Marriage is not the Goal
• Eccl. 12:13 Let us hear the
conclusion of the whole matter:
marry well and enjoy life:
for this is the whole duty of man.
Two Destructive Errors
• 1. Life is meaningless without marriage
– “What’s wrong with you? You’re single!”
– “Don’t worry, there’s someone out there”
• 2. You can only reach marriage by dating
– Junior and High School Class on “Dating”
– Concept not found in the Bible
• Date – couple spending time together with
romantic interests and no other company
Purpose for Dating
•
•
•
•
Recreational
Peer Prestige
Social Interaction
Required before
Marriage
Problem With Dating
• Disposable
Relationships
Disposable Relationships
• Fast and Loose with
emotions of others
• Develop habit of walking
away from commitment
• Gen. 29:18 And Jacob
loved Rachel; and said,
I will serve thee seven
years for Rachel thy
younger daughter.
Problem With Dating
• Disposable
Relationships
• Decisions by
Immature
Decisions without God
• Gen. 6:1-7 married daughters of men
• Judges 14:1-4 Samson wanted a Philistine
– Culture involved parents making arrangements
– Today parents only pay for the wedding
• Decisions made by a teen or pre-teen who is
filled with Hollywood notions of romance.
• Emotions aroused in a person who is not old
enough to marry for another 10 years!!!
Problem With Dating
• Disposable
Relationships
• Decisions by
Immature
• Desires meet
Opportunities
Opportunity for Immorality
• Gen. 39:11-12 Joseph was a slave who
was trapped alone with his master’s wife
– Innocent, but no one to verify the truth
– Potential for fornication was available
• Very real danger of single dating
– Girls dress as if they are advertising
– Boys do not need much persuading
– Most parents feel there are no alternatives
Purpose of Courtship
• Protect from Immorality
while preparing to marry
• Parental Involvement
–
–
–
–
not pre-arranged marriage
set age, time, place…
Isaac Gen. 24
Esau Gen. 26:34-35,
27:46, 28:6-9
• Communicate to learn
spiritual compatibility
Purpose of Courtship
• Preparing yourself for
God’s purpose
• Ruth 2:1-12 gleaning
to aid mother-in-law
• Followed Naomi’s
advice 3:1-4
• Boaz sought right
before self 3:12
Problem With Courtship
• Liberated children and
permissive parents
• Misunderstood
• Socially Ingrained:
– Movies
– Music
– Advertising
Purpose for Marriage
• Companionship
Gen. 2:18
• Lawful fulfillment of
sexual desires
– I Cor. 7:2, Heb. 13:4
• To bring children
into the world
• To fear God and obtain
heaven Eccl. 12:13