God's Design for the Family - Genesis 2:1-25

After we took a very slow walk through Genesis chapter 1 we are going to do a "flyover" in chapter 2 today. Last week we looked at what it means to be created "In the Image" of God and the implications of that truth. Today we will continue looking at the creation of mankind and look at God's design for the family.

Genesis chapter 2 is a closer look at the sixth day of creation. We saw the big picture in chapter one. In chapter 2 our focus is drawn to the object of God's love and redemption - the creation of mankind.

So the creation of the heavens and the earth and everything in them was completed. 2On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work. 3And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from all his work of creation. (Genesis 2:1-3)

Let's state this clearly: God was not tired. He did not need to rest or catch His breath. This "resting" is instructional. God is setting an example for us. The seventh day is holy and became what later was known as the Sabbath. We won't delve deeply into this but do note the principle: we are made to rest every seventh day. We need a day off, we need to recharge, we need to reconnect with the Lord.

This principle is being lost today by a seven-day-a-week madness. We are scheduled to the point where we are quite literally killing ourselves. God has warned us.

The chapter goes on to tell us about life in the world as it was originally created. We are told it had not rained and God watered the plants by making water come up from the ground. It is possible (but we don't know) that it never actually rained until the Flood. Rain is not mentioned until God tells Noah He is going to make it rain.

We are told about the Garden of Eden and its location is described but . . . in the flood, the Garden of Eden was washed away. Looking for it or trying to locate it on the map is really pretty much of a waste of time.

15The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it. 16But the Lord God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden—17except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.”

Man was placed in the Garden for the purpose of caring for God's creation. We see two things in these words:

Work is not a curse, it was part of the plan of God to give us a way to serve in a meaningful way. We honor God when we work faithfully and productively. Perhaps you remember the movie, "Chariots of Fire." It is the story of Eric Liddell was a Christian and an Olympic runner. When asked, "Why do you run?" Eric responded, "I run because I feel the pleasure of God when I run." He felt he was doing what God equipped him to do. This is the way we should view our work. We work well because when we do, we feel the pleasure of God.

God provided abundantly everything man needed. Adam (and then also Eve)was given all the trees in the Garden that were ripe for food. Don't let the prohibition (do not eat from the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil) distract you from the fact that all the other trees in the Garden were available for food.

This raises a question we will address more next week: "Why even place the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil in the Garden?" One commentator suggests,

The prohibition against eating the fruit of the “tree of knowledge” gave Adam opportunity to worship God through loyal devotion. Luther likened the tree to “Adam’s church, altar, and pulpit. Here he was to yield to God the obedience he owed, give recognition to the Word and will of God, give thanks to God, and call upon God for aid against temptation.”

The Bible’s design is for one man and one woman to have a committed relationship that honors the Lord, with that one person, for life. Such commitment helps us learn the depth of what it means to love. There is something extraordinary about traveling through the seasons of life with the same person.

What should we do with those who have failed in these areas and who are engaged in behaviors that are contrary to God’s design? Should we cast them all out of the church? Should we hurl invectives toward them? Do we change the definition of "family?" Do we nod and simply say, "to each their own?" No, we should treat people with love and compassion even when what they are doing is contrary to God’s design. We have no right to ever say, "wrong is right." However, we should adopt the attitude of Jesus in dealing with those who are lost and broken. Our goal is to remain in a position of influence so we continue to have the opportunity to reach these people with the gospel.

Naked and Not Ashamed

There is one more verse,

25Now the man and his wife were both naked, but they felt no shame.

This is a verse that is awkward for us because we cannot imagine such a state. There are all kinds of clothes that are designed to hide what is truly under our clothes. In 2016 over 16 BILLION dollars was spent on plastic surgery. The goal was to fix those parts of our nakedness about which we are ashamed. And mostly those are things others see. There is nothing quite as humiliating as standing before someone naked and have that person point out all the flaws and imperfections they see.

The Bible’s design is for one man and one woman to have a committed relationship that honors the Lord, with that one person, for life. Such commitment helps us learn the depth of what it means to love. There is something extraordinary about traveling through the seasons of life with the same person.

What should we do with those who have failed in these areas and who are engaged in behaviors that are contrary to God’s design? Should we cast them all out of the church? Should we hurl invectives toward them? Do we change the definition of "family?" Do we nod and simply say, "to each their own?" No, we should treat people with love and compassion even when what they are doing is contrary to God’s design. We have no right to ever say, "wrong is right." However, we should adopt the attitude of Jesus in dealing with those who are lost and broken. Our goal is to remain in a position of influence so we continue to have the opportunity to reach these people with the gospel.

And what if you ARE one of these people? I have some suggestions:

Confess your failure. We cannot be made well until we admit we are sick.

Seek God's Mercy and Grace. Accept that Jesus died for all your sin.

Do your best to make things right. Get out of situations that are leading you away from God's design.

We are caught in a society that embraces what God hates. We live in a time when it is easier to end a marriage than it is to work hard at it. Our society largely celebrates alternative lifestyles. Rejections of God's creative perfection are on seemingly every television show. It is easy to surrender. It is tempting to cast our lot with the rest of the world, but to do so is to step away from the beautiful world that God meant for us to enjoy.

It is not an easy path to navigate this minefield, but we must try to do so keeping our eyes resolutely upon the Lord. He will help us move toward His perfection and He will pick us up when we fall. He will also patiently wait as we decide which path we want to follow.

Naked and Not Ashamed

There is one more verse,

25Now the man and his wife were both naked, but they felt no shame.

This is a verse that is awkward for us because we cannot imagine such a state. There are all kinds of clothes that are designed to hide what is truly under our clothes. In 2016 over 16 BILLION dollars was spent on plastic surgery. The goal was to fix those parts of our nakedness about which we are ashamed. And mostly those are things others see. There is nothing quite as humiliating as standing before someone naked and have that person point out all the flaws and imperfections they see.

There is also another kind of nakedness: when we stand before the Lord without excuse, spin, or diversion. It is to be exposed not only physically but also to the very core of who we are, what we think, and what truly motivates us. I think the latter nakedness would be more intimidating.

Adam and Eve were naked in both senses of the word. They were still unashamed.

How do we get back to that freedom from shame in our nakedness? It starts by running to the cross of Christ. It is believing that the death of Christ cleanses us from ALL our sin. It is understanding that God does not see our flaws, he sees us as those who are clean and perfect because of Jesus. We can stand before Him know the sacrifice of Jesus has covered our scars and deformity.

But that is not all. When we approach life the way God designed it, there is nothing to be ashamed of. When we view marriage the way God meant it to be, we find that we can be naked in the presence of the one we love, not because we are perfect, but because our spouse loves us as we are. They do not see imperfections, they see "Whoa Baby!" They take the time to understand, to cherish and to embrace. This relationship is not built on whether or not you perform the way you are expected or look the way you should. It is anchored in commitment and a love that sees beyond the superficial and commits to the PERSON not the frame the person inhabits. When we feel truly seen and loved, shame is banished from the relationship.

There are many who are trying to redefine the idea of family. They are having great success in doing so. However, no matter what the law or public opinion may say, only through the Lord can we can experience the richness of what God designed the family to be.

There is also another kind of nakedness: when we stand before the Lord without excuse, spin, or diversion. It is to be exposed not only physically but also to the very core of who we are, what we think, and what truly motivates us. I think the latter nakedness would be more intimidating.

Adam and Eve were naked in both senses of the word. They were still unashamed.

How do we get back to that freedom from shame in our nakedness? It starts by running to the cross of Christ. It is believing that the death of Christ cleanses us from ALL our sin. It is understanding that God does not see our flaws, he sees us as those who are clean and perfect because of Jesus. We can stand before Him know the sacrifice of Jesus has covered our scars and deformity.

But that is not all. When we approach life the way God designed it, there is nothing to be ashamed of. When we view marriage the way God meant it to be, we find that we can be naked in the presence of the one we love, not because we are perfect, but because our spouse loves us as we are. They do not see imperfections, they see "Whoa Baby!" They take the time to understand, to cherish and to embrace. This relationship is not built on whether or not you perform the way you are expected or look the way you should. It is anchored in commitment and a love that sees beyond the superficial and commits to the PERSON not the frame the person inhabits. When we feel truly seen and loved, shame is banished from the relationship.

There are many who are trying to redefine the idea of family. They are having great success in doing so. However, no matter what the law or public opinion may say, only through the Lord can we can experience the richness of what God designed the family to be.