Summary: Did you know that a marriage is a picture of our union with God? Do you know what physical act consummates a marriage? Do you know what spiritual act consummates our union with God? Why is Jesus Christ, the Son of God, called the Bridegroom? Why are we called the Bride of Christ? Is our union with God a union of fear or a union of love? Our union with God is a spiritual union and not a physical union. This paper examines exactly how a spirit union is created and maintained.

One Spirit With God

In the beginning God purposed to bring forth children for himself; See Ephesians 1:4-6. Children created in his image and in his likeness--children of God. It was his intention to bring forth children who would become his children because they chose to do so, because they came to know and love him; See 2 Peter 1:3; 1 Corinthians 16:22; 1 Peter 1:8-9.

Nothing in all of creation is accidental--nothing at all; See Ephesians 1:11. Everything is exactly like God determined it would be. The creation is designed to teach us about God. I can understand what it means to be a father, because I am a father. I can understand what it is to be a mother because I had one, and shared the thrills and chills of the one who bore my children. I can understand how God, who is perfect in every way, can love children who sometimes disobey.

The Apostle Paul, in the fifth chapter of the book of Ephesians, describes the proper relationship between a husband and wife. He shows us that the relationship of the wife to her husband is the same as her husband's is to God. And Paul tells us that the husband is to care for his wife in the same way that God cares for him. The husband is like Christ and the wife is like the Church; See Ephesians 5:22-33. This does not mean that the husband is viewed by God as being more important than the wife, only that while we remain in these bodies we are to act out these roles, so that we may understand the things of God. Everything of this creation is temporary; See 2 Corinthians 4:18. When it has served God's purpose it will be discarded, See Hebrews 1:10-12, but we, who have believed the message, will live forever.

Let us look carefully at verses Ephesians 5:31-32. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." This is a profound mystery--but I am talking about Christ and the church. (NIV) Our relationship to God, if we are a new covenant partner, is exactly the same as a wife's relationship to her husband. I am speaking of a godly marriage here surely. Remember, God made men and women to his exact specification.

Let us examine the union of a man and woman called marriage. First a man and a woman meet and come to know each other. Through the knowledge of each other comes a relationship of love and trust. They develop faith in each other and decide to become a husband and wife unit. As the scripture above says, the two will become one flesh, but this isn't complete until the marriage is consummated through the man entering the woman through sexual intercourse. Now this point is very significant. The two are not married until the fleshly union. Look at this next verse. Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, 'The two will become one flesh.' 1 Corinthians 6:15-16 (NIV) You see, the act that forms the union is the physical act of the man entering the woman; See Genesis 24:67. Now I am not saying that if a man and a woman entered into a marriage bond in good faith, but were unable to physically consummate the union, possibly because of a physical problem, that God would not honor the marriage. God is not a lawyer. The physical consummation is the norm, and it is this union that points to the spiritual union of a person to God in Christ.

Now how does the union of God and man come to be? As it turns out, the process is essentially the same. First God calls to the person, in their heart, and the person responds by seeking God. The person comes to know God through the testimony of believers and through the written word. Once a person has come to understand that the union is possible, and that God is reaching out to them in love, wooing them in Christ as it were, they then respond to God's call, and accept the 'proposal', the person then makes a public declaration of faith, (exactly like the human marriage), God's Spirit then enters into that person and 'consummates' the spiritual marriage. In this union the person takes the role of the bride and Jesus, the bridegroom. The Spirit of Jesus enters into that person and the two become one spirit. Jesus asked the Father : I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them. John 17:20-21 (NIV) And Paul describes the spiritual union this way: But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit. 1 Corinthians 6:17 (NIV)

What we see here is that the union that was brought forth, through the husband's uniting with his wife, is a copy of the spiritual union that births the new creature in Christ. In the third chapter of John, Jesus explained to Nicodemus that a person can't even see the kingdom of God unless this spiritual union takes place. Jesus called the union, being 'born again.'

After Nicodemus asked Jesus how a person could be born a second time, Jesus answered as follows.

John 3:5-6

I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. (NIV)

Notice in verse five that Jesus says that one must be born again of water and the Spirit. Water is man's participation in the marriage process. The waters of baptism symbolize our union with Christ in our deathly state. In baptism we are buried with Christ only to be reborn to spiritual life; See Romans 6:4-5. We are baptized to demonstrate our understanding and our willingness to be united to God in Christ. The Spirit portion of the rebirth is when God's Spirit actually enters into us and forms the union.

In verse six we see that the birth of the husband/wife being was brought about by the union of their flesh, and this makes them one body before the Lord, but the union of God's Spirit with our spirit gives birth to a new creature in Christ. This person is one spirit with God, and has figuratively entered into a marriage with God through Jesus Christ.

A little further on, in John, we see Jesus explaining more of the details of what must be understood. He shows that he must pay the price of man's rebellion, that is, make a union of God and man possible. Before the crucifixion and resurrection it would have been impossible for God and man to unite. Man was under the power of sin.

In a human marriage proposal a man might say: "Darling, I love you with the fullness of my soul. Will you come and be my wife? Will you come and share your life with me and my life with you? I love you, and I promise to always love you and be with you."

Now God has made his proposal:

John 3:16-18

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. (NIV)

At the fall of man, the spirit of man died; for it is written: And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, 'From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die.' Genesis 2:16-17 (NASB) But for the one who has accepted God's redemption: I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. John5:24 (NIV) Notice that the believer has already crossed over from death to life. The death that came with the first Adam was the death of the spirit, but the second Adam bore the penalty due us on his body, so that we, who have faith in God, can be reborn in our spirits and are alive toward God.

We become new creatures in Christ. Something that never was before--something completely new. Individually and collectively we become the 'Bride of Christ'; See John 3:29; Matthew 25:1-13.

Ephesians 1:4-6
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy
and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us to be adopted
as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and
will -- 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given
us in the One he loves. (NIV) 2 Peter 1:3
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and
godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own
glory and goodness. (NIV) 1 Corinthians 16:22
If anyone does not love the Lord --
a curse be on him. Come, O Lord! (NIV) 1 Peter 1:8-9
Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though
you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an
inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of
your faith, the salvation of your souls. (NIV) Ephesians 1:11
In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to
the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the
purpose of his will, (NIV) Ephesians 5:22-33
Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is
the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of
which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also
wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave
himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing
with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a
radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but
holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their
wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.
After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares
for it, just as Christ does the church -- for we are members of his
body. "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother
and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh."
This is a profound mystery -- but I am talking about Christ and
the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife
as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. (NIV) 2 Corinthians 4:18
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.
For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (NIV) Hebrews 1:10-12
He also says, "In the beginning, O Lord, you laid the foundations of
the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. 11 They will
perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. 12 You
will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed. But
you remain the same, and your years will never end." (NIV) Genesis 24:67
Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he married
Rebecca. So she became his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was
comforted after his mother's death. (NIV) Romans 6:4-5
We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order
that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the
Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him
like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his
resurrection. (NIV) John 3:29
The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the
bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears
the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. (NIV) Matthew 25:1-13
"At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took
their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were
foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did
not take any oil with them. The wise, however, took oil in jars along
with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they
all became drowsy and fell asleep.
"At midnight the cry rang out: "Here's the bridegroom! Come out to
meet him!'
"Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones
said to the wise, "Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.'
""No,' they replied, "there may not be enough for both us and you.
Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.'
"But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom
arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding
banquet. And the door was shut.
"Later the others also came. "Sir! Sir!' they said. "Open the door for us!'
"But he replied, "I tell you the truth, I don't know you.'
"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour. (NIV) The Afterlife Man is a spirit being first
and a physical being second. The spirit
exists forever; the flesh is only temporary.
Man was created to be united to
God in a bond of faith, and to live in
in heaven forever.
The Bride of Christ A look at exactly what the
Bride of Christ is. Who is the
Bride of Christ? The institution of
human marriage is a perfect picture of
man's union with God through our
'husband' Jesus Christ. Both are a
relationship (union) of faith.
The Christian Walk What is required of a Christian after
he or she enters into a relationship with God?
The Christian Walk II The is the second of my articles on the
Christian walk. I have learned more
over the years and I felt that it would
be a good idea if I wrote a bit more
on the subject. Do You Love God? A relationship with God is a relationship
of love. God desires a love relationship
with you. Are you willing? Love Eternal A look at the love that is God.
Love is forever. God's love sustains
reality. Evolution Vs. Creationism
and the Atomic Bomb Does the Bible really disagree with the
idea of an old earth? Does the Bible
really say that man's body was created
new six thousand years ago? This article
looks at what the Bible does say about this. Faith What is faith? Is it really the 'believing'
in something that is unbelievable? The Genealogy of Jesus Christ The genealogical record of Jesus Christ
found in the Gospels of Matthew and
Luke contains some very interesting,
but hidden information. Holiness Are we required to be holy? Is holiness
important? What does the Bible say?
This article talks about what the Bible
says about holiness. Biblical Hope There are three things that are eternal;
love, faith and hope. This paper takes
a look at what biblical hope is. Is Jesus The God? Who exactly is Jesus Christ? He is
God in human form. Jesus Christ
and Jehovah are one and the same.
God emptied himself of all of his
glory so that we could see, and
fall in love with, the real him. A Look at Job What really was going on with Job
in the Bible? Does God really cause
trouble to come our way just because
he can? This paper takes a look at
what was going on with Job and
why it happened to him. The Modern Church Is what calls itself the 'church'
really the church? One Spirit With God Did you know that a marriage is
a picture of our union with God?
Do you know what physical act
consummates a marriage? Do
you know what spiritual act
consummates our union with God?
Why is Jesus Christ, the Son of
God, called the Bridegroom?
Why are we called the Bride
of Christ? Is our union with God
a union of fear or a union of love?
Our union with God is a spiritual
union and not a physical union.
This paper examines exactly how
a spirit union is created and
maintained. Predestination Are we predestined to live the
life we live? What does the Bible
say about our predetermined
destiny? This paper looks at
what is and what is not predestined. The Reason Why Why are women treated differently
than men in the Bible? Why does
she take her new identity from him?
Is God really a male? The reason
why things are depicted the way
they are in the Bible is talked about
in this paper. Revelation Knowledge What is revealed knowledge? Does
God reveal knowledge to just anyone?
This paper takes a look at what
revelation knowledge is and how
one might gain it. Sin Safety Belt This paper looks at what the Bible
says about Once Saved Always Saved,
OSAS. Many people teach that
once a person comes to Jesus Christ
for salvation then they need never worry
of losing that salvation. Is this true?
This paper looks at this topic. The Son, Moon & Stars This paper looks at the symbolic meaning
of some of the Bible's images. The Sun,
Moon, and Stars are literal in the Bible,
but they are also frequently symbolic of
the size and relationship of spiritual being. The True Worshippers of God What does it mean to worship God? Who
are the true worshippers of God? What is
worship? This paper looks at worship
and how it relates to God and man. What is the Bible? The Bible is a physical manifestation of
God Almighty. To fellowship with the
Bible is to fellowship with God. The
Bible is mostly the same as Jesus
Christ in the flesh. What is Sin? This article examines exactly what sin is.
Sin is definitely our enemy and someone
once said that we should know our enemy. Why Has God Hidden Himself? God has hidden himself so that you will
see and come to love the person that he
is and not all of his power and wealth. The Words of Christ Jesus' words are not to be ignored or
taken lightly. Jesus came from heaven
to the earth to tell us the truth about life
and death. Our very existence depends
upon our hearing his words and our
obeying them.