In The Beginning: THE FAMILY Genesis 1:26 – 2:25 part 1/2

Why Does Mankind Marry? Because Man Is CREATED in God’s Image Because Man Is NOT an ANIMAL

Genesis 1:26-28 26 Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."

3 Differences Between Man And Animals (Genesis 1:26-28) Man, as a kind, was created in the image and likeness of God

Makes him an intellectual, accountable, and moral agent! Man’s Composition A Three Part Masterpiece A body framed from the earth Genesis 2:7; Ps. 103:14; Ecclesiastes 3:20 A body that is living and mobile Genesis 2:7; Acts 17:25-28 A body that houses a spirit Hebrews 12:9; Zechariah 12:1; Ecclesiastes 12:7; James 2:26 Shared With Animals Gen. 7:15 Unique to Man Makes him an intellectual, accountable, and moral agent! Eccl. 12:13, 14; 2 Cor. 5:10

3 Differences Between Man And Animals (Genesis 1:26-28) Man, as a kind, was created in the image and likeness of God Man, as a kind, was made to rule over creation Psalm 8:4-9 Genesis 2:15 Man, as a kind, was created “male and female” for superior reasons—to grow a family Not merely to “keep the species alive,” but also to subdue the earth (Genesis 7:3) To produce emotional, physical, and spiritual development (Psalm 127:3-5; Malachi 2:15; Isaiah 38:19; Ephesians 6:4)

In The Beginning: THE FAMILY Genesis 1:26 – 2:25 part 2

Man Marries And Gives In Marriage The Consent of Jesus: 6 "But from the beginning of the creation, God ‘made them male and female.’ 7 ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, 8 ‘and the two shall become one flesh’; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9 "Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate." Mark 10:6-9

The Want of Woman Made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27) Only after the creation of woman was it “very good” (Genesis 1:31) Genesis 2:18, “And the LORD God said, ‘It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.’”

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THIS?

Man and woman are connected historically Woman needs man Genesis 2:21-24 Woman needs man Genesis 2:22; 1 Corinthians 11:8 Man needs woman Genesis 2:20; 1 Corinthians 11:9, 11, 12 Woman is the helper for man Genesis 2:18, 20 Marriage is between “one” man and “one” woman Mark 10:8; Matthew 19:5; Ephesians 5:23, 31

Marriage is the training ground for children Malachi 2:15 Marriage is the training ground for parents Ephesians 5:33; 1 Peter 3:1-7; 1 Timothy 3:4, 5; etc. God hates divorce (putting away) Malachi 2:16; Mark 10:9 Fornication is a violation of the marriage bond and the only permitted reason to divorce (put away) and remarry Matthew 5:32; 19:9

Not sinful to put away for the reason of fornication and remarry Matthew 19:9 “And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery” (Matt. 19:9, KJV) Not sinful to put away for the reason of fornication and remarry SIN

Summary Because we are made in the image of God, we are accountable moral agents Because we are not animals, we marry Marriage is an intellectual, emotional, moral, and honorable place that exists only for man to enter Subduing the earth was never independent from the act of marriage Marriage was the only authorized way for man to fill the earth Since God created marriage, man should enter it reverently