El cortejo: Una herramienta de santificación (Parte 3)

Before coming to Christ, my love life was a disaster. Not knowing the true God meant that my dating relationships were far from what God says in His Word. Now you will ask me, is there a part in the Scriptures that teaches us specifically about what dating should be like? The answer is no, but as Pastor Héctor Salcedo mentions, “ The truth is that, despite the absence of specific passages, the Word does not leave us without guidance regarding dating. Certainly just as the psalmist expressed “Your Word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path” (Ps. 119:105).

Therefore, it is enough to open our Bibles and meditate on those passages that tell us about what our relationship with our neighbors should be, and if we pay attention well, we will notice that everything begins with love... You will love your neighbor as yourself (Mt . 22:39). So, being our boyfriend, our closest neighbor at this stage, apply to our relationship all the teachings of the Bible about relationships in general and knowing the deceitfulness of our hearts, our obedience must be radical, since in courtship There is a seasoning that increases the flavor of things; the attraction and desire to be close to the person you like most in this world.

Thanks to the wonderful goodness of God, when I was dead, He extended His mercy and grace to me and by His amazing love I was saved, and today I can say that I am alive to the glory of His Holy Name; But it was not enough for him to give me such a great gift, but he has given me much more than what I deserve and someone very special named Andrés (my fiancé). God has led us to experience something fascinating that neither of us knew about, this is a biblical courtship.

At the beginning of our courtship we decided to take a couple of hours on Monday of each week to read together. The first book we studied was “Holiness: The Heart Purified by God” by Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth, a tool that without a doubt challenged us every week to put into practice what we had learned. At the end of each meeting, we wrote down the practical applications on an agenda and, confident in the power of God, we prayed for grace to be able to honor him.

One day we read this phrase: “A commitment to holiness means having a life that is always 'ready to receive visitors' and open to any examination, a life that can withstand scrutiny, both in things evident and in the hidden, where no one “I would look.”

My question was: Would it pass the test if someone reviewed everything that has happened in our dating relationship? Would our relationship withstand scrutiny?

To be honest I had to admit no! Due to the occasions when anger, disgust or discomfort arose. Or when I was not so careful at the beginning with my treatment, revealing my selfishness through immodesty (on occasion) in the way I dressed. Although by His grace He kept us and by His Spirit guided us to resolve these disagreements, I believe that each day we can be more intentional in our sanctification progress. Although we will never do enough, no effort will be too much.

But God is faithful, who does not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can resist, but also gives us a way out along with the temptation, so that you may be able to endure. Glory to God!

I want to share this great news with you: there is enough of His grace to maintain a relationship that brings glory to Him; It doesn't depend on us, it depends on his power.

No matter how horrible our past has been, no matter how stained with sin our past loving relationships were, let us remember that today through the precious blood of Christ shed on the cross we are free; and that freedom gives us the strength to have holy relationships that give glory to his name.

Let us always remember what His Word says (1 Pet 1:14-16) and practice the following: As obedient daughters, let us not conform to the desires we previously had while in our ignorance; But since he who called us is holy, let us also be holy in all our way of living.

Let us be holy, as He is holy, God Himself gives us strength!