Dating as a Christian in today’s world seems like it takes a lot more effort than it should, but that’s most likely because you’re remaining steadfast to your core values and refusing to settle for less than the Lord has planned for you. But navigating the dating scene can be tough because our typical avenues of meeting aren’t necessarily traditional any longer.
The Christian Perspective on Dating
Christians have a different view when it comes to dating overall, but when analyzing the dating landscape today, it’s almost as though you must rethink your approach. You’re used to meeting other like-minded individuals in your own church, local religious communities, or even through friends of friends, but it’s not always the case that these people are single or even compatible with you. Sure, you want to date a fellow devout Christian who sees eye-to-eye with you on certain beliefs, but wouldn’t it be better if you were able to come together over your personal goals, interests, and hobbies as well?
At the end of the day, Christians want to reflect Christ both in their lives and in their relationships, and while our faith is important to us personally, we know in Genesis 2:18 that God himself says, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for5 him.”
Navigating Modern Dating with Christian Values
Not only is it empowering to share your faith journey with a companion, but Christian dating guidelines, even in modern times, call for honesty, compassion, and empathy from both parties. However, the recent advent of online dating has removed a lot of the personal connections made organically when meeting in the traditional sense and allowed many of our interactions — flirtatious or otherwise — to translate onto digital mediums. But are digital matchmaking companies viable for Christians?
This has been a tricky thing to adapt to for many evangelicals, but Christians and dating online have met their own match with a platform that prioritizes God-centered relationships like Christian Mingle. While it’s important to set boundaries and clearly state intentions and expectations before diving head-first into any new relationship with someone you met through a dating app, you can have confidence that the authenticity and safety of our user base are aptly accounted for and that the singles using our service are serious, marriage-minded Christians.
Christian Dating Rules Explained
When you hear the term “rules” used in any directive, you usually feel constrained and obligated to adhere to the principles, but for Christians, dating rules come straight from the Bible and are not just expected to be followed but embraced with grace. Some of these expectations are that you’ll treat one another with respect and go about evaluating each other’s fruits without judgment or disdain. You should also practice setting boundaries, not allowing your emotional or physical urges to influence actions in a superficial manner.
Instead, when you state your purity, commitment to the Gospel’s word, and devotion to Christ, you should see how your partner responds to this statement of faith in order to assess if growing in a mutual relationship through the Lord is possible. While a man courting a woman is the old-school approach, both men and women can still be purposeful while online dating by not only practicing patience and talking about faith-forward topics but also showing interest in their family, local Christian community, and other spiritual advisors or resources that are important to them.
The Role of Faith in Relationship Choices
It’s incredibly important to know what your own walk with the Lord looks like before dating as a Christian because if you’re uncomfortable in your faith or your convictions, you’ll only be carrying that uncertainty with you into a relationship. Working on our relationship with God is a process that never stops, and we’re called to engage in prayer, consultations from elders and peers, and even seeking guidance from our church leaders in times of inquisition.
Exploring compatibility between you and a prospective Christian partner is incredibly valuable because it allows you to confide in your joint faith as much as it does each other, and once you’re able to decide whether or not you can establish trust and grow with the other person spiritually, then you can be intentional about discussing a possible future and how a long-term relationship might look from both of your perspectives.
Christians and Dating in a Digital Age
The best part about dating someone you’ve met through a Christian platform like Christian Mingle is that you’re able to connect through faith-related incentives, such as denomination, church habits, and familial aspirations in the future. Having a reliable way to funnel out other singles not only by their faith but also by being able to filter by their actual personal practices means that compatibility can oftentimes be higher than, say, meeting a stranger randomly and then just hoping they’re Christian, compassionate, trustworthy, etc.
There are also many challenges or concerns that can come with online dating, and that is completely understandable. If you’re a Christian searching for ideas on how to have a good first date, there are a few things to keep in mind. Different situations may arise where someone’s digital persona doesn’t translate into real life, or non-committal behavior might leave you skeptical of whether people are joining these kinds of apps just for the thrill and attention. It’s also crucial to take your own safety into account because you don’t want to let your guard down and reveal too much until you deem the other person trustworthy. Any sort of suspicious or predatory behavior should be reported to our Customer Service team immediately in order to preserve the integrity of our online community.
Preparing for a God-Centered Marriage
One should always be looking to God for guidance throughout the different stages of your relationship, and once you’ve prayed and received guidance from the wise people in your life, you can further explore the future with a potential spouse. Once your spiritual bond develops into a blossoming proposition, pre-marital Christian guidance is highly advised in order to tackle the tough questions that need to be addressed before making such a pivotal vow.
When you understand each other’s wants and needs, strengths and weaknesses, and beliefs and values, your empathy resonates deeply enough to form a strong emotional connection that is manifested through God’s goodwill. Having trust in the Lord, but also receiving validation from your elders and peers, will help you affirm your decision to pursue a serious engagement and eventual marriage, all under the grace and oversight of the Father himself.
Those who are looking to Christian dating guidelines in modern times know that not much has changed except the ways we meet and communicate. We’re still called to obey and spread the Gospel, and our relationships, while dating and on into marriage, should always honor Christ in each step of the way. Singles may feel hesitant or reluctant when considering the idea of meeting another Christian online, but no dating medium will ever be much different if you’re remaining rock solid in your faith and letting prayer and God lead the way.
