Relationships: w/ a Christian or not

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N

Natt

Guest
#1
hi..i grew up knowing that we should not yoke together with unbelievers..but sad to say im often attracted to "not Christian" guys..i always think that i could introduce Christ to him as we go along with the relationship..but my sister told me that before i enter in a relationship the foremoat requirement (and most important) is that the guy is a Christian..i feel guilty about it at first but eventually forget about our differences in faith..any thoughts about this dilemma? thanks..
 
U

Ugly

Guest
#2
'Missionary dating' as it's called is not at all biblical.
First what if this person never accepts Christ? Will you marry a non-Christian? Will you make the spiritual head of your household someone that does not hold to your beliefs? Raise your children with a parent that does not share your beliefs? Spend your life in love with someone you know is hell bound? And that your children will have to have that same knowledge that this is the person you picked?

Second, really, it's quite manipulative and dishonest. You are wanting to date someone with the intent of making them into what YOU want them to be. Not accepting them for who they are. And you are not being forward about it, but you are keeping this intent to change someone a secret. This is deceptive and manipulative.

Third, what if they find out your true intents? Do you think that will be an encouragement to them to come to know Christ? Knowing that you have been deceiving them? That you had hoped to change them into what you wanted?

What if they never convert and you decide not to date them? Now you're hurting this person, possibly breaking their heart, because you couldn't make them become what you wanted. Do you think that is a good witness?

Or lets say you do tell them you want them to convert, or push them to. Then they agree to it. How will you ever know if they were sincere or just changing belief systems to stay with you?

Everything about missionary dating is wrong from beginning to end. In reality it's not about getting people saved. It's about selfishness. Its finding someone and trying to manipulate and change them. Making a person into what you want them to be. And the guise of 'getting them saved' is just a lie we tell ourselves to justify our wrong behavior. You picked a non-Christian because that's what you wanted. If they convert and get saved maybe you will lose interest in them. Especially if you gravitate to non-Christians.


And 'forgetting about our differences' doesn't mean it becomes ok over time. It's called numbing your conscience. Shutting out the voice of God until He stops bugging you, so you can do what you desire. And eventually, if you keep doing this, you will shut His voice out completely. And perhaps even Him. Then you will wake up one day and wonder why you don't hear God.
It's not really a dilemma at all, except that we create it to be a dilemma by putting our wants ahead of what we know is right. In reality there is no true dilemma because we know the right answer.
 
A

Animus

Guest
#3
I'm the same way, it's a terrible situation, but being with an unbeliever was without a doubt the hardest and most heart-wrenching experience of my life. As far as introducing her to Christ, she only became resentful of Christianity because she saw that it was keeping us apart. It's a game of a tug-of-war, both sides trying to pull the other person over. Most of my life I thought that if I wanted something enough I could have it; God taught me that I couldn't, that there were things that were never meant to be mine. I don't have the power to save people, only God does. But in the moment, it felt like it was only a day away; that one day I would wake up and find that she was saved. It's like holding your breathe underwater hoping that someone will drain the ocean.

So that's my experience, but that doesn't even touch the problems that would come later. I'm not one to care if something is not done or not accepted if I don't find that it is morally wrong, and likewise I am not one to do something just because everyone does it. But supposing that I married the unbeliever I still had a terrible problem, the kids. I've heard people say things like, "I'd let the children decide", but I knew this was nonsense. I suppose these parents would let their children decide whether or not to learn math, or history, afterall, "you can't force your beliefs on your children". Maybe the kids will grow up to not believe in traditional mathematics, or they'll believe that Abraham Lincoln didn't exist, but that doesn't mean that I'm not going to teach them what I believe to be true. Not teaching your children about something so important is like not speaking English around them so that they might choose their own language once they are all grown up.

Supposing that the spouse is okay with my teaching the kids about Christ, and Christian morality, there is still a problem. My father and mother both provide very different incites into Christianity. Seeing where they are different and where they are the same has kept me from seeing Christianity as a "one-trick pony". Sometimes I cannot relate to the way my mother talks about Jesus, but my father can say something that makes leaves me enlightened. Sometimes my mother provides some practical way to love someone that my father wouldn't talk much about. As a child, if my mother was the only Christian, what Christian male would I have to look up to? Afterall, if my father wasn't going to church, it couldn't be all that important. And in the end, how would I feel on their deathbed, knowing that they were going to hell?

This is all supposing the "best case" scenario though. More likely, the differences in morality, belief about facts, and daily practices will amount to terrible disagreements. I have heard of too many women that married unbelievers and found they were addicted to pornography, or alcohol, or some other vice, often ending in divorce.

Because I find that I am often attracted to nonbelievers, I figured there are two explanations: Either my relationship with God is not strong enough (this was definitely true when I dated the nonbeliever), or God wants me to be alone (at least right now). I am currently working under the assumption that it is both. If, after strengthening my relationship with God, he wants me to be with a Christian girl then He will give me the affections, and if not, that's fine as well.


Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised. -
Job 1:21
 
H

Ho11y

Guest
#4
I've been having this conversation with myself for the past 2 weeks. So two weeks ago i went out on a date with a guy who wasn't a Christian. It was the best bad idea ever. I like him, he likes me... so what's the problem....

Animus kind of hit on it. It's not all about right now. Because right now, all i want to do is eat a king size Reese's. Right now i want to sit in front of the t.v. for hours, and right now all i want to do is call this guy.
There are a lot of things i wanna do that sound great right now, but in the long run eating a king size reeses will just make me to hyper to sleep, watching t.v. for hours will get me into bed too late and calling this guy will make me want to see him.
You might be able to forget about your differences in faith for the moment, but it will come around full circle. There will be a time you won't be able to forget about it. You can't just look at the present.

I say this as much to myself as i do to you.
 
M

mariani

Guest
#5
i agree with you... especially as a young adult you don't realize the impact it could have on you.. the bible says clearly not to do that, and really you put your salvation at risk. yes, now he accepts it but later on he might even keep you away from it. a non christian spouse will never understand your spiritual needs...and really theres nothing more beautiful than when both of you pray together and help each other.. just my opinion
 
M

MsSingle

Guest
#6
I also feels like you do Natt, I also asked my christian friend, what if I myself will be use by God to let that man know who is God and let me introduce Jesus and let Him accept Jesus in his heart. But my friend just remind me that it is not us who will make them be save but God, that I must wait for my right man (a matured Christian), because God will not let us to suffer he wants us to enjoy life that He has given to me, to us, He will never take the risk to let us be in pain. :)