The world’s first wedding took place in the Garden of Eden. There God ordained and sanctified the marriage of the man and woman whom He had created.
Chapters 1 and 2 of Genesis depict marriage in its ideal state as God designed it, where Adam and Eve enjoyed a relationship characterized by peace, harmony, and equality, along with continual, unbroken fellowship with their Creator.
Genesis chapter 3 presents a starkly different picture: Sin has shattered the harmony of the human couple’s relationship with each other and destroyed their fellowship with God.
Chapters 1 and 2 portray marriage “inside the garden,” while chapter 3 shows marriage “outside the garden.” The only place to experience God’s marriage is “inside the garden.” Any marriage “outside the garden” is not God’s marriage.
Genesis chapters 1 and 2 picture marriage before the Fall, as God designed it. Chapter 3 reveals what marriage became after the Fall, as the world corrupted it.
In practical terms this means that none of the conditions, blessings, or promises that attend the “inside the garden” marriage of chapters 1 and 2 are guaranteed for the “outside the garden” marriage of chapter 3.
Inside the garden Adam and Eve enjoy mutual love, respect, and equality; outside the garden they make excuses, blame each other, and lie to God about each other. Inside the garden they share the same the human couple’s relationship with each other and destroyed their fellowship with God.
Chapters 1 and 2 portray marriage “inside the garden,” while chapter 3 shows marriage “outside the garden.”
The only place to experience God’s marriage is “inside the garden.” Any marriage “outside the garden” is not God’s marriage.
Genesis chapters 1 and 2 picture marriage before the Fall, as God designed it. Chapter 3 reveals what marriage became after the Fall, as the world corrupted it.
In practical terms this means that none of the conditions, blessings, or promises that attend the “inside the garden” marriage of chapters 1 and 2 are guaranteed for the “outside the garden” marriage of chapter 3.
Inside the garden Adam and Eve enjoy mutual love, respect, and equality; outside the garden they make excuses, blame each other, and lie to God about each other. Inside the garden they share the same the world get married assuming that God has joined them together.
In most cases this simply is not true because they have not married within the garden context. They do not share the same spirit because either one or both of them have never been born again of the Spirit of God.
Because of this, they have no guarantee of success, no safeguard against the destructive forces that would pull them apart.
God’s promises in Scripture apply to all who believe and obey Him—everyone who is called a child of God and who shares His Spirit.
No one who is outside the Spirit of God has any guarantee of receiving His promises. Where marriage is concerned, success or failure may depend in large measure on whether or not that marriage exists within the garden context.
Even though they are born again, many believers have trouble in their marriages because they have unknowingly embraced the world’s values and views rather than God’s.
Knowledge is a critical key to success in anything, and marriage is no exception. Even Spirit-filled believers may fail in marriage unless they know and understand the fundamental differences between marriage “inside the garden” and marriage “outside the garden.”
Even though they are born again, many believers have trouble in their marriages because they have unknowingly embraced the world’s values and views rather than God’s.
They need to learn how to look to the Holy Spirit for the wisdom and knowledge to bring their marriage “inside the garden.”
