Inevitably, when the topic of dating comes up among Christian teens, the question that always seems to come up is, "Can I date a non-Christian?"

Most of the time, the typical verse that is used to answer their question is 2 Corinthians 6:14-15, which says, "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?"

Knowing that you aren't supposed to date non Christians is one thing, but actually understanding why the Lord doesn't want you to date and marry a non Christian is another matter, so let's look some of the reasons why you aren't supposed to date an unbeliever.

1) Being unequally yoked (dating a non Christian) can create a constant source of problems and arguments. A believer and an unbeliever are total opposites spiritually, which can result in some major differences in the values that you hold and the things that you believe. This has the potential to produce an atmosphere of strife, instead of love which will have you agreeing with Proverbs 21:19, which says that it is, "Better to live in a desert than with a quarrelsome and ill-tempered wife."

2) We are told to guard our hearts above all else (Proverbs 4:23). Simply put, unbelievers don't have the same moral standards that we as Christians are supposed to have. If you get involved in a relationship with a non Christian, you could open yourself up to a lot of heartache, as their intentions may be less than pure.

3) In 1 Corinthians 15:23, we are told that bad company corrupts good character. Just look at how Solomon's wives turned his heart from the Lord in 1 Kings 11:4.

4) The Lord has a specific person for you. In 1John 4:16, we read that God is love and from James 1:17 we know that God gives us good and perfect gifts, and Ephesians 3:20 says that we know God is able to do above and beyond all that we can ask or even think. If we apply those verses to our dating and relationships, we will come to understand that the Lord loves us, and because of His love for us, He will give us a good and perfect partner (who is spiritually compatible with us), and will go above and beyond all that we can ask or even think in this area.

If you found this article helpful, visit David's website at www.christcentereddating.com for more information on finding the woman of your dreams.

David King is the author of "How to Find the Woman of Your Dreams" and has helped many men with their dating and relationship problems and questions through his website, http://www.christcentereddating.com