What the Bible Says about Christian Dating

Christian dating is a little different from the dating rituals that go on between non-Christians but that does not mean that it cannot be fun and exciting. When you learn and apply what the bible says about Christian dating to your life, it can make it easier to find the perfect match. As a result, you can enjoy each other’s company and have a great time when dating.

It is important to know that the Bible does not give specific rules about dating because the act of dating was not around during biblical times. However, scriptures are available that will help you know what type of people you should be dating and which ones it would be best to avoid.

Christian dating can be a little more complicated because you need to be careful who you date and follow certain steps to avoid getting ahead of yourself. Dating often leads to marriage, which is a lifelong commitment so you want to make sure you choose to date the right type of people.

Why Dating a Nonbeliever Is a Bad Idea

Many people date just to have companionship and they don’t see the problem with dating someone who is a nonbeliever. However, in many cases, you end up marrying the person you’re dating. If you want companionship, seek out friends not someone to date. However, even then, it would be wise to form friendships with other Christians.

2 Corinthians 6:15 says, “Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?”

What this scripture is saying is that you don’t have anything in common with an unbeliever. They may want to do things that are against the church or your beliefs. Why put yourself in this type of position? It will make it much harder to stay true to your beliefs when you’re hanging out with nonbelievers.

You Can’t Change People

One mistake that a lot of Christians make is thinking that they can change someone into believing the way they do. While this is a nice thought, it doesn’t always work that way. In fact, more often than not, they will end up changing you. 1 Corinthians 15:33 B says “Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.” You may mean well and believe that you can change people but it’s not as easy as you think.

Before a person can change, they have to want to. There is nothing you can say or do to convince another person to make changes they don’t want to make. What’s even worse is that many people will pretend to change to make you happy but eventually the act will fade. If you’ve already made the commitment of marriage before you find out it was an act, it’s too late.

There are situations where a Christian dating a non-Christian can convert them to Christianity and help teach them the Bible. In this case, your relationship can end in a happy marriage but the odds are against you. Therefore, if you do choose to pursue this type of relationship, be very careful.

Christian Dating Ethics

Turn to the Bible for Christian dating ethics. When dating, you want to do the things that glorify God, not things that go against his word. Corinthians 10:31 says, “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” This would apply to dating as well as other aspects of your life.

For this reason, you must be careful who you date. If you are going out with someone that wants you to go to a bar or to engage in premarital sex, you’re going to run into problems. These are things that some believe go against God’s word and the things that you should avoid as a Christian.

Christian Dating Tips

In many cases, you may not know enough about the person before you start dating to know if they are a Christian or not. Being a Christian means different things to different people and they may believe differently from you. However, after a few dates, you’ll begin to get to know each other better and you’ll begin to see what they are really like. If at any time you see that you do have different beliefs and that the relationship is not going to work, it’s best to go ahead stop dating sooner rather than later.

Keep your first few dates simple and public. Going to church functions and out to dinner are great ways to spend your first few dates. If the person you’re dating does not want to go to these functions or services with you or if they push to have dates that are more private right at first, this is a red flag.

Don’t make any commitments before you get to know someone well. Hasty decisions can lead to serious problems later. Take time to go through the stages of Christian dating and find out if the person you’re going out with has the same beliefs that you do and what they want for the future. Always put glorifying God first and pray for guidance and this will help you make better decisions about the people you date. It will also help you find your true soul mate.