Q: If a man and wife divorce and decide to live together after the divorce, is that still sinful?  —Jeannette

A: The question of whether it is sinful in some abstract way for a man and woman to live together outside the bounds of marriage isn’t the main issue.

Marriage is a public covenant that binds a man and woman together legally and morally as husband and wife. So anytime a couple engage in sexual relations outside of marriage it’s sin.

Also, if two people believe that they’re deeply in love, living together outside the covenant of marriage makes it easier—and more likely– for them to eventually abandon their relationship. Broken relationships always result in suffering and harm. If you truly love each other and desire a longterm, stable relationship you should be remarried.

If you are not recommitting yourselves to one another as husband and wife, but are temporarily living in the same house without sexual relation, you should carefully consider the impression you may be giving to those who don’t know your circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:22 KJV).   —Dan Vander Lugt

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