No Longer Two But One (Part 4) By Pastor Faith Oyedepo
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Topic: No Longer Two But One (Part 4)
Dear Reader,
It is wonderful to be able to share God’s Word with you once more in this column. So far, I have taught you the mystery of two becoming one, the mystery of ‘two people one life’, the concept of oneness, and today, I shall be sharing with you on the subject which I titled: Not good to be alone. Marriage is not a necessary evil; your perspectives of it make it what it is to you. God designed and programmed your marriage to work, but how you see it will determine whether it works for you or not. You must agree with God that when you enter into holy matrimony, you are stepping into a better way of life. Most couples lack this understanding; so, they groan about marriage, instead of enjoying its covenant benefits. You shall not fail, in Jesus’ name!
Also Read: God’s Promise of Fruitfulness by Pastor Faith Oyedepo
At the time of creation, the Lord God emphasized the need that mankind has for companionship. Man and woman are not created to live in isolation, but to live in relationship with each other. The Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.’ …Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man (Genesis 2:18/22).
To provide a suitable partner for the man, God created a woman from his rib, thereby highlighting the closeness of the relationship between the sexes, and providing a symbol of the one-flesh union that is created at marriage. Notice that it is God Himself who gave the woman Eve to Adam as if He is the father of the bride. The man was overjoyed with the woman, his God-given marriage partner. Adam recognized the closeness of the relationship to his new wife, and described her as …bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman, for she was taken out of man (Genesis 2:23). By referring to bone and flesh, Adam was showing that he understood that his wife was a part of him, that she was his flesh and blood, for she was taken out of him. Indeed, the true definition of a woman is one who is taken out of man. Adam then named her woman, signifying the role of the man as the head of the family. Later, after the fall, Adam named his wife Eve (Genesis 3:20), because she would become the mother of all the living.
Following the introduction of Eve to Adam, God laid down the principles that are to govern all future marriages. ‘For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh’ (Genesis 2:24). The Scripture explains the reason for marriage: it is because of the fundamental unity between man and woman. God has created male and female to complement each other.
See this testimony:
“I had believed God for a wife because I was tired of loneliness. I was present at one of the Hosanna Nights, where Bishop David Oyedepo said we should write whatever represented a problem in our lives on a piece of paper and dance over it. I wrote that God should make me a husband before the end of that year. That night, I danced my way out of loneliness, and now I am married!” – Adeniyi, D.
The woman is created to be a suitable partner for the man; she is created from the body of the man and is of the same flesh and bone as the man. The joining together of male and female in marriage creates the fundamental unity of humanity. By joining together in sexual intercourse, the husband and wife create a new life which is the natural fruit of their marriage union. It is God’s will that children are born into the family created by the one-flesh marriage union. Husband and wife, through the fruitfulness of their marriage union, become father and mother to the children born as a result of their one flesh union. Both Jesus, in the gospels of Matthew and Mark, and the Apostle Paul, in Ephesians 5:25–33, referred to Genesis 2:24 to explain the mystery of the one flesh union created by marriage.
At the heart of marriage is the idea that a man leaves the family into which he was born and forms a new family with his wife. This point is of fundamental importance and needs to be clearly understood. Marriage creates a new family as husband and wife leave the family of their parents and start a family home together. A man must let go of his parents, with the view to establishing his own home and family.
In order to cement this unity, the man leaves his father and mother so that he can give his full devotion to his wife. The husband and wife take their marriage vows in front of witnesses and make clear their intention to live together as a family for life. It is public knowledge that the man and woman are committed for life and are not available to others.
The word cleave is used in the older translations of the Bible and means to cling to or keep close to, implying loyalty and affection. Cleave suggests that marriage involves a partnership commitment to which the husband and wife must be loyal; the biblical concept suggests the idea of being super-glued together – bound inseparably by a commitment to a lifelong relationship.
The power to fulfill your marital responsibility only comes from God. If you desire this power, you need to surrender your life to Christ if you are not born again. This means accepting Jesus as the Lord and personal Saviour of your life. If you desire to surrender and be born again, say this simple prayer in faith: Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. I accept You as my Lord and personal Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for delivering me from sin and satan to serve the living God and thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.
Congratulations! If you prayed this simple prayer of faith with me, you are born again and now a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily; obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21). With this, you are guaranteed all-round rest and peace in Jesus’ name! Call or write to share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org, 07026385437 or 08141320204.
For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building a Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored).
Pastor Faith Oyedepo is the wife of Bishop David Oyedepo, the founder of the Living Faith Church Worldwide a.k.a. Winners’ Chapel, and Senior Pastor of Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota, Nigeria.