Recently I was asked about good Christian books on cohabitation and my got reaction was to say the Bible. The Bible is pretty clear that “a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.” (Genesis 2:24) It does not say anything about a man and a women shall find an apartment and try things out. In some make-believe reality, you might be able to live together without sinning, but here on our fallen earth, I have yet to meet a couple living together that are not living together in sin. I remember how strong the urges were before I got married and that was with us living 45 minute apart, forget being in the same apartment.
Now I was able to provide that cohabitation will increase the statistical likely hood of marriage leading to divorce and pointed him to a recent article by Dr. Albert Mohler, “Permanence Before Experience — The Wisdom of Marriage“. (You might want to also listen to his interview with Grace Community Church pastor Dr. Rick Holland on the subject.) It is only logical that as society make marriage something that is not binding, that till death thing having been thrown out, and as we move to a try it before we buy it concept, that we dilute even more what marriage is about. Why commit to a life time, when we can just move in together and try things out. The problem is that you are not married and likely may not get married and thus are sleeping with someone else’s future spouse. The same argument I talk to our children about waiting till marriage (See Why Wait? by Josh McDowell), apply to why they should not live together. The problem is that it is becoming way to prevalent and accepted. And if we point it out and call it sin, we get the “do not judge” banner waved at us, but that is an article for another day.
I was able to find two Christian books on the subject (See them in the recommended reading below), but ONLY 2. You would think there would be more out there, but I guess this is just one of those big white elephants in the room no one wants to talk about.
Recommended Reading:
