J O H N W. M O O R E

A FEW OTHER QUESTIONS

One of life's biggest questions involves choosing a mate. Young people beginning to look for that special person with whom to share the grace of life, are often confused and uncertain about whom to marry. In most cases, our society has done a terrible job in training and educating young people in the realm of marriage selection. Instead of a well-reasoned decision-making process, young people often plunge into matrimony, based on a pseudo-Hollywood envisionment of romance and sexual attraction. Yes, pure attraction and romantic gestures of dinner, flowers, and a moonlit walk in the park are important. However, before one even begins to "pop" or answer the question of all questions, there are a few other questions that desperately need to be answered. Christians should seek answers to the following before plans of marriage are considered.

1. Is this person personally committed to being a disciple of Christ? (Lk. 9:23; Matt. 20:24-39) 2. Will this person help me put the kingdom first? (Matt. 6:33)
3. Will this person be the kind of mother/father I would want for my future children? (Tit. 2; Eph. 6:4; Prov. 31:10-31)
4. Does this person think of others before himself/herself? (Phil. 2:3,4)
5. Is this person kind, thoughtful, considerate, compassionate, and courteous? (Col. 3:12; I Pet. 3:8)
6. Will this person help me fulfill my role and responsibilities as a Christian husband or wife? (Eph. 5:21-33; Tit. 2; I Pet. 3:1-7)
7. Will this person help me grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ and encourage me in developing my talents in the Lord's work? (2 Pet. 3:1,8)
8. Is this person complete in the understanding of and convicted about God's law of marriage and divorce? (Matt. 5:32; Mal. 2:16).
9. Do we really love each other? Or, is our attraction to one another based only on the physical? (2 Tim. 2:22)
10. Is this person genuinely interested in me, or in the idea of marriage (I Cor. 13:4-6)
11. Are we willing to leave both father and mother and cleave only to each other until death? (Matt. 19:5-6)

Finally, marriage and the home must be Christ-centered. In sum, marriage is for those who first love God and, genuinely and Biblically, love one another.