What you didn't know about 'bone of my bones, flesh of my flesh'

Genesis 2:23 And Adam said: “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.”

I have never heard words as romantic as the first words of Adam to his beloved wife, Eve. I know many have read this scripture and pastors have preached about it times without a number at marriage ceremonies. The only time people will make reference to this scripture is probably when marriage becomes a topic of concern.

However, it will interest you to know that this very statement goes beyond our normal understanding. I am so much pleased to share with you, the insight I have received from this simple scripture when I began to mediate on it.

First of all, we must understand what expression in the quotation above actually implies. And we must also know that it is not just Adam who made that expression in the Bible. Laban made similar expression to Jacob when they met. Genesis 29:13-14

"Then it came to pass, when Laban heard the report about Jacob his sister's son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him and kissed him, and brought him to his house. So he told Laban all these things. And Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh.” And he stayed with him for a month." The people of Israel also made similar expression to King David at Hebron. 2 Samuel 5:1

"Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and spoke, saying, “Indeed we are your bone and your flesh."

The expression only tries to acknowledge the similarities between two people. What Laban meant was that Jacob is related to him by blood, so he is a part of him. What Israel also wanted to tell David was that he was one of them and not a stranger. So in that sense, Adam was not saying this as a matter of sexual attraction to Eve. No! There was no other human family on earth at the time he spoke those words before Eve was created. So he was just implying that, at last he has someone who looks just like him and with whom he would build his family.

This expression is even more relevant to the new creation man if we will recognize where we belong and what makes up a family. It is not an expression of sexual feeling, but a feeling of belonging.

Romans 12:5 "so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another."

As a believer you need to recognize the bone of your bone and the flesh of your flesh. Our physical relation becomes the church and nowhere else. The expression 'We are one body in Christ' means we have the same flesh and same bone as Christ Jesus. We are bonded or attached to one another in Christ as a church.

Colossians 3:3 "For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God." Each one of us who claim identity in Christ is dead and our lives hidden in Christ and in God. The world no longer recognizes us but the church. The world no longer feels what we feel but the church. That is why we must love the church. The church is one and it is Christ. Christ Jesus is therefore the bone of my bone and the flesh of my flesh.

And every Christian represents Christ. So then of-course when I meet a fellow Christian, I see my bone and my flesh. We therefore must not joke with the body of Christ which is the church. One very reason why we take the communion is to remind us that we all have one blood and one body.

What do we see today in Christendom?

It's ministry against ministry and believers are fighting one another. Men have introduced politics into the church just to bring division. But the Lord has said, a kingdom divided against itself shall not stand. And it is the very reason why the church is failing in many nations. In Europe Christianity is breaking down. Temples are being sold to practitioners of Islam. In Africa, where churches are springing up on daily basis, pastors are also fighting themselves. Some think they preach better than others or are more powerful than others.

It's such a disgrace what the body of Christ has become today. If we are to consider this expression in its romantic sense, do you not know that we are married to one another in Christ? Romans 7:4

"Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God." Gracious me!

In Christ Jesus we are married to one another, why? Because we are all married to Christ. We are the bride and He is the bridegroom. My love is to the church. Yes, first to the church and so I do not undermine anyone called a Christian, no matter what. It is the Lord's greatest wish that the church will see themselves as one and love one another.

See what the apostle Paul told the church of Corinth: 2 Corinthians 11:2

"For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ."

We are betrothed to one husband - Jesus Christ. Alleluia! Let us love the church and let us love one another. I am your bone and your flesh irrespective of your church denomination and mine. The denomination has become the evil of the church, let's put it aside and see Christ in all. John 13:34-35

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

We cannot be the disciples of Christ if we do not love one another. If you are a Christian reading this, know that you are my bone and my flesh and I love you.