Courtship and dating are two different things entirely. Dating is a western culture and not Biblical, but courtship is Biblical, for example, Joseph and Mary, Mary was betrothed to Joseph. When two intending couples are into a courtship, what you will mostly hear them being referred to is Fiancé and Fiancée. And when two are into a dating relationship, what you will hear them being referred to his boyfriend and girlfriend. In our contemporary society the term boyfriend an girlfriend as been misused, and commonly used to describe a sex partner as against a male or female friend.
When people enter into a dating relationship they enter to test compatibility, to test if the person is compatible to be a future partner or not, it is a trail and error process. While
Courtship is borne out of conviction, the two are convinced that they both are for each other.
As a Christian you should let God lead you to the Right and fitting size to wear(suitable partner). After this conviction from God, then proposal and after the proposal as been accepted by the Lady, this is the beginning of courtship, where the two partners build love and get to understand each other better. So in a courtship the both are convinced that they are suitable for each other.
Now looking at the meaning of compatibility and suitability, they are have different meanings. Compatibility is the ability of the two to exist together without problem while suitability is having the quality of being suitable or fitting for a particular purpose, having sufficient or the required properties for a certain purpose or task; appropriate to a certain occasion. Dating might or might not give you a compatible partner, 99% don't even get a compatible partner with the rate of divorce. But compatibility without suitability is vain(not profitable) and does not worth it to a Christian. You should understand as a Christian that God has a purpose for creating you and if your God's giving purpose for living does not tally with that of your partner in order to help each other fulfill destiny, then you both are not suitable helpmate. God's given conviction will supply you with a suitable helpmate who will fit into God's purpose for your Living and will walk and work with you to fulfill it(Destiny). A suitable helpmate is both compatible and suitable.
Dating in most cases is immoral, contains sexual relations but courtship is to be kept pure. In courtship you are not married until you are married, courtship is meant for you to get the necessary tools, data and information to enable you build a Godly(Blissful Marriage). Remember Marriage was instituted by God and so if you want to enter into it you have to follow God's pattern. For you to follow God's pattern then ask God, the institutor, designer and originator of marriage, even the manufacturer and sole owner and producer for the Right ,Proper and Fitting shoe( HIS Perfect Will) and he will give you, accompanied with a pure courtship relationship which comes with Godly(Blissful) Marriage and Home. Remember HE said ask and it shall be given. One of God's purpose for marriage is to raise Godly seeds(Children) and this can only be achievable when the marriage is according to God's Perfect Will(when the marriage Union is Healthy Spiritually, in Intimacy (companionship) and all round).
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