Dating for the Glory of God - The Crosswalk Devotional - July 17
Dating for the Glory of God
By Emily Rose Massey
“As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” - 1 Peter 1:14-16, NASB
The term “courting” for many young people (and even among Baby Boomers) seems to be a bit outdated and foreign. Courting is defined by Merriam-Webster dictionary to mean “seeking the affections of- especially: seeking to win a pledge of marriage from.” It seems that instead of being cautious in the pursuit of romantic relationships, oftentimes, the whole process of dating can be treated much like the pursuit to finding the perfect pair of jeans- the ones that don’t fit, get thrown to the side until we find just the right one. Or it is a try-on session simply for fun. There should be nothing casual about it; everything in the relationship should be very intentional and purposefully pointing towards marriage. As Christians, ultimately, we must long to glorify God in our pursuit of a spouse.
Dating can often be very self-focused and self-serving, where we are looking more for what the other person can do for us and how they can make us happy. In the ultimate goal of pursuing marriage, as Christians, we know that type of self-centered mentality is not how God describes how we should treat one another in marriage. The wife is to submit to her husband as unto the Lord, and the husband is to love his wife as Christ loves the Church (Ephesians 5:22-33). Hopefully, Christian couples are looking to the Bible for the direction of their relationship and long to obey.
So what does the Bible say about courting/dating? Although the Bible does not mention the term courting or dating, we are given very important principles of how we should live as followers of Christ, and these can also be applied to our romantic relationships as we prepare for a marriage covenant. First and foremost, we are called to be separate from the world’s ways.
1 Peter 1:14-16 tells us: “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy” (NASB).
Instead of looking to physical attraction or emotional attraction (how this person makes us feel) as our deciding factors of compatibility with someone we want to be in relationship with, we should discover the character of the person and if they are also a born-again believer in Jesus Christ with the desire to be conformed into His image and obey His Word.
The marriage covenant is special because of what it symbolizes: Christ’s pure love and union with the Church. If that is your aim in a dating or courting relationship, to reflect Christ’s love and honor for each other, continue to put God first and look to the scriptures to renew your mind to separate yourself from the world’s view of dating so you are able to pursue God’s will for your life and for the direction of your relationship with your significant other.
Intersecting Faith and Life:
Looking to the Bible for guidance when it comes to romantic relationships is the best to ensure glorifying God through obedience and righteousness, as well as creating a strong foundation for marriage with Christ at the center. Aside from the gift of salvation, marriage is one of the greatest blessings we will ever experience this side of heaven. When two people marry, they cleave to one another and become one flesh in a relationship that God intended to be constant and unbreakable (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:5), a beautiful picture of Christ’s love for us individually and collectively as His Bride. Most importantly, may God be glorified in every relationship as we point others to Him in everything we say and do.
Further Reading:
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