Countering Challenges to Christian Platonic Cross-Sex Friendships: Challenge 2

Image Credit: Media from Wix

In this post, I will attempt to articulate a Bible-based solution to the second challenge to platonic cross-sex friendships based off that screenshotted picture of Wikipedia's "Cross-sex friendship" page (accessed November 24-25, 2025) I referenced in my previous post. Here is that picture:

While the aforementioned challenges were brought up in the context of cross-sex friendships in general, as I also addressed in my preceding post, I will address these challenges in the context of non-marital cross-sex friendships among Christians. All that now said, let's move onto that second challenge and tackle it head-on!

The second challenge is: "Confronting the issue of sexuality." In other words, the second challenge is (again, in a Christian context) how to have such friendships while being faithful to all of God's commands, expressed in His commands in Scripture, concerning sexual desires and sexual behaviors (to word the same thing in a different way, to be sexually pure). Obviously, sexual affections and actions are ONLY appropriate, right, good, and loving in marriage, which God defines as the union of one man and one woman for life (Genesis 2:18-24; Exodus 20:14; Matthew 19:1-6; Romans 7:2-3, 13:8-10) [1]. And I include "sexual affections" there as well as "[sexual] actions" because we know, from Jesus, that lust is sexual sin in the heart (Matthew 5:27-28). So, how can Christian men and women who are unrelated to each other and unmarried to each other have spiritually deep friendships in Christ while avoiding both sexual desires that are sinful as well as sexual deeds that are sinful? Or, as many argue, are such friendships impossible because temptations to sexual sin that can arise from such friendships are too overwhelming while we still have sin dwelling in us despite our redemption in Jesus?

I would argue that such friendships are indeed possible by the Holy Spirit through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. So, how should potential sexual attraction be dealt with? The first thing is: avoid lust!!! Scripture says to flee from it and follow righteousness, faith, love, and peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart (2 Timothy 2:22). Notice how, in the Biblical passage just referenced, following righteousness, faith, love, and peace with fellow true believers in the Lord is what Christians are to flee TO when fleeing FROM "youthful lusts"! The Christian is to strive for these godly things with other godly people, regardless of sex. So, a Christian should, in his heart, flee from all desires for any kind of sexual activity and intimacy outside of marriage and instead pursue spiritual intimacy with fellow Christians of both sexes. And that brings me to the second thing Christians should do: if your trust truly is in Christ alone, then wholeheartedly embrace all that Scripture says concerning what your identity is as one of Jesus's people! Realize that you have put off the old you and put on the new you that is in Christ (Ephesians 4:17-24)! Then, live in light of that reality!

There is much more I can go into, but I'll end it here for now. I pray this post will be a blessing to you!

[1] While God's Word definitely makes allowances for divorce, I don't have time to dive into those here, and those aren't the subject of this post.