Is Living Together As Couples Before Marriage A Sin In the Bible?

The Bible does not explicitly address cohabitation as husband and wife, perhaps because it was unusual in biblical times—especially among Jews and Christians.

Many people who identify as Christians believe that cohabitation before marriage is acceptable as long as there is no sexual activity. For example, they claim that cohabitation is not sinful, but fornication is. Or, it won’t matter as long as we have private spaces.

What The Bible Says About Cohabitation

God only meant for couples to live together after marriage, as we can see in Genesis 2:24.

This Bible verse emphasizes the fact that a man departs from his father and mother, showing that the man and woman did not live together before they got married but rather with their respective families.

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And as we can see in John 4:17–18, Jesus notes the Samaritan woman’s cohabitation with a man to whom she was not wed. Jesus makes a point to disclose this fact to emphasize that she shouldn’t be living with a man to who she isn’t married, even though he does not want to judge this woman for doing so.

Why You Should Avoid Living Together Before Marriage?

1. PROXIMITY TO SIN: Living together outside the marital union opens you to sexual temptation. Couples having sex outside of marriage would be regarded as sinful because God intended for sex to be cherished between a husband and wife in marriage (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5). Having s*x before marriage is still sinful and displeasure to God, regardless of whether you live together and intend to wed. The Bible urges us to run away from anything or anyone that would tempt us to sin (1 Corinthians 6:18).

2. RISK OF CONTINUITY OR COMMITMENT: Christians also struggle with commitment when living together before to marriage. A commitment must be made on the marriage front. When you cohabitate and aren’t married, there isn’t the same level of upfront commitment. It is absurd to believe that you can be devoted to someone without getting married. If a couple is unable to live as one flesh and commit to a relationship that is respectable to God, there can be no faith in their union.

3. CAUSING OTHERS TO FALL: For other Christian couples, we should serve as role models. If you and your lover have established physical boundaries and aren’t sharing a bed, you might be tempted to move in together. But let’s say a young Christian couple who attends your church admires you and points out that you live together but aren’t married. Some could think that Christians can live together before getting married. But if they do that and give in to temptation, they run the risk of committing sexual sin.

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Christians shouldn’t cohabit before marriage if they want their union to reflect God. Understanding the repercussions of deciding to violate God in this matter is crucial. According to the Bible, when we choose to defy God, we are ultimately rejecting God. We can also see in Ephesians 2:2 that disobeying God is equally choosing to obey the devil.

Is it Okay to Live Together as Long as You Do Not Sleep Together?

Christians may argue that cohabiting before marriage is not sinful. The sin is living together or engaging in any sexual activity before getting married.

Moreover, some unmarried couples may claim that it is OK to live together but not to sleep together.

Nevertheless, just because the Bible doesn’t expressly mention if cohabiting before marriage is evil doesn’t imply it isn’t. The following is the best approach to answering this question:

• The only solution provided by the Bible to avoid fornication is to FLEE, abstinence is totally defeated when you cohabit with your partner before marriage.
• Yes, boundaries are only possible when the mind is made up, but the eyes are the gateway to the mind. When you create boundaries shut your eyes as well on this matter and this cannot happen when you cohabit.
• Did God intend for unmarried individuals to cohabitate before being married?
• How can you possibly glorify God in this situation?

It’s hard to argue against the idea that God would approve of unmarried couples cohabiting. It is likewise difficult to argue against the idea that living together before to marriage is sinful.

Conclusion

Instead of just watching how things go in a cohabiting situation, God wants his followers to be emotionally and spiritually committed to the person they devote their time in. There is nothing wrong with waiting till marriage before moving in together. You should reconsider and rethink where you are in the relationship if you have doubts about trust or commitment.

MARRIAGE IS MORE HONORABLE WHEN THE BED IS UNDEFIED – HEBREWS 13:4 

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