What Does the Bible Say About Dating?
Wisdom for relationships — purity, purpose, and guarding the heart.
The Bible doesn't mention dating directly, but gives clear wisdom for relationships: guard your heart (Proverbs 4:23), pursue purity (1 Thessalonians 4:3), and don't be unequally yoked with those who don't share your faith (2 Corinthians 6:14).
Guard the heart and pursue purity
Relationships engage the heart deeply, so Scripture urges care: keep your heart, for out of it are the issues of life. It calls for sexual purity, treating the other person as someone to honour rather than to use.
Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:
This is the will of God... that ye should abstain from fornication.
Shared faith and real love
The Bible warns against being unequally yoked — building a life with someone who does not share your deepest commitment. And it defines the love to look for and to give: patient, kind, unselfish, enduring.
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers.
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
Charity suffereth long, and is kind.
Quick answers
- Does the Bible say who I should date?
- It doesn't name individuals, but it counsels shared faith, godly character, and purity. The aim is a relationship that draws you both closer to God, not away from him.
- Is it wrong to date a non-Christian?
- The 'unequally yoked' principle cautions against it, since a shared faith shapes the whole direction of a life together. Many find the deepest unity comes from walking the same road toward God.
- How far is too far in a relationship?
- Scripture calls for sexual intimacy to be reserved for marriage and for us to honour rather than use one another. The wise question is not how close to the line can we get, but how can we love and protect this person well.
