Live in relationships are easy and selfish. They are easy because the two people living together have convinced themselves that there is less of a commitment than if they were married. It is easy because with that less of a commitment, there can be a separation and less of a financial strain doing so. This is also selfish. All the while, the Lord looks at this and remembers.
Why do people live together? The obvious answer is because of a desire to have intimacy without commitment, but there is another answer also. “The number of unmarried couples living together is rising sharply as many young adults who are having a hard time finding jobs are now ‘doubling up’ with significant others” (Journal-Gazette, p. A-1, 9/24/10).
Doubling up with significant others? Coupled with economic difficulties we see that relationships already established merely desire an additional reason for their cohabitation. This seems to lessen the moral “weight” about it, I suppose.
Is there any responsibility of society, the government in particular for such predicaments? Perhaps there is, but the greater responsibility lies with the people who are cohabitating. Do they have a moral compass, and is this moral compass sold to the highest bidder? Someone might claim, “You just don’t understand!” There are many things I don’t understand, but I understand what is right and what is wrong – I even understand why it is that way. I also understand that man will stand before the Almighty one day as well.
Rejecting the Lord’s way perpetuates moral confusion.
Some will reject this because it does not bring out the “best” in people, it has been stated. I guess the moral philosophy which has produced such moral chaos as cohabitation is that which is “best” for us. Is it not interesting that as people try to determine what is “best” for others, it corresponds exactly to our moral confusion? Those who dredge up such moral uncertainty simply desire to be confused.
One reason for this is that our federal government has traditionally encouraged this kind of behavior through the tax laws. It is well understood that two people who both work and make around the same level of income will pay more taxes if they are married than they will if they live together without being married. The Bush tax cuts attempted to address this inequity, which has been dubbed “the marriage penalty”. However, these tax cuts were not made permanent and are set to expire very soon. As a result, I expect to see a rise in the number of people cohabitating without getting married.
Most people who cohabitate aren’t doing it for selfish reasons nor are they morally confused.
Most people do it because they are ignorant of God’s plan for their lives. People think to themselves, “Why not move in together? It will be better for us financially and otherwise.” They don’t stop to think if it’s morally wrong in the first place.
But God has decreed that cohabitation is sinful, and it is our duty to show these people Jesus. Certainly, if we flat out condemn people because of their cohabitation, then we are in the wrong (Eph 4:15, 1Cor 5:12-13).
It is our duty to preach Jesus and convert people to Him. We should not take it upon ourselves to change someone’s lifestyle, but instead show them Jesus and His teaching. When we do that, Jesus changes people to His glory.