the standard

The standard.

2 Timothy 2:22
Flee youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

For those who work with youth, questions about dating are often raised. “How far is to far?” “Can I talk to a girl?” “What if we are not doing anything?” Youth are basically asking “What is the standard?” Please remind them/us (young adults) of the standard. God’s standard isn’t what romance looks like but what does following Him look like? (It’s what we are really asking when we ask “How does a Christian date? Or how does a Christian “do” romance? In Acts 11:26d it says “And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch” KJV. To be a Christian means one is a follower of Christ.) How does one date as a Christian? Better put, how does one follow Christ as she or he dates? Jesus lived a life of loving God. His love for God enabled Him to love each man and woman. As Christians is lust or like enough for a relationship? If He dealt with people only in love, are we to do less? Does His love look self-centered, possessive, or conditional?

How does one follow Christ as she or he dates or romances?

Paul wrote this letter while in prison. It was part of his final words to his legacy, the next generation of Christian leaders. He called this young man to follow after righteousness, faith, charity, and peace. He gave him a new aim to substitute the loss of his old one. Paul told Timothy not to do it alone but to go along with those who called on God after a pure heart.

There is so much more to this verse. For us and those we minister to let this be the standard. In all things we are followers of Christ. Wherever the practices and aims of dating and romance do not (and cannot) conform to our aim to live like Him, we are committed to letting go, getting rid off, avoiding, those practices and aims. We are determined to live at the standard.