Living together but wondering where marriage fits into your faith? In this article, we unpack God’s design, the hidden costs of cohabitation, and a path forward.
One thing I've never understood is that Christians are so bent out of shape about homosexual relationships, but heterosexual couples living together is essentially ignored. Both of them are against God's design for human relationships. Both of them are sexual immorality according to the Bible. So why do we so often give cohabitating a pass, but homosexuals are condemned? (I'm not trying to argue for homosexuality. Just wondering why we see these on such different scales.)
Well written and argued, as always. I'd like to point out that when God said it wasn't good for man to be alone, that 1) that's the first time God says something is "not good", and 2) this was BEFORE the Fall. This means that we're created as social (dare I say, sexual) creatures and designed to be in the male/female part-whole relationship. (And yes, I know there are some who are given the special gift of singleness! But this is exactly why it's a gift.) If we take this seriously, then marriage is not, as you argued, merely a social contract. It's the type of union that touches on what it means to be human. And that makes it fitting for it to be the foundation of family, and so of society, and so a great illustration of Christ's love for the church. But to treat all of that as mundane, as just a transaction based on my effervescent emotional attachment to another person in the moment? That completely misses the point, and so by extension, it just can't ever be quite the same thing. It's NOT good for us to be alone, and living together with someone just isn't enough to solve the problem of being "alone."
So why is this then not happening? I can understand if they only have just come to Christ Jesus only recently, and we thank heavenly father for his enormous patience loving kindness & understanding, but surely to those who have been walking humbly with God for many years, know they are choosing to err wilfully & going against heavenly father? The reason I am confounded is because Jesus set me free from such & wasted no time many years ago now in putting me through the process of sanctification & transformation, & yes he purged much from me and keeps pruning my branches as that process keeps only getting more and more refined daily.
Jesus calls sinners to actually repent and turn from their sin, & through God we are given freely by his amazing saving grace everything needed via Jesus' inheritance and the power via the gift of God's holy spirit to help us to do so and be delivered & set free from being held bound and imprisoned to a sinful way of lifestyle and choices & go through sanctification, and by the power of Jesus' blood roots out such ways and does profound healing in us as well, and shows teaches explains why we have been falling into such traps, and how to live an overcoming life & walk in continual holy intimacy with Him. Because those who are choosing stubbornly to remain in fornication will not enter into God's kingdom. Galatians 5/ Revelation 22:15 Without are the dogs, and the sorcerers, and the fornicators, and the murderers, and the idolators, and every one that loveth and maketh a lie.
16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to witness to you these things over the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright, the morning star.
17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And who heareth, let him say, Come. And who thirsteth, let him come: who willeth, let him take water of life freely.
Heavenly father clearly promises all faithful indwelt disciples of Jesus, infilled with & by the spirit that they WILL be able to overcome. God wants us to completely stop with sins that will prevent us from entering into His heavenly kingdom. Even though the gospel as such good news about that is so clear, often many make excuses to blantently continue in such sins. The exampleany love to bring up is king David but even he repented and stopped committing perpetual adultery. Below are a few of the clearest verses that prove beyond a doubt what God’s will for us is - and that is that sin won’t have that same power over us anymore!
Romans 6:12-14 (NLT):
“Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.”
Romans 8:12-13:
“Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”
1 Corinthians 15:34 (NCV):
“Come back to your right way of thinking and stop sinning.”
2 Corinthians 2:14 (CEV):
“I am grateful that God always makes it possible for Christ to lead us to victory. God also helps us spread the knowledge about Christ everywhere, and this knowledge is like the smell of perfume.”
Colossians 3:5 (NLT):
"So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.”
Hebrews 2:17-18 (NIV):
“For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”
Hebrews 4:15-16 (NCV):
“For our high priest is able to understand our weaknesses. He was tempted in every way that we are, but he did not sin. Let us, then, feel very sure that we can come before God’s throne where there is grace. There we can receive mercy and grace to help us when we need it.”
1 Peter 2:21-22 (GNT):
“It was to this that God called you, for Christ himself suffered for you and left you an example, so that you would follow in his steps. He committed no sin, and no one ever heard a lie come from his lips.’”
1 Peter 4:1-2 (ESV):
“Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God.”
2 Peter 1:10 (NIV):
“Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble.”
1 John 3:3 (GNT):
“Everyone who has this hope in Christ keeps himself pure, just as Christ is pure.”
1 John 3:6-7 (NCV):
“So anyone who lives in Christ does not go on sinning. Anyone who goes on sinning has never really understood Christ and has never known him. Dear children, do not let anyone lead you the wrong way. Christ is righteous. So to be like Christ a person must do what is right.”
Revelation 3:21 (WEB):
“He who overcomes, I will give to him to sit down with me on my throne, as I also overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.”
I agree with you. This is why we must call attention to the traps of the enemy. Too many well meaning and misguided people are saying this behavior is permissible.
Thanks for this really good and needed article. I wrote about this theme in an article called Love Stays. But now I wonder if it’s still in my drafts folder. 📁. I guess I should take a look! Valuable conversation and you wrote this in a gracious, caring way. I liked the conversational style. I have had this conversation with many people over the years. God has something more beautiful and sacred for us than people realize. By minimizing the commitment level on something God reserved for marriage between a man and a woman, people miss out on understanding His Hesed and the profound mysteries marriage is meant to teach us.
Thank you so much, Susan. I was encouraged recently to embrace my “weird” and just be myself. I don’t know what I was thinking before, but God is doing something with this broken vessel. This article started with patterns I’m seeing in the church. It’s so sad that we will - in most cases - look the other way on this. I’ve never been the type of person to hold back when important life-changing information needs to be shared. I’ve always felt that it’s easier to digest when it’s communicated in a relational/conversational way.
I understand! I am glad you shared this. I just found my draft and may schedule it for later. I look at things from a biblical lens but also in terms of secure attachment and Hesed.
Yet again a great article. Marriage is one of the most difficult relationships in life to get right, but it is the best relationship ever that one man can have with a woman. As I always say marriage is like a bank account; if you dont invest in it, you will have nothing to draw down on. Compared to cohabitating - marriage is far far far superior. It is about making a commitment to another witnessed by others and honouring that through thick and thin.
Thank you for this message! I can share a word of wisdom as an older woman (and brand-new grandmother😊). My husband and I lived together for a few months when we were engaged 31 years ago. I see now thst my mind at the time did not have space for just God and me. I could not hear his voice very well because I had skipped past those valuable months (years?) when the Lord had wise counsel for me. I painfully faced my sin in conversations with my step-son and my mother when I admitted my sin and I realized how I hurt them by my actions. Yes, it matters, young people! Amen that the Lord is gracious, but I grieved him.
And if they are apparently genuine authentic Christians then they understand the following in Romans chapter 8 and the entire gospel and have the holy spirit dwelling inside them don't they? That's why they are calling themselves Christian they are declaring they have received Gods anointing spirit into their lives & living out Christlike lives exemplifying his image character & nature. Having a close holy intimate relationship with Jesus, Heavenly father and holy spirit. Knowing otherwise they are merely taking God's name in vain?
So how is it they can then defiantly purposely choose to rebel & go against father in heaven so vehemently, don't they fear hurting His heart? His spirit and indweling of Christ is in them but by them choosing to live in perpetual fornication, this is absolutely grievous and horrific and they are wanting & choosing to trample all over the precious blood of Jesus underfoot and making a mockery out of all Jesus has already delivered them from? Also another question I have that I am wondering if you could kindly answer as you are an elder please, if fornicators are part of a congregation why would the elders even allow them to keep defiling Jesus' body through wilfull consistent unrepentant sin??; I don't understand this at all? Why are the elders not indeed caring about their very souls?? Or their other brothers and sisters for that matter? As they all know it goes against God's truths and what we see in 1 Corinthians chapter 5 as well?
Romans 8: 6 For the mind of the flesh is death; but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace:
7 because the mind of the flesh is enmity unto God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be:
8 and they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
9 But YE are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if so be that God's Spirit dwelleth in you. But if any hath not Christ's Spirit he is none of his.
10 And if Christ is in you, the body is indeed dead because of sin; but the spirit is life because of righteousness.
11 But if the Spirit of him that raised Jesus from the dead dwelleth in you, who raised Christ Jesus from the dead shall make alive also your mortal-bodies through his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
12So then, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh:
13 for if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die; but if by the Spirit ye put to death the doings of the body, ye shall live.
14 For as many as are led by God's Spirit, these are God's sons.
15 For ye received not a spirit of bondage again unto fear; but ye received a spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
16 The Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are God's children:
17 and if children,also heirs; heirs namely of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we be also glorified with him. 18 For I reckon that the sufferings of the present season are not worthy to be compared with the coming glory to be revealed toward us.
19 For the earnest ex-pectation of the creation awaiteth the revelation of the sons of God.
20 For the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but by reason of him who subjected it, in hope
21 that the creation itself also shall be freed from the bondage of corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
23 And not only so, but ourselves also, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, WE ourselves also groan within ourselves, awaiting our adoption, the redemption of our body.
24 For in hope were we saved: but hope seen is not hope: for who hopeth for what he seeth? 25 But if we hope for what we see not, we await it with patience. 26 And in like manner the Spirit also helpeth our -in-firmity: for we know not how to pray as we ought; but the Spirit himself intercedeth mightily for us with groanings unutterable; 27 and who searcheth the
hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he intercedeth for the saints according to God. 28 And we know that to them that
love God God worketh all things together for good, to those who are called ac-cording to his purpose. 29 For whom he foreknew, he also foreordained to be con-formed to the image of his Son, that he be first-born among many brethren: 30 and whom he foreordained, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. 31 What then shall we say unto these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 Who at least spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not also with him freely gives us all the things?
I don't understand fully or grasp this article very well, it makes no sense to me? Unless I am misunderstanding what you are trying to convey, and if so I want to say sorry. But ultimately why would we invite random worldly lost people to live Godly Christ like lives who are not even interested in the true Jesus & don't even want to know anything about him? We cannot mandate what only God can give? Jesus is an entire way of life not merely an application of morality?? You can't follow Christ or live a Christlike life without him? Or without his indwelling or without God's power via His spirit in you? And you must want to know Jesus by entering through him as the door & only way, truth and life & way to the father and to receive Him and receive God's holy spirit into their spirit. That's why we see sadly today so many counterfeit Christians.
Those hearing the gospel also must be drawn and called by the father and for Him to pour out His love and holy spirit given to them by his grace & have an absolute yearning & seeking and searching desiring for Creator God, to become renewed and regenerated to be given new desires a new heart & to want to enter into pleasing and loving Him, having become completely undone by Him, by all God has provided and in sending His beloved only begotten Son Jesus as the word made flesh and into them, for the forgiveness of sins, for their repentance, redemption and reconciliation to him, making peace with Him through Jesus' shed poured out precious powerful cleansing blood, and the fact of understanding having forsaken God through having chosen a sinful way of life, that they have put themselves under bondage and shackled imprisoned themselves to their carnal sinful flesh, that opposes itself against God, is of pride & of satan and his entire kingdom of darkness, this can't be done through one's own volition willpower or strength as it won't ever last, it can only be done by & through God's spirit that has been gifted supernaturally into that person, that empowers and enables them to undergo transformation, and to obey the indwelling living Christ within them, to live a Godly holy life, and it is only when they become completely broken & so humbled with absolute Godly sorrow genuinely repentant & having Jesus reveal & manifest himself to them, & given them true illumination via revelation by the spirit, and to become born again to see & then enter into God's kingdom, and become like a little child, having counted the cost of what it means to give one's entire life and being as Jesus' bondservahts yet having been set free by him to become a son & a daughter who will dwell & abide in God's house forever, & to deny self and carry your cross daily, & having received Godly understanding from the very source as God Himself & fully embracing why living together & just fornicating is truly sinful & falling far short of God's glory, & is such an inversion & abomination of all God's truths and understandings of His very love that He defines as He is Love & the originator of it, epitome & encompassing it completely and determines the understanding of love as we see in 1 Corinthians chapter 13 and that He brings forth in those His. And we as His very creation were not created to fulfill such intimacy of God's love towards a wife to her husband & husband towards his wife outside of that powerful ordained God given arrangement of marriage. It's not a form of self works to be able to obey heavenly father but an inflow & outflow of love through God's love revealed & of a covenanting life blood communion via relationship, Jesus being the bridegroom of blood to us, revealing himself to those born of his seed, that must die & be buried with Christ & through intimately knowing Him, He loving us first! Not a relationship of convenience like the one's choosing to live together! Obedience is the fruit that is nurtured out of a real understanding of revelation & in loving God as heavenly father. Knowing & loving God are obviously interelated. It is of a consecration, a complete devotion, a set apart holy ongoing intimate interpersonal two way ongoing relationship, of a sacrificial crucified life that dies to self and the old nature to enter into newness of spirit life & putting on the new self created in righteousness & holiness of truth.
Jesus kindly tells us " If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments.
And I will ask the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he be with you for ever, the Spirit of the truth: whom the world cannot receive; because it beholdeth him not, neither knoweth: YE know him; for he abideth with you, and is in you.
I will not leave you orphans: I come unto you.
Yet a little, and the world beholdeth me no more; but YE behold me: because I live, YE shall live also.
In that day Ye shall know that I am in my Father, and YE in me, and I in you.
Who hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and who loveth me shall be loved of my •Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him."
Hi Hephzibah. I would say the intended audience of this article are those who may not see the error in their ways and are living in sin. This is very common in the west. There's a perpencity to categorize sin and act like God doesn't see everything we do. Those who do not belong to Christ should receive salvation and allow our Heavenly Father to sanctify them through the Spirit.
One thing I've never understood is that Christians are so bent out of shape about homosexual relationships, but heterosexual couples living together is essentially ignored. Both of them are against God's design for human relationships. Both of them are sexual immorality according to the Bible. So why do we so often give cohabitating a pass, but homosexuals are condemned? (I'm not trying to argue for homosexuality. Just wondering why we see these on such different scales.)
Living together is against God and His Design for the romantic relationship. We don't bring up the issue nearly enough so thanks for this post!
Wise words. I'm not sure when everyone decided that living together was just as good as a committed marriage, but it's a lie.
Following this advice would save so many people so much heartache and pain.
Grace and truth.... You balanced it perfectly Chris... Great job
Well written and argued, as always. I'd like to point out that when God said it wasn't good for man to be alone, that 1) that's the first time God says something is "not good", and 2) this was BEFORE the Fall. This means that we're created as social (dare I say, sexual) creatures and designed to be in the male/female part-whole relationship. (And yes, I know there are some who are given the special gift of singleness! But this is exactly why it's a gift.) If we take this seriously, then marriage is not, as you argued, merely a social contract. It's the type of union that touches on what it means to be human. And that makes it fitting for it to be the foundation of family, and so of society, and so a great illustration of Christ's love for the church. But to treat all of that as mundane, as just a transaction based on my effervescent emotional attachment to another person in the moment? That completely misses the point, and so by extension, it just can't ever be quite the same thing. It's NOT good for us to be alone, and living together with someone just isn't enough to solve the problem of being "alone."
Life without marriage is like death without a funeral.
Thanks for these words. I've been convicted about my relationship for YEARS. I appreciate your input.
So why is this then not happening? I can understand if they only have just come to Christ Jesus only recently, and we thank heavenly father for his enormous patience loving kindness & understanding, but surely to those who have been walking humbly with God for many years, know they are choosing to err wilfully & going against heavenly father? The reason I am confounded is because Jesus set me free from such & wasted no time many years ago now in putting me through the process of sanctification & transformation, & yes he purged much from me and keeps pruning my branches as that process keeps only getting more and more refined daily.
Jesus calls sinners to actually repent and turn from their sin, & through God we are given freely by his amazing saving grace everything needed via Jesus' inheritance and the power via the gift of God's holy spirit to help us to do so and be delivered & set free from being held bound and imprisoned to a sinful way of lifestyle and choices & go through sanctification, and by the power of Jesus' blood roots out such ways and does profound healing in us as well, and shows teaches explains why we have been falling into such traps, and how to live an overcoming life & walk in continual holy intimacy with Him. Because those who are choosing stubbornly to remain in fornication will not enter into God's kingdom. Galatians 5/ Revelation 22:15 Without are the dogs, and the sorcerers, and the fornicators, and the murderers, and the idolators, and every one that loveth and maketh a lie.
16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to witness to you these things over the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright, the morning star.
17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And who heareth, let him say, Come. And who thirsteth, let him come: who willeth, let him take water of life freely.
Heavenly father clearly promises all faithful indwelt disciples of Jesus, infilled with & by the spirit that they WILL be able to overcome. God wants us to completely stop with sins that will prevent us from entering into His heavenly kingdom. Even though the gospel as such good news about that is so clear, often many make excuses to blantently continue in such sins. The exampleany love to bring up is king David but even he repented and stopped committing perpetual adultery. Below are a few of the clearest verses that prove beyond a doubt what God’s will for us is - and that is that sin won’t have that same power over us anymore!
Romans 6:12-14 (NLT):
“Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.”
Romans 8:12-13:
“Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”
1 Corinthians 15:34 (NCV):
“Come back to your right way of thinking and stop sinning.”
2 Corinthians 2:14 (CEV):
“I am grateful that God always makes it possible for Christ to lead us to victory. God also helps us spread the knowledge about Christ everywhere, and this knowledge is like the smell of perfume.”
Colossians 3:5 (NLT):
"So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.”
Hebrews 2:17-18 (NIV):
“For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”
Hebrews 4:15-16 (NCV):
“For our high priest is able to understand our weaknesses. He was tempted in every way that we are, but he did not sin. Let us, then, feel very sure that we can come before God’s throne where there is grace. There we can receive mercy and grace to help us when we need it.”
1 Peter 2:21-22 (GNT):
“It was to this that God called you, for Christ himself suffered for you and left you an example, so that you would follow in his steps. He committed no sin, and no one ever heard a lie come from his lips.’”
1 Peter 4:1-2 (ESV):
“Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God.”
2 Peter 1:10 (NIV):
“Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble.”
1 John 3:3 (GNT):
“Everyone who has this hope in Christ keeps himself pure, just as Christ is pure.”
1 John 3:6-7 (NCV):
“So anyone who lives in Christ does not go on sinning. Anyone who goes on sinning has never really understood Christ and has never known him. Dear children, do not let anyone lead you the wrong way. Christ is righteous. So to be like Christ a person must do what is right.”
Revelation 3:21 (WEB):
“He who overcomes, I will give to him to sit down with me on my throne, as I also overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.”
I agree with you. This is why we must call attention to the traps of the enemy. Too many well meaning and misguided people are saying this behavior is permissible.
Thanks for this really good and needed article. I wrote about this theme in an article called Love Stays. But now I wonder if it’s still in my drafts folder. 📁. I guess I should take a look! Valuable conversation and you wrote this in a gracious, caring way. I liked the conversational style. I have had this conversation with many people over the years. God has something more beautiful and sacred for us than people realize. By minimizing the commitment level on something God reserved for marriage between a man and a woman, people miss out on understanding His Hesed and the profound mysteries marriage is meant to teach us.
Thank you so much, Susan. I was encouraged recently to embrace my “weird” and just be myself. I don’t know what I was thinking before, but God is doing something with this broken vessel. This article started with patterns I’m seeing in the church. It’s so sad that we will - in most cases - look the other way on this. I’ve never been the type of person to hold back when important life-changing information needs to be shared. I’ve always felt that it’s easier to digest when it’s communicated in a relational/conversational way.
I understand! I am glad you shared this. I just found my draft and may schedule it for later. I look at things from a biblical lens but also in terms of secure attachment and Hesed.
Yet again a great article. Marriage is one of the most difficult relationships in life to get right, but it is the best relationship ever that one man can have with a woman. As I always say marriage is like a bank account; if you dont invest in it, you will have nothing to draw down on. Compared to cohabitating - marriage is far far far superior. It is about making a commitment to another witnessed by others and honouring that through thick and thin.
Thank you for this message! I can share a word of wisdom as an older woman (and brand-new grandmother😊). My husband and I lived together for a few months when we were engaged 31 years ago. I see now thst my mind at the time did not have space for just God and me. I could not hear his voice very well because I had skipped past those valuable months (years?) when the Lord had wise counsel for me. I painfully faced my sin in conversations with my step-son and my mother when I admitted my sin and I realized how I hurt them by my actions. Yes, it matters, young people! Amen that the Lord is gracious, but I grieved him.
And if they are apparently genuine authentic Christians then they understand the following in Romans chapter 8 and the entire gospel and have the holy spirit dwelling inside them don't they? That's why they are calling themselves Christian they are declaring they have received Gods anointing spirit into their lives & living out Christlike lives exemplifying his image character & nature. Having a close holy intimate relationship with Jesus, Heavenly father and holy spirit. Knowing otherwise they are merely taking God's name in vain?
So how is it they can then defiantly purposely choose to rebel & go against father in heaven so vehemently, don't they fear hurting His heart? His spirit and indweling of Christ is in them but by them choosing to live in perpetual fornication, this is absolutely grievous and horrific and they are wanting & choosing to trample all over the precious blood of Jesus underfoot and making a mockery out of all Jesus has already delivered them from? Also another question I have that I am wondering if you could kindly answer as you are an elder please, if fornicators are part of a congregation why would the elders even allow them to keep defiling Jesus' body through wilfull consistent unrepentant sin??; I don't understand this at all? Why are the elders not indeed caring about their very souls?? Or their other brothers and sisters for that matter? As they all know it goes against God's truths and what we see in 1 Corinthians chapter 5 as well?
Romans 8: 6 For the mind of the flesh is death; but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace:
7 because the mind of the flesh is enmity unto God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be:
8 and they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
9 But YE are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if so be that God's Spirit dwelleth in you. But if any hath not Christ's Spirit he is none of his.
10 And if Christ is in you, the body is indeed dead because of sin; but the spirit is life because of righteousness.
11 But if the Spirit of him that raised Jesus from the dead dwelleth in you, who raised Christ Jesus from the dead shall make alive also your mortal-bodies through his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
12So then, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh:
13 for if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die; but if by the Spirit ye put to death the doings of the body, ye shall live.
14 For as many as are led by God's Spirit, these are God's sons.
15 For ye received not a spirit of bondage again unto fear; but ye received a spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
16 The Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are God's children:
17 and if children,also heirs; heirs namely of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we be also glorified with him. 18 For I reckon that the sufferings of the present season are not worthy to be compared with the coming glory to be revealed toward us.
19 For the earnest ex-pectation of the creation awaiteth the revelation of the sons of God.
20 For the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but by reason of him who subjected it, in hope
21 that the creation itself also shall be freed from the bondage of corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
23 And not only so, but ourselves also, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, WE ourselves also groan within ourselves, awaiting our adoption, the redemption of our body.
24 For in hope were we saved: but hope seen is not hope: for who hopeth for what he seeth? 25 But if we hope for what we see not, we await it with patience. 26 And in like manner the Spirit also helpeth our -in-firmity: for we know not how to pray as we ought; but the Spirit himself intercedeth mightily for us with groanings unutterable; 27 and who searcheth the
hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he intercedeth for the saints according to God. 28 And we know that to them that
love God God worketh all things together for good, to those who are called ac-cording to his purpose. 29 For whom he foreknew, he also foreordained to be con-formed to the image of his Son, that he be first-born among many brethren: 30 and whom he foreordained, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. 31 What then shall we say unto these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 Who at least spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not also with him freely gives us all the things?
I don't understand fully or grasp this article very well, it makes no sense to me? Unless I am misunderstanding what you are trying to convey, and if so I want to say sorry. But ultimately why would we invite random worldly lost people to live Godly Christ like lives who are not even interested in the true Jesus & don't even want to know anything about him? We cannot mandate what only God can give? Jesus is an entire way of life not merely an application of morality?? You can't follow Christ or live a Christlike life without him? Or without his indwelling or without God's power via His spirit in you? And you must want to know Jesus by entering through him as the door & only way, truth and life & way to the father and to receive Him and receive God's holy spirit into their spirit. That's why we see sadly today so many counterfeit Christians.
Those hearing the gospel also must be drawn and called by the father and for Him to pour out His love and holy spirit given to them by his grace & have an absolute yearning & seeking and searching desiring for Creator God, to become renewed and regenerated to be given new desires a new heart & to want to enter into pleasing and loving Him, having become completely undone by Him, by all God has provided and in sending His beloved only begotten Son Jesus as the word made flesh and into them, for the forgiveness of sins, for their repentance, redemption and reconciliation to him, making peace with Him through Jesus' shed poured out precious powerful cleansing blood, and the fact of understanding having forsaken God through having chosen a sinful way of life, that they have put themselves under bondage and shackled imprisoned themselves to their carnal sinful flesh, that opposes itself against God, is of pride & of satan and his entire kingdom of darkness, this can't be done through one's own volition willpower or strength as it won't ever last, it can only be done by & through God's spirit that has been gifted supernaturally into that person, that empowers and enables them to undergo transformation, and to obey the indwelling living Christ within them, to live a Godly holy life, and it is only when they become completely broken & so humbled with absolute Godly sorrow genuinely repentant & having Jesus reveal & manifest himself to them, & given them true illumination via revelation by the spirit, and to become born again to see & then enter into God's kingdom, and become like a little child, having counted the cost of what it means to give one's entire life and being as Jesus' bondservahts yet having been set free by him to become a son & a daughter who will dwell & abide in God's house forever, & to deny self and carry your cross daily, & having received Godly understanding from the very source as God Himself & fully embracing why living together & just fornicating is truly sinful & falling far short of God's glory, & is such an inversion & abomination of all God's truths and understandings of His very love that He defines as He is Love & the originator of it, epitome & encompassing it completely and determines the understanding of love as we see in 1 Corinthians chapter 13 and that He brings forth in those His. And we as His very creation were not created to fulfill such intimacy of God's love towards a wife to her husband & husband towards his wife outside of that powerful ordained God given arrangement of marriage. It's not a form of self works to be able to obey heavenly father but an inflow & outflow of love through God's love revealed & of a covenanting life blood communion via relationship, Jesus being the bridegroom of blood to us, revealing himself to those born of his seed, that must die & be buried with Christ & through intimately knowing Him, He loving us first! Not a relationship of convenience like the one's choosing to live together! Obedience is the fruit that is nurtured out of a real understanding of revelation & in loving God as heavenly father. Knowing & loving God are obviously interelated. It is of a consecration, a complete devotion, a set apart holy ongoing intimate interpersonal two way ongoing relationship, of a sacrificial crucified life that dies to self and the old nature to enter into newness of spirit life & putting on the new self created in righteousness & holiness of truth.
Jesus kindly tells us " If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments.
And I will ask the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he be with you for ever, the Spirit of the truth: whom the world cannot receive; because it beholdeth him not, neither knoweth: YE know him; for he abideth with you, and is in you.
I will not leave you orphans: I come unto you.
Yet a little, and the world beholdeth me no more; but YE behold me: because I live, YE shall live also.
In that day Ye shall know that I am in my Father, and YE in me, and I in you.
Who hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and who loveth me shall be loved of my •Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him."
John 14:15-21
Hi Hephzibah. I would say the intended audience of this article are those who may not see the error in their ways and are living in sin. This is very common in the west. There's a perpencity to categorize sin and act like God doesn't see everything we do. Those who do not belong to Christ should receive salvation and allow our Heavenly Father to sanctify them through the Spirit.