Friday 18 November 2011

Being Men in Christ - Part 2 - Men in Christ and Family

In the New Testament when it explores what it means to be family in Christ the focus returns to Genesis 1-3.  Adam is placed in the garden to work and to guard it but there is something that is not good (18)"It is not good for the man to be alone."  I think we naturally assume that means his problem is loneliness - we project the problem of our age back onto Adam.  But Genesis 2 shows that the issue is to do, not with loneliness, but with the task God has given Adam; working and protecting the garden, mediating God's rule of his creation and when (18)God sees Adam is the only one, he is alone, and the task is vast, he needs help.  Creation needs lots of worshippers working, guarding and mediating God's rule.

God's answer to the problem also reveals that the problem isn't loneliness, God helps Adam to see his need that's why the animals come to him and Adam realises his need after he has named them and realises there is no helper suitable for him.  It is in that context God creates Eve as Adam's helper.  God does not make a companion - which would be the answer to loneliness, but God creates a helper - someone who will enable him to worship God by fulfilling their God given task together.  God creates Eve so together they can worship God as he intended and produce little worshippers to work, labour, guard and mediate God's rule as they worship him.

And Adam delights in Eve as God's answer.  Gen 2:23-24 is the first love song, as Adams sees God's answer he acknowledges she is perfect, together they will be able to worship God as they should.  We need this biblical view of marriage because marriage is about worshipping God, about serving God together.  It helps us value what God has made our partners to be, they are for our good.

In Ephesians 5:21-33 Paul picks up this picture and shows the believers how it is fleshed out for those who are in Christ, it doesn't overturn the created order rather it is redeemed.  Husband and wife now partner together to joyfully enable one another live life worshipping God.  The model for marriage is gracious, loving servant leadership.

This is so necessary when marriage sees the clash of two kingdoms, his and hers, with each others competing expectations and goals and norms.  In a marriage of two sinners in a sinful world grace and cross centred living is a must, in fact it is the only hope for marriage.

1 comment:

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