Here are some important principles to remember when approaching this topic.
1. Commit to God first: Oftentimes in dating, people become infatuated and almost obsessed with their new boyfriend or girlfriend. Other important relationships often take a back seat to the new person they are dating. As a Christian, your first priority in all situations should always be the Lord (Matthew 6:33).
“But seek first his
kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as
well”.
2. Guard your heart: The Bible tells us to be very careful
about giving our affections, because our heart influences everything else in
our life (Proverbs 4:23).
“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life”
3. Do not date unbelievers: One of the most glaring mistakes Christians do is dating someone outside of their faith. While emotion will cloud our thinking, it is best to listen to biblical wisdom. You will save yourself a lot of pain when you follow this principle. Christians should be deliberate about their relationship with the Lord, seeking to glorify Him in their life; they should also ensure that the person they are dating is completely in love with the Lord. Believers should not date unbelievers because of the possibility of marriage in any dating relationship (I Corinthians 14-16).
“DO NOT BE UNEQUALLY
YOKED TOGETHER WITH UNBELIEVERS. For what fellowship has righteousness with
lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or
what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple
of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God”
Also, even
if a Christian is dating a believer, they need to be aware of the other
person’s relationship with God. Are they actively growing in their walk with
Christ? Do they desire to love Him more than anything in the world, including
being in a relationship or getting married? Believers should be aware of the
spiritual state of the person they are seriously dating.
4. Date with marriage in mind: What is the primary purpose that you
are dating? Are you dating just to have someone to hold, hug, kiss, or more
than that? If you are dating just for fun, then you are missing the whole point
of exclusive dating. Dating should be with intent on getting married,
therefore, date a person with the values and goals that you look for in your
marriage partner. Christian dating should be purposeful and intentional.
“He who finds a wife
finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD” (Proverbs 18:22).
5. Avoid sexual immorality: It is understandable that dating
someone you like and even love may easily lead to sexual temptations. If we are
not careful, we might commit fornication and premarital sex. This is why the
Bible strongly beseech everyone to watch out for this sin and do whatever it
takes to avoid it (I Thessalonians 4:3-5).
“For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should ABSTAIN FROM SEXUAL IMMORALITY; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God”
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