Teaching Notes are Bible studies we taught before GraceLife Ministries began publishing articles online in 1995. Some were presented as sermons, others as group studies.
Our hope is that these older studies will be a blessing to you in your life and ministry. Please use them in any way God leads you.
These teaching notes are the first part of a series about dating, marriage and parenting. We will publish the other parts of the series soon.
[These notes are from a Bible study taught more than 40 years ago. The notes are in outline form.]
I. The first step to dating and marriage is achieving moral purity
There are five basic steps to moral purity:
A. Learn to hate evil
- magnify sin’s consequences
- minimize sin’s pleasures
B. Learn to repent completely
- identify your sin
- confess your sin
C. Learn to walk in the Spirit
- surrender your “rights”
- claim His power
D. Learn to transform sensual pleasure
- resist Satan through the Word
- resist Satan through prayer
E. Learn to increase spiritual sensitivity
- through prayer
- through fasting
II. Dating
A. When is a person old enough to date?
- when he or she understands God’s purpose for dating
- when he or she discovers God’s standards for dating
- when he or she accepts God’s standards for dating, purposing not to break or compromise them (even if it means losing dates)
B. What is God’s purpose for dating?
C H A R T
Dating — Oneness of Spirit
Engagement — Oneness of soul
Marriage — Oneness of body
C. What are God’s standards for dating?
- Avoid the appearance of evil (1 These. 5:22)
- Avoid physical involvement (love can wait, lust can’t)
III. Engagement – (same chart)
IV. Marriage – (same chart)
In view of God’s desire that you date only those who could be potential life partners, what should you determine to do?
A. Determine that you will only date Christians (1 Cor. 6:14-18).
B. Determine that you will center your dating, engagement and marriage around God’s purposes (Matt. 6:33).
C. Determine that you will not defraud the one you date (1 Cor. 7:1-2).
D. Determine that both you and the one you marry will be in harmony at home.
E. Determine that you will wait for God’s timing.
- Have the whole-hearted consent of both parents.
- Have adequate financial provision.
- Have a clear understanding of God’s purpose for your life.
F. Determine that you will yield the right-of-way to God in the area of dating and marriage.
[Thank you for reading these teaching notes from more than 40 years ago. My prayer is they will be a blessing to you, your family and your ministry.]
