PASSAGE: Date, Mate, Consummate | Lesson 01

PASSAGE: Date, Mate, Consummate | Lesson 01

Divine Romance: What We Can Learn About Dating & Marriage in God

April 27, 2014  |  John Chow

Introduction: God existed with many attributes even before Creation. From Genesis 1:26, we can discover that God created Man with some of his own attributes (“created man in his own image”.) We have received his communicable attributes, which include qualities to think and feel. These attributes, first possessed and given by God, are ones we can take into dating relationships, courtship and marriage:

1. God is Love (1 John 4:7-8). Love is from God, and his very essence is love. He is the originator of love because his very nature is love. Love does not define God but God defines love. 
2. God is Reconciler (2 Cor 5:18-19). Reconciliation is the act of restoring a relationship to “rightness” or agreement. Through Christ, God reconciled our relationship with him. He exhibited forgiveness (Col 1:14), selflessness & humility (Phil 2:6-8) and action through personal sacrifice (John 3:16, 1 John 4:10).
3. God is Grace (Psa 103:8; Eph 2:8-9). Despite our sin, and its justifiable consequence for death, God extended grace. Grace is extending to a person undeserved compassion and goodness. In our relationships, there will often be times when we are hurt or offended by the other and it is an opportunity for us to extend grace than rightful justice.
4. God is Truth (John 17:17; Jer 10:6, 10-12). God is real and reliable, and his words are accurate and true. Truth is expressing what is accurate and factual. [In Tim Keller’s The Meaning of Marriage, he expresses how relationships require both love and truth, and one cannot be absent or neglected. We cannot be all-loving while ignoring the truth of sin, errors or shortcomings. Likewise, we cannot express only truth (pointing out all the real shortcomings and failures of the other) and neglect love (which includes patience, sympathy and withholding criticism). Eph 4:15 says we are to “speaking truth in love.”]
5. God is Rescuer & Redeemer (Psa 40:1-2; 18:1-3). God is in the business of rescuing man and redeeming us. While being in relationships is about companionship and bringing joy into another’s life, we should also be involved in God’s redeeming work in him or her. We should be concerned with our boyfriend or girlfriend’s spiritual welfare, character and transformation toward being like Christ.

Conclusion

• God is all the good qualities for strong and healthy relationships. 
• These attributes are of God, and he is able to give all these attributes. 
• Since God is these qualities and communicates these qualities, he is the ultimate Lover. We should be completely satisfied in God, whether we are dating, married or single. 

Application

• Relationships that elevate these qualities can be a testimony of God 
• Look to God for the foundations for a relationship 
• If you want to be in a loving relationship, seek to mimic God’s expression of these attributes. 
• See God as your Ultimate Lover.

We're taking your questions on any of these topics and hope to answer them during our lessons. Just email darrenlo@fcbc.org, johnchow@fcbc.org, or place a note in the provided box during Passage.