Why wait?

Lately I've been thinking about marriage.

The question that's been floating around in my brain is this: "If you've found a guy (or girl) that you really love,  then why wouldn't you marry him (her)?"

I know there are extenuating circumstances, like it is a good idea for a man to be able to afford a home for his potential wife, and of course in our western culture you have to wait 'till your of age, but exceptions aside, why would you date someone for years and not marry them?

Here are arguments I've heard that support long-term dating :

• You need to get to know them first before you know if they're good for you.
• You should wait 'till you've both finished school (college).
• You should be able to fully support a wife (for men). 

And here's what I've got to say:

• That's selfish. Basically you want to "test them out" before you "buy" them. Sometimes what's good for us isn't always what feels good. Yes, you should know them well enough to know they have a good character and are a Christian (for Christians), and yeah your relationship should be built on friendship. Also you want to be attracted to them, but dating them for years to see if they are good for you...that's selfish. 
• You should wait 'till you've finished school? Going to school is like having a job. You're not going to wait 'till retirement to get married, are you? I know many couples who were still going to school after they got married, and it's working fine for them! 
• You should be able to fully support a wife...I think that he should make enough to pay rent and pay for basic necessities, and the wife can work too. The thing is, if some couples waited 'till they could afford 2 cars, a house, and cable and the latest smart phone, etc. they'd never get married. 

From the Christian point of view, you have to trust God with all of these things. God designed marriage firstly, so that man had some one to help him (Genesis). Second, for the procreation of children. After the fall, marriage also kept men and woman from sinning. The commandments in Exodus forbid adultery (sex outside of the covenant of marriage, marriage being defined as a promise a man and a woman make to each other before God) so marriage is designed to keep men and women from sinning. (1 Cor. 7:2)

The longer you're dating some one you love romantically and are sexually attracted to, the greater temptation is to sin, so you should get married. Dating someone just so you have have those fuzzy feeling and can get your emotional needs met is complete selfishness! Marriage is suppposed to be the opposite of selfishness. Women are supposed to be a help to their husbands, and husbands are called to love their wives as Christ loved the church. Helping people and loving people requires self sacrifice.

So again, I ask the question, If you're dating someone you really love, then why aren't you getting married?