Riff's Christian Journal

Ah, February! The month of Valentines and the month of love. What better way of celebrating this wonderful emotion than by looking at the moment when God planted the seeds of love in mankind.

During creation, “God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. ²⁸ Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Genesis 1: 27, 28

In Genesis 1 God gives us an overview of His making of the male and female persons to populate the Earth and that they were to have dominion over it. Then in Genesis 2 we are told “how” God made them. 

Genesis 2: 7, 18, 21

⁷ And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

¹⁸ And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.”

²¹ And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. ²² Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.

When God created man he was not meant to be alone. He needed more. He needed someone to stand by his side to share life and to enjoy each other in ways that were only meant for a man and a woman. Their differences were such that coming together was natural and pleasurable both physically and emotionally. Knowing that a relationship of this nature could only be truly realized as a lifelong union, God created and ordained a covenant for them so that only through this ceremony could the two of them find true happiness and love.

In doing so God created marriage and we read what God’s purpose was for this union in Genesis 2: 24, 25:,

²⁴ Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

²⁵ And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

The nature and makeup of a man and a woman is such that they can come together in a natural union, not only for procreation, but for the pleasure and enjoyment, both physically and emotionally, that only these two can experience. A man and a woman’s body were designed for this coming together in a natural and normal way.

Even Jesus knew this – as he is God in the flesh – and in Matthew 19: 4 we read where He says this:

⁴ And He answered and said to them, “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ ⁵ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? ⁶ So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”

Even in Mark 10:6-8 Jesus tells us this:

⁶ But from the beginning of the creation, God ‘made them male and female.’ ⁷ ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, ⁸ and the two shall become one flesh’; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh.

Jesus knew that the true physical and emotional well-being of a man and a women could only be found in each other. Jesus not only affirmed this, but He also confirmed that God created a man and a woman to come together in one flesh, to bring life into the world and to enjoy each other in the confines of a marriage agreement between the two of them.

By God’s standards, a marriage is to be between a man and a woman. No matter what man says or does it can never rise to the level of being accepted by God, nor can God bless what He has not ordained should be. To do otherwise is just to make a mock-marriage and indulge in mock-sexuality.

I understand that you may say that God never meant for marriage to be this way. You may even say that you do not believe in God and will only do what “you” will.

You may even believe that God will bless some other union as long as “love” is involved.

If “love” is your answer, if “love” is the action upon which you make your decision, remember these sayings of Jesus. From John 14: 15, 21, 23. 24

¹⁵ “If you love Me, keep My commandments.”

²¹ He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”

²³ Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. ²⁴ He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.

You want to make “love” your guiding means of obedience? Jesus said:

“Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ ⁵ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? ⁶ So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”

Who’s “love” will guide you, man’s or God’s (Jesus)? God knows what is best for us, and it is His will and command for marriage to be between a man and a woman. Anything else will never receive the blessing, understanding or love of God. The question you should answer is – who do you love more?

Yes, marriage is a gift from God, and God created the ones who will benefit from it. He created them male and female and blessed their union.