Should GenZs Wait To Date Until They’re Ready To Marry?

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Everyone’s got something to say about our love lives these days. When a few decades ago, our parents would meet and get married 6 weeks later, 21st-century dating has become a lot more complicated than that, leaving some young Christians wondering whether dating before they’re ready to settle down is really the right move, even though the secular world would tell you that dating is what everyone is doing. So, do we conform, and play the field? Or guard our hearts until the time is right?

We’ve talked to some fellow GenZ’s about this. Here are their two cents:

“In today's world, it's tough to wrap our heads around settling down because just trying to build a stable life feels incredibly overwhelming. Dating with the idea of getting hitched is cool, but marriage? That's the ultimate settling down move, which makes it super intimidating. So, it's no wonder why it feels like such a struggle for many of us” says Jahnavi Jagadeesan.

"I totally get that being ready for a serious commitment is key for a solid marriage. But seeing all those messed-up marriages on TikTok and Instagram is a major turn-off. It's crazy that just wanting basic stuff like love and honesty gets labeled as 'having high standards' now. Plus, I'm not into the whole traditional woman thing—I don't want kids and I'm all about having a kickass career. I know not every guy digs that, but staying true to myself is what matters. That's why I'm all about waiting until I'm really ready to settle down, especially for us Gen Z folks, so we can have relationships and marriages that actually mean something” explains Taniya Mallick, showing that GenZs are now becoming more independent and varied in their areas of interest. Because guess what? Not every woman wants marriage and love. Some of us crave success and career growth, and every desire is completely okay.

Kiona Fernandes, a student says “Dating for marriage is much different than dating just to date with no long-term plan, however, I think dating just to date can build you up to be a more empathetic, sensitive and understanding partner due to the experience you received”

In the middle of all this back-and-forth about whether Gen Z should hold off on dating until they're ready to tie the knot, everyone's got strong feelings. No matter which side you're on, one thing's for sure: love is still at the heart of it all, like that verse from 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth”. While the Bible might not explicitly outline a dating manual, the concept of "Biblical Dating" is firmly against any form of physical intimacy outside of marriage. GenZ, with their "my way or the highway" attitude, often clashes with these more traditional values, that are set out to protect our hearts.

The Bible recognizes the sanctity of marriage, Heb. 13:4 “He honors marriage relationships, viewing it as a covenant and a promise between a man and a woman”. While the idea of dating to figure out compatibility is cool, marriage is the grand finale, according to these biblical principles. So, in the midst of all this dating chaos, the resounding theme is clear: make marriage the endgame.