Sleeping togethere, sinful?

[katelyn]

I don't think that the original question can be answered with a simple yes or no. On the surface, it is not a sin. But one thing to keep in mind is...if you get to the point where you want to ask others whether or not they think it's a sin, there is probably a (good) reason why you are afraid that it's a sin.

Even if sleeping beside each other is not a sin, it's good to think about how the path to a sin develops. I doubt most people go from wanting to stay pure to having sex before marriage in an instant, or even based on one questionable action. No, it's usually the little things that build up and lead to the sin. It usually takes time for your stand on an issue to erode. But if you don't give in on the little issues, no matter how harmless they may seem at the time, you are protecting yourself from that erosion, and I think that's what matters in this situation.

I can totally see how sleeping next to each other could seem innocent. But, if you add a little kissing, it can quickly become not-so-innocent. Kissing while laying down can be much more arousing since your bodies are so much closer than usual. Also, not to be too explicit, but something that you might want to take into consideration is that guys can sometimes wake up aroused, which has little to do with their intentions, but once you are aroused it puts you in a more risky situation than the innocent one you started out in when you fell asleep.

 

[springnjoy]

Is just plain sleeping with your girlfriend sinful? I'd have to say no on technicality. Here's a humorous anecdote to that: when I was in high school (a Christian one), my guy and girl friends would have parties (good clean fun). Since my high school attracted students from a 100 mile radius, when it got late, the guys would go upstairs to sleep and the girls would stay downstairs. Anyways, the point it that there was one guy's mom who always made him drive home as soon as anyone fell asleep. We used to laugh and say, "Nothing happens when people are asleep! It's when they're awake that sex happens!" So in most cases, I would have to say fine to sleeping unless you're the type to be all frisky in your sleep.
On a more serious note, my boyfriend (ex) and I used to fall asleep together. It did progress from falling asleep watching a movie to taking naps to sleeping in the same bed together. As innocent as the sleeping may seem, there is always the before and after time. Falling asleep cuddled up against one another or waking up with someone are two things I wish I would have saved for marriage.
The temptations are there. Whether they are consciously there for you or your girlfriend, they still exist. Later on my boyfriend (ex) and I talked about it. While he saw it as innocent and was not physically turned on by it, I (the girl) was.
Please just be careful. I would never want for you to do soemthing that you may later regret. To me, the smart thing is to make boundaries. Sit down with your girlfriend and set up clear boundaries. Make it an open topic. Knowing what I do now, if I could go back, I wouldn't have done it.
Also, how do your actions appear to others? The Bible clearly says not to do things (adiaphora) that may cause others to fall or doubt. If a struggling Christian saw you and your girlfriend together, could that lead him/her to think it's okay and then sin by it?
I say all this in Christian love~