Genesis - 6
The Beginning of Marriage and the Family (Part 1)
In this series of “Discovery” programmes we have been looking at the beginning of things as described for us in the first book of the Bible - Genesis. This time we are going to discover “The beginning of marriage and the family.”
In every part of the world the custom of marriage is observed and ceremonies are held when vows are made and commitments entered into. Often vast sums of money are spent, with many guests treated to lavish hospitality. In some places only a very simple ceremony takes place with the exchange of a few gifts and perhaps some money. In each case the day is important, the promises made are significant, and the couple are the centre of attention. Sadly, it is also true that in many parts of the world marriage and its accompanying vows of fidelity and commitment are no longer seen as necessary. Couples live together without formal marriage and so often separate when things don’t work out.
However, in many places weddings are still taking place and reckoned to be important. But how did it all begin? What is the basis for this ceremony that Christians and many others believe is so central to family life and to society as a whole? Once again, Genesis is of immense help to us. It tells us of God’s purpose and how He wishes only the best for us if we will only keep to his divine plan. Do you wish for happiness in your marriage? Do you look for a healthy, supportive relationship? We will discover that Genesis will guide us in these important areas. In this and the next programme we will be looking at three things that are all vital to this subject of marriage and the family. They are: gender, sexuality and marriage itself.
The first issue is “gender”. By this I mean the separate sexes, male and female, into which the human race is divided. That is how God has made us. That is how He has constituted the human race and in fact all living things.
In Genesis chapter 1 verse 27 we read: “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female, He created them.” Later on, in verse 31, we read: “God saw all that He had made, and it was very good.”
In the perfection of His creating work God made man and woman to live in harmony for what He did was very good. I emphasise this because in the matter of gender, or the division of the sexes, we often find hostility, jealousy, competitiveness, resentment, arrogance and even cruelty and misuse. God was pleased with the male and female structure of the human race that He had made, but many people today resent it and abuse or exploit others because of it.
Across the world we have situations where women are exploited and treated almost as slaves for the convenience and comfort of men. At the other extreme we have women who despise men, who decry marriage, and yet demand the right to have a child without a loving father and husband being involved, or to help in the rearing of the child. In some places baby girls are treated with unspeakable cruelty because boys are considered to be more valuable.
In God’s eyes both male and female are precious and of equal value. Until mankind disobeyed his Creator and sin spoiled the human heart, there was a harmony, a balance, a perfection in the gender difference that God Himself had created. Sin not only broke the relationship between mankind and his Maker, it also spoiled the relationship between the sexes.
One of the wonderful things about the Christian good news is that through our Lord Jesus Christ true believers are re-made as brothers and sisters in Him. A new and loving relationship is created. In Paul’s Letter to the Galatians chapter 3 and verse 28 we read that differences of race or social standing or gender do not matter when it comes to being a Christian. In our spiritual lives we are all one in Christ Jesus our Lord. Paul was not saying that these differences do not exist for obviously a Jew is still a Jew and a Gentile a Gentile. In his day a slave remained a slave, not possessing the freedom enjoyed by others. There was still the difference between the sexes - male and female. Paul was reminding his readers that as children of God these differences did not in any way affect their relationship with the Lord.
In the First Letter of Peter chapter 3 and verse 7, each husband is reminded that honour is to be given to his wife because she is a joint-heir with him of the gracious gift of life. In other words she shares equally with him in the grace or mercy of God and all the blessings of spiritual life. So often it is the case that a husband would be very much weaker spiritually without the strong, godly influence of his wife. So men, in no sense think of yourselves as spiritually superior just because you are a man!
When we look into the four Gospels we find that the Lord Jesus Himself showed nothing but kindness, support, sympathy and respect for women. The apostle Paul often expressed his gratitude for the hardwork and loyalty of the women with whom he came into contact.
This whole question of gender needs to be related to what we discover in the Bible concerning God’s creation of woman. You will find this set out in a simple way in Genesis chapter 2 verses 18 to 23.
The first principle to establish is that woman was created because man was incomplete without her. It was not God’s purpose for man to exist without companionship. This is why we read in verse 18 that God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”
The second principle we discover is that woman was made from man. We see this in verses 21 to 23. This means that the woman shares Adam’s human nature completely. She is of a different gender for this is necessary for the continuation of the human race. She may not usually have the physical strength of man, yet in powers of mind, will and spiritual awareness she may equal or excel him. In emotions she may be different, having a greater degree of sensitivity and often feelings are important in her life and the decisions she makes.
We read in Genesis chapter 2 verse 23 that Adam recognised in the woman his own nature. He said of her, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman’ for she was taken out of man.” Adam did not see in the woman anything that was alien or inferior to himself. She was a part of him, taken from his side. The gender differences should not make for alienation between the sexes as we so often see in our modern world. It should not lead to the attitudes of superiority or inferiority that have characterised many societies down the ages.
It is the sin of disregarding the God-given order of things that has driven this wedge between man and woman and has also led to unnatural sexual relationships, men with men and women with women. Such relationships are condemned by God.
In the beginning the Great Creator made mankind male and female so that together in families they might live for his glory in purity, love and joy. It is only as we obey that principle that we find true fulfilment and avoid all the social evils that follow on from disregarding God’s perfect will.