This mystery is profound?

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phil36

Senior Member
Feb 12, 2009
8,345
2,156
113
#1
This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church (Eph 5:32)

We often think Genesis 3:15 as the first hint of the gospel but we see here, that Pauls say that marriage itself is a picture... First shown in Adam and Eve.

What are your thoughts?
 

Gideon300

Well-known member
Mar 18, 2021
5,253
3,090
113
#2
This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church (Eph 5:32)

We often think Genesis 3:15 as the first hint of the gospel but we see here, that Pauls say that marriage itself is a picture... First shown in Adam and Eve.

What are your thoughts?
Yes. Only that which comes out of Adam is Eve. Only that which "comes out" of Christ is the church. Eve was physical and natural, the church is spiritual. Like Adam and Eve, God intends for the church to seek the "Tree of Life" as only that fruit leads to effective Kingdom living. The fruit of the tree of knowledge is still powerfully attractive. Regrettably, many Christians are more interested in knowledge than they are in Life.

It seems to be overlooked that Lord Jesus is the Life as well as the Way and the Truth. Lord Jesus came that we might have Life, not a better set of rules to follow. Christians know that they are saved by grace. I've heard many sermons on that truth. However, I've never heard anyone say that we are saved by the Life of Christ (Romans 5:10). We need grace every moment of the day. We can just as accurately say that we need the Life of Christ every moment of every day also.

The Life spoken of here is in Greek, "Zoe". The natural life we were born with is "psuche" life, or soul life. "Zoe" is the uncreated Life of God. That's how Lord Jesus could say that only He has life in Himself. (John 5:26). Everyone is born spiritually dead. Only God's Life can dwell in the new, born again spirit of the believer. The question is then, which life will we choose to live from? The natural life of the soul or the Life of Christ in our spirit man? It took more years than I care to remember, but I now choose the life of Christ in my spirit man. The difference is incredible.
 

Publican

Active member
Oct 1, 2024
256
130
43
#4
Yes. Only that which comes out of Adam is Eve. Only that which "comes out" of Christ is the church. Eve was physical and natural, the church is spiritual. Like Adam and Eve, God intends for the church to seek the "Tree of Life" as only that fruit leads to effective Kingdom living. The fruit of the tree of knowledge is still powerfully attractive. Regrettably, many Christians are more interested in knowledge than they are in Life.

It seems to be overlooked that Lord Jesus is the Life as well as the Way and the Truth. Lord Jesus came that we might have Life, not a better set of rules to follow. Christians know that they are saved by grace. I've heard many sermons on that truth. However, I've never heard anyone say that we are saved by the Life of Christ (Romans 5:10). We need grace every moment of the day. We can just as accurately say that we need the Life of Christ every moment of every day also.

The Life spoken of here is in Greek, "Zoe". The natural life we were born with is "psuche" life, or soul life. "Zoe" is the uncreated Life of God. That's how Lord Jesus could say that only He has life in Himself. (John 5:26). Everyone is born spiritually dead. Only God's Life can dwell in the new, born again spirit of the believer. The question is then, which life will we choose to live from? The natural life of the soul or the Life of Christ in our spirit man? It took more years than I care to remember, but I now choose the life of Christ in my spirit man. The difference is incredible.
Christ, the Sum of all Spiritual Things
By Watchman Nee

A very brief and yet wonderful picture of what you have described here. I agree completely, Christ is all in all. But men will trade Christ for supposed intellectual superiority, or moral superiority, or doctrinal etc. Men love to be right, or at least to perceive themselves as so.

I'm almost 60 years old, and only just now learning to rejoice in my infirmities, as well as my ignorance. Its a wonderful thing.
 

homwardbound

Senior Member
Oct 24, 2012
16,382
432
83
#5
This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church (Eph 5:32)

We often think Genesis 3:15 as the first hint of the gospel but we see here, that Pauls say that marriage itself is a picture... First shown in Adam and Eve.

What are your thoughts?
The mystery of marriage, the two become One, because Christ won for us as One with Father. Then approved by Father in Son being raised on that third day for us to do that right now (be alive) in God's spirit and Truth too, as long as Father approves of this for us each too. Why wouldn't Father approve for us too?
What is the reason one asks for the new life in the risen Christ? James says is it you do not get it, because you ask amiss, only wanting to spend it on your own pleasures? Dead to first birth willingly over having to be a doer of the Law first, there is a gigantic difference
It is in Willing death, the new life is given and seen pure, thanks
 

Gideon300

Well-known member
Mar 18, 2021
5,253
3,090
113
#6
Christ, the Sum of all Spiritual Things
By Watchman Nee

A very brief and yet wonderful picture of what you have described here. I agree completely, Christ is all in all. But men will trade Christ for supposed intellectual superiority, or moral superiority, or doctrinal etc. Men love to be right, or at least to perceive themselves as so.

I'm almost 60 years old, and only just now learning to rejoice in my infirmities, as well as my ignorance. Its a wonderful thing.
Thank you. Watchman Nee has been one the truly great influences in my life. The greatest was a man that no one has heard of, Ivor Marshall. I found Christ in Nee's writings. I found Christ in Ivor's preaching, teaching and the way he lived.

I am inclined to be an intellectual. I was reading the encyclopaedia when my peers were reading comic books. I transferred that love of knowledge to studying the Bible. The trouble is that knowledge without life feeds spiritual pride. God had to let me fall before He could put me back together. Many falls, many restorations. There is a place in God the Bible calls "The knowledge of the Truth". I am at that place. I sure don't know all the truth, but what I know, I know. Watchman Nee says that we we need to know truth the way we know our names. No one can convince me that my name is other than what is on my birth certificate. No one can take away from me the reality of Jesus in me being my only hope, only truth and only life. It's good to know the Book of the Lord. Better still to know the Lord of the Book.
 

posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
37,695
13,514
113
#7
it is not hard to understand the basic symbolism and truth in the picture of Him that marriage is, in all its portrayals in scripture.

what i find deeply mysterious though, is the role of the estranged wife of God ((Israel)) and the betrothed bride of God ((the church)), by whom He has made her jealous.

He will never utterly forsake His wife, just as He has equally given His word that He will never fo sake us, His betrothed. how will these two become one?
 

Webers.Home

Well-known member
May 28, 2018
5,757
1,063
113
Oregon
cfbac.org
#8
.
Eph 5:30-32 . . We are members of his body. For this reason a man will
leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will
become one flesh. That is a profound mystery-- but I am talking about
Christ and the church.

It appears to me that the joining spoken of in that passage doesn't take
place during the wedding ceremony, rather, it takes place in the bedroom,
viz: in private, behind closed doors. For example:

1Cor 6:15-16 . .Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ
himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with an
harlot? Never! Do you not know that he who unites himself with an harlot is
one with her in body? For it is said: The two will become one flesh.

Anyway, the unity going on with men and women in the human sphere is
carnal, whereas the unity going on with Christ and his church in the divine
sphere is supernatural.

1Cor 6:17 . . But he who unites himself with the Lord is one spirit.
_
 

glf

Active member
Mar 18, 2023
251
107
43
#9
.
Eph 5:30-32 . . We are members of his body. For this reason a man will
leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will
become one flesh. That is a profound mystery-- but I am talking about
Christ and the church.


It appears to me that the joining spoken of in that passage doesn't take
place during the wedding ceremony, rather, it takes place in the bedroom,
viz: in private, behind closed doors. For example:


1Cor 6:15-16 . .Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ
himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with an
harlot? Never! Do you not know that he who unites himself with an harlot is
one with her in body? For it is said: The two will become one flesh.


Anyway, the unity going on with men and women in the human sphere is
carnal, whereas the unity going on with Christ and his church in the divine
sphere is supernatural.


1Cor 6:17 . . But he who unites himself with the Lord is one spirit.
_


In the same way that Jesus is one with the Father, so the faithful will be one with the Lord. One might even say that the Lord will no longer be a Trinity being...
 

homwardbound

Senior Member
Oct 24, 2012
16,382
432
83
#10
The trouble is that knowledge without life feeds spiritual pride.
That caught my eye, thank you as I added to it
Without God's Spirit, knowledge only feed Spiritual flesh pride, that uses the double edge sword of mankind, Pride and guilt.
Not seeing God is sharper than any two edged sword, thank you Gideon
 

homwardbound

Senior Member
Oct 24, 2012
16,382
432
83
#11
Thank you. Watchman Nee has been one the truly great influences in my life. The greatest was a man that no one has heard of, Ivor Marshall. I found Christ in Nee's writings. I found Christ in Ivor's preaching, teaching and the way he lived.

I am inclined to be an intellectual. I was reading the encyclopaedia when my peers were reading comic books. I transferred that love of knowledge to studying the Bible. The trouble is that knowledge without life feeds spiritual pride. God had to let me fall before He could put me back together. Many falls, many restorations. There is a place in God the Bible calls "The knowledge of the Truth". I am at that place. I sure don't know all the truth, but what I know, I know. Watchman Nee says that we we need to know truth the way we know our names. No one can convince me that my name is other than what is on my birth certificate. No one can take away from me the reality of Jesus in me being my only hope, only truth and only life. It's good to know the Book of the Lord. Better still to know the Lord of the Book.
I think, see it is better to know what is meant by Jesus's life here for us to be new in his risen Life to get given us from Father of Don of Son for us. Seeing. the double edged sword ruined by God for us to be humble in thanksgiving and praise all sin taken away as far as the east is from the west
Butt, the billy Goat steps in again
As I hear Father say "It is finished" move forward one step at a time daily, trusting me to be taking care of it all for you in you, through you
Amazing grace is amazing, especially how this continues from ?God not myself or others, yet there are others that see also this Mercy
M-arried
E-ternally
R-econciled
C-hrist
Y-ou
Thank you Father and Son as Won (one)
 

Publican

Active member
Oct 1, 2024
256
130
43
#12
Thank you. Watchman Nee has been one the truly great influences in my life. The greatest was a man that no one has heard of, Ivor Marshall. I found Christ in Nee's writings. I found Christ in Ivor's preaching, teaching and the way he lived.

I am inclined to be an intellectual. I was reading the encyclopaedia when my peers were reading comic books. I transferred that love of knowledge to studying the Bible. The trouble is that knowledge without life feeds spiritual pride. God had to let me fall before He could put me back together. Many falls, many restorations. There is a place in God the Bible calls "The knowledge of the Truth". I am at that place. I sure don't know all the truth, but what I know, I know. Watchman Nee says that we we need to know truth the way we know our names. No one can convince me that my name is other than what is on my birth certificate. No one can take away from me the reality of Jesus in me being my only hope, only truth and only life. It's good to know the Book of the Lord. Better still to know the Lord of the Book.
Thank you Brother, your response was a blessing. I'm sitting here in the church parking lot waiting for the rock concert to end so I can go in and hear a message about how greatly blessed we all are. Ugh.

I keep praying, maybe I walk in one of these buildings one day, and it's actually a church, with real Christians and a pastor that actually let's the Spirit write his sermons. Ha ha, but I gotta keep searching. Blessings
 

birdie

Senior Member
Sep 16, 2014
531
102
43
#13
This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church (Eph 5:32)

We often think Genesis 3:15 as the first hint of the gospel but we see here, that Pauls say that marriage itself is a picture... First shown in Adam and Eve.

What are your thoughts?

Thanks phil36 for noticing that Adam and Eve are a picture of something. Adam is a picture of Christ. Adam's wife Eve is a picture of something too. The Bible calls Eve 'the mother of all living'.

"And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.

This seems to be the Bible's way of showing that all who are saved are living spiritually, through Christ and in Christ. Remember that those who are saved are said to be a part of the Jerusalem which is above, who is our mother.

"But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
 

p_rehbein

Senior Member
Sep 4, 2013
30,643
6,836
113
#14
This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church (Eph 5:32)

We often think Genesis 3:15 as the first hint of the gospel but we see here, that Pauls say that marriage itself is a picture... First shown in Adam and Eve.

What are your thoughts?

15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

How is this the first hint of the Gospel? And who are the "we" that think it is?

IMO, the first "hint" of the Gospel is found in Genesis, Chapter 1, verse 1.

1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
 

p_rehbein

Senior Member
Sep 4, 2013
30,643
6,836
113
#16
If you are referring to the 5th Chapter of Ephesians, vs. 31...33. I guess "picture" may be used instead of a comparison........
 

p_rehbein

Senior Member
Sep 4, 2013
30,643
6,836
113
#17
Gills Exposition:

This is a great mystery,.... It has something mysterious in it; it is a figure and emblem of the mysterious union between Christ and his people: for so it follows,




but I speak concerning Christ and the church; or mention this law and institution of marriage, with respect to them; for the leaving of father and mother prefigured Christ's coming forth from the Father, and coming into this world in human nature, and his disregard to his earthly parents, in comparison with his people, and his service for them; the man cleaving to the wife very aptly expresses the strong affection of Christ to his church, and the near communion there is between them; and their being one flesh denotes the union of them; and indeed, the marriage of Adam and Eve was a type of Christ and his church; for in this the first Adam was a figure of him that was to come, as well as in being a federal head to his posterity: Adam was before Eve, so Christ was before his church; God thought it not proper that man should be alone, so neither Christ, but that he should have some fellows and companions with him:

(here)

Ephesians 5:32 - John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary
 

homwardbound

Senior Member
Oct 24, 2012
16,382
432
83
#19
Thank you Brother, your response was a blessing. I'm sitting here in the church parking lot waiting for the rock concert to end so I can go in and hear a message about how greatly blessed we all are. Ugh.

I keep praying, maybe I walk in one of these buildings one day, and it's actually a church, with real Christians and a pastor that actually let's the Spirit write his sermons. Ha ha, but I gotta keep searching. Blessings
Friend, Christ is risen and lives in through you too, Father, The Holy Spirit with you and Son as won (One) for you too, as he went to that cross willingly once for us all to believe he at the cross took away all sin for you (John 1:29, John 19:30) to not do them without awareness to whether or not you do them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What???????????????????
Yes, it is by our awareness to not do, one does not do, or does do and is caught in a fight between themselves and evil (Pride and quilt). Not seeing why they keep doing what they are taught to not do righteously, and yet continue to do what they know not to do. Me, I am like Paul in Romans 7, who to me explains under Law and upholding Law, the fine tuning of the truth, that no one got in the First Testament, but the true prophets of God that got killed by the people, telling them truth, that they hated to hear. Has anything changed in the flesh nature fight over God's Spirit and Truth to us all (John 4:23-24)?
God's true Church, is actually the Ecclesia (Called out ones) It is not a building, building destroyed in AD 70 God Father and risen Son live in us and through us as you know this too, thank you for standing in believe to see and grow up into maturity, love it
Henrews 5:12- Chapter 6 has deep meaning in understanding there is no more sacrifice for any sin, it is finished by Son for us to be new in. the risen Son for us to rest in.
 

Publican

Active member
Oct 1, 2024
256
130
43
#20
Friend, Christ is risen and lives in through you too, Father, The Holy Spirit with you and Son as won (One) for you too, as he went to that cross willingly once for us all to believe he at the cross took away all sin for you (John 1:29, John 19:30) to not do them without awareness to whether or not you do them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What???????????????????
Yes, it is by our awareness to not do, one does not do, or does do and is caught in a fight between themselves and evil (Pride and quilt). Not seeing why they keep doing what they are taught to not do righteously, and yet continue to do what they know not to do. Me, I am like Paul in Romans 7, who to me explains under Law and upholding Law, the fine tuning of the truth, that no one got in the First Testament, but the true prophets of God that got killed by the people, telling them truth, that they hated to hear. Has anything changed in the flesh nature fight over God's Spirit and Truth to us all (John 4:23-24)?
God's true Church, is actually the Ecclesia (Called out ones) It is not a building, building destroyed in AD 70 God Father and risen Son live in us and through us as you know this too, thank you for standing in believe to see and grow up into maturity, love it
Henrews 5:12- Chapter 6 has deep meaning in understanding there is no more sacrifice for any sin, it is finished by Son for us to be new in. the risen Son for us to rest in.
I'm not a fan of the modern worship service, but I force myself to go in hopes of some fellowship. Been to three churches in my community, won't be going to another one. I'll just sit on the corner and hand out bibles.