According to Webster, shacking up is to live together as
spouses without being married. The term carries
a lot of negative connotation; “Did you hear who is shacking up?” As Christians we take a negative view of such
behavior because we view it as a violation of God’s desire for his people. The marriage relationship is sacred, and a couple should be legally
married prior to living together
In an attempt to soften the offense, the term now used to
define living together outside of marriage is “cohabitation.” If a recent study done by Pew Research is on
target it is working. Cohabitation has become politically correct while couching a behavior that is
of itself morally wrong. In our
contemporary culture, cohabitation is not only seen as acceptable but viewed as a good
idea, and it is not just a matter of convenience
or saving money. The top reason given for cohabitation was "testing compatibility."
We can shake our heads and comment that it is just
another sign that our moral fabric is gradually being torn to shreds. In actually it does not change who we are, or
even more important who God is. As God’s
people we respect the holy estate of marriage. But we recognize that even those
who live in sin fall under God’s grace.
In my humble opinion the answer is found in God’s word. We not only need to be into God’s word on a
daily basis, but we need to encourage others to do so as well. This is especially the case with teens and
young adults. It is not enough to expect
the instruction that they received on the Sixth Commandment to have taken root.
That is why young and young adult ministry should be a
vital component. That is especially the
case with college age young adults. The
typical campus environment is fertile ground for a young Christian to find
their values called into question.
Another reality is that most traditional campus ministries do not appeal
to millennials. The link between God’s
desire for them and the reality of their situation should be their support
system back home. That contact across
the miles is vital, and in the world of social media and facetime it is a lot
easier. We just need to be intentional
in our effort.
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