A few months ago I started what I see as my first serious relationship. This is the first time that I can see my girlfriend turning into my wife. We've talked about the fact that we can both see this moving towards marraige, but we have a long distance relationship. I go to the US Military Academy in New York, and I can't be with her very much because she goes to school in Florida and has a job. Over our mutual spring break we spent as much time as we could together, including sleeping in the same bed. Most of our best discussions happenned before we would go to sleep.
We've discussed the fact that we aren't going to have sex before marraige, and also the fact that we won't hide anything that we do from our parents. When her parents asked her where I was sleeping, we were honest about it, and the discussion that followed led her (well, led us, but I don't much enjoy it) to believe that we shouldn't share a bed because of the image that it portrays to other people that won't believe that we're not having sex. As a result of this new opinion, I slept alone for the last few days of the break.
I truly believe that the both of us will be able to show the restraint to not have sex until we're married and I've read the scriptures about removing yourself from temptation (proverbs 6:27- Can a man scoop a flame into his lap and not have his clothes catch on fire?). I think that temptation is different to different people, and I can see why others should be encouraged not to sleep in the same bed, especially if they haven't discussed premarital sex. Because while I probably couldn't put fire in my lap without being burned, I am able to sleep with my girlfriend without having sex. I also believe that it's out of our hands whether or not people will think that we're having sex, because people are judgemental.
Does anyone have any arguments for or against sleeping in the same bed, or possibly have a personal experience that would support either side of the argument?
We've discussed the fact that we aren't going to have sex before marraige, and also the fact that we won't hide anything that we do from our parents. When her parents asked her where I was sleeping, we were honest about it, and the discussion that followed led her (well, led us, but I don't much enjoy it) to believe that we shouldn't share a bed because of the image that it portrays to other people that won't believe that we're not having sex. As a result of this new opinion, I slept alone for the last few days of the break.
I truly believe that the both of us will be able to show the restraint to not have sex until we're married and I've read the scriptures about removing yourself from temptation (proverbs 6:27- Can a man scoop a flame into his lap and not have his clothes catch on fire?). I think that temptation is different to different people, and I can see why others should be encouraged not to sleep in the same bed, especially if they haven't discussed premarital sex. Because while I probably couldn't put fire in my lap without being burned, I am able to sleep with my girlfriend without having sex. I also believe that it's out of our hands whether or not people will think that we're having sex, because people are judgemental.
Does anyone have any arguments for or against sleeping in the same bed, or possibly have a personal experience that would support either side of the argument?