Marriage Part 3: When Two Becomes One Series

Marriage Part 3: When Two Becomes One

Scripture: Genesis 2:24; First Corinthians 11:8-9, 11-12

Good morning Strangers Rest. This is part three of my marriage series and today’s title is “When Two Becomes One.” So far in this series I have shared with you what God’s word says about the roles of the spouses in a marriage. I told you that although their roles differ in the marriage, they are equal spiritually in the eyes of God. There was a reason that God made a woman as a help meet, suitable for Adam and we see that reason in Genesis 2:24, which tells us, “For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.” If you are wondering why I keep reminding you of the same Scriptures pertaining to marriage it’s because repetition builds memory. By the end of this series hopefully these Scriptures will be planted firmly in your hearts. This morning, I will be focusing on the two individuals becoming one. Martin Luther said, “Let the wife make the husband glad to come home and let him make her sorry to see him leave.” When this happens in a marriage, truly the two have become one.

Before I go further let me pause and repeat something I said in both previous messages. The two becoming one is not simply about sexual intimacy, although that is important, but it goes much deeper than that. Sexual intimacy is extremely important in a marriage, and this is why God says the man “shall be joined to his wife and they shall be one flesh.” Each couple must help their spouse understand and appreciate what fulfills them. This requires open and honest conversations which will come when you begin to do the other things I will talk about in this message.

One last point for clarification, two becoming one flesh does not mean that you become the “same” person. You are still two separate individuals, and you do not lose your individuality and become one identity. Tim Keller wrote in his book “The Meaning of Marriage” that “Friendship is a deep oneness that develops when two people, speaking the truth in love to one another, journey together to the same horizon.” Keep this in mind as we go through this message together. Now, let’s get into the meat of this morning’s message.

We are going to begin with what Paul wrote to the Church in Corinth. In the eleventh chapter of First Corinthians, I will be reading verses eight, nine, eleven, and twelve from the Amplified Bible. One thing to remember, when the text says “woman” and “man,” it is talking about a “wife” and a “husband.” I want to make sure we are clear on this. This passage is not talking about a single woman or a single man. It reads, “(8) For man does not originate from woman, but woman from man; (9) for indeed man was not created for the sake of woman, but woman for the sake of man…. (11) Nevertheless, woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. (12) For as the woman originates from the man, so also man is born through the woman; and all things [whether male or female] originate from God [as their Creator].” (First Corinthians 11:8-9, 11-12 Amp) In verse nine we are given the reason again for the creation of woman – for the sake of man. When someone uses the term, for his/her “sake” it means for his or her behalf or good. In other words, Eve was made for the benefit or good of Adam. Adam became better because of Eve, and he could do more because he had someone who was like him walking beside him.

As I have said in parts one and two, God did not make a slave or servant for Adam. A slave or servant does not have the rights of the master, only the rights given to him by the master. But a spouse, a helpmeet, has the same rights of the other – they fulfill one another. A helpmeet can meet the needs of her spouse like no one else can – because she knows him in ways that no one else does. I want to make sure you understand that although society has distinct roles for men and women, God sees us as one when we come together in marriage. That is what Paul was referencing in verse eleven about neither being independent of the other. When a man and a woman come together as one, they must learn how to be one in God’s eyes and it’s more than the physical union. The two must be committed to merging two lifestyles into one. Let me demonstrate.