Why do Christians need a church wedding and a piece of paper from the state to make their marriage "official"? My girlfriend and I are both dedicated believers and we intend to spend the rest of our lives together. We've been wondering why we should bother applying for a marriage license. Isn't marriage a private, personal covenant? And isn't the spiritual aspect of that covenant more important than anything else? If we move in together and start having sex, doesn't that make us married in the eyes of God?