For follow-up discussion and general commentary on the topic. Comments are sorted chronologically.
Ngozi Ken Udochukwu
We run a Teen Girls' Ministry and it is a repeated question in our meetings. I think we have to start with who is a boyfriend /girlfriend. Is it a friend of the opposite sex without no emotional attachment? or is it a person of the opposite sex whom you are emotionally attached to, without any commitment to marriage but may be engaged in amorous relationship which Biblically is exclusive to husband and wife. 2Tim 2: 22 says flee youthful lust. 1 Tim 5:22 says keep yourself pure. These passages guide us to the kind of relationships we can keep. I know the question will most likely satisfy the curiosity of young single christian. 2Tim2: 22 calls us to first "flee" then "pursue". This tells us that throughout our lives we are either moving from or moving towards some thing that commands our interest.
Paul is speaking to a younger man. Let godliness be our goal. Let us exercise ourselves in godliness and not to anything that we lead to us to any form of compromise. An emotional relationship of people of the opposite sex with no marriage in view may not be healthy spiritually and emotionally.
Samantha Harold
Yes I agree with your statement. We should be careful about having such relationships as Christians. It sends mixed messages to our young people when we even allow them to go out on dates. The Bible only makes references to relationship between husband and wife. So therefore it is evident that Christians do not have boyfriends or girlfriends. Any relationship not geared towards marriage puts both parties at risk of unnecessary emotional about and it could lead to premarital sex or even unplanned pregnancies. It is a lot that could happen. Also it could lead to going from one relationship after another. And by the time your spouse comes along, you are full of baggage from the emotional and soul ties. So it is better to avoid these situations as much as possible. I pray this helps.
Dorcas Sitali
Yes, it is not good to go from one relationship to another hence it is important to pray concerning a life partner because when God shows you, He shows your life partner husband/wife so there is no try and error
Enoch Joshua
(Y) Samantha
Michael oluwafemi
my opinion Is that it is not good enough to have a boyfriend or girlfriend as Christians because even though we are in this world we are not of the world. We should be able to desern what is that good, acceptable and perfect will of God as we are spiritual beings, and this is done by being patience and looking up to Jesus Heb 12:2, and not as the world does it's own without bothering about what Jesus says.
Samantha Harold
Yes I agree with you. We must trust God with everything that concerns us. We are not of this world so we must not take on the things of this world. Just because everyone around us is doing certain things does not make it right. We must teach our youth and the singles to depend on God even for a future spouse. There should be no dating or we should not even worry because God knows what we need and when we need it. Our work in Christ requires faith and trust in our Lord. Also we must obey him and not go our own ways. Getting a boyfriend or girlfriend is definitely going our own way rather than God or the Bible.
Emmanuel Kameya
After being in a relationship for almost a year, I've realised how hard it is to keep the path of purity whilst you are in a relationship.
GOD created a woman and a man for marriage and therefore whenever a woman and a man form a romantic relationship, they easily incline towards having the kind of relationship that only a husband and a wife can have.
In a relationship, if you are not sinning physically with your partner, the you're sinning through thoughts unless you just don't love that person you're with.
Let's not pretend, relationships bring us more uncleanness than does singleness. As long as you're in a relationship, you will sin with last in one way or the other. Let's just be honest.
Danny Hickman
There's a scripture that says believers are to be of the same mind. As long as there are believers who think there's something wrong with having a boyfriend or a girlfriend, I won't be of the same mind as they are. I've never heard such as this in my whole life!
To the relatively young person reading this: please don't think this kind of thinking is mandatory for christian discipleship. Temptation is part of living, and so is restraint. Temptation is unavoidable to a healthy person. I pray that you'll be in good health.