Family: God’s Image
At the heart of every nation, there is a society; at the core of every society, there is a community. Furthermore, at the center of every community there is a family. For a family to come into existence, the biological equation requires two people. A person is not a family; he or she may come from a family, however the single individual is not a family.
In principle, a family as an institution did not originate from mankind; therefore in a fundamental way, a family can not truly be established by two people. Neither can God who originated the family, establish it with merely one person. The relationship that God holds with a human being is vitally important to the constitution of family; however, this union does not constitute a family. It is for this reason, in a major way, that God said, and not Adam, "It is not good that man should be alone…" Why would God say, "it is not good?” What do these words mean?
In Genesis chapter one, whenever the word “good” is mentioned, it is based upon God's perception. The phrase reads: And God saw that it was good. God said this after he had established something by His own power, and that creation was complete.
When God verbally expressed the creation of the human race, we find Him communing with someone else about the reason and purpose of our existence. Mankind was made to bear the image, likeness, and essentially the character of God. This image of God could not be established in the man only, the LORD needed to complete the canvas of this new race; therefore God said, "I will make him a helper comparable to him." In other words, I will complete him and fulfill My purpose of making the human race in the image of God.
The woman was created out of the same substance as the man; she was brought on to the stage of existence to be his own companion. She was his second self; as it is written, "bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh...", to help and support him execute God's purposes. We find that in Genesis chapter 5, that the LORD God called them, Adam. The name Adam was not merely the name of the first man, but it denoted the nature and character of their species or kind. For example, the word lion represents a type of creature both the male and it female counterpart. Whereas, a lioness only accounts for female counterpart, her name does not represent both sexes of their kind; however the male's name does.
It is only after the creation of the woman, and being brought to Adam; that it is said, "…that God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good." The creation of a world was complete and the image of God had been established.
You see, the image of God is revealed in the family unit: which consist of the man, his wife, and the Spirit of God who works through them. God gave Adam a companion to share his name and authority, because God has a companion who He shares His name and authority. This is the mysterious person whom God is conversing with at the very first chapter of the Genesis: especially before the creation of man. If you notice the scripture reads: Let US make man in OUR image... Man's companion was a prerequisite for God's Image to be established.
The family unit was established as a manifestation of the three person Godhead; God known as the Heavenly Father, His Companion (Zechariah 13:7) also known as the Word in John 1:1, and the Holy Spirit, who executes the will of both the God and His Word.
The image of God is found nowhere else in creation, but in the believing family relationship; three persons working, living, and coexisting together in a loving relationship.
However, because of humanity's fall, there has been a marring of the image of God in our world today: a severe breakdown of the family constitution. God gave Adam a world to rule by the power of His word. Furthermore, the LORD gave Adam the woman as an equal, a companion to support him in accomplishing the purposes of God. As long as this was the aim of the human couple, the Spirit of God--the third Person of the Godhead--would accompany, establish, and sustain their relationship and rule in the power and love of God.
As the appointed head and representative of the race, Adam was fashioned to lead and rule his home and kingdom of love, and Eve was appointed to support and sustain this headship. She was his equal; however, she was created to help establish her husband's agenda. And the agenda of Adam was that of God, their Father. To support her husband was a manifestation of her love to God and him. Whereas Adam was to manifest love towards his wife, for she was his equal and to love her was the significant agenda of his existence; because this is the character, law, and agenda of God's existence. So far as Adam and Eve chose to sustain this relationship, the Holy Spirit would lead and help sustain the person, power, and image of God in them.
The two heads of the human family represent God the Father and His Equal, the Word. The personhood of the Spirit of God will always be a mystery; for He is as mysterious as the relationship held between God and His Companion. However, one thing that is for certain about His role is that, He accomplishes all the agreed purposes of the Father and His equal, the Word. He is the Person of the Divine relationship, and it is His role and influence that is the most qualified to established the image of God in humanity. The Holy Spirit works in the two heads of the human family, to nurture an oneness of fellowship that reflects back to divine relationship, from whence the heavens are governed and ruled: God is Love.
Unfortunately, the devil convinces the woman to initiate an agenda that was in opposition to that of her husband--who was submitted to the agenda of God. Satan had incited the woman to do three things; reject the agenda of her Father, usurp the headship of her husband, and establish the agenda of the serpent. The fruit that Adam's wife possessed in her hands represented the notion of a new agenda, an agenda outside of God. Adam standing in the light of God's presence could see that this fruit would lead to death, but his wife having eaten the fruit could not see or imagine such a result. 1st Timothy 2:14 says, "And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression." Adam did not fall into sin; he chose it in order to keep his equal, not considering the cost of such a decision. The husband by this decision had given his headship in the family to his wife, who was now being lead by Satan. Adam had disconnected himself from God, severing the support and power of the Spirit of God, who maintained the image of God in them; which effectively destroyed the unity and nature of family.
Where there was once love; now brewed hatred; and instead of submission, mankind could only muster up rebellion.
But God would not leave children to be utterly abused, mistreated, and destroyed by the enemy. The Lord seeks out His children, and addresses them according to roles that He had ordained them to be: Adam first, because he is the head of the family and the instated monarch of the earth, then the LORD speaks to his wife and equal, and lastly the serpent.
Due to the fallen condition of man, God gives instructions to every husband and wife who will accept Him once again as their Father, to live their life to execute the agenda of His Equal, the Word. However, for the Godhead to save their children the penalty was very high. The Word, the Equal of God had to leave His throne and Companion God the Father, whereby He might take on humanity to die in His children's place; that they might once again know God's love and necessary grace.
In the book of Ephesians, God commands the man and woman to do that which they have forgotten because of the power of sin. However, if they will believe in His Word and trust in their Father's Love, the Spirit will empower the couple to do the agendas of God and possess His love once again. To all husbands, chapter 5 says, "Love your wives… just as Christ also loved the church." All men have forgotten how to love because they have forgotten God; but if men can remember and find his God, then he will retain His love. The Word became human and was the Christ, and by His example He sought and seeks to show men how to love and lead their home and their wives. It is by and through the love of the husband that the wife is to see the love of Christ, the Equal of God.
Furthermore, to all wives in this same chapter it says, "Submit to your husbands, as the Lord." All women have lost sight of submission, because they too have lost sight of their Father. As she beholds her Father, her understanding will be enlightened about what is true submission and her heart will be melted by the loveliness of it nature; and the security it brings to their heart when it is founded in God. This character is Christ, who is the Equal of God. Furthermore, it is through the submission of wife that the husband learns of submission to Christ, the authority of God.
The husband learns love by depending upon God, and imparts it to his wife through the canvas of his character which the Holy Spirit paints. The wife grasps loving submission by faith in her Heavenly Father, and illustrates this to her husband by the portrait of her character that the Spirit of God frames.
The command to love and submit was not qualities that God created after the fall, but vital aspects of character that the race had lost sight of. However, these principles of character can only be found in the very heart of God and the Eternal Relationship that exist in the Trinity: The Original Family.
Victor Thomas is the English Ministries Pastor at Tacoma Korean SDA Church.