Featured Pastor approves living together?

Here is the Texas Commmon Law:

A valid common law marriage in Texas is where a man and woman become husband and wife without getting a marriage license and having a marriage ceremony. Once established, a common law marriage has the same legal effect as a ceremonial marriage.

To have a common law marriage in the state, you must do three things:

(1) Agree to be married
(2) Live together as husband and wife, and
(3) Told others (hold yourselves out) that you are married.

- See more at: http://statelaws.findlaw.com/texas-law/common-law-marriage-in-texas.html#sthash.uqCr2zZl.dpufMore....
Simply put, by telling others that they are married. Examples of telling other people you are married include:

• Introducing yourselves as a married couple; or
• Doing something that made people think you were married, like signing credit applications as a married couple.

Even if you said that you were married only one time, you can meet this requirement.

- See more at: http://statelaws.findlaw.com/texas-law/common-law-marriage-in-texas.html#sthash.uqCr2zZl.dpuf

can teenagers UNDER 18 be commen law:

No. In Texas, both spouses must be adults. An adult and a child (or two children) can’t have a common law marriage, even if their parents give permission. In other words, no person under the age of 18 can be part of a common law marriage. - See more at: http://statelaws.findlaw.com/texas-law/common-law-marriage-in-texas.html#sthash.uqCr2zZl.dpuf

How it ends:
Common law marriages in Texas have the same legal status as a ceremonial marriage. Why is this important? Because if the common law marriage doesn’t work out, you’ll have to get a formal divorce to end it.

Getting a divorce is the same as with other marriages, except the couple must first prove to the court that they were married. The person that first files papers with the court has to prove that there was a common law marriage.

- See more at: http://statelaws.findlaw.com/texas-law/common-law-marriage-in-texas.html#sthash.uqCr2zZl.dpuf

So by the Laws of the state of Texas it is just as legal as a ceremony. And begins by just signing a credit application as a married couple.

So for the OP what does the state say about a common law marriage?

 

I updated my previous post as to marriage in the sight of God concerning non-virgins who have not been previously married.

I believe God "overlooks" (in the sense of tolerates) this. We are not under the law of Moses and it is "better to marry than to burn (in lust)". Under the law of Moses fornication appears to have been a disqualification of marriage.

HankD

 

In my state there is legal common law marriage. It requires the open presenting of a couple as husband and wife. That can be applications in business or on leases, or simply stating that fact to witnesses. It does not require the conjugal act preceding that. So it does not require sin anymore than getting a license first. In fact, with a license, there is no requirement for clergy or a judge to officiate. The couple can just publicly declare they are married.

But shacking up does not make you legally wed here, nor does the conjugal act.

Our pastor dealt with a similar couple lovingly but firmly. They wed, and then joined the church.

 

He must have gotten 'beamedup'!