My fiancé, David, and I met in high school and were two completely different people. David was an atheist and I considered myself a Christian because I attended church on a regular basis with my family. David came to church on a Wednesday night with his friend, only because he was promised Chipotle afterwards and that was where it all started. He hated Christians and the church and constantly made fun of believers. We argued constantly because of our beliefs and values, which will happen when there are huge differences in faith. Even though he hated going to church, he still showed up on Wednesday nights for a chance of getting free food, but if you ask him today, he says the only reason he came to church was because he thought I was cute…who knows the real story? We became pretty good friends quickly and started dating a few weeks later. You are probably wondering why someone who hated Christians started dating a Christian, right? The only simple answer to that question is because it was all a part of God's divine plan.
People always ask if I was single right now, would I date an atheist. The answer is no, most definitely not. Usually, people get confused by my response because it worked so well for me. Each relationship is different for the couple and the individual. I grew up in a Christian home and went to church my whole life. However, I didn’t decide to devote my life to Christ until after dating David. Surprisingly enough, my atheist boyfriend became a true Christian before I did and that is why it worked for us. When we first started dating, our spiritual maturity was on the same level and it is on the same level today. Some people look at me and David and think because we worked out and are now engaged to be married that they can date an atheist as a Christian and have the same outcome. If you are a devote Christian, I would advise otherwise. It is so important to find someone who is on the same spiritual level as you and holds the same closed handed doctrine as you. The bible clearly states to not be yoked with unbelievers because the wicked and the righteous have nothing in common. If you think about dating in general, what is the purpose of dating? The purpose of dating is to find the right spouse and eventually marry them. Marriage is a huge commitment and a joining together of two people before God. Christians and unbelievers typically have different expectations or beliefs when it comes to marriage and that is another important reason for believers to only marry or date other believers.
Regarding interests, David and I rarely have things in common other than thick crust pizza and our love for HGTV but our main common belief is our belief in Jesus Christ. Without our firm foundation in the gospel and love for Christ, we would have broken up a long time ago. If you are looking for a relationship, don’t settle. Wait patiently for the right man to come to your life, God has a plan for you. A lot of people have it in their mind as Christians if they date an unbeliever, they can change them and turn them into a Christian. This almost never works out and causes a lot of trouble and heartache in the long run. Some people think David only became a Christian because I was, and that is actually far from the truth. Only Jesus was able to change David’s heart, not me. I had absolutely nothing to do with him going from atheist to Christian, and now a future pastor. Dating an atheist was far from easy and had its challenges, but I am so thankful he walked into my life four and a half years ago. David is now on his way in becoming a pastor and I am so proud of him. Before entering into a relationship with a believer or unbeliever, make sure it is what God wants for your life. Pray for your future husband or wife and wait patiently. God always knows what is best for us and his timing is always perfect. Before jumping into a relationship, ask yourself if you could picture them as a future husband or wife. Would they be able to fulfill the roles of a biblical marriage? Marriage and dating is hard and rewarding, make sure whoever you chose is the one God wants in your life.
