The following "Question" was asked by a member of the congregation at Grace Community Church in Panorama City, California, and "Answered" by their pastor, John MacArthur Jr. It was transcribed from the tape, GC 1301, titled "Bible Questions and Answers."  A copy of the tape can be obtained by writing, Word of Grace, P.O. Box 4000, Panorama City, CA 91412 or by dialing toll free 1-800-55-GRACE.

Question

Can Christians live together in one house in a communal situation?

Answer

Well, let me answer that this way.  Genesis 2 says this: “A man and a woman are to leave their father and mother and they become”—what?  “One flesh.”  I really believe that God expects us to establish a unique union.  Now, at the same time, they lived in family proximity in Judaism so that the families were all in the same area.  And that’s great.  It says in Acts 2 that “they held all things in common”; that does not mean they lived in communes.  There was hospitality when a stranger was in town or a pilgrim was in town: they were kept in the home.  But, we don’t know of any specific occasion anywhere in the New Testament where communal living existed; that is, where several families shared all of the same facility. 

I think there’s a genius in that beautiful independence that God has designed for marriage and to construct that union.  At the same time, we should live with open homes, open hospitality, and open proximity.  There is no biblical precedent for a permanent communal living situation.

Added to Bible Bulletin Board's "MacArthur’s Questions and Answers" by:

Tony Capoccia
Bible Bulletin Board
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