Should Christians Date Online?ናሙና

Dating With Guidance

All young couples need help in dating successfully. They do not always know the right questions to ask each other. They are unaware of the red flags they need to watch out for in a romantic relationship. They might avoid discussing hard issues. That is where premarital counseling comes in. Once the two individuals are serious about each other, they must seek such counseling. 

Scripture tells us that without guidance, individuals can fail. It also says that God appointed overseers to care for us and to lead us by their example. Spiritual overseers look out for us. These mentors can also correct us if we make a mistake. Hardly any decision in life is as important as the decision of who to marry. It is literally a lifelong commitment; moreover, it affects every single area of an individual’s life. We all want to find the right person. We do not have to do it all alone. We can have help. 

This is where the guidance of our parents comes in. However, if we do not have a good family history, we can get similar guidance from our spiritual mentors. Even if individuals come from good Christian homes, they still need the covering of their pastors or spiritual overseers in deciding how to date and who to marry. Every Christian couple needs successful premarital counseling. Of course, the question is how can couples who meet online, who might live thousands of miles away from each other, experience good premarital counseling. 

Again, you can start dating online, but you cannot continue your entire premarital relationship over the internet. Eventually, you will have to walk through a season of life together before you tie the knot. This can be especially complicated if the interested individuals meet via the internet but live in different states or even different countries. Physical distance presents serious difficulties for a dating relationship. These can be resolved, however, when both individuals are intentional about building their relationship the right way. 

Once a couple decides that they are serious about each other, they must meet in person. They must meet each other’s families. Most importantly, they must go through good premarital counseling together.