Biblical Principles for a Godly Dating Relationship

.Here are the nine principles of a godly dating relationship we looked at over the past two weeks. This Friday, at Bible study, we will talk about how we put this into practice in the process of finding a spouse. 

1.                  Love God- God must be the center of your life and every relationship you have with other people (Matt. 22:36-38, 6:31-33).

2.                  Love others- Christian love must characterize every relationship you have, especially with other believers (Matt. 22:39-40, 7:12; 1 Cor. 13).

3.                  Find your contentment in the Lord (Phil 4:10-13).

4.                  Be equally yoked- Christians are only to date and marry other Christians (2 Cor. 6:14, 1 Cor. 7:39).

5.                  Develop godly character- Be the man/woman God calls you to be before and while looking for the man or woman God has for you. (Titus 2:1-8).

6.                  Know the purpose of dating- Your dating relationship should be a testing ground and preparation for marriage to see if it encourages you to grow and serve the Lord (Gal. 5:13-16, Heb 10-:24-25, Eph. 5:22-33).

7.                  Handle relational conflict in godly ways (Eph. 4:29-32). 

8.                  Be very careful with  emotional and physical intimacy in dating (1 Tim 5:1-2, 1 Thess 4:3-8, Eph 5:3, Rom 12:9-10, 13:12-13, 1 Cor. 13:5).

9.                  Seek godly counsel, accountability, and discipleship- The importance of godly counsel and Christian community (Prov. 12:15, 19:20, Heb 3:12-13, Titus 2:1-8).