As I was looking through some resources for Christian dating, I came across this podcast by John Piper. I heard this awhile ago, and the content was intriguing so I figured it would be helpful to post on the blog. There are some good principles here that may assist anyone thinking through this heavy topic. You may want to pass on to a brother or sister in Christ who may be feeling lonely and is considering a relationship with a unbeliever.
Listen to it here:
Piper gives a quick statement that I needed to ponder over for a bit. He said, “To be on a trajectory to disobey a text is to disobey a text.”
In this context, it is a reference to a relationship with an nonbeliever. According to Piper’s logic, if marrying an unbeliever is sinful, and dating is meant to lead to marriage, then it must mean that dating an unbeliever is sinful since you are on the trajectory towards disobedience. At first glance, it sounds a bit legalistic and it begs the question “How can you disobey a text of Scripture if you haven’t disobeyed it yet?” Proverbs 6:27 does speak of the inevitability of being burned after scooping coals into your lap. So wisdom says there may be a slippery slope there.
We can broaden this principle beyond Christian dating and see if it holds true in other areas of Christian obedience. I’m open to discussing this, but please be respectful in your comments.
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