All Articles For Dating & the Deep Blue Sea..& the Way of Christ

Rev. Dick is pastor of Grace Protestant Reformed Church in Standale, Michigan. The man and maid who have been led to one another covenantally, in the context of family and church, and hitherto trusting the guiding hand of God, can know for sure very simply if they are meant to be married. This is the ninth thesis of covenant marrying (cf. the April 1, 2003 issue of the Standard Bearer). These two can have such certainty because their way toward marriage together has been principled. The couple has been graced to follow God’s way of covenant marrying as revealed in...

Rev. Dick is pastor of Grace Protestant Reformed Church in Standale, Michigan. In the March 15 issue of the Standard Bearer, “Grace Life” elaborated upon these seven theses of covenant marrying: 1.The father of the Christian home must earnestly endeavor to know who his children are to marry. 2.Father’s knowledge of God is crucial for the father’s superintending the marriage of his children. 3.The godly father will seek to know God’s will for a mate for his children through his knowledge of families. 4.Mates will be pursued in the church. 5.The church will be actively involved in the marrying of...

Rev. Dick is pastor of Grace Protestant Reformed Church in Standale, Michigan. Dating must die. And Grace Life, you will recall, has been all for its swift demise. There have been several articles (cf. SB, Dec. 15, 2001; March 1, 2002; April 15, 2002; June, 2002; August, 2002; September 15, 2002). In them we have written just what convicts and condemns dating; it is everything she is about. For this is she: The unbiblical coupling and cavorting of two who are not yet ready for marrying, The pairing off of those who confess Fun, but who have not yet confessed...

Rev. Dick is pastor of Grace Protestant Reformed Church in Standale, Michigan. In Evangelio Dominus Ego sum, inquit, veritas. Non dixit, Ego sum consuetude! (Augustine, in De Baptismo, III.6.9, translated, “In the Gospel the Lord says—’I am the truth.’ He did not say, ‘I am custom.'”)Dating is fatherless. Modern American dating is determined to be fatherless. Not all fathers have succeeded in aborting all their children. But all daters do away with dads. Fatherless dating is a sign of the end of time. It is just one way, but a significant way, in which end-time worldling young and not-so-young people...

Rev. Dick is pastor of Grace Protestant Reformed Church in Standale, Michigan. If modern American dating is so bad, as yours truly has contended, what then is the alternative? How, just how, ought our covenant men and maids go about getting married? In the June issue of the Standard Bearer I mentioned that we must think theologically (and therefore biblically) in our approach to this. And, I suggested, when we do that, think theologically that is, we will be thinking along the lines of what could be called “the Family principle” when it comes to the marrying of the covenant...

Rev. Dick is pastor of Grace Protestant Reformed Church in Standale, Michigan. Dating is the way, the truth, and the life of the ungodly. It is the sought-out Savior of many-a-youth too scared to go through adolescence alone. It is the Silver Cup from which many older lonely and unmarried folk long to drink in order to live a Life they fear has passed them by. Believe me, dear Grace Life readers! Believe one who has been in the land of the pagans, believe a pastor and friend of all who would be the friends of Jesus—Dating is the Idol...

Rev. Dick is pastor of Grace Protestant Reformed Church in Standale, Michigan. The Way of Heathen Dating   There is mystery in the wonderful way of a man with a maid. Wise men say, “Who can know it?”(Prov. 30:18, 19). There is theology, good and sound doctrine for the godly way of a man with a maid. It is ours. God has graciously given it to us. It is God’s covenant. It is marriage. It is godly fathers giving their daughters in marriage. It is godly men and women, when they are spiritually mature, committing themselves with their parents and...

Rev. Dick is pastor of Grace Protestant Reformed Church in Standale, Michigan. On December 15, 2001 yours truly punted Dating off a cliff and into the sea. Then, on that Date, I encouraged you, dear readers, to do the same. Readers of “Grace Life” will be reminded that it is a specific kind of Dating which I believe must die. It is the Dating with the very poor figure, for it is Dating shaped by principles of the world. It is the Dating with disease on her breath, for all that is of the world is not of God, and...