Y ou can’t tell for sure who would make a godly spouse, but we can see visible evidence of a godly person, and here are 3 of them.
Kind to Children
[1]
You can’t tell for sure who would make a godly spouse, but we can see visible evidence of a godly person, and here are 3 of them. If you are looking for a godly spouse, look for someone who is kind to children or perhaps one who loves children. If the person is already short-tempered when they’re around children, what happens if you marry them and they have their own children? Jesus wanted the children to come to Him because those are they kind of qualities we need to enter the kingdom. Unless we become like children, we cannot enter the kingdom (Matt 18:3). This is because children are teachable, pliable, humble, small, and totally dependent on their parents. If the person you’re dating does not like children, then this narrows down your choices as a potential parent. Would you be able to marry and never have children?
Kind to Parents
If you know your Bible, you know that God commands us to honor our parents (Ex 20:12). If we do, He promises a blessing, and in particular, a longer life, saying that “you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you” (Ex 20:12b). Clearly, if we don’t honor our parents, we’re not only breaking God’s Law, but we’re not helping ourselves “live long in the land.” Honoring our parents means honoring them even after they are deceased. To speak evil of the dead is evil in itself. God will judge them, not us (Rom 12:17). And this is not a part of the Mosaic Law as the Apostle Paul reiterates, “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise” (Eph 6:2). Anyone you are dating or considering dating (or a potential spouse) should be kind to children but also honor their parents. It doesn’t say honor them “if they deserve it,” but honor them because God commands us to. Someone who treats their parents disrespectfully, even using abusive or harsh language at them, would not be the one you want to marry…believe me. If they are not kind to their own parents or the elderly, what makes you think they’ll be kind to you when you are elderly? Just keep looking. This one’s not for you.
[2]
Kind to Animals
Everything God has made is good, and this includes the animal kingdom (Gen 1:31), so what does being a potential spouse and being kind to animals have to do with one another? Lots! The Bible says, “Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast, but the mercy of the wicked is cruel” (Prov 12:10). Notice that God had regard for His creation, even if a tiny sparrow falls, so He also cares for the creatures He created and declared them “good” in His sight. When someone mistreats, abuses or neglects an animal, you can be sure they have no regard for the “beast.” If you do have regard or care for your animals, you are doing what is pleasing to God. If someone you are considering dating and that person does not like animals, can’t stand to be around them or treats their own pets in an abusive manner, you need to avoid this person. Its okay not to have pets if you’re married and both parties can agree to that, but it is not okay to be harsh, abusive, neglecting or otherwise harm animals. If that person thinks its okay, then walk away. How might they treat you someday?
Yoked Together
[3]Above all, never, ever marry an unbeliever. That’s why God warned ancient Israel, for when they married into a pagan culture, they too became pagan and forgot their God. We’re to be equally yoked, so what does that mean and what is a yoke (2 Cor 6:14)? A yoke is an implement that is used to harness animals together to pull a load or a plow. The yoke is a familiar and useful tool to agrarian (farming) societies. This device is used to join a pair of animals, like oxen, to work together, simultaneously and used to pull out tree trunks, move boulders, pull logs, to plow fields, or pull a loaded cart. But, they had to have two of the same animals…a mule and ox could not work together at all. One would carry the heavier load and less work would get done and one animal may become injured or become lame.
Unequally Yoked
The Apostle Paul tells us what being unequally yoked means in 2 Corinthians 6:14-17 which says, “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial, Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” If you marry an unbeliever, will the children go to church or not? Will you be allowed to? Will you and your children see R-Rated movies at home in front of their unsaved spouse? What language will the children learn from the lips of an unbelieving parent?
[4]
Conclusion
I pray you have put your trust in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. If that has not happened yet, my friend, you are in real danger of hell fire. And I mean, in immediate danger. You’re one breath, one heartbeat…one accident away from eternity when it will be too late to repent. Today is the best day to believe (2 Cor 6:2) since tomorrow is no guarantee. If Jesus Christ came today, here is your fate (Matt 7:21-23). This is why I plead with you as you read this, repent today…and I mean right now. Put your trust in Jesus Christ. If you do not, you will face God’s judgment after death guaranteed (Heb 9:27) or at Jesus Christ’s appearance (Rev 20:12-15), which could happen at any moment.
Here is some related reading for you: Bible Verses About Dating: 20 Scripture Quotes [5]
Resource – Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), Crossway Bibles. (2007). ESV: Study Bible: English standard version. Wheaton, Ill: Crossway Bibles. Used by permission. All rights reserved.