Blueprint for Marriage - Four
God's blueprint includes leaving father and mother and
cleaving unto your wife. It also includes the idea of becoming one flesh. What.
does it mean to be one flesh?
1. The most elementary concept is that of sexual relationship or physical union.
(1 Corinthians 6:16; Hebrews 13:4)
2. The marriage act is the symbol or culmination of a more complete oneness, of
a total giving of oneself to another person. God's intention is that within the
bonds of marriage there is to be a total sharing of everything - bodies, possessions, insights, ideas,
abilities, problems, successes, suffering, and failures. This concept of total giving means being
concerned about the other person's needs as much as you are concerned about your own. (Ephesians 5:8;
Proverbs 31:12,22)
3. We need to realize that total intimacy and unity do not mean total
uniformity or sameness. Marriage partners will be very different in some respects, but
those differences must not be allowed to hinder their unity. God's purpose for marriage is total unity.
Oneness is not easily achieved, and we need to understand
what hinders the achievement of this oneness in marriage. Sinfulness is a
problem each partner must deal with if marital unity is to be achieved. One
usually deals with sin by trying to cover it up as did Adam and Eve in the
garden. They first tried to hide their sin from God, and then they tried to hide
from each other. Their openness and oneness with each other were gone. We need
to be aware of some particular sins that work to destroy the marriage
relationship. They are the sins of pride, selfishness, bitterness, ingratitude,
stubbornness, unwholesome speech, neglect, impatience, cruelty, and harshness,
to name a few.
God's answer is found in a right relationship with Jesus Christ
that beings us peace with God and also helps us rightly relate to each other. It
is Jesus Christ who breaks down barriers, destroys walls, cleanses sin, breaks
the power of reigning sin, sets prisoners free, and enables men and women to
leave their father and mother to cleave to each other and become one flesh.
