Two annoyances.

One. I dislike semantic elitism. Okay, so, the term "dating" itself, is not some kind of STD. (Thanks Josh Harris, who started all this mess but later repented, or so it seems in his book Boy Meets Girl.) "Dating" and "courting"... what's the deal? The terms themselves do not reflect what the relationship really entails. In his implied repentance Josh Harris says this:

"You might not like the term courtship. That's okay. There's nothing sacred about it. Ultimately the term we use for relationships doesn't matter as much as how we live."

Two. I dislike treating couples in relationships as if they are definitely going to get married. ("OMG you guys are so cute together" comments, &c.) Just because a couple is committed to finding out whether marriage is God's will for them, does not mean either party can comfortably view the other as future spouse. As members of One body, we should not make it hard for those who are in relationships. Again I quote from Harris:

"We shouldn't make courtship a bigger deal than it really is. When someone tells me they're in a courtship, I don't say, "Congratulations!" as if they got engaged. That's not what the initial stages of courtship are about. It's a time for the couple to get to know each other without outside pressure or overly high expectations.

The only pressure a couple should feel when they begin a courtship is the good pressure God's Word places on them to honor Him and treat each other with purity and integrity. It's this desire that can keep us from making courtship just dating with a different name."

You know, about all these things, we often think we are good because we attend Reformed Baptist churches or listen to expository preachings or whatever -- but in the end we are just the same -- sinners in dire need of the grace of God. As His children, we must not place such high priorities on knowledge which does not edify but only seeks to boast in itself. Elitism does not produce godliness but increases strife. If we think we stand, we must take heed lest we fall. As Christians, it's so easy to make certain parts of our theology and certain teachings our idols... But once we do, we risk falling away from the simple gospel, which is the power of God for salvation in everyday life.

Don't get me wrong; I still very much respect Josh Harris and think Steve Brown is awesome and C. S. Lewis is a very cool guy. But we should not make flawed vessels our idols. The real gem lies not in teachers or not even in the wisdom of words but in the grace of God which made every bit of everything possible.

"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry." (2 Tim 4)

So let us stop being elitists.

But I guess I should stop being elitist about this, too.

Because we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, even elitists.

Good night.