Can men and women be "just friends"?

As Christians, can men and women have healthy friendships with the opposite sex?

Male and female friendships can be complicated to manage, whether in the secular world or in a church setting. These days, men and women often find themselves in situations where they are thrown into close associations with the opposite sex, whether at work, in church, or in other circumstances.

Unfortunately, friendships between opposite sexes often lead to inappropriate relationships. There are countless sad stories of married men and women who spent too much time with someone other than their spouse, getting them into adulterous affairs. Galatians 5:19 describes how sinful desires lead to sexual immorality, impurity, and promiscuity.

Unfortunately, some church leaders have made national headlines after being accused of extramarital affairs, often with women in their own congregations, with heartbreaking and devastating results for their wives , their families, their faithful and their communities. How can we be friends?

Romans 12:1 is addressed to all Christians, male and female, whether single or married: "Therefore I exhort you, brothers and sisters, for the mercy of God, to offer your body as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God - this is your true and proper worship."

Friendship is possible when we lay down our lives before the Lord and live a holy and pleasing life before him. As described in Luke 8:1-3, Jesus had friends of the opposite sex, demonstrating that it is possible to have virtuous male-female friendships.

“After this Jesus traveled from town and village to town, preaching the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, as well as some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come; Joanna, the wife of Chuza, the headmaster of Herod's household; Susan; and many more. These women helped them support themselves on their own. »

Divine friendships between men and women can be rich in offering prayerful support, a sense of acceptance, respect, encouragement, Christian fellowship, and more, without crossing the line. lines that lead to sexual immorality.

Is it worth it?

However, having friends of the opposite sex is risky and requires sincere consideration, starting with examining ourselves first to see if we have any weaknesses that might make us more vulnerable in a male friendship. -woman.

Also, if you are married, it is crucial to see if our relationship is solid or if we are living on shaky ground, feeling that our spouse is not meeting our needs. If fragilities exist or if there is a feeling of lack at home, we have good reason to avoid being in male-female friendships. Instead of taking risks, we want to guard against letting weaknesses and feelings of lack get the better of us.

Proverbs 4:23 warns us, "Above all, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it."

Where does our strength come from?

Similarly, having confidence in one's own strength and ability to resist sexual temptation can actually be a weakness. Thinking that we are too smart to be misled and that we don't need limits exposes us to the enemy's schemes.

Self-confidence makes us vulnerable to blindness. 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 strongly cautions us to put our trust in the Lord's strength and not in our own:

"So if you think you are holding on, be careful not to fall! No temptation has overtaken you, except that which is common to mankind. And God is faithful; He does not will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out for you to endure."

Are we aware of the dangers?

We also want to be aware that there are those within churches who exploit the weaknesses of others, so we need to be alert to the possibility of others trying to take advantage of our frailties.< /p>

"They are the type to infiltrate homes and take control of gullible women, who are laden with sins and influenced by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to come exhausted a knowledge of the truth." 2 Timothy 3:6-7

Unfortunately too...