A "brother in Christ" believes that Gold joins all couples, divorcees or singles, when they marry, and consequently "what God has joined together, let no one separate" (cf. Matthew 19:6). He thinks my answer was wrong in reply to a question, "Does a divorced person sin when he marries again?" He writes that "’living in sin’ is not a biblical phrase."

If the phrase "living in sin" in those three words is required before a practice is sinful, then (1) gambling (Ephesians 4:28; Titus 3:1, 14); (2) using non-prescription drugs (1 Corinthians 6:20; 2 Corinthians 7:1); and (3) wearing denominational names (1 Corinthians 1:12-14) are not sinful.

On the other hand, notice the word living in Colossians 3:7: "You once walked in these things, when you were living in them." What were "these things" in which the Colossians had lived? "[F]ornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed" (Colossians 3:5, FHV).

Also, notice a form of the word living in Ephesians 2"3, FHV:

Also, notice a form of the word living in Romans 6:2, FHV: "How shall we who died to sin continue to live in it?"

Also, notice a form of the word living in First Peter 4:1-2, FHV:

Jesus taught that if one divorces, even though his spouse had not been unfaithful, and marries again, he "commits adultery" (Matthew 19:9). Since "adulterers" cannot "inherit the kingdom of God" (1 Corinthians 6:9-10, FHV), sincere people do not want to be deceived as to what adultery is. Sad it is that some love people more than "the truth" and "distort" (wrench, wrest, strebloo) the Scriptures "to their own destruction" (2 Thessalonians 2:12; 2 Peter 3:16, FHV).

Some have manufactured their own non-dictionary meanings of adultery: (1) it is simply the breaking of a human contract; and (2) it is "the one time action of divorce, and remarrying another." The new definitions mean, they say, that adultery "has nothing to do with sexual activity." When a person was "taken in the very act of adultery" (John 8:44, FHV), neither of the two new definitions of adultery makes sense.

The New Testament word (moichao and moicheuo, Matthew 19:9, 18) has three meanings: (1) physical sexual intercourse (Matthew 5:32; 19:9; Mark 10:11-12; Luke 16:18); (2) mental sexual desire (Matthew 5:28; 2 Peter 2:14; and (3) unfaithfulness to God (Matthew 12:39; 16:4; Mark 8:38; James 4:4). Sadly then we read that "adulterers" will not "inherit the kingdom of God" (1 Corinthians 6:9, FHV).

But our brother in Christ rejects the idea that physical sexual intercourse of any married couple can be called "living in sin." He writes that "the question should be, ‘Is this couple dead in sin?’" The Bible answer would be that the couple was dead in sin before baptism, and if they are living in adultery they will stay dead in sin until they repent and quit living together. John the Baptist told a man who had married another man’s wife that "it is not lawful for you to have her" (Matthew 14:4).

Then our brother says that "maybe" the question should be, "Is divorce and remarriage unforgivable?" The Bible answer is that they are forgivable if there is repentance (Luke 13:3; Acts 3:19; 11:18; 2 Peter 3:9; 1 John 1:7), but there has been no repentance if the couple is living in adultery and keeps on in that situation (cf. Matthew 3:8).

Because eternity is a long time, and because heaven will be so delightful, two couples known to me decided, after they had learned God’s laws on marriage, divorce, and remarriage, that they would sleep in separate bedrooms "for the sake of the heavenly kingdom" (Matthew 19:12). They loved each other and they loved their children. They stayed legally married, but their heavenly Father understood. They enjoyed family companionship, but companionship is not adultery.