Mating, Dating or Waiting- What???

Hi all,
I'm sure you've all heard it said from someone or another that as a Christian girl, you should only date a Christian boy. Why? Because non-Christians aren't good boyfriend material, less somehow? Forces of corruption? There are many reasons that people give for this and there are also many opinions that Christians have about dating and relationships. Is this whole subject just a matter of opinion? Or are there some facts? I believe there are facts.

2 Corinthians 6:14 states: "Don't team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness?" and 7:1 says "...let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God." (NLT). This is pretty clear that when you accept Christ into your life and accept salvation, you separate yourself from others, you take in the Holy Spirit and become 'light'. Dating means you join up, a partnership (a relationship) with an unbeliever. This doesn't work because your light and his darkness do not get along.

1 Corinthians 6:18-19 says: "Run from sexual sin!...For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. Don't you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself..." (NLT). And the Bible is pretty clear about what sexual sin entails, so much so that you can look it up on your own; I don't need to go into all the verses and it doesn't take much imagination to figure it out. So, rather, let's know what we should do rather than shouldn't. Gensis 2:24 makes it pretty clear what God intends- "...a man leaves his faither and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one." (NLT). So when you have sex with someone, you are joined in one body to them.

Okay, so thats lot's of verses but what does this all mean in a practical sense? Well, first off, if you truly believe in God as your savior, avoid dating relations with non-believers. I have never, ever heard of one dating relationship where someone grew spiritually during the relationship while dating someone who didn't believe as they did- no, I've only ever heard of the opposite happening. A guy can tell you that he accepts your beliefs, maybe he'll even go to church with you once or twice, but in the end you'll go alone or you'll stop going to be with him. It's easy for you to stop and return to what's already familiar, it's hard for him to step out into the unknown. God changes peoples' hearts towards him- you can't do it! If you somehow managed to, it wouldn't be a real change. Only God creates lasting change. So if there is a guy you truly care about, don't date him, pray for him.

Many people who are in relationships with each other are having sex (Christians and non-believers). Anyone in a dating relationship knows how extremely tempting it is! But having sex before marriage is sexual sin. Why? Because commitment must come first. A man is joined to his wife- not his girlfriend. The fact it states in Gensis that he leaves his family, means that he is making a new family, committing himself forever to the woman. Then they may become one, because the commitment is already there, under God. You must live in complete purity because the Spirit of God lives instead you- you belong to him! He detests immorality. We belong to God, so we better do what God tells us! It only makes sense...

This is a huge topic and there is way more to it than this but I believe these are the basics.

For those who have made mistakes in the past, had sex with their boyfriends- or plainly crossed the line (discussion for another time)- God forgives and he restores (uh ya- God restores vigninity- I'll let you think about that one for awhile). For those who are dating non-believers now- why? And fun is not a good enough reason; sin is fun- if it wasn't no one would do it. I encourage you, if you care about your relationship with God or that boy at all, for the sake of his soul, and yours, you'll end it and just be friends. Lastly, for those of you who've already made decisions on this and choose to date only Christians (because you're searching for the 'one')- keep praying, God will direct your path. And lastly, for those (and I know they exist because I was one of them) who are choosing to wait to begin a relationship until God nudges your heart and says 'ya girl, that's the one'- lonliness is horrible and there is no easy way around it but don't give up, keep praying, cry those tears to God and you just wait, you'll be super blessed in the end.