THE MARRIAGE BUILDER - Spirit Oneness

God's blueprint for Christian relationships starts with SPIRIT ONENESS. The Holy Spirit comes and dwells in every believer's life at the instant they are born again in Christ.

“Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” (1 Cor. 3.16). 

Why is it so important to understand that the Holy Spirit dwells in man’s innermost depth, deeper within than his organs of thought, feeling and decision? Because unless the child of God perceives this, invariably he shall seek His guidance in his SOUL. With understanding, he shall be delivered from the deception and error of looking to what is outward. (Watchman Nee)

Without understanding the importance of SPIRIT ONENESS, we look outward (guided by our SOUL) to meet our personal needs of SECURITY (to be loved) and SIGNIFICANCE (to be valued). Our greatest mistake in relationships is when we look to others to meet our personal needs of SECURITY and SIGNIFICANCE.

Our deepest need to be loved and feel worthy can only be met in Christ. The most caring parent, the best friend, or the most spiritual marriage partner are all incapable of meeting those deep needs. We must embrace the fact that God has met, and will always meet, our deepest needs through Jesus Christ--even when we don't feel it.

God's original (and perfect) design for the marriage relationship was two-fold:

1. Man and woman should live in fellowship (SPIRIT ONENESS) with God; 
2. Man and woman should live in a selfless relationship of mutual giving to each other (SOUL ONENESS). Because of sin, we must constantly surrender our selfish desires to God's perfect design if we are to realize God's Design in our broken world.

The fountains from which love flows are in God (His Holy Spirit), not in us. We can only love others when we allow God to love them through us. Thus, we must seek SPIRIT ONENESS with God's Holy Spirit so that we might be in a position to fulfill our purpose to live in selfless relationships of mutual giving to others.

The video below was shown at the close of class today. Be sure to listen carefully to how Dr. Larry Crabb answers the question: "What Is Real Love?"

Below are the slides from today's lesson. Next week, we will continue with SOUL ONENESS.