Monday, January 09, 2006

Bone of my Bone and Flesh of my Flesh

Observations from Adam about Eve
A long time ago before sin entered into the world, a perfect man was created and placed in the Garden of Eden. His name was Adam. He was a perfect man, without sin. He was alive spiritually and enjoyed the freedom to commune directly with God, which included walking in the garden and the very presence of God.

This perfect man was not designed to be alone, he needed a helper, someone to complete him. Therefore, God completed His creation of mankind by creating a perfect woman. God then brought this perfect woman before Adam, and here is what Adam said (Genesis 2:23):
This is now bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh.

A physical and fleshly relationship
I find it interesting that the first recorded comments about Adam's response to Eve focused on her physical and fleshly attributes. Adam did not say, wow what a spiritual woman. Nor did he say, finally a creation with a good personality and emotions that I can connect with. Instead, Adam said, wow she has flesh and bones like me. Or perhaps it was, wow she looks good.

Adam's words describes what he saw, and what he observed about her. Just two verses later, we are told they were naked and not ashamed. In the perfect world that God created, before sin was present, we find a marriage relationship that appears to be based on physical and fleshly characteristics.

They shall become One Flesh
In Gen. 2:24, we are told that the reason a man leaves his parents and cleaves to his wife is to become One Flesh. Once again, the emphasis is on the fleshly union of the man and the woman. There is no promise or mention of the two becoming one soul or one spirit. The union between a man and a woman is a fleshly union.

At this point in the Bible, sin has not entered the world. Therefore, we find that God's perfect will for marriage is a fleshly union between a man and a woman. If there was ever a perfect marriage between a man and a woman, it was between Adam and Eve, before sin entered the world. We know that perfect marriage relationship was based on the flesh and bones of two people becoming one flesh.

So, why do most churchs emphasize the spiritual side of a marriage relationship? Why do they ignore the physical and fleshly side of the relationship?

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