Firstly we need to understand that marriage is ordained by God, and He has commanded that a man and a woman should come together as husband and wife to become one flesh.
As a Christian and follower of Jesus Christ, making marriage a part of your future plans should not be a difficult decision because you’re fully aware that the gospel of Jesus Christ is more centered on family and marriage. It is the divine plan that God has organized right from the garden of Eden. He told Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply; the same commandment or instructions goes to every habitant of the earth.
How can we be fruitful and multiply when we do not get married?
The power of procreation has been designed to be used only in legal marriages. Producing children out of wedlock or having sexual intercourse before marriage abuses this procreation power that God has given man.
Therefore it is good to understand these things so you can be motivated to keep godly relationships before marriage. It is not always easy to be godly in relationships, especially in this 21st century, where every wrongdoing has become normalized. You see young people proudly engaging and practicing different kinds of atrocities because they see everyone doing it. Therefore it is normal. Everyone is now living according to their own will, gradually losing the fear of God in them. However, for you reading this article, I want you to know that even if the whole world is doing it doesn’t make it right. As Christian, we have been given our agency to choose between good and evil, but the Lord expects our agency to be centered on righteousness. That is to say, we are excepted to make the right choices all the time and not follow the crowd when making personal decisions because the public will not follow us when facing the consequences.
Here on earth, no one is perfect, no matter how religious they appear. Everyone has one default or the other that they’re struggling with. The essential part of life changes is having a change of heart after sin and improving ourselves each day. So don’t be discouraged if you have kept ungodly relationships in the past; there is still hope to make amends and maintain a healthy, spirit-filled, and God-fearing relationship again.
Below are ways to keep a godly relationship even in this present generation.
5 Ways to Build a Godly Relationship Before Marriage
1. Revealing your identity from the onset
It is essential to allow the second party to know your kind of person, beliefs, and way of life. Make sure you’re honest and transparent from the beginning of the relationship. To avoid hearing “had I known” when the relationship has progressed. You can not have a godly relationship when you’re a deceiver; you need to be sure you’re ready to be in a relationship with this person and have plans to get married to them.
2. Asking God in prayer
Don’t be too carried away by how loving your partner is or how much you love them. You must ask God in prayer if they’re the right ones for you. Nothing is too small, minor, or irrelevant to talk to God. Trust his judgment and any answer he has given to you regarding the relationship. Also, cultivate the habit of prayer together with your date so that the Holy Spirit will continually guide your hearts in making godly decisions as the relationship progresses.
3. Keeping close distance from each other
To not arouse the powerful emotions of sexual intimacy that are meant to be exercised in marriage, it is best to keep a close distance from each other. Close distance means being close to each other more in the heart than physically. You can decide to meet or hang out more in public places to avoid being tempted to disrespect each other’s agreement to have a godly relationship. Doing otherwise might make you naturally sin and make your sacred relationship void, leading to unimaginable pain and regrets. Agree with each other and encourage yourselves to endure till you’re married.
4. Communicate Modestly
Communication is crucial in any relationship but more important in a godly kind of dating because you’re both doing more physical talking than practicing emotional communication. Emotional communications are passionate kissing, cuddles, and romance that arouses sexual desires. Abstaining from this emotional communication and other nasty talks will help you succeed in having a godly relationship. You can often talk about your life goals, plans, career, etc. But this doesn’t mean you can not complement each other or tease yourselves, as long as it doesn’t pass a negative message to your date.
5. Making the marriage plans fast
There shouldn’t be any delay again when you have seen the person you’re interested in and willing to settle down with. It is a sin for you to waste someone’s time or lead them on for years without making plans to marry them. You need to introduce your date to your family and make them do likewise. Your clergy (Pastor, Bishop, prophet, etc.) should know whom you are dating and courting. They need to be involved in the process to advise and follow you up spiritually. When you’re delaying the marriage, you’re giving room for temptations that might not allow that relationship to prosper as it should.
In summary, a Godly relationship can be achieved; it all depends on individual desires and standards. Do not compromise your standards to please anyone, no matter how glittering their offers might look. Putting God first will make Him bless you even beyond the imaginations of your heart.
I hope you found this article helpful; thanks for reading!