Man was made in the image of God. But what does it mean to be made in His image? What is God like? The Bible says, "God is a Spirit" (John 4:24). When we think of a spirit, we think of something not limited by physical restraints—something unseen and greater than the material world. When God made man in His image, He created a spiritual being covered by an earthly body. We all have the breath of God and a spirit within us. This internal spirit is the real person; it is our character.
Two Natures: Spiritual and Earthly With our spiritual nature, we relate to God; with our earthly nature, we relate to the world. Let’s break this down to understand it better. What do we find in our spiritual nature? We find love, patience, longsuffering, and mercy. The spiritual nature is primarily about relationships; that is its highest goal.
Because God is a Spirit, He has no physical needs, yet He finds pleasure in relationships. The Godhead itself is a union of three eternal beings—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—and their relationship with each other is the foundation of existence. Loving each other is life itself.
In contrast, our earthly nature—the flesh—allows us to live on this planet. It consists of physical abilities: eating, drinking, walking, and physical intimacy. These things connect us to the earth. Animals share this earthly nature; they eat, play, and reproduce. However, animals cannot relate to God because they are not spiritual beings; they lack an invisible nature imbued with divine qualities.
How does this relate to the modern struggle of marriage? Marriage is a spiritual institution. By this, I do not mean it is "mystical," but rather that it is an institution designed for spiritual beings—beings capable of sacrificial love. Marriage is an internal union of characters more than an external union of bodies.
When sin entered the world, this changed. Sin is an exchange of natures. Before the Fall, the spiritual nature controlled humanity; we were focused on loving God and one another. Sin was a downward turn. Adam and Eve ate a physical fruit, thinking they could attain spiritual wisdom through a physical act. It was an act of madness. The essence of temptation is to make us choose the physical at the expense of the spiritual. As we strengthen the flesh, the higher qualities of love and mercy die out.
Marriage then becomes difficult. The more "physical" our lives become, the less we are able to maintain deep relationships. Many view marriage only as a way to satisfy sexual urges or fleshly gratification. But physical urges are only an earthly connection; they cannot lead to lasting love.
The physical nature is focused on sensual satisfaction—how you make me feel today. The spiritual nature is focused on lasting satisfaction—loving you for the long haul. The flesh seeks temporary relief ("I am hungry, I need food now"), but the spirit finds satisfaction in uplifting and enjoying others.
Satan continually tempts us to live according to the flesh, which is why maintaining a marriage has become so difficult. The more earthly we become, the less like God we are. Animals care mainly about survival—emotional and physical—and an earthly person becomes a stranger to self-sacrifice.
The problem with marriage is a problem of nature. We focus on the external—wealth and beauty—while ignoring the internal qualities of mercy and compassion. We build physical wealth but remain spiritually bankrupt. To have successful relationships, we must rebuild our spiritual nature. This can only be done through a relationship with God.
We begin to be restored when we realize that the highest goal of life is not how much we have, but how much we love. "Dying to self" means destroying the earthly nature's control over us and bringing it back under the subjection of the spirit. The flesh was never meant to dominate; it was meant to serve the higher self.
Practice Makes Perfect We subject the earthly nature through prayer and by making a conscious effort to live as spiritual beings. We practice the "Fruit of the Spirit": love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Through practice, these become habits, and these habits become our character.
God is a Spirit, and He made us in His image. Let us pursue the fruit of the Spirit in our daily lives. This will bring meaning to our existence, fix our broken relationships, and make our marriages a blessing to the world.
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