GREAT SEXPECTATIONS: I’ve just moved in with my Christian partner – are we living in sin?

In our fortnightly column ‘Great Sexpectations’ the Woman Alive panel answer your questions on sex, faith and intimacy. Drop us a confidential email on womanalive@premier.org.uk and ask us anything. Here, we help a reader who wants to know if she is living in sin.

Dear Woman Alive

My boyfriend and I have been together for just over two years and are both Christians. We were introduced at the birthday party of a mutual friend and at the time we were both living in horrible flatshares and trying desperately to save for a house deposit. When my boyfriend suggested we move in together I was hesitant because I wasn’t sure if we should get married first but my mum (a divorced Christian) said it’s better to live with someone first before “jumping into marriage” and I love my boyfriend and we intend to be together for a long time so I agreed. We managed to scrape together savings and with a little help from both families we managed to buy a beautiful little house in a lovely area that we both adore and we’re really happy. But recently we started going to a church near us and some people have made comments about us being an unmarried couple living together. When she found out, one woman said, ‘Oh, I thought you were Christians?’ It made me feel really ashamed, even though I am really happy with our life together. What do you think? Am I actually living in sin?