The second part of this sermon series - really the first part of the core sermon - started with a closer look at the creation story. I'll preface this by saying that what I'm sharing is not the "traditional" interpretation of the creation story and there are many pastors out there who would disagree with this interpretation. However, Pastor Garlow as well as the author of this blog believe the evidence presented in the Bible would point more toward the interpretation I'm about to share.
If you remember from last post, we looked at Genesis 1:26 very briefly, which says:
Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”(NIV)The Hebrew word used for "mankind" in this passage is the word "adam" (pronounced ah-dom), which in the Hebrew language would be translated to mean humankind in general. By using the word "adam" this passage is saying, "Then God said, Let us make humans (or a human) in our image...."
Genesis 2:7 states:
Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. (NIV)Here, the word used for "man" is also "adam." Literally, this would translate as "Then the LORD God formed a human..." It does not designate that this "human" is male or female. In fact, in a moment I will explain why it's most likely this human is neither male nor female. As stated in Genesis 1:26, God created "adam" in His own image. What is the "image of God"? Is God male or female? Well, He's neither male nor female. The full spectrum of God includes strength - usually associated with the male gender - and tenderness - usually associated with the female gender. (Note: While it is understood that men can be "tender" and women can be "strong," historically and stereotypically speaking these terms are associated with their respective gender)
Further showing this is the name "El Shaddai." El Shaddai is one of the names for God. "El" means "mighty one" (the strength associated with the male gender). "Shaddai" means "the one who sustains me" (the tenderness associated with the female gender). This name, El Shaddai, encompasses the full spectrum of who God is. Therefore, a human created in His image would be neither male nor female. This human would represent the full spectrum of God - both the strength and the tenderness.
However, then we get to Genesis 2:18, which says:
The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”(NIV)Again, the word "adam" is used here. God decides that humankind is not meant to exist alone (this says a lot about the image of God as well), so he takes out a portion of this human and creates a woman. What is left is a man.
Now, the traditional interpretation of the creation story says that God created Adam and then from Adam he created Eve. However, Pastor Garlow asserts that God created adam (a human that was neither male nor female) and from adam took out the female side of the spectrum, leaving the male side (thus, creating Eve and Adam).
This would explain the attraction felt between a man and a woman. As a single person, you are not the full spectrum of God, so there is a hunger stamped your heart to become so.
Changing topics slightly, let's look at marriage. Marriage is meant to be a covenant between a man and a woman. It is a commitment for eternity. In coming together as one flesh, the man and woman now operate as one - as the full spectrum of God. In the book of Revelation, a metaphor is established. It sets up an image of Jesus and the church coming together in a Marriage (note the capital M). Let's pause for a moment. What does that mean? Jesus and the church coming together in a Marriage? How does that even work? I for one can't really picture it. God knew we wouldn't be able to wrap our minds around this concept. This is why He set up marriage (with a lowercase m) between a man and a woman. Now, we, as humans, can better understand the Marriage between Jesus and the church to come. While it's impossible to wrap our mind around exact what this Marriage entails, if we look at what God intended marriage to be, it's easier to understand.
On that note, let's look at the importance of marriage. Marriage is a sacred covenant, and, through this marriage, humans are able to emulate the full spectrum of God. It is also the metaphor God uses to represent the Marriage between Jesus and the church. What better for Satan to destroy than this? Cut off humans from being complete - the full expression of the image of God - and, as a result, cut them off from God. If what comes to mind when people think of a marriage is the 50% divorce rate, their own broken family, their own broken marriage, the affair they're having, or the unfaithfulness that the media seems to so wistfully encourage, how can they even begin to understand Marriage? There's some food for thought, I guess.
The final topic of this sermon is the twelve steps of bonding. This is an idea originally proposed by Desmond Morris and it goes through the steps taken in a relationship. If the steps are taken in the intended order, it leads to a fulfilling relationship and this "maximum sexual fulfillment" that is the overarching theme of this sermon series.
Stage One of this process is called "Leaving." Basically, this is when individuals are no longer content with clinging to their parents and begin to pursue a member of the opposite sex.
Step 1: Eye to Body (When two individuals see each other's bodies)
Step 2: Eye to Eye (When two individuals notice each other)
Step 3: Voice to Voice (Now communication begins)
The next steps fall into Stage Two, which is called "Cleaving." This is when an individual begins to cling to the member of the opposite sex.
Step 4: Hand to Hand (aka holding hands)
Step 5: Arm to Shoulder (Putting your arm around the other person's shoulder)
Step 6: Arm to Waist (While Step 5 is a very openly used method of physical contact, putting your arm around someone else's waist has deep connotations toward a relationship and would not be used with someone you knew only causally)
Now we move on to Stage Three, which is "Advanced Cleaving."
Step 7: Face to Face (This is commonly referred to as kissing)
Step 8: Hand to Head (Touching someone else's face is generally reserved for a relationship setting or special occasions such as in a doctor-patient relationship or even for someone like a hairdresser)
Step 9: Hand to Body (We'll look at this more closely in the next sermon)
This is where the marriage line is drawn. Any relationship outside marriage is not to pass Step 9. However, in the context of covenantal marriage, we move onto Stage Four, which is "Naked."
Step 10: Breasts (This is where the male fascination with a woman's breast comes in)
Step 11: Hand to Privates
The last stage (Stage Five) is called "One Flesh."
Step 12: Intercourse
With that, I'll finish up this post. The next sermon will be a look into Song of Solomon.
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