The Subject of Kissing in Relationship, Courtship and Marriage

I've addressed this topic before, but it keeps coming up in nearly all my meetings, so I want to revisit it.

Is kissing a sin? This is a question many young people serving God ask, as they struggle to refrain from kissing each other as an expression of love. As a counselor, I know many Christians engage in this regularly. During my courtship, I kissed my fiancée a few times and felt guilty, sensing the Holy Spirit's disapproval. I understand what you're going through.

Having been married for about sixteen years, I can tell you that the strong urge to kiss as singles is often more about temptation than love. People in more liberal cultures might find this perspective unusual, as they often greet with kisses without any lust involved.

Some justify kissing with scripture, but you won't find a verse that explicitly forbids it. In fact, some scriptures seem to encourage it:

"All the brethren greet you. Greet ye one another with an holy kiss." (1 Corinthians 16:20 KJV)

"Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you." (Romans 16:16 KJV)

However, these instructions must be understood in their cultural context. Jews typically greet each other with a cheek kiss, not a mouth-to-mouth kiss. This is why Judas kissed Jesus—it was a cultural greeting, like a handshake.

In Nigeria, we don't greet each other with kisses. Therefore, a kiss outside of wedlock between two people in love, especially in private, can lead to unholy actions. The initial kiss might be innocent, but it often progresses to more.

If an usher kissed my wife at a meeting, I would be upset because we don't greet that way. Similarly, if you and your fiancée are caught kissing behind the church, you would need to apologize. But if I, as your pastor, am caught kissing my wife, you would still need to apologize because we are married.

After marriage, you can kiss as much as you want because your bodies belong to each other. However, marriage also involves responsibilities like school fees, rent, and childcare, which can reduce the desire to kiss all the time. So, why jeopardize your relationship with God for something you can do freely later?

Maturity involves self-control and the ability to delay gratification. Young ladies, when a guy asks to kiss, don't submit your lips easily. The power of life and death lies in your mouth. If he's hungry, he should know where to buy food.

For married couples, feel free to kiss if your spouse enjoys it—it's not a sin. But singles should remember that what satisfied you last time won't satisfy you next time, so guard against it.

Finally, it's unwise to kiss someone you just met. Some kisses can lead to regrets or even spiritual consequences. Remember, it was Judas's kiss that led to Jesus's arrest.

Article by: Pastor Dunamis Okunowo - Filed in KHC Devotional

Advice by: Mrs Ijilusi Oluwatomisin

Published by: www.maritalsolutionandworldresearch.blogspot.com