Genesis 2:24 – “This is why a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife; and they become one flesh.”

Ephesians 5:31 – “For this reason, a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”

In today’s modern society there are a host of so-called authorities on every subject that is discussed.  The tragedy is that too many times these authorities do not consider the greatest source of information there has ever been or will ever be – God’s Word, the Bible.

There are authorities on things they have first-hand knowledge of and those who have only theoretical knowledge.  If one is an authority with first-hand knowledge, then their resource materials must be of the highest possible quality and flawless if possible.

The subject of Marriage, it seems, is one of those topics that there are as many authorities as there are people.  Some of them have experienced failed marriages. Some have never experienced marriage and write about it out of their opinion rather than experience.  Some are wonderfully married and write according to their experience and preferences.  Those all may have some value, but they are not the Ultimate Authority on the subject.

The Bible, God’s Words speaks about marriage from the viewpoint of the one who instituted the institution.  That would be God Himself.  The Bible’s instructions are completely accurate, totally fair, impeccably honest, and above reproach.  The Bible informs us that “God is Love!”  So, who would be in a better position to give guidelines for a union of love that is to be for Life than the one who is Love?

If we view marriage based on the Word of God and conduct ourselves according to His pattern, we will enjoy the most wonderful union known to man outside our union with Him.

In Genesis 2:21-24 we discover some unique things worthy of consideration:

God made Eve from Adam’s Rib.  She was not taken from man’s head to be lorded over by him.  She was not taken from his feet, to be trampled on by him.  She was taken from his side, to be equal with him, from under his arm to be protected by him, and from near his heart to be loved by him.

God prepared the woman to be a helper to complete the man and that the marriage of one man and one woman would result in the two becoming one flesh, one unit, one in the union.  Both maintain their distinct personalities and abilities but now function as one family unit.

Adam referred to Eve as ‘bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh.’  They had become One!

In the writings of the apostle Paul in his discourse in Ephesians 5:28-31, he gave these instructions:  Men were to love their wives as their own bodies.  He taught that if a man genuinely loves his wife, he loves himself also.  Because the two have become one, then a man is to leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife.  He concluded with the great insight that husbands are to love their wives as Christ loves the Church and gave Himself for her.

In Genesis 2 the language is stronger than that of Ephesians.  The man is to leave and cleave.  He is to step out from under the tutelage and governance of his parents and assume the responsibilities of adulthood.  He is to cleave to his wife indicating that the marriage vows are sacred and that this union unites a man and a woman into one single unit.  They become one working together in their pursuit of life.

We have allowed a dilution of this God-given directive and that has opened the door for man marital problems and divorce.  We have forgotten that the two are to be One.  We have lost sight of that oneness and allowed the condition where the two pull against each other in selfishness and misguided application of some biblical principles, to be the accepted norm.

If a man and a woman who love each other understand their new relationship in marriage, their responsibilities, their privileges, and their priorities, the marriage will have heaven’s blessings.  Their union establishes a new family unit.

When difficulties arise and they will, because we are all human and flawed vessels, those difficulties must be addressed with Love, Prayer, and a willingness to listen and surrender to God.  The Bible in 1 Corinthians 7, Proverbs 30, and Titus give powerful information about how marriage should be.

I know what becoming one is because my late wife, Bonnie, and I had become one in Christ and joined each other inseparably.  We each sought the highest good of the other.  We would each, at times, set our preferences aside to bring to the other their greatest joy.  We choose to agree with God not with the flesh and from a foundation of Love we had a wonderful marriage based on biblical principles and enjoyed God’s blessings upon that union.

God bless you as you enjoy this day in Him!