Is it OK for couples to live together without being married?

On Dec. 3, 2006 our Bible Study discussion centered around this question. We read the Oct. 16, 2006 article "Married U.S. Households Hit Lowest Level Ever" which reports that "for the first time, traditional marriage has ceased to be the preferred living arrangement in the United States." According to the article, less than 50% of U.S. households are represented by married couples.

So what about couples who call themselves Christian? Is it OK for them to live together before marriage or in place of marriage? In short, the answer is No. We cannot claim to be Christian and then ignore what God's Word says on the subject.

There are a number of relevant Scriptures that the students pointed to in support of the "No" position. They are: Ezekiel 23:17, Matthew 5:27, Romans 1:24; 7:14-25; 13:10, 1 Corinthians 6:18ff; 7:36-38, 2 Corinthians 4:2-7, Ephesians 5:3, 1 Timothy 3:12 and 1 John 3:16. We are to refrain from any appearance of evil. Fornication is sexual activity outside of marriage. Adultery includes looking on another with lust. All are sin and no special allowance is given to the unmarried who claim to be in love with each other.

Those who think the popular "try before you buy" practice of living together and engaging in sex outside of marriage will better prepare them for marriage ignore the statistics that show even greater rates of divorce from married couples who first lived together than among those who did not live together first.

Check out the following web sites for additional resources on the topic: www.marriagebuilders.com, www.betweentwoworlds.org.