.

Steve, I disagree. Those who take vows before God ARE married in His eyes - and the church should hold such Christians accountable to their marriage vows. In contrast, the left-hand doesn't CREATE marriage for a couple but RECOGNIZES it for various legal purposes (there was a time in the history of the U.S. when a marriage license was not even required for a couple to get married). The left-hand kingdom can change its mind this way and that re: what various legal/financial privileges they will give to marriage - however they choose to define "marriage." That should not be an issue for us Christians. What matters to us is that Christian couples understand what GOD'S institution of marriage is and submit to that. If they then want to have their marriage recognized legally in the secular realm in order to get whatever privileges the state gives to said "legal marriage," then they are free to do that with the judge at the courthouse. There is absolutely no reason for a pastor to serve as an agent of the state.