Reasons People Live Together 1. “Our love isn’t defined by some piece of paper. We know how committed we are to each other.” 2. “Let’s just try it for awhile and see how it goes. If things work out, then we will think about marriage.”

I. “What is God’s Attitude Toward This?” Sexual intimacy before marriage is sin A. Patriarchal Age. (Genesis 34:1-31) 1. “Saw her, took her and lay with her” (Genesis 34:2). 2.) It “violated her.” (vs. 2). 3.) It “defiled Dinah” (vs. 13). 4.) It was “a disgraceful thing...which ought not to be done” (v. 7).

Sexual intimacy before marriage is sin B. Law of Moses. (Deut 22:13-29) 1.) If a women was not a virgin when she was married she was to be stoned (vs. 20, 21). 2.) If a betrothed women laid with another man in the city, both the man and the woman were to bestoned (vs ). I. “What is God’s Attitude Toward This?”

Sexual intimacy before marriage is sin B. Law of Moses. (Deut 22:13-29) 3.) If a man slept with a betrothed woman in the countryside he alone was to be stoned, because although she may have cried for help no one could hear her (vs ). 4.) If a man took a virgin who was not betrothed and laid with her, he had to pay the girl’s father fifty shekels of silver, and he was never allowed to divorce her (vs. 28,29). I. “What is God’s Attitude Toward This?”

Sexual intimacy before marriage is sin C. Law of Christ. 1. Condemnation of “fornication.” a. “Defile a man” (Matthew 15:20). b. “Fornication” in four passages - (Matthew 5:32, 19:9, 15:19 & Mark 7:21). I. “What is God’s Attitude Toward This?”

Sexual intimacy before marriage is sin C. Law of Christ. 2. New Testament writers. a. “The body is not for sexual immorality” (I Corinthians 6:13). b. “He who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body” (I Cor 6:18). c. It is something that must be repented of (II Cor. 12:21). I. “What is God’s Attitude Toward This?”

Sexual intimacy before marriage is sin C. Law of Christ. 2. New Testament writers. d. It must be put away from our conduct. (Colossians 3:5). e. It must be refrained from. (I Thess 4:3). f. No one practicing it may inherit eternal life (Eph. 5:5). I. “What is God’s Attitude Toward This?”

II. Is Living Together Marriage to God? A. Samaritan Woman. (John 4:1-42) 1. “Go call your husband and come here” (vs. 16). 2. “You have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband” (vs. 18).

B. It is a covenant - Witnessed (Malachi 2:13-16); Sanctified (Hebrews 13:4) and Joined by God. (Matthew 19:6). C. It occurs when a man and woman Leave the home of their youth Join to one another and Become One Flesh (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:5,6). II. Is Living Together Marriage to God?

III. “Is This Really Such A Good Idea?” 1992 United States Justice Department “Female Victims Of Violent Crime” Women by 1000s Women Assaulted By their Companions Wives Assaulted By their Husbands

1992 United States Justice Department “Female Victims Of Violent Crime” III. “Is This Really Such A Good Idea?” Live-in Couples