To Continue to Oppose Practice of Couples Living Together outside Marriage and To Support Pastors and Congregations Who Lovingly Call to Repentance, Give Absolution, and Help to Live in Harmony with God’s Word

Official Workbook overture source text

4-37 
To Continue to Oppose Practice of Couples  
Living Together outside Marriage and To Support 
Pastors and Congregations Who Lovingly Call to 
Repentance, Give Absolution, and Help to Live  
in Harmony with God’s Word 
WHEREAS, The Sixth Commandment commands Christians to 
live chaste and decent lives in word and deed (SC I, Ed. 1942); and 
WHEREAS, God’s Word condemns fornication, that is, sleeping 
with someone who is not your spouse (Galatians 5; Ephesians 5; 
Colossians 3); and 
W
HEREAS, Jesus calls Christians not to conform to the ways of 
the world, but to be salt and light in the world (Matthew 5) and to 
“abstain from the passions of the flesh” and to “[k]eep your conduct 
among the Gentiles honorable,” so that they may not accuse us of  
being evil doers (1 Peter 2:11–12); and 
WHEREAS, God’s Word does not want us to live in a way that 
tempts others to sin. Living together outside of marriage not only 
sets a bad example, but it also tempts the youth of the congregation 
and those who may be struggling with sexual immorality to believe 
that this is acceptable Christian living. Jesus says, “whoever causes 
one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better 
for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be 
drowned in the depth of the sea” (Matt. 18:6); and 
WHEREAS, God’s Word calls Christians to repent of sin and bear 
fruit in keeping with repentance. St. Paul writes, “Brothers, if 
anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should 
restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest  
you too be tempted” (Gal. 6:1); and 
WHEREAS, Cohabitation before marriage in the Christian 
congregation is a common source of grief for faithful servants of the 
Word, whose work should “be a joy, not a burden, for that would 
be of no benefit to you” (Heb. 13:17 NIV); therefore be it 
Resolved, That the Synod affirm that couples living together 
outside of marriage are living contrary to God’s Word; and be it 
further 
Resolved, That the Synod in convention voice their support for 
pastors and congregations who lovingly call such couples to repent, 
who offer absolution to them, and who help and guide such couples 
to bear fruit in keeping with repentance. 
Circuit 5 (Mitchell) 
South Dakota District 
Ov.