Dating and Christian “Singleness”

I. Being single is OK

Gen 2:18 The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him."

What about 1 Cor. 7?

· V. 1, 7, 8, 20, 32-35

Bringing forth the Messiah through physical offspring

John 3:3 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Gal 3:7 Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham…26 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus,

Summarize
1. The family of God grows through faith in Christ (Gal. 3:7, 26)
2. Relationships in Christ are more permanent, and more precious, than relationships in families (Mark 3:31-35)
3. Marriage is temporary, and will finally give way to the relationship it was pointing to (Ephesians 5:21-33)
4. If we're going to be single it should be so that we have undivided devotion to the LORD (1 Cor. 7)

Why are you single?

· Utilize your singleness in ministry.

John Piper, “And I would just encourage Christian single people to ask, ‘For this chapter in my life, while I am single, what is it about my singleness that could make me especially fruitful for Christ?’ And then I would encourage them to give themselves to that.”

II. If we want to get married, how do we go about it

1. Pre arranged Marriages
2. Courtship
· Courtship should not begin until a son or daughter is ready and expresses a desire to get married.
· Parents must only consider like-minded Christians as potential mates for a son or a daughter.
· The son/daughter should be a part of the process

Courtship isn’t for everyone

3. Dating
4. Christian Dating

III. Boundaries in dating

1. Don’t date till you’re ready to be married

1 Cor 7:8 Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I am. 9 But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

Questions to consider…
· Are you ready to break away emotionally and financially from your parents?
· Are you more concerned about what you can get from marriage rather than what you can give?
· Consider talking to married couples.

2. Like-minded spiritual believers only.

2 Cor 6:14 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?

3. Firmly establish in your mind that you are reserving yourself physically for your future spouse

1 Tim 5:1 Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, 2 older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.

Does this seem weird or offensive? Why?

· What do you want someone doing to your husband/wife?
· God’s daughter

“But I know we’re going to get married.”

James 4:13 Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." 16 As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil.

“Yea, but I can handle myself.”

Mark 9:42 But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea.

4. Consider dating within a group
· Accountability and less pressure
· You can see how they relate to others

5. Do not put yourself in tempting situations

6. Have both persons establish accountability

7. Serve the LORD together- What better way to get to know them?

Consider what Adam was doing when God brought his wife

http://www.marshillchurch.org/media/religionsaves/dating