Gen. 1:27, "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them."

Gen. 5:2, "Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created."

I. God is a Spirit (not a material being) --- We do not look like God physically --- We Are Created Spiritual Being".

A. The Image of God is primarily a Spiritual and Inner Likeness.

B. It May include:

1. Attributes of our personality,

2. Mind,

3. Creativity,

4. Capacity for love,

5. Expressing emotions,

6. Existence of will,

7. Conscience,

8. Imagination,

9. Memory,

10. Moral responsibility,

11. Capacity for worship, etc.

II. Some believe that God created Adam (the first man) Both Male And Female.

(I do not believe that God created Adam both male and female. That would be a freak. However, there is a possibility that Adam was created with some female characteristics, which God removed when He created Eve. I do not know. The question has been asked and debated for centuries. This study is presented here for the benefit of those who enjoy such research. No, that statement is not a cop-out. It is just that there are many subjects I am still studying and may never know the full truth till I get to heaven. Any help, suggestions, or research you may have on this subject, would certainly be appreciated.)

Genesis 5:2, "Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created."

A Adam’s body was first Formed (yatzar) From The Dust of the earth.

(Yatsar means to mold as a potter molds the clay --- Jer. 18:2)

1. God then breathed into Adam’s body the Breath (ruach) of Life.

2. Man became a Living Soul (nephesh).

3. The Soul is the realm of Personality, Mind, Emotions, Will, and Conscience.

B. The Animals were already divided into Male and Female --- but there was No Counterpart For Adam.

1. Sexuality already existed at this time --- for the Animal Kingdom.

2. God Saw this and said, "It Is Not Good That Man Should Be Alone."

C. As stated, some believe that Both Adam & Eve already existed as A Single Unit.

1. The Heb. Word ‘Bara" implies this.

a. After having Formed (yatsar) the body of Adam, God Created (bara) the Soul & Spirit of both.

b. God is now about to make a Division of This One Body into Male and Female.

c. Adam was Created (bara) but Eve was Constructed (banah) or made.

2. God opened the --- "Side Chamber" --- "Rib" (tsela) of Adam and Constructed (banah) Eve.

a. The Hebrew word "tsela" is Only translated "Rib" in English versions in This One Place.

b. In the King James Version it is also translated --- "Beam" --- "Chamber" (twice) --- "Plank" --- "Comer" (twice) --- "Side Chamber" (9 times) --- and "Side" (19 times).

c. Among the Arabs a related word of the Hebrew "tsela" is used to signify a Bosom Friend, a person who is "At One’s Side."

d. We will also see that after the division, Adam Became Aware of A New Need, Directed Toward The Woman.

(1) Have you ever talked to someone who has Lost An Arm, a Leg, a Hand, a Foot, etc.? --- They will tell you that they:

a. Still Feel the missing part .....

b. Are Drawn Toward the missing member .....

c. Feel a Deep Need for the missing member .....

(2) Adam had these same Feeling toward Eve.

(3) Likewise, Husbands Today:

Genesis 2:24, "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh."

3. Another Point of Interest:

a. This Process of Separation involved the Removing of A Female Principle out of the male as "Woman".

b. The Female carries Only the X Chromosome --- which predisposes towards the development of a Female Child.

c. The Male retains Both the X and the Y Chromosomes --- thus being able to contribute either an X (female) or a Y (male) chromosome toward the development of either a Male or Female Child.

d. If man was Not Created With Both, Male & Female Characteristics, Where Did The X Chromosome Come From?

Remember --- Woman does Not Have Both X & Y Chromosomes.

D. The Original Unity of "Man" was replaced by a Division into Two Complementary Opposites.

1. The Image of God is therefore Equally Shared by both Man & Woman.

a. The Division of man into two sexes was for his own good --- making him No Longer Self-Sufficient.

b. An Important aspect of the Image of God is the Unity In Fellowship between men and women.

2. When Adam Exclaimed, "This is now bone of My Bone and flesh of My Flesh," he had a deep understanding that Eve had been formed from something Much More Fundamental To Himself and to his Nature and Constitution than merely one of his Rib Bones.

III. This Relationship is Pictured (or Type) of the Bride of Christ --- His Church:

A. Inner Relationship To Christ --- The church is always referred to in the Feminine --- that is as Submissive, a Receptor, and Responder --- To Christ.

B. Outer Relationship To The World --- The church is called the Body of Christ --- a Masculine figure of the Soldier, the Warrior, the Kingly --- To The World.

C. Masculinity and Femininity are thus Inner and Outer aspects of the Same Reality.

IV. It Takes Both, male and female, to adequately reflect the Nature and Characteristics of God.

A. God has built a vast wealth of Variety and Diversity into the human gene pool.

B. Many Variations in Physical Characteristics as well as some Personality and Emotional Characteristics are governed by genetic factors.

C. Some Examples are ---

Men --- Women:

1. Leads, takes charge --- Responds, follows,

2. Values logical thinking --- Values emotions highly, relationship orientation,

3. Initiates: hunts, ranges, outgoing towards the world --- Nestles, nurtures, shelters, heals,

4. Specialist in "Doingness" and "Withoutness" --- Specialist in "Beingness" and "Withinness"

5. Mechanistic, scientific, digital-thinking --- Artistic, creative, analog thinking.

6. These are but a few of Many Examples that could be given.

D. Some Negative (Adamic Nature) Masculine & Feminine Characteristics

Men --- Women:

1. Beast-like --- Harlot-like,

2. Authoritarian, domineering, ruthless, despotic, Lords it over others --- Possessive, controlling, manipulative, contriving,

3. Devalues importance of emotions, rigid, overly logical --- Irrational in rejecting logic, emotionally controlled,

4. Cold, indifferent, impersonal, unapproachable --- Gives love or affection but extracts a price,

5. Demands respect of subordinates, intimidates others or rules them by fear --- Selfishly concerned with appearances and prestige, entraps others for her own purposes.

6. These are but a few of Many Examples that could be given.

V. When you consider the Fallen Nature and Inherent Self-Centeredness of both sexes --- it would seem that a Relationship between the sexes would be Impossible And Totally Without Hope --- were it not for the Grace of God!

A. "Love At First Sight" or "Falling In Love" is usually what psychologists call Projection.

1. We see others at first in an Idealistic way based on our Unconscious Expectations or Past Experiences.

2. Romantic Attractions, Based on Mutual Projections, can be (and usually are) Dysfunctional

3. These Projections constitute a kind of Hidden Agenda.

4. By the way, All Sexual Immorality Is Idolatry no matter what form it takes.

B. One of the Major Marks of Sin in man is Self-Centeredness.

1. All types of sin involve selfish action.

2. Basic human selfishness is the subject of:

James 1:14-15, "But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death."

3. Just as this Old Earth is subject to the Second Law of Thermodynamics --- Man is subject to Death because of sin.

C. When we enter into a Personal Relationship with Jesus Christ as Lord and Master (Salvation):

1. We became part of A New Creation,

2. Jesus, by the Holy Spirit, takes up His Residence in our Hearts to build within us a New Life and a New Kingdom.

Luke 17:21, "... behold, the kingdom of God is within you."

3. After we receive Christ, we are free to go our own way again.

a. However, if we are not careful, "Self" will be temporarily back on the throne of our hearts.

b. We may once again become slaves of sin instead of being a free person in Christ.

c. John 8:32, "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

D. Marriage Is The Oldest Institution In Society.

1. God’s dealings with His People Israel reveal the Lord’s Ongoing Commitment To Marriage.

2. In Hosea, God pictures Himself as the Lamenting Husband of Israel, an increasingly Spiritually-Adulterous Wife.

3. Malachi closes the Old Testament by Lamenting Over Divorce while reaffirming God’s Love For The Family.

4. Because of her spiritual adultery, God Was Reluctantly Forced To Put Away His Wife Israel under the terms of the Old Covenant.

a. However, because of His Abundance of Forgiveness And Mercy purchased by Jesus under the New Covenant .....

b. God Is Able to enter into a New Marriage Relationship with both Israel and the Church.

c. The Relationship between Man and Wife in Marriage is compared to the Relationship between Christ and His Bride.

E. Marriage Pictures For Us Wholeness!

1. Christians are destined for Wholeness whether Single or Married, because:

2. Colossians 2:9-10, "For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:"

Travis Case
Tearing Down Walls & Building Bridges