What does the Bible say about dating

Diddly Squat

I remember the time when I was sitting in youth group and that my pastor (sometimes it was my dad) … However it was alaway awkward, and even as I look back on those times in youth they were the worst, me and my buddy sitting on a couch while His dad talk to us about that stuff, weird.

It spurred in me a big vision to not have parents as youth leaders, BUT also to not talk about dating, sex and the opposite sex as they did.

I will explain their view, the bibles view and then my view on dating today and then I want you to see how to live and have a healthy dating relationship with all of that.

For dating lets look at the Bible, to which it says nothing about dating, because people did not date in the Bible back then, however they did see court each other which was like committing to be BF GF.

So with that in mind lets read a little bit about who you should date, because that is the most important piece of being a Christan and having a relationship.

2 Corinthians 6:14–18 NIV

Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” And, “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”

The Bible on dating says that you should not go and date people who do not beleive the same things as you.

Think about it this way,

Should you date someone you hates what you love?

If you are a coke cola fan should you date a pepsi fan?

Well you can but what happens when you head to the groccery store and pick a soda to drink....

Kind of a silly example but a real one.

What happens when you start to date someone that is nothing like you? Will you mesh or have issues, but even more is the question will you become more like them?

Thats the real question in dating, will I become more like that person and is that a good thing?

This is why your parents have high expectations when it comes to dating that you would choose to date someone who is a good person, they have good habits becuase the more time you spend with them means youll start to be more like them.

So when it comes to following Jesus, if you date someone with no faith their is a good chance that you will give up your faith.

OR

if you date someone who you think has a really strong faith, then they might encourage you to grow in your faith.

This is a important thing, and I have read all about this and I fully agree, you need to date someone who follows Jesus.

However you might ask the question, Liam I like someone who does not know Jesus, to which I want to ask you how firm your faith is?

becuase if we look back to the passage, you are paired together like oxen, or think even a horse drawn carriage.

Two animals paired together to work and pull a wagon, they need to keep in step so that they would pull it with efficeny, so if you date a none beliver you need to know that the pulling of you faith will be entirely up to you.

There may be days where the partner wants to go to church with you but there will be days where you need to drag them to church.

I deeply care about all of you teens, and that is why I want to encourage you to have such a solid faith that if you date a non-believer that you have the perserverance to drag them to church each sunday, to volunteer if if they don’t believe, to pray at meals.

For the sake of your future in Christ, be strong in your values of faithfulness to follow Jesus EVEN when you date.

See there are people who are older then me who would want you to void even the chance of dating a non-believer, However you and me both know the pool of potential boyfriends and girlfriends is limited, especially in rural AB, so its a hard choice.

So for the sake of your faith, be strong enough to drag them to church each sunday, put the Lord before your partner because you need to look out for yourselfs even in dating, if they do not want to change and enjoy what you enjoy then you should consider someone who actually cares about everything you are for and all that you are.

My hope and my expectation (and I don’t say that word lightly). My expectation is that you would find someone who actually cares about you in your entire identity, that they don’t dismiss any part about who you are but want to be apart of it.

So make sure they at least will support you in your faith and join in for at-least the sake of caring about what you care about.

Again, I can’t say “just don’t date non-christians” thats harsh, and Jesus works in all places and in your relationship, however look for someone who cares about it enough to support you.

MY hope would be you all find a Christian guy or girl, that you could support eachother in faith while dating but I don’t want to put these unrealistic expectations on you, my only expectation would be again, that whoever you date would really care about you and the person you are, a Follower of Jesus and all.

Liam talked about coke vs pepsi, is there something that would be a silly red flag when dating for you?

What are your parents rules on dating?

Do your parents have expectations of you on dating?

What comes to mind when Liam talked about making sure you date a Christian? Do you agree or disagree? Why?

Why do you think your parents put a high value on you dating a Christian? (If they do.)