This is the example of a marriage covenant authored by John Joseph.
I myself have been dealing with these questions, the license is important when it comes to property sharing and when kids are involved, for taxes basically government business or legal business when time for divorce. I have not come across any laws that states one will be fined or imprisoned if one does not obtain a marriage certificate. Therefore not having one is not against the law, for if it was then anyone found in a common law relationship would in trouble. The downfall is when signing forms and you tick that married box, you have no proof for MAN. So technically you are not married in the eyes of the government therefore you are excluded from certain benefits. That's why the homosexuals are pushing for gay marriage to be legal. The hospital only allows intermediate family members in the room, because the marriage is not valid he/she wasn't allowed in to say goodbye when the person died. That's the same situation we will face if we opt out of getting a marriage certificate.
In the eyes of God you are married, based on the covenant not certificate.
Covenant to Cleave One to Another
John James, a Good and Lawful Christian Man, solely by the grace of God, by, in and through Christ Jesus, our Sovereign Lord and Savior:
And,
Mary Hannah, a Good and Lawful Christian Woman, solely by the grace of God, by, in and through Christ Jesus, our Sovereign Lord and Savior,
In the Name and by the Authority of our Sovereign Lord and Savior Christ Jesus, being one Mind in Him, we send Greetings and Salutations from Him and ourselves to all Whom these Presents come:
On this sixth day, of the sixth month, in the two thousandth Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord and Savior Jesus, the Christ, before God our Father, His Son Christ Jesus, His Spirit bearing Witness with our spirit, and all Good and Lawful Christians,
that:
I, John James, before the almighty Host in heaven, and all whom these Presents come, declare:
that, God our father, by, in and through our Sovereign Lord and Savior Christ Jesus, in His Love and Mercy for me, has adjudged me worthy of the blessings of and from His Bounty, and has blessed me by choosing an help, whom He calls Mary Hannah, meet for me, in all ways, for our sojourn here, solely here with Him in this world: to Love herein the same way and to the same degree He loved His church; to Honor her, as the weaker vessel, by covering and protecting her from all assaults, of whatever kind or description, to her; to be co-heir with me in all the Blessings of our Lord Christ Jesus and His Bounty; to be co-executor with me in executing the Righteous Law and Testament of God our Father and Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior in bringing up the Seed with which He blesses us; to help me execute His Law and Testament in all our external temporal affairs in this world for His Glory, Majesty and Dignity; And , forsake all other women and cleave to her alone, so we are in all maters One flesh and One mind in Christ Jesus;
And,
I, Mary Hannah, before the almighty Host in heaven, and all whom these presents come, declare:
that, God our father, by, in and through our Sovereign Lord and Savior Christ Jesus, in His Love and Mercy, has chosen and brought me to help the man whom He calls John James, and has adjudged me meet for Him, in all ways, for our sojourn here, solely with Him in this world; to be Loved, covered and protected by him through submitting faithfully to him in Love as unto our Lord Christ Jesus; to be co-heir with him in all the Blessings of our lord Christ Jesus and his Bounty; to be co-executor with him in executing the Righteous Law and Testament of God our Father and Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior in bringing up the Seed with which He blesses us; to help me execute His Law and Testament in all our external temporal affairs in this world for His Glory, Majesty and Dignity; And , forsake all other men and cleave to him alone, so we are in all maters One flesh and One mind in Christ Jesus;
And,
By the grace of god bestowed in His Love for and upon us, we submit ourselves to his Righteous Rule and Government, and pray earnestly that our Lord Christ Jesus will govern our House in His Love exercised in Judgement and Mercy for our reproof and correction, for He chastises those whom He Loves; that in His Love He builds our House with blessings from His Bounty for His Glory and Majesty; that our Love for each other will grow stronger in Him who has brought and bound us together with and In Him to reconcile us to God our Father.
By God's Grace in and through Christ Jesus, we are:
John James Zebedee ___________________________ L.S. helped by, loving, covering, and protecting:
Mary Hannah Zebedee __________________________L.S. loving, helping, covered and protected, Amen.
On this sixth day, of the sixth month in the two thousandth Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ, before God the Father, His Son Christ Jesus, His Spirit bearing Witness with our spirit, and all good and Lawful Christians, we, being Good and Lawful Christians, witnessed the making of this union between john James and Mary Hannah and by our signatures attest to our approbation of their union, and Bless them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
_____________________ L.S.
sign manual
_____________________ L.S.
sign manual
Amen
