• Starting today August 7th, 2024, in order to post in the Married Couples, Courting Couples, or Singles forums, you will not be allowed to post if you have your Marital status designated as private. Announcements will be made in the respective forums as well but please note that if yours is currently listed as Private, you will need to submit a ticket in the Support Area to have yours changed.

Is it a sin to knowingly put oneself in a tempting situation when a less tempting option is available?

EtainSkirata

Active Member
Mar 9, 2020
260
150
Nowhere
✟53,983.00
Country
United States
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Single
* I think Catholicism considers this a sin, but I'm not Catholic so I'd like to avoid discussions with that filter. *

My boyfriend and I are taking a trip. Our options for sleeping arrangements are 2 separate hotel rooms (more expensive) or an Air BnB, which is where we'd rent an apartment with either 2 bedrooms or a couch in the living room for him and a bedroom for me (which we've done in the past, and it's cheaper).

But, I feel like there's more temptation with the Air BnB model, because we are in our pajamas (my pj's aren't revealing) on the couch hanging out before bed... but then, in my own apartment, I have a couch. Granted we aren't usually in our pj's at my own home.

One thought of how to combat this is I go to my room for the night once I shower and I'm in my pj's.

There's temptation at home, and there's a bit more in the Air BnB, and there's less in the hotel model. But there's temptation everywhere we go together. So... what to do?
 

Maria Billingsley

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Oct 7, 2018
11,102
9,147
65
Martinez
✟1,135,989.00
Country
United States
Gender
Female
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Married
Stay the course. Continually focusing on this is damaging to the relationship not to mention stressful and exhausting. Can't live your life dodging temptation. Pray that the Father sends you His Holy Spirit to break this cycle so that the relationship can grow in a deep friendship rather than a lustful one. My prayers are with you. Blessings.
 
Upvote 0

SavedByGrace3

Jesus is Lord of ALL! (Not asking permission)
Site Supporter
Jun 6, 2002
20,616
4,382
Midlands
Visit site
✟746,568.00
Country
United States
Gender
Male
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Others
You look for the way of escape that God who is faithful is providing.


1 Corinthians 10:13 KJV
13. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
 
Upvote 0

EtainSkirata

Active Member
Mar 9, 2020
260
150
Nowhere
✟53,983.00
Country
United States
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Single
Thank you Maria. I do feel like I hyper focus on this kind of thing and it causes him stress. And he's already not thrilled about the trip (we're going to visit his family member but it's in a city he doesn't like). So... it might be best for me to not add too much stress to him. (Plus, he said he was kind of leaning towards a hotel just because of how the city is kind of dangerous. I told him if it's a hotel I'd pay for my own room.)
 
Upvote 0

Trivalee

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Aug 1, 2021
712
165
56
London
✟256,118.00
Country
United Kingdom
Gender
Male
Faith
Pentecostal
Marital Status
Married
Depending on where you are going with the relationship; I would hope you expect it to culminate in marriage. If this is your aspiration, then perhaps you should have an honest discussion with your boyfriend and explain to him that you want to hold out until you're married. His response should guide you on whether he's on the same page as you or not. If he loves you and respects the boundary, the battle is half won because it won't be you alone struggling with constraint. He will also play his part by recognising that seeing you half-naked is not an invitation to do what you both agreed not to until the time is right.

1 Thess 5:22 Abstain from ALL appearances of evil!

Many Christians fall by relying on willpower to overcome the pull of the flesh - and they invariably come up short.
 
Upvote 0

Presbyterian Continuist

Senior Veteran
Site Supporter
Mar 28, 2005
21,968
10,837
77
Christchurch New Zealand
Visit site
✟867,272.00
Country
New Zealand
Gender
Male
Faith
Charismatic
Marital Status
Married
Temptation is not sin. Putting yourself into a situation where you could be more easily tempted to sin is unwise for sure, but not sin until you give way to the temptation.
 
Upvote 0

Presbyterian Continuist

Senior Veteran
Site Supporter
Mar 28, 2005
21,968
10,837
77
Christchurch New Zealand
Visit site
✟867,272.00
Country
New Zealand
Gender
Male
Faith
Charismatic
Marital Status
Married
You can sleep in the same room, even in the same bed and not sin, regardless of the temptation, if you don't actually do anything sinful.
 
Upvote 0