BY DEREK J. BROWN | The Bible is clear that Christians shouldn't marry non-Christians, but what about dating? Is it okay for a believer to date an unbeliever?
Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 What accord has Christ with Belial?[b] Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said,
“I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
and they shall be my people.
17 Therefore go out from their midst,
and be separate from them, says the Lord,
and touch no unclean thing;
then I will welcome you,
18 and I will be a father to you,
and you shall be sons and daughters to me,
says the Lord Almighty.”
So if any are counting an unbeliever that are directly disobeying God. Also it will only bring problems, compromising ones faith of obedience in the Lord and prioritising to keep the eventual spouse happy. As Gods set apart servants we are also encouraged to be careful whom we regularly associate with and whom we are friends with; Don’t be deceived, bad company corrupts good character. 1 Corinthians 15:33
And 1 John 2:15-17 {NLT}
Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.
Courtship is actually with a view to marriage not some extra curricular entertainment activity as this world sees it. Courtship is more serious and traditional than dating. It is far deeper & something more meaningful. It involves taking the time in getting to know the other person on a very profound emotionally intimate level, beyond surface level details and really delving into her thoughts, feelings, and beliefs. It meant spending time together in a variety of settings with the expectation that marriage is the end goal. Dating is a broad term that can mean many things, including casual dating, hooking up, fornication-having sex and other sexual intimacy outside of marriage.
Another key difference between courting and dating is the level of commitment. Our father in heaven would encourage his dedicated devoted sons and daughters to consider the benefits of courting instead of the world's views of recreational dating, as they navigate the early stages of their relationship. By taking the time to get to know each other more deeply, committing to each other in a far more meaningful way, and seeking God’s will for their relationship, that way they can lay a strong foundation for a lifetime of love and commitment.
We have the scriptures in 2 Corinthians 6:14
Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 What accord has Christ with Belial?[b] Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said,
“I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
and they shall be my people.
17 Therefore go out from their midst,
and be separate from them, says the Lord,
and touch no unclean thing;
then I will welcome you,
18 and I will be a father to you,
and you shall be sons and daughters to me,
says the Lord Almighty.”
So if any are counting an unbeliever that are directly disobeying God. Also it will only bring problems, compromising ones faith of obedience in the Lord and prioritising to keep the eventual spouse happy. As Gods set apart servants we are also encouraged to be careful whom we regularly associate with and whom we are friends with; Don’t be deceived, bad company corrupts good character. 1 Corinthians 15:33
And 1 John 2:15-17 {NLT}
Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.
Courtship is actually with a view to marriage not some extra curricular entertainment activity as this world sees it. Courtship is more serious and traditional than dating. It is far deeper & something more meaningful. It involves taking the time in getting to know the other person on a very profound emotionally intimate level, beyond surface level details and really delving into her thoughts, feelings, and beliefs. It meant spending time together in a variety of settings with the expectation that marriage is the end goal. Dating is a broad term that can mean many things, including casual dating, hooking up, fornication-having sex and other sexual intimacy outside of marriage.
Another key difference between courting and dating is the level of commitment. Our father in heaven would encourage his dedicated devoted sons and daughters to consider the benefits of courting instead of the world's views of recreational dating, as they navigate the early stages of their relationship. By taking the time to get to know each other more deeply, committing to each other in a far more meaningful way, and seeking God’s will for their relationship, that way they can lay a strong foundation for a lifetime of love and commitment.