Because Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, the wonderful sex drive that God has given us is no longer only triggered by our spouse. Now, our sex drives are triggered by ANY attractive member of the opposite sex. I set strong boundaries with my female friends in order to make sure that we stay friends and keep our integrity. The reason I would like to give for this is that I paid attention to the godly counsel and wisdom of my parents and never veered off the path of righteousness.
The real reason is that when I was in college, I strayed away from God and almost threw away the most valuable gift that anyone can give to their spouse because I was young and stupid. That close-call scared me back onto the path of righteousness.
And guess who the girl was? A female friend from a strict, conservative background who was always dressed head-to-toe, despised alcohol, and, aside from polite greetings, ignored most of the guys she met. Even though I did find her attractive, she didn't seem interested in me at all, so I didn't even bother asking her out on a date. I found out that she secretly liked me back MONTHS later when, while watching a movie in her room late at night, we randomly started making out. I would love to say that, in the heat of the moment, I came to my senses, remembered that I was a virtuous Christian gentleman, and adamantly declined any further misconduct in order to protect my integrity and her honor.
In actuality, I was still drunk from clubbing earlier that night and blurted out that I was saving myself until marriage. So she went on a guilt trip and decided not to sleep with me.
Ironically, she cared more about my future wife than I did at the time.
Leading up to that point, I committed many of the errors in judgment that lead most people to destroy their future marriages before they even begin. Chiefly, being drunk and spending a lot of time alone with a member of the opposite gender, even someone who was "just a friend." For that reason, I don't drink anymore, I avoid nightclubs and bars like the plague, and I only hang out with girls during group activities like game night at church young adult groups. And guess what? I HAVEN'T BEEN IN A COMPROMISING POSITION SINCE!
Please understand that I played Russian Roulette and lucked out with an empty chamber. In spite of committing some serious errors in judgment, I am still a virgin. In the majority of compromising situations, V-cards get torched, Baby Momma Drama gets started, STDs go "Biological MMA" on private parts, and sexual expectations are set which future spouses can't meet past their twenties (if at all). Don't play Russian Roulette with your virginity. Set boundaries with your opposite gender friends. And, while we're at it, STAY SOBER.
1 Timothy 5:1-2 "Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, 2 older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity."
