Q: Is it right to ask a man how much he has in his bank account before allowing him to marry, even if he trusts that God would provide for his needs after the wedlock?
Counting the Cost
A: This question does not sound like a question from a Christian. The Christian trusts in God for all he does. He derives his strength from the treasure of God and whatsoever he does is according to the will of God. If a man does not have money,why would he want to marry or would he go to the market empty handed hoping to bring some wares home? The Bible said a wise man would count the cost of a project before embarking on it, lest his detractors mock him why he had to embark on such a building without counting the cost.
The problem is caused by those who give wrong testimonies during our testimony service. Some will get up and say,“When I wanted to go into marriage, I had nothing. God provided a cow, rice, and so on.”Did God provide that before you got married or after? One young man came to me not quite long ago. He did not have a job, lived in a room and wanted to marry.I asked him a series of questions, and he said God would provide. I told him, I agreed absolutely but that we should see what God has provided before pricing wares displayed in the market square. Let us wait till God has provided before we start to spend the money. All men need to be considerate.
Q: Can we conduct wedding solely before a minister without inviting the congregation or throw any party?
A: Yes, it is appropriate to have your wedding before the minister without making any noise about it. Marriage is making a vow to God and once God is present, the marriage is solemnised and it is good.