IS KISSING & FONDLING A SIN TO THE UNMARRIED?
A popular question among Christians and particularly Christian teenagers is whether or not it is o.k. to kiss and fondle in a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship. There are different types of kisses, but it is obvious that the kissing in question refers to passionate kissing between a boyfriend and girlfriend.
HOLY KISS
So what does the Bible have to say about kissing? We see that Christians are encouraged to greet each other with a fraternal kiss in scriptures. The fraternal kiss is often referred to in the Bible as a “holy kiss” and in one instance as “a kiss of charity” (1 Pet 5:14), which means a kiss of love. The holy kiss conveys the warmth and affection emanating from the love of Christ within, therefore, it is none-sensual.
ROMANTIC KISS (French Kissing)
So what about passionate, romantic kissing? Believe it or not, the Bible is not silent on passionate kissing. We see that it is clearly expressed in the romantic chapters of Song of Solomon, even in the very first chapter (Song of Solomon 1:2). However, it is noteworthy that this passionate kissing in the Song of Solomon was maintained within the context of a marital relationship between the beloved and his female lover (Song of Solomon 4:8-12 and 5:1).
Romantic kissing is an exchange of sexual feelings. It is driven by sensual passions and also stimulates even more sensual passion, therefore its ability to weaken one's emotion defenses (which CAN lead to fornication) is inevitable. 2 Timothy 2:22 says, “Avoid the passions of youth, and strive for righteousness.” This means, outside of a marital relationship it is sinful because God has warned strongly against carrying out the dictates of our flesh and sensual passions. Don't get me wrong. Not all those who kiss will into fornication, nevertheless the passion shared is not holy in God's sight. A ten-second wet kiss will stir the desire for more and will igniting passions that would eventually lead to lust of the flesh and carnal fantasies. Before you realize it, the flesh is on the platter, so to speak.
Ephesians 4:27 says, “Do not give the Devil an opportunity to work.” Romantic kissing is an intimate thing, while Fondling is even stronger, therefore Christians who are not married are to control their feelings for sensual intimacy in order to close the door on the devil’s temptation to lure them into sexual immorality.
Paul says in 1Corinthians 7:1, “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman," and then he admonishes us, “But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband” (1 Cor 7:2). Sexual relations usually involve any action that is part of lovemaking such as kissing, fondling, foreplay, which are actions that ignite or entertain the sexual drive.
The conclusion of the matter is this. A dry kiss on the lips is not a problem. But if you are not yet in holy matrimony this exchange of sensual passion through kissing and fondling is to be kept under subjection until such time. So though romantic kissing or fondling is not a sin in their original sense, yet their purity ONLY stand within the bound of matrimony- according to God's law.
Any sensual act outside marriage is forbidden by God and is carnal!
HOLY KISS
So what does the Bible have to say about kissing? We see that Christians are encouraged to greet each other with a fraternal kiss in scriptures. The fraternal kiss is often referred to in the Bible as a “holy kiss” and in one instance as “a kiss of charity” (1 Pet 5:14), which means a kiss of love. The holy kiss conveys the warmth and affection emanating from the love of Christ within, therefore, it is none-sensual.
ROMANTIC KISS (French Kissing)
So what about passionate, romantic kissing? Believe it or not, the Bible is not silent on passionate kissing. We see that it is clearly expressed in the romantic chapters of Song of Solomon, even in the very first chapter (Song of Solomon 1:2). However, it is noteworthy that this passionate kissing in the Song of Solomon was maintained within the context of a marital relationship between the beloved and his female lover (Song of Solomon 4:8-12 and 5:1).
Romantic kissing is an exchange of sexual feelings. It is driven by sensual passions and also stimulates even more sensual passion, therefore its ability to weaken one's emotion defenses (which CAN lead to fornication) is inevitable. 2 Timothy 2:22 says, “Avoid the passions of youth, and strive for righteousness.” This means, outside of a marital relationship it is sinful because God has warned strongly against carrying out the dictates of our flesh and sensual passions. Don't get me wrong. Not all those who kiss will into fornication, nevertheless the passion shared is not holy in God's sight. A ten-second wet kiss will stir the desire for more and will igniting passions that would eventually lead to lust of the flesh and carnal fantasies. Before you realize it, the flesh is on the platter, so to speak.
Ephesians 4:27 says, “Do not give the Devil an opportunity to work.” Romantic kissing is an intimate thing, while Fondling is even stronger, therefore Christians who are not married are to control their feelings for sensual intimacy in order to close the door on the devil’s temptation to lure them into sexual immorality.
Paul says in 1Corinthians 7:1, “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman," and then he admonishes us, “But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband” (1 Cor 7:2). Sexual relations usually involve any action that is part of lovemaking such as kissing, fondling, foreplay, which are actions that ignite or entertain the sexual drive.
The conclusion of the matter is this. A dry kiss on the lips is not a problem. But if you are not yet in holy matrimony this exchange of sensual passion through kissing and fondling is to be kept under subjection until such time. So though romantic kissing or fondling is not a sin in their original sense, yet their purity ONLY stand within the bound of matrimony- according to God's law.
Any sensual act outside marriage is forbidden by God and is carnal!
