In the Garden (part III)

Genesis 2:24-25; 1 Cor. 6:15-20

Genesis 2:24-25

Point # 1 The “one flesh” marriage relationship between husband and wife is a picture of the union of Christ and his church.

· Leave and Cleave: While still honouring one’s parents, husband and wife shift their allegiance to each other.

· Naked and not ashamed: There is a symbol-laden depth to the pronouncement. It is a way of saying that there was no guilt; there was nothing to be ashamed of. This happy innocence meant openness, utter candour. There was nothing to hide, whether from God or from each other. But after the Fall . . .everything changes.

1 Corinthians 6:15-20

Big Picture: Union with Christ excludes union with a prostitute – or any other person who is not our spouse.

(1) The physical bodies of Christians are the limbs and organs of Jesus himself.

(2) As taught in Gen. 2:24, sexual intercourse unites two human beings in a “one flesh” bond.

(3) Therefore, sexual intercourse with a prostitute unites the body parts of Christ with that prostitute.

(4) Therefore, Christians must flee from sexual immorality.

Point # 1 Brothers and sisters, flee from sexual immorality and glorify God with your bodies because

· . . . our bodies are members of Christ himself. Sexual intercourse with a prostitute, therefore, unites the members of Christ with that prostitute (15).

· . . . he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body. “The two will become one flesh” (16).

· . . .whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit (17).

· . . . all other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body (18).

· . . . your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God. You are not your own (19).

· . . . you were bought at a price (20).