How would you perform a search on a topic such as; "what does the Bible say about dating"? I tried the topic guide but it did not work. Thanks!
Hi Michael
I am not sure that the Bible says anything about dating - was it a first century concept.
'Engagement' however gets a response in the Topic Guide.
Assuming you didn't want carbon dating[:)] you have to be inventive and try a Topic Guide on 'marriage'. One suggestion was 'marriage customs' and that Guide showed links for courtship, dating.
How would you perform a search on a topic such as; "what does the Bible say about dating"?
for that particular example, I would highly recommend:
Got Questions Ministries, Got Questions? Bible Questions Answered (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010).
and...
Hunt, June. Biblical Counseling Keys on Dating: The Delight and Dangers of Dating. Dallas, TX: Hope For The Heart, 2008.
Also, there's:
Richards, Chris, and Liz Jones. What the Bible Says About Going Out, Marriage and Sex. Wise Choices. Leominster, UK: Day One Publications, 2005.
Whelchel, Mary S. Common Mistakes Singles Make. Grand Rapids, MI: Revell, 1999.
Harris, Joshua. I Kissed Dating Goodbye. New updated ed. Sisters, OR: Multnomah Publishers, 2003.
Chediak, Alex. With One Voice: Singleness, Dating, and Marriage to the Glory of God. Fearn, UK: Christian Focus Publications, 2006.
I tried doing specific searches, but couldn't come up with a satisfactory search result, since "dating" can mean different things. So my recommendation would be to have the above books in you library and make a collection and then search in them.
Here' the entry from Got Questions:
What does the Bible say about dating / courting?
Although the words “courtship” and “dating” are not found in the Bible, we are given some principles that Christians are to go by during the time before marriage. The first is that we must separate from the world’s view on dating because God’s way contradicts the world’s (2 Peter 2:20). While the world’s view may be to date around as much as we want, the important thing is to discover the character of a person before making any commitment to him or her. We should find out if the person has been born again in the Spirit of Christ (John 3:3–8) and if he or she shares the same desire toward Christ-likeness (Philippians 2:5). The ultimate goal of dating or courting is finding a life partner. The Bible tells us that, as Christians, we should not marry an unbeliever (2 Corinthians 6:14–15) because this would weaken our relationship with Christ and compromise our morals and standards.
When one is in a committed relationship, whether dating or courting, it is important to remember to love the Lord above all else (Matthew 10:37). To say or believe that another person is “everything” or the most important thing in one’s life is idolatry, which is sin (Galatians 5:20; Colossians 3:5). Also, we are not to defile our bodies by having premarital sex (1 Corinthians 6:9, 13; 2 Timothy 2:22). Sexual immorality is a sin not only against God but against our own bodies (1 Corinthians 6:18). It is important to love and honor others as we love yourselves (Romans 12:9–10), and this is certainly true for a courtship or dating relationship. Whether dating or courting, following these biblical principles is the best way to have a secure foundation for a marriage. It is one of the most important decisions we will ever make, because when two people marry, they cleave to one another and become one flesh in a relationship which God intended to be permanent and unbreakable (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:5).
Try "girl NEAR guy"
LOL. Thanks Ward.
Since the Bible doesn't really talk about dating I told my daughter she couldn't date because it wasn't scriptural. Her mother and I would choose a husband for her and arrange the marriage. I also taught this to the parents in my church.
Now as to my success in this regard, the Bible does say something. It's found in Proverbs 26:4-5.
