We want to marry, but we can’t afford to lose benefits
Question:
What does a very obedient Christian couple do when they are living together and willfully obeying God and not having sex, who desperately want to be married but cannot due to one of them being on SSI? The other person cannot support the other person and that money that is given every month, even though not much, is helping tremendously and cannot marry. We want to honor God and do everything to please Him. What advice could you give us? We cannot easily find a preacher to marry us because they are in bed with the state.
Answer:
Preachers, like all Christians, must obey the laws of the government so long as they don't conflict with God's laws. "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves" (Romans 13:1-2).
From what you state you value money over being married. It isn't that you cannot be married, it is that you don't want to live at a reduced income.
From what I have read of the Social Security benefits, a married couple's benefits are reduced, but not eliminated. You would have to talk to someone in Social Security to find out what the impact of being married would have on the benefits received. I also noted that benefits in many states balance out the Social Security benefits, so a decrease in one may be taken up by another. Again, you would have to talk to an expert who is familiar with the laws in your area to find out what would happen.
If you want to honor God, then you will obey His laws. "But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46). I don't recommend men and women living together even if they claim they are not having sex. The temptation is too great. If you value money over marriage, then live in separate homes. If you want to live together then get married and budget the impact on your income so that you can avoid going into debt. If necessary, one or both of you may need to find a way of earning more income. Playing at the borders of sin is not right.
Question:
Thank you for your reply. I would have agreed with you until the laws now allow gay marriage. What you're saying makes sense until you throw that factor in. According to this line of thinking, God blesses whatever the state laws are. If that's so then a gay couple is now blessed by God, and He approves of this union. I don't believe that for one second.
I am desperately looking for work and have zero unemployment. The little bit of money coming in is all we have. I highly doubt God would want His children living in the street. We are trying to get our act together, but until then, we want to obey God by getting married.
Answer:
As I stated before, all Christians must obey the laws of the government so long as they don't conflict with God's laws. Homosexuality is against God's law. Man can "legalize" it, but it remains a sin. God always trumps man. Marriage between a man and woman remains legal and it is according to God's law. Men never made marriage right, it was already right because of God.
I'm sorry about your situation, but you should never have moved in with a man to whom you are not married. It is basic common sense. If you want to obey God, you have to do it on God's terms and not when you find it convenient to follow God.
