I woke up at about 430am this morning thinking about how the mystery of marriage, the two becoming one flesh (Gen 2:24) is very similar to us becoming hidden in Christ through our salvation, and Christ's taking our form as a human. This certainly isn't a normal topic of thought, in fact I can safely say, that particular thought had never crossed my mind before. I can only assume this is an invitation from the Lord to dive deeper into His mind and heart concerning these mysteries.
First, I guess I should lay out some assumptions that I have concerning these:
1) These are God's perspectives, opened to us through scripture.
2) No matter how much thinking I do on them, I can't possibly capture the fullness of truth that exists in Him.
3) God is constantly at work drawing us deeper in relationship with Him, and this includes how we are thinking about Him.
4) Deeper revelation is meant to draw us deeper in faith and open up new areas of thought and action (basically opportunities for repentance).
Starting at the beginning in Genesis, two things are clear. God created everything. He made man and woman in His image and created them for relationship with Him. Since we are created in God's image, we have in us some of God's nature. We often find that when God is bringing revelation, that He sets out the foundational truths the first time something is mentioned in scripture. He then builds on those foundational truths over time, and through following revelations. This is called progressive revelation, and it is important to note that is in play here.
In the creation story where God takes a rib from man and builds a woman out of that, we see some foundational truths, namely that every person since that point of creation, is made up of parts of others. We didn't know until much later that we are made up of two sets of chromosomes, and the DNA from both of our parents. We could see this truth reflected in the faces and characteristics of children who looked like one or both of their parents, sharing similar body characteristics. It was only much later that we could tell exactly what parts we received from our parents. So, in a very real sense, every child born is one "flesh" made out of two. While that is an understandable reality, we still have the mystery of the the two becoming one in God's eyes. I don't really know how to dive deeper into that but maybe some day I will understand more.
Back to the idea I woke up to, the thing that grabbed my attention was the idea that in some way I am now part of Jesus, and it is related to two becoming one. Paul writes that we are hidden in Him. He expresses this a few times but most clearly states it in Colossians 3:1-3 NIV:
[1] "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. [2] Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. [3] For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God."
Paul is writing about what happens to use when we experience salvation - Colossians 2:6-7 NIV:
[6] "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, [7] rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness."
When we receive Him as our Lord, (Salvation) we enter into Christ's life in some manner, and now from the Father's perspective we are hidden in Christ Jesus. Our lives are joined to His, a sort of two becoming one. Wow! I hadn't really ever thought of it that way before. In the same way that physically we are creations, the result of joining parts of two humans, we now experience something like that spiritually, and become "new creations".
Paul writes about this new creation twice, first in 2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" Secondly, in Galatians 6:15 NIV: "Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation." Paul's point in both of these is that we need to recognize that we are new creations, and act as if we are new creations!
In the same way that two become one in marriage, living their lives differently, uniting their lives to a common purpose, a combining of hopefully the best in both, we are called to become a new creation in Christ. Our lives are hidden in Him, we are seen as part of the literal Body of Christ. We have a deeper Spiritual reality to embrace which is meant to change us. We should have in us, and it should be visible outwardly, some of the characteristics of Christ.
Jesus spoke multiple times of God living in us, making His home in us, joining His life to ours (John 14: 17; 14:20; 17:23). He left so that the Holy Spirit could come and indwell us (John 16:7). We are meant to recognize this spiritual reality, and it is meant to bear fruit in our outward lives. I guess we could think of our actions (which are visible to others) as being part of the two becoming one of this new creation! (Wow - had to stop and think about that for a while).
This spiritual reality (new creation) is not meant to be some forced or coerced following of rules, obeying the commands against our will, but rather the result of loving embrace and relationship, on behalf of both parties! The Father created us for relationship with Him! He has made a way in Christ Jesus, and now we can combine our lives to Him, and live in the fullness of the purpose we were created to experience and fulfill. It is our choice and it God's desire!
Finally, if we are a new creation, then we have in us parts of each! We have birthed into us from God, abilities, gifts, characteristics, and inheritance. We are actually His sons and daughters! Our spiritual DNA has changed! When the Father looks at us, He can see the DNA of Jesus running through us, changing us, and developing in us some of His character!
Amen Lord! Help me to embrace this new creation, this spiritual reality!
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