Christians do not approve of cohabiting, nonChristians do. Christ God Jesus has is holy life which he commands Christians to follow, and the world has their unholy life which the world wants the worldly to follow. You cannot have both: if one wants Jesus then one must put away sin, but if one wants sin then that one cannot have Jesus too. You cannot serve two Masters. If a sinner wants to join a church, they have that liberty to do so if that church welcomes them, but the pastor should counsel the cohabiters about repenting from the sin of cohabiting. If they refuse repentance, then I myself would not welcome their disobedient participation in my church which pronmotes Christ rather than fornication. |
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---Eloy on 11/12/09 |
Hebrews 13:4 Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for fornicators and adulterers God will judge. |
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---Bob on 11/12/09 |
Al on 9/4/09 you wrote,"what in heaven's name would we be doing allowing sinners to join Christian Churches". Please note what THE CHRIST of Christian churches said, (Luke 19:10,Matt.9:12-13)HE has come to call the sinners. Sinners are to join Christ's church to be saved. |
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---Adetunji on 11/12/09 |
I dont know about some but I dont approve of cohabitating.I think new converts should be taught the Word of God,first. New converts will not change their behaviour overnight but with education/teaching they can begin to learn spiritual truths and will change over time, if they let Jesus change them. They can be baptized and allowed to join church. Where else or they going to go? Back to the clubs and streets? Dope dens and other places they have come out of? This is why we need preachers and teachers. Preachers preach the word of God,especially to new christians. Teachers teach them so they can make changes in their lives. This is how we mature and become christians. It is a process that takes time after we make Jesus our Lord and Saviour. |
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---Robyn on 10/15/09 |
Why do so many Christians approve of cohabitating?
Because most people are carnal and there are fewer things tougher to control than the tongue, stomach and libido. Its easier to give in. |
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---larry on 9/25/09 |
Naome... i am glad you mentioned it
of late so many are living in sin and will attack you when you mention unholy living trying to ripout your throat.
if it should be left to pastors then other topics discussed on this blog should be left to pastors as well... no need for blogs at all!!
Sin is sin whether by new or old converts... however counselling is needed in each case if they were already living together before coming to Christ, new convert lessons will gradually bring them to do the right thing. that is what my church does.
probably the clergy is working on it on the quiet at your end too |
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---patie3447 on 9/25/09 |
Hi, so glad you said that Cluny, my fiancee lives with me since he has no home to go to now that he has graduated from a veteran's ministry. We are planning to marry October 24th and are hoping it will be that soon, we both want to marry and make it really right. But I can't see the man I love--my soulmate--homeless--just can't bear the very thought! :*( |
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---Mary on 9/24/09 |
I forgot to mention that under Roman law that existed at the time the NT was written, there were actually three different kinds of marriage:
1. Contuberium or living together. This was the only kind available to slaves and lower social classes.
2. Concubinium. This was the only kind available between higher class men and lower class or foreign women. The concubina had a respected and recognized status, if lower than an uxor (wife).
3. Coniubium. Marriage proper--avaible only to the upper classes of Roman society. |
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---Cluny on 9/22/09 |
Naoma, did your own sins prohibit YOU from joining your church? |
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---Cluny on 9/22/09 |
Any person who is cohabiting and becomes born again must become separated from a worldy lifestyle. God's Word is the roadmap and it doesn't approve of anyone being baptized or joining a church if they are living in sin. The Word says we are to come out from the world and be separate from the world. We are to not touch any unclean thing, THEN God says He will receive us. God expects anyone living in sin to either get married or stop living together as single people. God's Word is His will. |
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---Alena on 9/5/09 |
re>>>>My personal opinion is they should not be allowed to be baptized or allowed to join a church.<<<<
Here Here, what in heaven's name would we be doing allowing sinners to join Christian Churches. And in the churches mingle among saints.
Should never be allowed.(tongue in cheek) |
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---Al on 9/4/09 |
Christians approving of Fornication? surely not or is Satan well established in churches already!
Jude's epistle holds back no punches, Jude 1:7 (KJV) Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication....are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
Many people are happy to believe that Sodom was destroyed only because of Gays, Jude shows us, that is not the case, Do Christians approve cohabiting to balance their increasing approval of gays? As they both practice the sins of Sodom! |
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---Al on 9/3/09 |
Combining this statement by---wivv,"My personal opinion is they should not be allowed to be baptized or allowed to join a church."
with Matthew 5:27-28," 27-Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
28-But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart"
Is going to severely limit church membership |
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---mima on 9/3/09 |
My personal opinion is they should not be allowed to be baptized or allowed to join a church. All may be above board, but a person's testamony may be comprized because of living together. However, if they are new Christians, tact should be used in telling this couple that the church doesn't allow this. (Be firm, but don't "bruse the fruit" to the point discourament.) Talking to them is the responsibility of the pastor and no one else. (They may consider it not important if it's someone besides the pastor.) |
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---wivv on 9/2/09 |
The only way that divorce statistics can be anywhere near accurate is if they ask when the divorce is filed about the religious affiliation of the person getting the divorce. Stats are a scary thing sometime. The media uses them to influence peoples' thinking. Sad, isn't it. |
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---SusieB on 8/25/09 |
Larry had questions about the divorce statistics and the source of the data.
The general divorce rate data is from the National Center for Health Statics, you divide the marriage rate per thousand by the divorce rate per thousand data for 2006 is 50.6%, 2007 is 49.3% & 2008 is 49.3%
The information of Divorces statistics relatiing to Christians is from Barna Group, they do a lot of statistical sampling on religious issues the study was 2000 or pre-2000 data as most of the articles about the report were from 2000. There was no statistics specifically relating to Charismatic that I saw. But there was an article that had some more discrete data with Pentecostal being at 28%.
You can look up the Barna Group in most search engines. |
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---Phil_the_Elder on 8/24/09 |
SusieB ... I should have thought of that?
But how does the 50% arise? |
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---alan8566_of_uk on 8/25/09 |
Alan...Maybe atheists and agnostics don't get married in the first place. They just cohabitate. That would account for the divorce percentages. |
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---SusieB on 8/24/09 |
Leaven has ALREADY been brought into the church! There are church members who have been Christian since childhood, and they co-habit. The whole church knows it, but nobody says anything to them about it.(nobody wants to seem "judgemental" or offend other relatives)
On these blogs, I've read all the excuses! "A marriage license is just a piece of paper". "They didn't have marriage licenses in the Bible"
"If you love each other and are committed to each other, you are married in the sight of God".
But if a couple is TRULY commited to each other, why NOT marry? The only reason I can think of is that they are NOT committed.
They want to leave themselves an easy out. |
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---Donna66 on 8/24/09 |
Those statistics puzzle me!
What group is it that pushes the overall rate up to 50%?
Then I wonder why the Christian rate is higher than that for atheists and agnostics?
Perhaps non-Christian test the waters before they marry & so are more likely to marry a truly compatible person.
While Christians in order to satisfy their desire without breaking Christian rules, marry too quickly, and find they have not chosen well. |
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---alan8566_of_uk on 8/24/09 |
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Phil- those stats are disturbing. I knew about the 50% stat but had not seen the breakdown.
It shows we are most often led by our emotions and not the holy spirit in marriage decisions. We tend to plan for the wedding and not for the marriage. You'd be better off planning for the marriage and eloping.
The 1 out of 2 divorce rate overall for Christians is pathetic and only surpassed by pro athletes, police and returning injured vets. Sigh.
I actually expected the Morman rate to be much lower.
Any stats on Charismatics? |
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---larry on 8/24/09 |
"New" or "Old" Christians, Scripture says that when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour we become NEW creatures. WE recognize whatever is sin in our lives through the power of the Holy Spirit and do everything possible to correct the sin, whether living together, stealing, drunkenness or whatever, we stop it, or at least try to. The problem in Christianity today is too many "preachers" who won't preach the true Word, usually because they aren't saved. |
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---tommy3007 on 8/24/09 |
The reason Christians approve of cohabitating because they lack discernment, general spiritual wisdom and are easily led astray by current societal mores. Sign of the times.
If we are assuming the couple would practice intimate physical relations than the option is certainly out of God's will.
Its akin to the approval of Gay pastors where people twist their beliefs and a verse or two into pretzel logic to justify their sinful passions.
Instead of being led by the Holy Spirit they justify their behavior with circular arguments and questions..."show me the verse where it says you can't live together?" and other such nonsense. |
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---larry on 8/24/09 |
The general divorce rate is over 50%
For Christian faith groups:
% Of Church Membership who have been divorced
Non-denominational Evangelical Christian 34%
Baptists 29%
Mainline Protestants 25%
Mormons 24%
Catholics 21%
Lutherans 21%
_____________
Those Claiming to be Born again Christian 27%
Jews 30%
Atheists, Agnostics 21%
Would living together in Abstenence for a period of time prior to marriage reduce the Christian divorce rate? What we are doing now isn't working!!! |
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---Phil_the_Elder on 8/24/09 |
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I agree with Trish in some respects. It sounds like you are being judgmental, like there is a certain couple at your church that you don't like/approve of.
Instead of going behind their backs and stirring up things, why don't you approach them yourself with the Word and see what they think? Speak your piece then let them speak theirs.
Do other people at your church admire them, and you think that they might be bad role models for the youth, or something? |
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---amand6348 on 8/24/09 |
Why are you so concerned with what other people do?
As for new believers, that is between them and their pastors and elders, whether they should be baptized or not. Hopefully, new believers are in some sort of discipleship/mentoring relationship in a solid Bible church, where they can receive loving guidance in learning what the Word of God says, and making decisions based on the Holy Spirit's guidance.
I am no Bible scholar, but I believe that the scripture referring to "leaven" has to do with mature believers, already baptized and serving in the Church, going about sinning sexually, not new converts who have not grown yet. |
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---Trish9863 on 8/24/09 |
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