Wow! How do I tackle this topic?

Please remember that I am not a Biblical Scholar and I have never been to seminary. I have some training in the Bible and have taken classes on Biblical Exegesis (That’s fancy for Bible Interpretation). However, I am definitely not the authority on the Bible. I will leave that task up to the Big Guy (God)!

Needless to say, I am not sure I am correct that marriage illustrates the completion of God’s image. However, I hope it is okay if I take a stab at clarifying my thoughts.

It has been a belief of mine that God created marriage for greater things than the human could fathom. Recall the verse I recited previously in another post? Even Solomon deemed the male and female relationship as something that he didn’t fully understand when he wrote the book of Proverbs. (Proverbs 30:18-19). It is also my belief that God would not have created marriage if it was not meaningful and a complete concept. He says in Genesis 2:1 that the “heavens and the earth were COMPLETED in all their vast array.” So, at least, creation was completed. That includes humans (male and female) and the concept of relationship. He then rested. I am sure he wasn’t done creating, because we see creation still continuing in many ways all around us.

So, did the creation of a relationship between a male and a female, a committed, loving, intimate relationship, complete an illustration of God’s image? I believe so.

Here is some of the evidence for that theory:

He walked with them in the garden. He was their guide, he gave them wisdom, he provided companionship, he nurtured them, he provided joy, peace and love. He also provided freedom (understood by Adam and Eve’s choice to defy God when they ate the fruit of the tree).

How does all of this illustrate God’s complete image?

God’s image is one that has the capacity to relate to himself by choice through commitment to himself. These facets allow for love, trust, encouragement, support and selflessness that opens the door to extreme creativity and the maximizing of potential.

I KNOW! That was a lot and sounds very complicated. I almost don’t know what I just said. To make it simpler, God the Trinity, holds all the amazing qualities that a perfect marital relationship would express.

How does a marriage represent God’s image?

When you include a relationship and a day to day walk with God in the lives of the individuals within the marriage, the fruit of the spirit abound. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control are all infused into the individuals by their relationship with God.

When you combine those qualities with the ability for a couple to make choices together, the door is once again open to the expression of creativity and the maximizing of potential due to the lack of judgement, criticism and fear. We as a couple become and extension of his handiwork, partners in his creation.

Without including that relationship with God, we do not represent his image and cannot resemble his maximum potential to create.

We need each other, but we also need God. Without God, we fall to our own sinful nature, which is to be prideful and selfish. This produces fear and criticism in relationships. We need God to be first in our relationships to complete the marital concept that he originally intended so that we could meet our full potential.

I hope that this has been helpful.  I hope I have given you information that you can go back to when you need it. If you have any further questions or need help, please call me and set up an appointment or check out some of my other BLOG POSTS.

Want to read the rest of the blog series? START HERE 

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 706-955-0230.

To schedule an appointment online, click the orange button at the top right part of this page.