The FIrst Marriage (MP 8)

God saw that Adam needed a helpmate;
He caused the man to fall deeply asleep;
From Adam one of his ribs God did take,
Made a partner for his company keep!
Adam said, “We shall be husband and wife;
She’s bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh.”
Man shall leave his parents for a new life;
The two shall be one, sharing all afresh!
Man and woman only shall for life mate;
Adam and Eve were the first ones so to do;
What God joins, man’s law cannot separate;
God said, “Be fruitful,” and increase from two!
They were naked, yet did not feel ashamed;
Innocent and pure—would they had remained!

Scripture Quoted: Genesis 2:21-25 (NIV)
“So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep, and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, ‘This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman, for she was taken out of man.’ For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.”

Commentary
This passage from Genesis 2 describes the first marriage, which is an ordinance instituted by God. All nations’ civil law includes definitions of marriage and how they are to be recorded. In America each state regulates marriage. Until recently all used the Bible’s definition of marriage as between one man and one woman. Priests and ministers are authorized to conduct Christian marriage; justices of the peace, ship captains, and certain others are also licensed to do it and sign a wedding certificate.
Recently a few states have authorized same-sex marriages. God does not approve of homosexuality; the Bible clearly calls it sin in both the Old and New Testaments. God loves the homosexual man or woman as much as He loves any man or woman, and he or she receives the gift of salvation exactly as does any person, but God hates sin in everyone. “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). A homosexual believer is commanded to admit his or her sin, confess it to God, and ask forgiveness. Also, like all sins, he or she is expected by God to work to eliminate his sexual sin; despite what modern psychology holds, a person can rid himself or herself of it. Even if the effort is not made, though, a sincere believer in Jesus Christ, homosexual or not, will be admitted to heaven by receiving the righteousness of Christ imputed to him or her. No person will ever earn the right to enter heaven by his own effort.

Divorce can be sinful for both partners, or by either, or by neither. Every married person should vividly realize that his and her wedding vow was made to God; breaking your vow to Him is a sin, one that He especially hates. God makes to the divorcee the same promise of salvation made to all—it is given to any who sincerely believe in Jesus Christ. Remarriage may also be sinful, but doing so will not take away a person’s salvation who believes in Jesus.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him will not die, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)