What kind of relationships outside of the marriage should there be? and What can lead to adultery/cheating?

 This post will be a short one, but I believe this is a significant one. When it comes to marriage there's always the question of what kind of relationships can be had outside of the marriage? Is either spouse allowed to have friends outside of the marriage that are of the opposite gender? What can lead to adultery and how can it be avoided?

I don't think there's a clear answer on what kind of relationships can be had outside of a marriage. I do think there should be complete transparency in a marriage about friendships. In order to have a successful marriage, it is important to put your partner first before any outside relationships. It is still healthy to have relationships outside of the marriage though. No one wants to get bored of the same person in a marriage.

The more burning question is What can lead to adultery? There are many different paths that can lead to adultery, but the common theme within all of them is our thoughts. Every single path begins with our own thoughts. Were we thinking of our spouse when that attractive person came into the gym? Or when we were flirting with that person? If we can keep our thoughts focused on staying within our marriage, then we will better be able to stay clear from adultery. Thus creating a good ground to build a happy marriage. Jesus Christ himself said, "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart."

Hopefully this was enlightening to anyone who reads this. Thanks for reading and don't forget to make sure to research for yourself.