Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!bonnie.concordia.ca!uunet!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!mit-eddie!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: vanm@col.hp.com (Van Martin) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Should Christians date Non-Christians Message-ID: Date: 9 Jan 91 07:31:05 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: HP Colorado Springs Division Lines: 50 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu > There has been a hot debate over hear about this topic. > I'm not talking about whether Christians should MARRY non-Christians. > That's been talked to death. And I'm not talking about the friendly-platonic > type of date. I'm talking about dating for the purpose of romance. > I mean should Christians DATE ( whatever that means ) non-Christians ? A thought I was presented with some time ago begins with Question 1 of the "Shorter Catechism" which asks: "What is the chief end of Man?" The answer is "To glorify God and enjoy Him forever." Questions to ask ourselves in relation to romance and dating might be "Will this person help me to glorify God? Will I enhance his/her relationship to God? Will this person impede my relationship to God?" When considering "dating" as more than a social how-do-you-do type of thing, the end in mind may very well be marriage (which we do have pretty good guidelines for in Scripture). The uneven yoking of oneself to an unbeliever, even in dating, can be unwise. It is not the behavior that determines what is right and wrong, but the spirit (motive) of the thought. Praise God that we have Romans 8:28 to take care of all the times we refused to operate in obedience to His call! There are many who became Christians as a result of a saved spouse, but there are also a lot of lagging believers who did not believe God was serious about being unequally yoked. The unbeliever is *not* interested in glorifying God! We see that so clearly in Scripture. When considering a date, consider the glory of God in that relationship. As it says in I Cor. 7:16, "Wife, how do you know whether you will save your husband? Husband, how do you know whether you will save your wife?" It stretches a bit to say this applies to dating, but, as someone earlier noted, most marriages begin with dates. To me, dating unbelievers was playing with fire. I dated one for 2 years and grew more distant from my Lord each day of that relationship. Hope this helps. Van Martin (new to notes outside my company--don't know my address) Electrical Engineer for Hewlett-Packard Co., Colo. Spgs., Colorado vanm@hpcspc.col.hp.com P.S. Pushing interpretation to the limit, in Haggai 2:11-14 it says "'Thus says the LORD of hosts: Ask the priests to decide this question, "If one carries holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and touches with his skirt bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any kind of food, does it become holy?"' The priests answered, 'No.' Then said Haggai, 'If one who is unclean by contact with a dead body touches any of these, does it become unclean?' The priests answered 'It does become unclean.' Then Haggai said, 'So is it with this people, and with this nation before me, says the LORD ...'" We will not make our dates "clean" by virtue of our salvation, but, as in the case of Israel, sanctification can be hindered by following their lead (away from God). End of Bible-stretching exercise :-)