November 17th, 2000
"Relationships and God's Will"

Hey everyone, it's Luke and dan, with the stuff for November 10th's bible study.  It's all kinda rough, sorry.  Even after we, the great dan-Luke duo, wrote it.  (dan nods while Luke looks on wishing he wasn't associated.)

Wes and Elias preformed a skit for us about dating.  They run into each other between classes and Wes tells Elias about his sizzling hot new girlfriend.  (Wes says she's "sssssss" hot.)  Elias asks him where her heart is in relationship with God but Wes tells him that they really haven't talked about God yet, and that he thinks there is lots of time.  Elias helps point out that Wes needs to know her place with God and whether or not she is saved.

This skit shows us that a relationship needs to be based not just on looks, but on Christ.  Just as with the story of the wise and foolish man, our foundation in a relationship has to the strongest foundation, God, who will last forever, while looks will not.  God tells us about this in 2 Corinthians 6:14 where it says "Do not be yoked together with non-believers..." This does not mean that we should not be friends with non-believers, for they are an opportunity for us to spread God's word.  However, a close relationship such has dating creates a tug-of-war battle where a non-believer can pull down someone who is saved.  Wes gives the example of the difficulty of pulling someone up onto a platform (they used the chapel stage) and the relative easy task of pulling someone down instead.  In a relationship where this is true, our faith and relationship with God is compromised.

Finally, Mary discussed the idea of "experimental" dating.  She said that whether or not it's a long lasting one, a relationship will affect the other person.  Sister Sui-pen gave us some guidelines in relationships.  A nice little acronym too, if I may add.

• Age: an appropriate age difference.
• Body: not to sound blunt or anything, but you're going to spend a long amount of time (hopefully) with this person.
• Character: I'm not even going to say an explanation.
• Dollars: financial security needs to be considered before rushing into marriage.  For instance, a 15-year-old does not have much financial security, eh?
• Education: as S-P said, you want to be able to discuss something besides what to have for dessert with this significant other.
• Family: you don't want to enter a family where you are hated; some amount of acceptance is needed.
• GOD: the most fundamental element of all.  All the others elements can be worked passed but God needs to be in the center.

Next we read I Samuel 13: 1-14 with the story of Saul, who does not listen to God's commandments but makes the sacrifice to God himself instead of waiting for Samuel.  Saul was impatient and lacked faith in God, two things that we need to stay away from.   We had another skit, in which five Christians with candles had their flames put out by Wes (playing the devil).  Each of them had a sign: drinking (gosh Jing Jing!!! :-P), cheating, cursing, Sunday christian, and purity.  After all the lights had been put out, Elias (playing... er... well we dunno, but it was contrary to the devil, an angel or something) walked by and covered up each of the sinful signs with a sign that says "JESUS" in big letters.  Yay!

Well, obviously, we know Jesus covers up and directs us away from sin.  Jesus is a light (a flame, a candle) that grows in us.  We should rely
on God's strength from sinning.  (Read: Psalm 22:8,  Psalm 34:18.)  Even though we're all sinners, God saves us.  This does not mean thatwe
should keep sinning since God will forgive us (Romans 6:1-2)  Mark 9:42-48, says get rid of whatever (arm, leg is used figuratively, thankfully...) causes you to sin.  Just like cutting off an arm would hurt, so will removing what may cause you to sin.  You may feel like you're missing something for a while, but it's far better than an eternity of hell.  (Read: John 8:1-11)

[-Luke and dan]

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