Photo Credit: @maicodon

So we started the discourse on the biblical perspective to dating and courtship a few day ago. If you missed the part #1, read it here

Today, let's jump to the second part.

Understanding the Heart of Courtship

It's very important we get the heart behind courtship. When you have the right heart, then the practical steps will be a lifeline to honouring God and honouring each other.

When you do not have the right heart the scriptural guidelines enunciated in this blog post will seem like legalistic rules that you will ultimately resent.

So what is the heart behind courtship?

I. It is a heart to honour and please God

As believers, our number one aim should be to please God in every area of our lives including our relationships and love life.
When you have this heart you want to do everything possible to conduct your relationships with the opposite sex in a way that pleases God and brings honour to Him.

We please God when we live in accordance with his principles and commands.
Courtship is about doing just that.

II. It is a heart to honour each other

In addition to loving God, we are commanded to love each other. When a couple's relationship is filled with sin and compromise they are not truly loving or honouring each other.

True love is not seeing "how far we can go" or "how much I can get" but it is saying "I want to help you walk in purity and walk out the call of God on your life".

By applying the biblical principles of courtship, a couple will truly be honouring each other and showing true love.

When starting a courtship, no couple knows for certain that they will be married and so it is also important to remember that you may be in a relationship with someone else's future husband or wife.

How would you want someone to treat/interact with your future spouse?

Would you want them in the back seat of a car with their clothes half off?
No! So that is the standard with which you should treat the person you are courting.

"Do unto others what you would have them do unto you" (Lk. 6:31)

III. It is a heart to walk in purity and holiness

God has called and empowered us to walk in purity and holiness in every area of our lives including our love life and relationships.

Sexual sin has devastating consequences. These include unplanned pregnancy, STD's and STI's, broken hearts, soul ties and spiritual bonding, delay or destruction of the calling of God on your life, etc.

Remember Samson. May his fate not be your lot in Jesus name.

A wise individual will not enter a relationship lightly, and when they do so will plan for purity and holiness very seriously. This is courtship.

IV. It is a heart to prepare you for a successful marriage

Biblically, the ultimate design and purpose of love and romance is marriage.

Today we see an unprecedented number of failed and broken marriages.
The vast majority of people do not understand that the seeds of destruction are often sown in how they prepare themselves both in their personal life and when they are courting.

When you honour God and each other, and walk in purity through courtship you are laying the foundation for a healthy and fulfilling marriage.

V. It is a heart that desires the perfect will of God for your life.

The most important decision you will make in life next to accepting Jesus is who you will marry. Rev. S. Akinola once said, "The choice of who you marry could make you make or miss heaven"

Many people have undermined or even destroyed the call of God on their lives because they married wrongly.

Entering into a relationship with someone is serious business and needs to be treated as such. It should not be done flippantly or lightly.

CONCLUSION

When the biblical principles of courtship are applied, they help you make sure you walk out God's best in your life. We are children of light, therefore we should act with all decency in our relationship with the opposite sex and fully depend on God for direction in the area of choosing who to marry.

Best regards,
Your brother and friend @maicodon

Photo Credits: Except where otherwise indicated, all photos are from www.unsplash.com

Read the part #1 here