Dwelling in Marital Oneness

The Oneness in Trinity dwells together without rivalry since the divine persons (Father, Son, and Spirit) exist in perfect loving mutuality. Therefore, oneness always intends a dwelling together. Interestingly, when God created Adam and then formed Eve from Adam’s side, this event promoted oneness in creation and marriage.

Genesis 2 says ²² And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. ²³ Then the man said,

“This at last is bone of my bones
    and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called Woman,
    because she was taken out of Man.“

²⁴ Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. ²⁵ And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed. (Gen. 2:22-24, ESV)

Adam and Eve were sourced from one substance to join together to become a martial oneness. The Creation account formulates a connection between their former unity sourced in Adam’s flesh to a continued oneness in marriage. Even in a few words, the covenant marriage of Adam and Eve echoes a potential unity of persons. For this reason, Adam verbalizes the divine transaction of their former oneness, and then the inspired scriptures give the marriage essence in verses 24 and 25.

Socially, the beginning of marriage establishes the husband and wife’s joining together. In a sense, they leave but formulate a new relationship, forsake their former attachment to their father and mother. They do not cleave to the former because this would hinder their marital oneness. For Adam and Eve, a former oneness existed as Eve came from Adam. Now, they dwell together in personal and intimate oneness.

The above text is profound yet straightforward when they join in a marital oneness seeking further unity by becoming one flesh. The key in this statement states, “become one flesh” to promote a continuing form of oneness. They transform by moving toward one another, resulting in unashamed awareness. Nakedness alludes to transparency and vulnerability in which, without trust and personal care, becomes manipulative creating shame. With unashamedness and naked vulnerability, further unity in dwelling together develops.

Oneness is a unity of persons, not just a unity of purpose. Their togetherness attempts to reflect a dwelling in which both desire to pursue diligently in a sacrificial way, further promoting relatability and unity. Covenant marriage reflects the Oneness in Trinity’s relationship. The marriage relationship is not based on rivalry or maintaining certain positions or rights but pursues a mutuality based on dwelling together in love and honor.