Christian Dating: 3 Tips For Having Godly Relationship With The Opposite S*x

I am an advocate for Godly friendships with
the opposite s*x, but I have also heard many
arguments suggesting that Christian males
and females cannot be friends. Majority of
intimate relationships are developed from
friendship, which shows the reason why they
are necessary, not only for potentially
meeting your spouse, but also for learning
how to have friendships that require
boundaries. Yes, personal boundaries must
be established. They key word there is
personal, which means you do not have to
have a “talk” with your guy/girl friend stating
that you need to have boundaries. This can
then communicate the wrong message,
possibly resulting in an awkward relationship.

View them like you would a brother or sister.

The bible states in, 1 Timothy, 5:2, “Do
rebuke an older man but encourage him as
you would a father, younger men as
brothers, older women as mothers, your
younger women as sisters, in all purity.”
Now, being real, you would not go to bed
with your brother or sister, nor would you
disrespect their boundaries. We do not need
to get technical with the friendship turning
into something more. The point is to treat
them like you would a brother or sister. I
still, in many aspects, treat my wife the way
I would treat my sister, which is with
respect, integrity, and honor. I have many
opposite s*x friendships that transitioned
smoothly when I got married because they
were healthy friendships where my wife was
100% included in them.

Don’t automatically assess if they are a potential.

This happens all the time when you are in a
group and there is that good-looking person
you’ve seen at church a couple of times, but
now you’re hanging out. Do not build a friendship with the motivation to find out if they are a potential mate. You will then begin to alter how you act around them, and that robs the friendship of its purpose. This
will eventually make your friendships with
the opposite s*x draining, and not life giving.
Take it one day at a time!

Keep it Christ centered.

When the friendship is Christ centered then
lust, seduction, or any other perverted spirit
cannot enter into it. This goes for both
opposite and same s*x friendships. Friends
with benefits is a concept the world has
taken on to stay away from commitment.
Flirting that eventually develops into
emotional ties without commitment is a trap
many singles fall into with opposite s*x
friendships. Texting late at night, being
alone together in intimate environments, or
sharing personal information opens the door
for the relationship to become unhealthy.
This should not be for those representing
Christ, for we are the aroma of Christ to God
among those who are being saved and
among those who are perishing, according to
2 Corinthians 2:15 (ESV)

Source:
blackandmarriedwithkids.com