Flee youthful lusts (2 Tim 2:22) Pt. 5

The Skin - The skin is the largest organ in the human body and the sense of touch can be a huge temptation from which you must flee. Since, to me, the most obvious way in which youth are tempted by their sense of touch is with the opposite sex, I am going to focus on that. Christians today are all over the map as far as their standard for what is appropriate touching and what is not among unmarried young people (and old people for that matter). Is it OK to sit real close? Is it OK to hold hands? Is it OK to put your arms around each other? Is it OK to be wrapped up all around each other? Is it OK to kiss on the cheek? Is it OK to kiss passionately? Is it OK to... I better stop there (I think you can see where I'm going). Does the Bible say anything about touching? Most people have heard the phrase "you can look but don't touch" but most Christians now feel that you can touch but not have sex. Is touching as innocent as many believe? Or is it something youth should flee? The Apostle Paul warned, "Now concerning the things of which you wrote to me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband." (1 Corinthians 7:1-2 NKJV) The word "touch" in the original language can mean "to touch" or "to cling" or "to fasten one's self to" and even "carnal intercourse." I think any honest person would admit that no one ever got involved in sexual immorality without first touching the other person. Also, most honest Christians will admit that once "touching" lights the fire, usually something gets burned before the fire gets put out. That is why Paul also says in verse 9, of the same chapter, "For it is better to marry than to burn with passion." If you are not married, bound in covenant for life, then you are not completely sure (no matter how much you think you are "in love") that this man or woman is going to be your spouse. So you must ask yourself the question: "What would you want someone to do with your future spouse?" Remember, God transcends time and space. He is not bound by the restrictions of time. He sees you touching another person's spouse while they are married, as it were. So-called innocent and flirtatious touching should be something that young people run from as fast as they can. No one, not even strong Christian and mature men, should put themselves in that situation. Save it for the marriage. There is "a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing..." (Ecc 3:5)