Class Lesson February 10, 2019

THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE

Most of us have attended or participated in at least one especially memorable wedding. Some weddings are “over the top” in cost and extravagance. Others are “bare bones” with just an officiant and a couple of witnesses. And a few weddings have those unexpected, yet unforgettable moments.

I know of one young boy who was recruited to be the ring bearer, but as he walked alongside the flower girl, he started to cry. Asked what was wrong, he said, “I don’t want to get married. I want to keep living with mom and dad!” He questioned marriage! But he grew up to change his mind and I was blessed to officiate his wedding years later.

A lot of people these days question the whole nature of marriage: who can marry whom, what makes a marriage a marriage, or even if marriage is needed at all. But marriage is still a good idea, and it’s a good idea because it originated with God! You likely know couples who are a great “advertisement” for what God intended when He brought the first woman to man. For those who question marriage, God has given us the answer.

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Genesis 2:18-20

18 The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” 19 Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. 20 So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals. But for Adam no suitable helper was found.

Throughout God’s work of creation, He declared it was good. At the conclusion of all He had spoken into existence, “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good” (Gen. 1:31). But in Genesis 2:18, we see the first time God declared something was not good. “It is not good for the man to be alone.”

God created us to live with others. Being created in the image of God means that, first and foremost, we are to live in relationship to Him. But He also made us for a relationship with others. A sense of community is part of God’s design for us.

Deeper still, God’s design for Adam was to live in a special relationship with one person. “I will make a helper suitable for him.” We can rightly conclude God already knew what He was going to do—He was going to create woman—but first, He paraded the animals past Adam. God allowed Adam to identify and name all the animals, and in the process the man discovered what God already knew. “For Adam no suitable helper was found.” A dog or a cat can make a wonderful companion, but no animal can replace or match what God had in mind!

Let’s be clear about the meaning of helper. The helper Adam needed was not someone less than or subservient to him. Biblical writers used the same Hebrew word to describe God helping His people!

THE POINT: Marriage is between one man and one woman for life.

God created Eve to aid and support Adam. What he lacked, she would accomplish. Both male and female are created in the image of God (see Gen. 1:27), and both genders are equally important. We are equal in our essential nature.

At the same time, we don’t ignore that men and women are different. Just as we appreciate the uniqueness of each gender, we recognize that the relationship between a husband and a wife is one where they help and support each other. A husband needs his wife, and a wife needs her husband.

What does this say about being single? Over forty-five percent of American adults are not married. That includes those who were widowed and divorced, but nearly two-thirds of that number has never married.1

If a person only read Genesis 2:18, he might conclude that, if we’re not married, we’re living in a state that is “not good.” But being single—unmarried—is neither a curse nor some form of second class citizenship. Paul made much of the high calling of those who are single. He was single, and he considered it a gift.

We are to embrace whatever state we find ourselves, whether single or married, as a gift from God.

Everything God brings into our lives is with design and purpose. His design for marriage is for a man and woman to live in a close relationship with Him and with each other.

Genesis 2:21-22

21 So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.

THE POINT: Marriage is between one man and one woman for life.

God had the ideal solution for Adam. Adam was created from the dust of the earth, but to create the woman, God performed the first surgery. He put Adam to sleep and took a rib. Eve also was a special creation from God: He took some of the same stuff He had used to create Adam and created her. Being made of the same substance surely underscored and reinforced the unity between them.

Instead of making too much of the significance of the rib, or reading a meaning into the rib that may not be there, let’s focus on what the rib does tell us. Man and woman are made of the same “substance.” Adam made this clear later when he called Eve “bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh” (v. 23).

Any discussion of our “sameness”—those qualities both males and females share—does not dismiss the uniqueness of the genders. Any biblical understanding of gender starts with Genesis 1:27: “male and female he created them.” Our gender is not what we want it to be. We don’t define gender; God did—and it hasn’t changed.

Our differences do not make one gender stronger or superior to another. Unfortunately, the world often has seen it differently. In some cultures, for example, women are treated likes slaves or property. From the beginning, God created the genders unique but always has considered them equal. Jesus elevated women to the status God originally intended. Christianity brought a love and respect for women unheard of in the Roman world. Husbands are to love their wives even as Christ loves us, sacrificing all for them as He gave Himself for us. (See Eph. 5:25.)

Genesis 2:23-25

23 The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” 24 That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. 25 Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.

Adam may not have known he needed “a helper suitable for him” (v. 18), but he recognized it as soon as he saw the woman. Adam’s opening statement, “This is now,” captures that idea. Now Adam had someone like him, someone to whom he could relate and who completed what was lacking in him.

Culture wants to muddy the waters concerning who completes whom. The world wants us to endorse the false idea that it doesn’t matter who “completes” you. Men can marry men; women can marry women. The Bible doesn’t show marriage as anything but a relationship between a man and a woman—and it is a covenant relationship. Covenant is a powerful theme throughout the Bible; it is most strongly seen in the various covenants God established with His people. Of course, the ultimate covenant is the eternal covenant through Christ.

Marriage is the first covenant seen in the Bible. Adam expressed the oneness that was in his relationship with Eve: “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” This oneness is reflected in the actions of the couple: “A man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.” 

Marriage involves two people united in commitment. They leave their parents’ homes to form a new home together. They may be away from their parents, but they are not isolated from each other. In marriage, the man and woman are dependent on each other and responsible for each other. The man and woman also share a responsibility in spurring each other toward Christ.

THE POINT: Marriage is between one man and one woman for life.

LIVE IT OUT

How will you embrace and live out the truths in this passage? Choose one of the following applications:

• Pray. If you are married, pray for your spouse daily. If you’re not married, pray for those who are. Pray marriages would be lived in ways that honor Christ.

• List. Make a list of the strengths and qualities your spouse brings to your marriage—those traits that make for a strong marriage. If you’re not married, list the qualities you would look for in a mate or those you appreciate seeing in a marriage you admire.

• Respect. Respect all individuals as created in the image of God, and show grace and compassion to those who disagree with the biblical definition of marriage or who are confused about gender issues.

We often laugh at things we’ve seen in weddings or the funny dynamics in some marriages—including our own. But we should make sure whatever we do, we honor this blessed “first institution.”

Hope to see you on Sunday!

In His Love,

David & Susan


Teacher Notes:

Culture Changes: What does today's culture say about how we define marriage?

Link: Goldie Hawn on Marriage

Goldie Hawn on Marriage

The Point: Marriage is between one man and one woman for life.

The Passage: Genesis 2:18-25

The Bible Meets Life

A lot of confusion exists in today’s culture about gender and marriage. “For the first time in its history, Western civilization is confronted with the need to define the meaning of the term ‘marriage’ and ‘family.’ What until now has been considered a ‘normal’ family, made up of a father, mother, and a number of children, has in recent years begun to be viewed as one among several options.” Thankfully, the Bible presents a clear picture of what defines marriage.

The Setting: God formed and fashioned everything that exists according to His plan and purpose. In each element of creation, God proclaimed it was good … with one exception. God declared it was not good for the man He had created to be alone. Thus, the Lord created a suitable mate for the man, fashioned from the man’s own body; the man’s mate would be called woman. In this action God initiated the marriage relationship, the union of one man and one woman for life.

Genesis 2:18-25

18 The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” 19 Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. 20 So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals. But for Adam no suitable helper was found. 21 So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. 23 The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” 24 That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. 25 Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame. 

Helper (v. 18)—The Hebrew word refers to one who aids, assists, or supports. In the Old Testament, it is often used to refer to God assisting His chosen people.

One flesh (v. 24)—Referencing the sexual union between husband and wife, the term symbolizes the multi-faceted relationship between the two (for example: monogamy, community, interdependence, accountability to each other). 

So how do we deal with today’s attack on biblical marriage? 

• By understanding the foundational nature of the fight and following the example of Jesus. When the dominant thinkers in the culture of his day questioned Him about marriage, He did something radical. He quoted the Bible as the authority! He answered, “Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?” (Matthew 19:4–5).

• Marriage finds its genesis in Genesis. It is in the sacred text of that first biblical book that we discover marriage’s origin, definition, and purpose. Today’s clash over marriage is fundamentally a battle over authority. Either we acknowledge the Bible as God’s Word and our ultimate authority, or we arbitrarily follow man’s word.

In the opening pages of the Bible, in the Garden of Eden before the fall of man, existed a world none of us has ever experienced—a world without sin. It was a place of perfection. It was a paradise. But, in this bliss something was amiss. The man was alone. God sought to meet that need. In doing so, he created a woman and instituted marriage. God gave a woman to the man.

In this text, we learn much about marriage.

I. Marriage is finding completion in another. (vv. 18-20)

Genesis 2:18-20

18 The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” 19 Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. 20 So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals. But for Adam no suitable helper was found.

God sought to meet Adam’s loneliness through a woman. The answer to his isolation was not another man or a group of men. The answer is his loneliness was a woman given by God with whom they would spend their lives together. This woman that God would create was “a helper corresponding to him” (v. 18). The word helper is key. It’s not someone who merely aids like washing floors, preparing meals, or making beds. The word helper was often used of God himself. For example, the Psalmist wrote, “God is our refuge and strength, a helper who is always found in times of trouble” (Psalm 46:1). A helper is one who supplies what is lacking in another person. The word complement is a good synonym. Eve would do what Adam could not do by himself.

Marriage is the reaching out for the completion and fulfillment in another that no one can find in oneself. She would be a “good fit” for him. In hiring practices, employers are always looking for a “good fit” with the new hire. They look for someone who is compatible with the right chemistry and will mesh with the other employees. That’s what God did for Adam and Eve. They were a “good fit” for each other. Interestingly, God did not give Eve to Adam immediately. Adam would name the animals first. In doing so, he realized that out of those animals “no helper was found corresponding to him” (v. 20). Unless God intervened, Adam would live forever and stillbe lonely in paradise.

II. Marriage is partnering with another. (vv. 21-23)

Genesis 2:21-22

21 So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.

So, God caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep, and while he was sleeping, he took one of his ribs and made woman from Adam's rib and brought her to him. God's answer to Adam's loneliness was a partner—like him, from him, but different. Adam’s loneliness was met by a woman created by God. She was God’s gift to him. Created by God without man’s help. She became his partner for life. Matthew Henry commentary on this text is: “The woman was not made out of his head to rule over him, not out of his feet to be trampled upon by him, but out of his side to be his equal with him, under his arm to be protected, and near his heart to be beloved.” Husbands and wives come together jointly, mutually, and equally to fulfill each other and to rear a family. The word partnership describes the relationship well. In the business world, there are all kinds of partnerships: silent partners, financial partners, equal partners, controlling partners, minority partners, and more. The boxing world provides another type of partnership that unfortunately describes many marriages, sparring partners. But that was not what God intended either. In marriage, God intended for us to have only one kind: a fully participating partnership. Although the functions, roles, and responsibilities differ husband and wife have an equal share in the relationship. Husband and wife are full partners in life and in marriage.

III. Marriage is committing to another (vv. 24-25)

23 The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” 24 That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. 25 Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.

The closing two verses teach us that marriage is not a man-made institution but a God ordained covenant. Marriage is not meant to be discarded on a whim, but a commitment for life. Verse 24 is repeated four times in the Bible, two times by Jesus in Matthew 19:5 and Mark 10:7, once by Paul in Ephesians 5:31.

This verse reminds us of the necessary ingredients of Christian marriage: Leaving, cleaving, intimacy, and transparency.

• Leaving means leaving your parents to become married. There can be no marriage without leaving. Leaving means, you are establishing a new relationship, a new life together, and a new home.

• Cleaving describes two pieces of paper being glued together that it becomes impossible to separate cleanly.

• Intimacy is becoming one flesh, meaning sharing everything, not only bodies and material possessions, but also thinking, feelings, joy, sufferings, hopes, fears, successes, and failures. Out of the physical union comes a profound fusion of two hearts, two minds, two bodies, and two personalities until they are so intertwined that is hard to know where one ends and the other begins.

• Transparency (nakedness) means having a relationship built on such trust that you can let down the barriers and allow another person to know you genuinely—body, soul, and spirit.

This kind of marriage is possible only when there is an exclusive commitment to another person. Marriage is the total commitment of the complete person for the entire life. Anything less is not Christian marriage. Anything less can quickly fail. But when man and wife come together, committed to God and committed to communicating the full meaning of their lives to each other, they cannot help but succeed. The word commitment describes the relationship well. Commitment is what God had in mind when he instituted marriage. Our society has perverted this distinct standard. In our society commitment seems to be a dirty word. Commitment for the Christian is different. They have decided to stay together even when life around them is falling apart. Remember, love is a ten-letter word. That word is commitment.

Conclusion: God established marriage as a physical union between one man and one woman. God instituted marriage, and therefore only God can control its character and laws. No court of law can change what God has established. Marriage from God's point of view is always one man with one woman joined in a spiritual and legal union for life.

Genesis 2:18-20

18 The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” 19 Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. 20 So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals. But for Adam no suitable helper was found.

Who designed the marriage relationship?

• God designed the marriage relationship
• The Lord is ever aware of our needs and ready to meet them.
• Humankind is the unique creation of God designed for fellowship with God as well as with other human beings.
• A person’s highest relationship – outside of his or her relationship with God, of course – would be with another human being whom God created to complement that person.
• God created us to live with others. Being created in the image of God means that, first and foremost, we are to live in relationship to Him. But He also made us for a relationship with others. A sense of community is part of God’s design for us.

Understand how the creation of human beings and the institution of marriage fit into the context of God’s creation.

Genesis 2:18-20 Commentary

[Verse 18] When someone mentions the word marriage today, people’s thoughts could go in many directions. Despite the push by some to radically change the nature and definition of this union, we must remember God uniquely designed the marriage relationship according to His plan and purpose. The opening chapter of Genesis highlights God’s overall activity on each of the six days of creation. It describes God’s purposeful action in the creation of the first man and woman, made in the image of God, and how they were given responsibilities from the outset. (See Gen. 1:26‑30.) Chapter two provides a more in-depth view into the forming of the crown of God’s creation: humanity. The Lord God created the first man out of the dust of the ground and breathed into him the breath of life, so that the man became a living being. (See 2:7.) God also created a perfect habitat for the man, the garden of Eden. He placed the man in the garden to work and care for it. (See vv. 8‑15.) The first indication of God’s concern about the man’s solitude occurs with His words, “It is not good for the man to be alone.” Despite the perfection that was evident throughout creation, in which God repeatedly proclaimed everything “good” (see 1:4,10,12,18,21,25) and “very good” (see v. 31), one thing was missing. Despite having a perfect living environment and enjoying perfect fellowship with his Creator, in a very real sense the man was alone. This indicates God did not intend for the man to live in isolation. Human beings were created to live in community, in relationships with other people. However, what God had in mind for the man was much more than just interaction with someone else who was similar to him. God announced His intentions to make for the man a helper. This word can mean someone who aids, assists, or supports. It pictures one who assists or supports in a significant way. Never in Scripture does it suggest a diminished status or role of the one providing the help. While God was superior to the man, and the animals were inferior to the man, the man needed another being who complemented him—a counterpart who was like him. This would be one who was equal in makeup—another human being made in the image of God. [Verses 19-20] The focus moves from God’s recognition of the man’s alone status to God’s creation of the wildlife. The Lord God created all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. God brought the animals to the man to see what he would call them. The man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals. In this action of naming each living creature, the man was exercising his dominion over that animal. As he carried out the activity of naming the animals, the man had to consider each animal’s nature and distinctiveness. In so doing, he would certainly have recognized the contrast between them and himself. Soon enough he would have realized he had no partner who was similar in nature to him. As he studied the other earthly life forms God had created, the man found there was no helper for him. He was one of a kind, which was not good. 

Genesis 2:21-22

21 So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.

Why did God create man and woman as unique genders?

• To complement one another when they join together as one.
• To help one another and enjoy one another in their God-given differences.
• Our differences do not make one gender stronger or superior to another. Unfortunately, the world often has seen it differently. In some cultures, for example, women are treated likes slaves or property. From the beginning, God created the genders unique but always has considered them equal. Jesus elevated women to the status God originally intended. Christianity brought a love and respect for women unheard of in the Roman world. Husbands are to love their wives even as Christ loves us, sacrificing all for them as He gave Himself for us. (See Eph. 5:25.)

Understand the significance of God building the woman from the side of the man.

Genesis 2:21-22 Commentary

[Verse 21] The Bible declares that God intentionally created man and woman as unique genders. After the man named all the animals yet failed to find a suitable companion, the Lord God acted with the next step in His plan for creation. First, God put the man into a deep sleep. While the Hebrew term translated deep sleep can refer to a normal night’s rest, it is used elsewhere in Scripture to describe the sleep God brought upon Abraham (see Gen. 15:12), the sleep brought upon King Saul and his men when David took Saul’s spear and water jug (see 1 Sam. 26:12), and in the proverb that warns such a deep sleep is also brought on by laziness. (See Prov. 19:15.) As the man slept, God removed one of the man’s ribs and then closed the place of the incision. The description of God’s creation of the woman from the man is packed with symbolism. The Hebrew term for “rib” is typically translated as “side” in the Old Testament, often referring to the side of a building. It is frequently used in reference to the construction of the tabernacle. (See Ex. 25:12,14; 26:20,26,35.) That God took a rib from the man may suggest the marriage relationship as God’s intention for the creation of woman, since the same word is used elsewhere in Genesis in reference to marriage (Gen. 4:19, “married”; 6:2, “married”; 12:19, “took,” “take”; 19:14, “pledged to marry”). The woman being taken from the man emphasized the special nature of her creation and the fact that she was clearly part of the man. While the man and all the animals were formed from the ground (see 2:7,19), only the woman was formed from the man, emphasizing the uniqueness of her creation. God intended her to be the man’s special partner, similar to the man but at the same time different from him as well. [Verse 22] God made the woman out of the man’s rib. The Hebrew word for made is another term related to construction. It is used frequently to describe the construction of a building. The term is used to describe Cain as the builder of a city (see 4:17) and of Noah’s building of an altar to the Lord. (See 8:20.) It is also used of God constructing His sanctuary on Mount Zion. (See Ps. 78:69.) The woman was carefully created by God, the master builder, and uniquely crafted by Him to be the perfect helper for the man. She was similar to him (of the same type—a human being) and yet distinct from him (a different gender—female). After He fashioned the woman, God brought her to the man, presenting her as a special gift to him. It was, in effect, the first marriage ceremony, officiated by God Himself. God’s presentation of the woman to the man calls to mind the long standing practice that continues in many marriage ceremonies today, where a pastor asks, “Who presents (or gives) this woman to be married to this man?”

Genesis 2:23-25

23 The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” 24 That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. 25 Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.

How long is the marriage relationship supposed to last?

• Marriage is a life-long relationship between a man and a woman.
• When joined in marriage a man and a woman complement one another.
• The divine intention for marriage is heterosexual monogamy.
• Marriage creates the closest of all relationships, even stronger than that between parents and child.
• Pure and innocent intimacy is something that all couples should strive for and guard carefully. 

What principles can we learn from this passage about God’s design for marriage?

• Culture wants to muddy the waters concerning who completes whom. The world wants us to endorse the false idea that it doesn’t matter who “completes” you. Men can marry men; women can marry women. The Bible doesn’t show marriage as anything but a relationship between a man and a woman—and it is a covenant relationship. Covenant is a powerful theme throughout the Bible; it is most strongly seen in the various covenants God established with His people. Of course, the ultimate covenant is the eternal covenant through Christ.

Understand the biblical principle of “one flesh.”

Genesis 2:23-25 Commentary

[Verse 23] From the beginning God designed marriage to be a permanent, lifelong relationship between one man and one woman. As the man witnessed the special gift God had created for him and given to him, he exclaimed, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.” The words of the man indicate the unique nature of the relationship between the man and woman. The man exclaimed she would be called “woman” because “she was taken out of man.” In Hebrew there is a play on words between the word for “woman” (ishshah) and the word for “man” (ish). The man explained the play on words when he stated, “she was taken out of man.” Yet while this new person was like him in one respect, she was a human of a different gender from him—the perfect mate and helper he needed. Though the man had been given the privilege of naming the animals because of his dominion over them (see Gen. 2:19), this act of naming the woman was not a show of power or domination. Even so, the man’s action, coupled with his status as the original human of creation, gives a picture of God’s design for the marriage relationship. The biblical standard is that of male headship in the home, in which the man has responsibility to lead and the woman has responsibility to submit to his leadership. (See 1 Cor. 11:7‑9; Eph. 5:22‑33; 1 Tim. 2:11‑14.) These responsibilities are not to be abused or rejected, but are to be exercised from a perspective of love and respect. (See Eph. 5:33.) [Verse 24] The marriage relationship involves both disconnecting and connecting. Marriage requires a break with the initial dependence and primacy of relationships that first existed between a man and his parents. (The first man obviously did not have parents to leave.) In its place would come a new priority in which the man bonds with his wife. Today, it is best to view this leaving in a symbolic way—representative of the emotional separation from parents that must happen in order for a marriage to thrive. While the language in this verse speaks of the man leaving his family, it certainly relates to the woman as well. This new covenant relationship is portrayed as the couple becomes one flesh. The most obvious reference is to the sexual union of a man and woman in marriage, which for the first couple would have been essential for them to be fruitful and multiply. (See Gen. 1:28.) However, a true “one flesh” mindset means more than just sexual fulfillment or procreation. It develops from genuine love that brings about an emotional union and a commitment to each other. (See Eph. 5:25,28-29.) Marriage is not a requirement or even an expectation for everyone. (See Matt. 19:10‑12.) God has gifted certain people to remain single. (See 1 Cor. 7:7‑9,32‑35.) However, the general traits of masculinity and femininity apply to all men and women respectively, whether married, unmarried, divorced, or widowed. [Verse 25] The purity of the first couple’s relationship was expressed in the statement that both the man and the women were naked, yet they were not ashamed. They had nothing to hide from each other, which is the essence of intimacy that is the ideal for every marriage.

Conclusion: Marriage and the family are under critical attack. For many, marriage is considered old-fashioned and unnecessary. Some who do marry approach it as a temporary arrangement that can be dissolved easily if it doesn’t work or if they simply grow tired of their marriage partner. Single parent families are on the increase, some because of divorce, but many because children are born outside a marriage relationship. Sexual morality has virtually disappeared in favor of personal license. Homosexuality is flaunted and transgenderism celebrated. Homosexuality is a major social and political issue. Some proponents of homosexuality have attempted to give social and medical explanations to justify the practice. In addition, legislative acts and judicial decisions have been secured that in effect legalize homosexual cohabitation as an alternative lifestyle, making it subject to the same benefits of any married couple and declaring such to be a civil right. Even believers have gotten caught up in the arguments. Church bodies have modified their positions on these issues to be perceived as “open” and “tolerant.” Scripture has been reinterpreted or even ignored in order to support and legitimize these behaviors as “alternative” lifestyles. No matter, the Bible is clear in declaring homosexuality and transgenderism as aberrant and abhorrent behavior before the Lord. Culture never determines godly morality and practice. Neither are we to condone sinful behaviors and lifestyles under the guise of being sensitive and compassionate. 

The challenge for believers is to hold fast to God’s standard for marriage and still encourage sexual purity. We do not want to support efforts to alter one’s bodily identity to refashion it to conform to one’s perceived gender identity. We do not want to advocate any ideology of gender that denies the difference in the nature of a man and woman or establishes an understanding of sexuality and personhood that undermines the biblical view of personhood, marriage, and family. 

So, how are believers to respond? 

• Certainly, vitriolic comments, hate-filled diatribes, and physical violence are not appropriate. Neither is isolationism the answer. Unmarried people who are living immorally, people living a homosexual lifestyle, and people struggling with gender identity are all human beings created in the image of God. They are in need of our love and compassion. They also need to know God loves them. They need to hear the life-changing message of the gospel of Jesus Christ and experience the cleansing of His atoning death and the hope of His glorious resurrection. Furthermore, those without Christ need to see in believers what godly marriages are like. They need to see believers who are living out the joy and fulfilment that comes with being in right relationship with God. 

LIVE IT OUT

• Respect. Respect all individuals as created in the image of God, and show grace and compassion to those who disagree with the biblical definition of marriage or who are confused about gender issues.
• Love and Grace should be our response to all.