c. scott andreas

note: this is part three of a three-part series.

Yesterday, I began to compare the relationship of one person to another with the relationship between individuals and God. Today, I conclude this series, smashing these ideas against each other in fun new ways.

I closed with a passage from Genesis, which I repeat here:

Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.� For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.

-Genesis 2:22-24 (Zondervan/NIV)

It seems that this again returns us to the question of God and what He’s done for us. The Bible teaches that man was created alone, and that the plants and animals were created to provide companionship. But this wasn’t enough – man cannot create and invent himself in a ficus any more than he could live comfortably within a dog. So He created a true companion. Lonely solitude isn’t the only option.

The language used here implies that male and female are incomplete without one another. * It then follows that upon finding a partner with whom one can relate to the fullest extent possible (in earthly terms), the man and the woman are made complete (perfect). While men and women can have relationships with other men and women, a connection between men or between women can never be as strong as one paired with the opposite gender. To settle for anything less is displeasing to God; He wishes for us to have the most intimate connection with one another possible in our few years on earth – settling for less and rejecting His creation certainly fails to bring Him glory.

As these intimate relationships are absolutely dependent upon perfect trust, it is then imperative that they be monogamous. While we are able to carry on relationships with many people, creating ourselves within them and allowing them to be created within us, there is no intimacy among humans as deep as the romantic. Marriage is believed to bring people together as one flesh – the metaphor in the mind of the other is identical to one’s image of him or herself. Extending a sexual relationship beyond one’s husband or wife indicates that the bond between the couple is not strong enough and the intimacy not deep enough to satisfy.

It seems that Heaven allows for the fulfillment of the dream of ideal communication. Those who are one with God (the bride of Christ) are also one with one another in spirit on Earth. Once our earthly existence passes away, we will be left only with our spirits. Made perfect (finished, completed, purified) in Christ, we will finally be able to relate perfectly with Him and with those who are His. We’ll have achieved the ideal and be able to freely invent ourselves within one another without sin getting in the way.

Most importantly, however, the invention of ourselves within God will be our true reality. Our existence in Him is our eternity. If we live in Him, we live eternally with Him. If we do not live with Him, however, we live on earth, but not outside of earth. Once dead on earth, we do not live eternally – we die. Separated from both God and body, our souls are bound forever to solipsism, living in alone torment with the evil that has corrupted us. Smeagol says hello.

It seems that the first judgment is simply the answering of the question of whether or not we exist in Him. The second is a question of to what degree.

* I do not mean to say that the celibate are somehow “incomplete” or “lacking.” Instead, I contend that those for whom God created a partner will only be fully satisfied when they have entered into what He has planned for them.

I hope that you’ve enjoyed these musings. I can’t say whether they’re “right” or “true.” But they make sense. Am I way off?

Call me out.

For my sake, and everyone else’s.

have a safe and happy new year’s celebration.

- c. scott andreas