RESOURCES — SHORT ARTICLES

 

SHORT ARTICLES BY TOM ELSEROAD
	2021-01-20	They Shall Become One Flesh (Ge.2:24)
		Gen 2:23  And Adam said: "This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man." Gen 2:24  Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. Genesis chapter 2 gives us a picture of marriage before the Fall of man. This is where God instituted marriage as ordained from Him. The “one flesh” echoes the language of verse 23, “flesh of my flesh”. Two becoming one in marriage involves uniting two whole and separate people into a new, God-designed life. The phrase, “they shall become one flesh” expresses God's original purpose of marriage. It is to seal a permanent relationship between a husband and wife. When talking to the Pharisees about divorce Jesus quoted this passage while adding further detail (Mk.10:6-9). Mar 10:6  But from the beginning of the creation, God 'MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE.' Mar 10:7  'FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, Mar 10:8  AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH'; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh. Mar 10:9  Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate." Marriage was intended to be an unbreakable, lifelong union. Termination of marriage in divorce was not pictured before sin came into the world (Ge.3). The Bible teaches that divorce is because of sin (Du.24:1-4; Ml.2:14; Mt.5:31-32; Lk.16:18). God's objective in picture form, as “one flesh” and His intention for the one man and woman is to be inseparable. The “one flesh” reflects in sexual intimacy when a child is born as a whole and separate life comes from the union. It is God's design that sexual union be exclusive between one man and one woman (He.13:4) Heb 13:4  Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge. Becoming “one” in marriage involves caring for the physical needs and mutual respect (1Co.7:1-5). Oneness in marriage reaches far beyond the physical level. The biblical view of “one flesh” communicates a unity that covers every facet of a couple’s joint lives. In marriage, two whole lives unite together as one emotionally, intellectually, financially, spiritually, and in every other way. The two “shall become one” in purpose. They are so close that they function like one person, balancing each other’s strengths and weaknesses so that together they can fulfill their God-given calling. In Scripture, marriage is viewed as a covenant relationship between a man and a woman (Ml.2:14-16; Pr.2:16-17). The two “shall become one flesh” expresses the heart of the Bible’s conception of marriage. By entering into marriage, a husband and wife take solemn vows to become permanently one flesh—to love, honor, and cherish one another until they are parted by death. Pastor Tom Elseroad

 

An Evangelical Free Church of America

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