Question: Is It Okay To Claim To Represent God And Compliment Women At The Same Time?
Donald Bohanon: Why wouldn’t it be? As long as you are doing it in a respectful manner without lust in your heart. And only you and God can determine if it’s done with lust in your heart or not. Not ignorant outside observers who have no intimate knowledge about the situation and who are just looking for the slightest reason to condemn. If you are a single man doing it while applying biblical instruction there is nothing wrong with it. I have complimented women on their looks on a few occasions while never going overboard. I have been celibate for over three decades and will continue to be that way if or until I find the woman who shares my Christian beliefs. And complimenting women won’t change that.
No woman can truthfully claim that I have come on to them in a sexual manner. I have even joked about certain things but nothing related to sex or in an overtly sexual manner. When you consider I am a single man who lives by the Bible’s principles while being vocal about moral issues there will obviously always be men and women who will be looking for the slightest reason to condemn and to say ‘aha we saw it with our own eyes!” Psalms 35:20-21.
But when you really know scripture you know there was really nothing there to see. They may even be a bit upset that they are not the person of interest. Unfortunately, it happens all the time. These types of individuals will also try to condemn you for being honest about your past just to make themselves appear more righteous. I guess the fake individual who claims to be perfect and without blemish, their entire lives, but has many secrets and skeletons in the closet, are what’s more appealing to them and are deemed more trustworthy in their eyes.
Only to be disappointed when they find out later these individuals who claim to be without spot and blemish their entire lives engage in abominable practices secretly. Which is normally the case. Some of the greatest biblical patriarchs were guilty of some of the worst sins. But yet later went on to become shining examples of righteousness and were loved and praised by God. They didn’t just appear righteous. They were actually righteous in God’s eyes.
But in this present generation, the appearance of righteousness is more appealing and acceptable than righteousness itself to these types of individuals. Even the individuals who proudly and openly practice and promote their abominable evil and sin are deemed more honest, rational, logical, and trustworthy, than the righteous. Romans 1:26-32. And these individuals magnify their abominable evil by calling it good. Isaiah 5:20-25. And society accepts it. This is the insanity we now live in.
And although the Bible does tell us not to be unequally yoked with the unbeliever. 2 Corinthians 6: 14-18. It also says we possess the ability through influence, by example, to convert the non-believing person of interest into a believing and converted individual or spouse. So it’s okay to compliment as long as it’s not anything overtly sexual or sexual in nature.
And it’s okay to associate with and teach someone who has a strong interest in learning and following the truth. And if you have an interest in an unconverted woman who is interested in learning more, your goal should only be to teach and positively influence them by example through your behavior and commitment to God’s word and commandments in hopes of fully converting them to the way that leads to eternal life. While never compromising your beliefs and obedience to God’s word in order to achieve it.