Living Together Before Marriage Is a Bad Idea

Marriage rates are falling in many Western nations. And within those nations, many who eventually choose to marry have already lived together before marriage. A common thought is that cohabitation before marriage will help one discover if this is the right partner for life—so the eventual marriage will be more successful. But is this really true?

Research on relationships and marriage has suggested otherwise for decades—and more recent research agrees. A 2022 YouGov survey conducted by the Institute for Family Studies found that couples who cohabit before marriage are more likely to separate or divorce than those who do not, and a 2018 Stanford University study found that the odds of divorce doubled for a woman who had cohabited with a man other than her future spouse. Even within marriage, a 2009 study in the Journal of Family Psychology revealed “lower marital satisfaction, dedication, and confidence” when couples had cohabited before marriage. Cohabitation, despite the claims of its advocates, is clearly not a wise alternative to marriage. It is even destructive to a future marriage!

The word of God has long pointed out that cohabitation before marriage is a bad idea—the Bible calls it fornication. While many modern Christians refer to the God of the Old Testament as stern and controlling, that same God gave His laws out of His love for humanity. Those laws point the way to a more abundant and blessed life, and modern research continues to prove just how wise and loving the Lawgiver is. To learn more about how to have a healthy, successful marriage, be sure to watch “How to Make Your Marriage Happier.”