BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES OF LOVE AND COURTSHIP

A. WHAT IS LOVE?
- a strong affection for or attachment or devotion to a person or persons
(dictionary meaning) .
- Biblical meaning: I Cor. 13:6b-8a
1. Truthful. Rejoiceth in the truth. Love delights to tell the truth. Lovers
are not afraid to confide their weaknesses to their partners for mutual
benefit.
2. Sustaining. Beareth all things. True love does not collapse under strain,
emotional, mental or physical.
3. Trusting. Believeth all things. True love thinks good motives not
suspicious.
4. Hopeful. Hopeth all things. True love always expects the best.
5. Enduring. Endureth all things. It endures through time, deception and
even death.
6. Successful. Love never faileth. This is true because Rom. 8:28 is true.

B. WHAT IS NOT LOVE?

1. Envious. Love envieth not. True love does not envy success, gifts,
talents, and possessions of others.
2. Boastful. Vaunteth not itself. If does not show off. It maintains
humility.
3. Conceited. It is puffed up. True love always prefers the other one to
self.
4. Rude. Doth not behave itself unseemingly. It is never coarse or
offensive. True love is courteous at all times. (Lovers, remember these
at all times.).
5. Selfish. Seeketh not her own. Love sacrifices and gives generously.
6. Irritable. It is not easily provoked. True love is not touchy. It absorbs
much.
7. Censorious. Thinketh no evil. It is not critical, reproving, carping,
nagging, suspicious or blaming.
8. Sin loving. Rejoiceth not in iniquity. True love hates and abominates
sin.

C. WRONG NOTIONS ABOUT LOVE

1. Feeling as a basis of love.

2. Physical attraction. Judg 14: 1-3
3. Sexual attraction. Sex is not to test love. Sex is beautiful- nothing is
dirty or ugly about it. However it must be done within the sanctity of
marriage.
4. Love is blind. Irresistible. It is not the enduring kind. Love that lasts is
more than upon character, ideals and spiritual qualities.
COURTSHIP - a time for wooing the girl you have zeroed in on, observation
continues. Tell her you are interested in her and will she please pray with you about
the matter.

Note: The Lord's will must be ascertained by both of you not only one. The girl's
decision will be fair and most reasonable, if she say yes, her yes will stand for a
lifetime.

D. GUIDELINES TO CHRISTIAN'S LOVE AND COURTSHIP (Gen. 24: 1-66;

29: 1-30)
1. Don’t go or date or court a Canaanite. v. 3
Do not be equally yoke with the unbelievers (in the NT) 2 Cor. 6: 14 Only
Christian can give agape love- divine love.

The four loves (by Dick Mills)

a. Eros - sexual love, physical love, married love, mutual desire
between a man and a woman.
b. Storge - family love. Rom. 12: 10
c. Phileo - the love of friendship the affection we feel for other people
in friendly relationships
d. Agape - divine love
2. Find God's person for your life among God's people. V4
3. Trust God's ways. v.7 we can obtain God's guidance thru the ff.,
a. The Word of God. Prov.3:5,6; 2 Tim. 3: 16
b. Prayer. Phil. 4:6
c. Godly counsel. Prov. 11:14; 15:22
d. The peace of God. Col. 3: 15
e. Circumstances. Rom. 8:28
f. God's provision. Phil. 4: 19
4. He or she must posses the real beauty that comes from within. Isa. 53:2;
Psalm 139: 14
5. Wait till you are assured v.21. Courtship takes time. Psalm 27:14

E. ELEMENTS OF LOVE

1. Time of getting to know each other, to decide, check your decision.

2. Commitment, a covenant of God to both of you, a covenant of the man and
woman
3. Responsibility- LCM is for adults only!
4. Giving and sharing
5. Discipline. 2 Tim. 1:7
6. Sacrifice. 1 In. 3:16; Rom. 5:8
7. Loyalty. Gen. 2:24