QUESTION:
Is physical contact allowed during courtship?
ANSWER:
“Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.” Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.” [I Corinthians 7:1-2]
“Neither give place to the devil.” [Ephesians 4:27]
“Fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints.” [Ephesians 5:3]
“Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.” [Hebrews 13:4]
“Some of you call these old Kentucky mothers up here, how illiterate Kentucky was. Them old mammies up there, with an old sunbonnet on like that, and talk about her being so illiterate and don't know her abc's. She might not be so classy, but I tell you, let one of her daughters come in like some of yours some night, clothes twisted off of her, and lipstick all over her face, and her hair all mangled up. She won't say, "Did you have a great time, darling?" She'd grab a slat off of something, and she'd--she'd know the last time she went out. And then you call it illiteracy. Yeah. That's it.” [Uncertain Sound, Jeffersonville, IN 60-1218]
“Is it right for Christian men and women to kiss one another (Oh!) on greeting? No, sir. No indeedy. No, sir. You kiss one woman, brother, that's your wife, see, or your--your child, or what... See? "Is it right for..." Let me see if I got that right. "Is it right for Christian men and women to kiss one another on greetings?" No, sir. No indeedy. That... Don't you never get that started. Yes, sir. No, sir. You keep away from women. Shun away from them. Exactly right. Now, they're our sisters, but don't... Now, they got that. That in... That thing even got over in Pentecost, and it's called "free love." And when you do--get anything like that, you stay away from it. That's right. I don't care how clean you are... You're my brother, and I--I believe that you're--you might be a good sanctified, holy man. I don't care how holy you are; you're still a man. And I don't care how holy she is; she's still a woman. Stay away from it till you're married. You just do that.” [Questions And Answers, Jeffersonville, IN 61-1015M]
“Remember, the body. I'm going to speak double now, so that you older people will understand. It's a mixed group, but I'm your brother, and this was the question. See? Each human being male and female have a different type of gland. A female has a female gland, sex gland. A male has a male gland, sex gland. And those glands lay in the human lips. That's right.” [Questions And Answers, Jeffersonville, IN 61-1015M]
“Now-a-days, we shake hands with one another. If you want to... You got your arm around your brother, and kiss him on the neck, or he kisses you on the neck, that's all right. But don't you kiss that woman, and don't you let that woman kiss you. See? That's right. You take her by the hand, say, "Wait a minute, Sister, just a minute here, see, let's get this straight!" And so, now you do that.” [Questions And Answers, Jeffersonville, IN 61-1015M]
“Now, what did I tell you awhile ago when I first started? When you see any--a car coming down the road ninety miles an hour, get out of it's way. That's right. When you see the first twist in anything like that, get away from it; stay away from it. And just... That's the ground you should not be on. Satan will present something to you that'll wreck your soul and send you to hell. Stay away from it. Shun the very appearance of evil. That's right. Be a man; be a woman, like... I'm going to take up for the women a minute.
That's unusual, isn't it? But they--they say, "Oh, the woman caused it. Oh, it was the woman's fault. If she hadn't got out of her place, well, the man wouldn't got out of his." That's true. That... We'll say that's right. She gets out of her place. A man can't be bad 'less there's a bad woman; but remember there can't be a bad woman without being a bad man. That's right.” [Questions And Answers, Jeffersonville, IN 61-1015M]
“And you who claim to be a son of God, where is your principles? If the woman ain't out of her place, aren't you a son of God? Aren't you the one that's a higher, stronger vessel? As the Bible says she's weaker, then if she's weaker, then show yourself a man of God. Tell her, say, "Sister, you're in the wrong." That's right. I've done it, and other Christians has done it. And you'll always do it as long as you're a Christian, but show yourself. You're a son of God. You're--you have more power over yourself than the woman does. If she is weaker, recognize her to be weaker. Understand her mistakes, and things like that, and try to correct her. Say, "Sister, we are Christians; shouldn't do that." See? Be a real man; be a son of God, and watch the women. And there's where the great fall begin at the beginning. It was Satan with Eve. That's what brought the whole downfall of the human race is through that. And if you're a son of God, be strong; be a real man. If you're not that way, stay at the altar till you become that. And shun the very appearance of evil. And don't start now greeting...” [Questions And Answers, Jeffersonville, IN 61-1015M]
“Women, young women, coming up and these men kissing these women. Don't you do that. Don't you... You keep away from there. You remember that. If she's young, single, or whatever she is; she'll be somebody's wife someday. And you haven't got no business doing that. Stay away from her. If you want to greet her, then be a son of God, shake her hand and say, "How do you do, sister." And let that settle it right there. See? Stay away from those things; it's filth. And it'll soon get you into trouble. You just... Oh, that's just... Sin is so easy, and it's so appetizing, and so pleasant. It's so easy to fall right into it. The best thing to do is, the very even appearance of it, stay away from it. Get back. Be a real Christian.” [Questions And Answers, Jeffersonville, IN 61-1015M]
“When I was a sinner, I didn't run around with women. And so... But any man that lets a woman hug up into his arms (him being made up of cells of male and her a female), there's a sensation. I don't care who you are; now, don't tell me you're not if you're healthy as a person.” [The Fifth Seal, Jeffersonville, IN 63-0322]
“I went to a certain place the other night to get something to eat, and the little boys and girls up there hugging and kissing like I don't know what. And do you know, my little sister, that that's potentially an adultery? When a man kisses you, he's potentially committed adultery with you. You should never let him kiss you until you're married, for the glands, both male and female glands, is in the lips. Do you understand? And when male and female glands come together, let it be where it may be, you have potentially committed adultery. And you shouldn't let a boy kiss you until that veil is raised on your face and you're his wife. Don't do that. It's committing adultery. It's mixing male and female glands. Why don't a man kiss a man, woman kiss a woman in the lips? Because it don't cross the glands. Children is born by crossing glands. So it's almost a public adultery again, everywhere. Look on the screens and everything you see, a--a slobbering and a--a carrying on. No wonder immorality is on the--is on the incline. How can they do it and spurn themselves all up by kissing those women in the mouth, knowing that that's adultery. God won't forgive it unless you repent.” [The Oddball, Jeffersonville, IN 64-0614E]
Bible References: I Corinthians 7:1-2; Ephesians 4:27; 5:3; Hebrews 13:4; I Thessalonians 5:22, 26; I Peter 3:7
[Answer provided by Bro. Ken Andes, Minister, Lynden, Washington]