1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged. It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
How to Build a Godly Relationship
Before Marriage
by Jordan Doris
Most people want to truly understand love. In the Bible, God paints a very clear picture that helps us to understand if we really are in love. One of the greatest love stories that we find in the Bible is the Song of Solomon. It is also known as the Song of Songs. This is a story that helps us to better understand how to build Godly relationships. This article is full of great tips that will help you to build a Godly relationship before marriage.
1.) Physical Restraint- While we are attracted to our partners, God asks us to practice physical restraint until marriage. If you practice physical restraint in relationship by saving intimate moments for marriage (Even holding hands and sitting too close with each other can lead to intimate relationships - AVOID IT - cannot stress enough of how important this matter is!), -Hebrews13:4-"Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be pure, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous." While practicality does not determine right from wrong, if the Bible's message on sex before marriage were obeyed, there would be far fewer sexually transmitted diseases, far fewer abortions, far fewer unwed mothers and unwanted pregnancies, and far fewer children growing up without both parents in their lives. Abstinence is God’s only policy when it comes to sex before marriage. Abstinence saves lives, protects babies, gives sexual relations the proper value, and, most importantly, honors God. Then you will not only have a healthy relationship with God, but with your partner as well.
2.) Maintain Your Character- Be who you are when you are with your future spouse. Don't try to be someone you're not. It is important that both you and your future spouse show your true colors before marriage. This way there will be NO SURPRISES once you are married! Be happy and attain the fruit of the spirit in your personal life! - 1 Timothy 6:6 - "But godliness with contentment is great gain." & Galatians 5:22-23 - " But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."
3.) Get Opinions From Others- We may not always want to hear what others want to say, but it is important that we LISTEN to their opinion. Listen to what the one you love have to say.
Titus 3:1 - "Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good."
4.) Allow the Man to take the Lead- God asks men to lead in a relationship;however that doesn't mean that a woman should not have an opinion. Make sure that you are both in this together for the RIGHT REASONS!
Ephesians 5:21-25 - "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her."
5.) Praise Each Other- Find reasons every day to give each other praise. This will help you to BUILD LOVE & SECURITY in your relationship. Tell your future spouse the things that you love about him or her and be there for them during happy times as well as tough times. -
1 Thessalonian 5:11 - "So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing."
6.) Become One in Spirit- Make sure that both you and your partner are in the same place spiritually. (As nice as it may be for two people to live together meeting each other’s needs, GOD HAS A HIGHER CALLING FOR THE MARRIAGE. Even as they were to be serving Christ with their lives before marriage
Romans 12:1-2 - "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.", now they are to serve Christ together as a unit and raise their children to serve God
1 Corinthians 7:29-34 - "What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none; those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away. I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord's affairs--how he can please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world--how he can please his wife-- and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord's affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world--how she can please her husband."
Malachi 2:15 - Has not the one God made you? You belong to him in body and spirit. And what does the one God seek? Godly offspring.So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful to the wife of your youth.“The man who hates and divorces his wife,” says the LORD, the God of Israel, “does violence to the one he should protect,”says the LORD Almighty. So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful.[Breaking Covenant Through Injustice] You have wearied the LORD with your words. “How have we wearied him?” you ask.By saying, “All who do evil are good in the eyes of the LORD, and he is pleased with them” or “Where is the God of justice?”
Ephesians 6:4 - "Fathers,do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord."
Priscilla and Aquila, in Acts 18, would be good examples of this. As a couple pursues serving Christ together, the joy which the Spirit gives will fill their marriage (Galatians 5:22-23 - Fruit of the spirit). In the Garden of Eden, there were three present (Adam, Eve, and God), and there was joy. So, if God is central in a marriage today, there also will be joy. Without God, a true and full oneness is not possible!) You should make sure that both you and your spouse believe in Jesus Christ as your savior. A solid Christian foundation is key to building a Godly relationship.
(Bible-based) Pre marital counseling is a great way to build a relationship with God and with your future spouse. Ask the pastor at your church for more information about premarital counseling. You could also ask the minister that will be performing your ceremony. Using (Bible-based) premarital counseling is a great way to get to know each other better. You may find out some things about your potential spouse that you don't like. Now is the time to address these issues. Not after you have already gotten married.
About the Author
Jordan Doris has been writing articles online for nearly 2 years now.
