Married Women Keeping Their Maiden Names

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Hi W____ and D____,
Thank you for your question.
When God made a covenant with Abram He changed his name to Abraham:

Gen 17:4  As for me, behold, my [ marriage] covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.
Gen 17:5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram , but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. When God married Israel He was marrying a people who had taken the name He had given them:
Gen 32:28  And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.

This is all in accord with what was made clear in Eden:

Gen 2:23  And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.
Gen 2:24  Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

Hyphenated names and prenuptial agreements have no place in the doctrine of Christ. Just look at this verse of God’s Word:

2Co 5:16  Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we [ him] no more.
2Co 5:17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

As the apostle Paul points out, marriage is but an outward symbol of Christ’s relationship to the church:

Eph 5:30  For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
Eph 5:31  For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
Eph 5:32  This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

The last thing in the world Christ would tolerate is the idea of me being Mike Vinson, First Adam – Mike Vinson- Second Adam.
Paul’s chastening of the Corinthians was over this very subject. ‘Are we to consider ourselves Christians, or are we to consider ourselves Pauline – Christians?’
You have asked me, and I have answered with scripture. My advice to you, D____ is “Thy name shall be called no more [ D____ …] but [ D____ W____]:
May God have every reason to bless your marriage as you seek His mind in all things.
Mike

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