Did I defile myself by sexually touching a woman?
Question:
Greetings,
I just wanted to know if I sexually touched a woman with clothes on but no intercourse, did I defile myself as Revelation 14:4 says?
“These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they remained virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among mankind and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb” (Revelation 14:4).
Thank you.
Answer:
Sexually touching a person is wrong. "Now concerning the things about which you wrote, it is good for a man not to touch a woman" (I Corinthians 7:1). All sins and the lust for sin defile a person (Mark 7:20-23).
Revelation is a book written in symbols. Imagines are given to paint a picture in our minds regarding a concept to be understood.
"Then I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder, and the voice which I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps. And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one could learn the song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand who had been purchased from the earth. These are the ones who have not been defiled with women, for they have kept themselves chaste. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These have been purchased from among men as first fruits to God and to the Lamb. And no lie was found in their mouth; they are blameless" (Revelation 14:1-5).
The scene opens with the Lamb (Jesus) standing on Mt. Zion with the 144,000. The 144,000 are the redeemed on earth, and the great multitude are all the redeemed throughout the ages. They have the names of the Father and the Son written on their foreheads. This is not literal but represents people who are sealed and belong to God. They were purchased from the world by Christ's redeeming blood (Ephesians 1:7). They have not committed spiritual adultery as Israel did (Hosea 4:12-13). In other words, these people are not involved in idolatry. Therefore, John is describing the saved Christians.
