Throughout history, most cultures dealt with men and women meeting and marrying by arranged marriage or courtship with parental oversight. Normally, the purpose was to protect their children and ensure the other person was willing and capable of providing for their child. Dating should be done on purpose, with purpose! Whether single for a season or for a lifetime, singleness is a gift that should be used for God’s kingdom (Matt. 19:10-12; 1 Cor. 7:7, 8). If feeling led to date, people should seek the wisdom of parents and spiritual leaders and follow it (Prov. 16:18; 19:20, 21; Heb. 13:17). Romantic relationships with no marriage focus are a waste of time, money, and needless temptation! There is a time for everything, even dating and marriage (Eccl. 3:8; SoS. 2:7).

Though the concept of love is common to all cultures, the Christian definition supersedes all of them as it describes God’s love. There were four Greek words for ‘love’: eros—a sexual, self-seeking kind of love; storgae—a familial/mere acceptance kind of love; phileo—a brotherly affection type of love (Philadelphia—city of brotherly love); agape—primarily a sacrificial, servant-oriented love. The Bible often uses the word agape letting Christians know that love is others-oriented, just like God (John 3:16). True love produces patience and kindness. It never produces envy, boasting, arrogance, rudeness, selfishness, easy anger, or resentment for wrongdoing. True love is not happy with evil but rejoices at the presence of truth. It covers the petty faults in others, believes the best of others, hopes for the best for others and endures through trials and difficulty in spite of others. True love—God-like love—never ends.

Though the concept of love is common to all cultures, the Christian definition supersedes all of them as it describes God’s love. There were four Greek words for ‘love’: eros—a sexual, self-seeking kind of love; storgae—a familial/mere acceptance kind of love; phileo—a brotherly affection type of love (Philadelphia—city of brotherly love); agape—primarily a sacrificial, servant-oriented love. The Bible often uses the word agape letting Christians know that love is others-oriented, just like God (John 3:16). True love produces patience and kindness. It never produces envy, boasting, arrogance, rudeness, selfishness, easy anger, or resentment for wrongdoing. True love is not happy with evil but rejoices at the presence of truth. It covers the petty faults in others, believes the best of others, hopes for the best for others and endures through trials and difficulty in spite of others. True love—God-like love—never ends.

In the beginning God gave Adam and Eve physical life (Heb. nephesh) and a human spirit which was to co-exist with their bodies perpetually on earth (Gen. 2:7). Eden was heaven on earth—peace with God, self, others, and the earth with no sickness, pain, death or dysfunction. However, in Adam’s sin, death and deterioration began, and at human death, the soul is separated from the body and returned to the God who gave it (Gen. 2:17, 5:5; 1 Sam. 28:15; Eccl. 12:7; Rom. 5:12). Unbelievers begin then to experience God as judge and believers experience God as Savior (Luke 16:19-31). With God, there is a return to peace, joy, rest, fulfillment and pure love!

The great things of living as a human such as; love, light, fun, friendship, discovery, happiness, joy, pleasure, contentment, and hope are not experiences fabricated by humanity, but rather gracious gifts from God who loves people regardless if they love Him or not (Matt. 5:44, 45). At the end of history, God will judge all people, and those who have not repented of their immorality and been redeemed will be removed from all relational good from God. In hell, there is banishment from God and others in isolation, loneliness, regret, despair, no hope of any change, and anger at God (Luke 13:22-30). Hell is not the absence of God’s presence, but the absence of His grace. Hell is the worst relational experience possible.

The word ‘church’ comes from the Greek word ekklesia meaning ‘assembly/gathering’. The Greeks used it for any general gathering, such as the people of a city coming together to vote. The church isn’t a religious organization, but a living organism of people who have repented of their sin and have been changed by Jesus (John 7:38; 2 Cor. 5:17). Though there is a universal aspect to Christianity, believers are called to commit to a local gathering for teaching, edification, giving and serving (Rom. 12:6-8; 1 Cor. 12:12, 13, 27; Col. 1:18). The church is a people not a place! The first church was large and met at the Temple and then in small groups at people’s homes (Acts 2:42-47). The church doesn’t just live near each other, they live for each other!

The Bible was the first printed book, is the best seller in history, and claims to be God’s word (Ps. 18:30; 119:160). God didn’t deliver a completed book from heaven but revealed His will over time using human means by inspiration, generation (oral and written), and preservation. This means the original autographs (first documents) were breathed out (Gr. theopneustos, ‘God breathed’) by God and inerrant (without errors) and infallible (incapable of mistakes—2 Tim. 3:16, 17). God didn’t dictate to the authors, but used their personality and cultural contexts to give His verbal (‘spoken directly from God’) and plenary (‘full/all of it’) will (2 Pet. 1:20, 21). The Bible was written and compiled over 1600 years (1450 BC-100 AD) by 40 different authors from 3 different continents, yet spoke of the same God, ultimately culminating in the life of Jesus (John 3:16). From Abraham (c. 2000 BC) to Malachi (c. 400 BC) God’s revelation was preserved by the Israelites (Deut. 32:36, 37; Rom. 3:2). After Malachi there was 400 years during which the apocrypha (‘hidden’) was written (1, 2 Maccabees, 1 Esdras, etc.). This included spurious OT stories and the Maccabean rebellion (160 BC) but not considered inspired by the Jews.

HINDUISM c. 1500 BC in India; no official beginning or leader

When the Aryans invaded India and conquered the Dravidians, they co-mingled both of their polytheistic, fertility religions that personified and worshipped nature. The Aryans wrote hymns, poetry, and mythical stories into their scriptures, the Vedas. Hinduism developed over 1000 years into a complex combination of socioeconomic religious caste structure (priest, warrior, merchant, slaves) and a spectrum of sometimes contradictory beliefs in India.

Divinity: Polytheism early (many gods, possibly 330 million); pantheism later (god is all things, Brahman—infinite, impersonal reality; Brahma, creator; Vishnu, preserver; Shiva, destroyer).

Salvation: People’s souls (atman) are separated from Brahman at birth. Through the Way of knowledge, devotion, and good works (dharma) people can be freed from the cycle of thousands/millions of reincarnations (samsara) based on karma (good or bad actions) until reabsorbed to Brahman in freedom from suffering (moksha).

Jesus: Avatar of Vishnu; all beliefs are valid as reality is an illusion.

In the OT, the Hebrew word shalom carried with it the idea of completeness or wholeness within a person’s life. This word also conveyed a sense of harmony between people or God Himself. Many times, shalom came through making a covenant between people or with God so they could co-exist (Num. 25:12; Isa. 54:10). In the NT, people are to obtain peace (Gr. eirēnē, ‘bring to oneness, prosperity, rest’) through the God-man, Jesus, and submitting to His will for their lives (Acts 10:36). Being at peace doesn’t mean a believer won’t have moments of anxiety, but it means that there is a Person to take it to (1 Pet. 5:7). Anxiety with no solution leads to depression and despair, but the presence of Jesus in the heart and other believers leads to peace that passes all understanding (John 16:33; Phil. 4:6, 7). The greatest peace comes from our great God (Luke 2:13-33)!

Joy often goes hand in hand with a hope that is realized or satisfaction from something completed. The greatest joy comes in knowing what God has done for us and what we can do for Him. Joy in Christ often flows from using our gifts from Christ for the glory of Christ. The reason God leaves Christians on earth is to bless others with their lives and sense the joy of God in serving (Rom. 12:3-8). Nothing is greater than the sense of satisfaction in living life for God. Satisfaction in joy can come in marriage, hearing God’s word, good food and drink, and unity in fellowship (Eccl. 9:7; Ps. 133:1). Joy is an overflow of God’s work in our lives (Luke 2:8-20)!