Marriage: To Serve and to Protect...

Day 12: Genesis 3:1-8

As a husband who loves his wife dearly, I think one of the most striking things about this story about the fall of man, is how disengaged Adam was with the activities of his wife, Eve. I have to ask myself the following questions: Where was Adam when his wife was engaged with the serpent and why wasn't he there to encourage her not to sin? Why didn't he insist on doing what was right for the sake of both of them, rather than succumbing to the temptation of sin by eating the forbidden fruit? Why didn't he understand that he was one with his wife and accountable to look after her? As a matter of fact, take a look at Adam's weak response to God in verse 12, "The man said, 'The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.'” Adam, Eve was much more than the woman that God put there with you. She was your wife, bonded to you as "one flesh" and your responsibility to take care of and to love as your own body.

It's a reminder to spouses that our actions and activities affect both parties in a marital relationship. Since God makes married couples "one-flesh" it only stands to reason that a sin that is committed by one adversely affects the other. Additionally, husbands have the God given responsibility of taking care of their spouses. Genesis chapter 3 is also a reminder to us men that when something like this happens, God looks to us men for an answer. Ephesians 5: 28-30 affirms, "²⁸ In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹ After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— ³⁰ for we are members of his body."

I also believe that God expects us to know and understand what our spouses are involved with. We in turn need to love them enough to encourage them not to sin and be accountable to God for when they do sin to then humble ourselves before God, seek forgiveness together and seek to restore our spouses back for the sake of the "oneness". (either husband or wife)

Lastly, we need to know that Satan is crafty and seeks to destroy what God has created in our marriage. It is vitally important that we understand and anticipate the risk and understand that our enemy and his advances are real. He will seek to destroy ones marriage and couples need to be vigilant to this ever present threat.

~JRF~