Integrative Theology and Conclusion essay

God created man; He created man in His own image and likeness. God created woman from man. He created woman because He saw that the man, being all by himself, was not really satisfactory. At the same time the woman was not created to be alone. She was very much part of man because she completed humanity. The book of genesis gives one this account clearly. Thus the Bible shows us that the first husband and wife were Adam and Eve. The man and woman united to constitute a family from the beginning of the history.

In any known civilization, since the beginning of the human societies we see this kind of a unity to establish the familial structure, which make up a society. People who visualized an ethical world generally or religiously might have under stood deeply the integrity of this unity of men and women in marriage. The relevance of long lasting marital stability, and the reasons for the current trends of marital stability are, in fact, complementing in both general and religious perspective. A man should look for Gods grace before taking a step to marry a woman, since he has to manage a small society of his own family.

Timothy makes it even better understanding when explaining the good characteristics of a good husband ‘the husband of… temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness’. (1 Timothy 3. 2-3) It becomes all the more important for a husband to have this qualities in order to stay united to his family and specially wife when the most resent studies in general revelation showed that gender equality, commitment to the marriage and economic factors are those aspects included in the stability of union.

The main reason from the general perspective for a long lasting marriage is gender equality. Wilcox and Nock some what succeeded in finding that a marriage can be happy and long lasting one when the egalitarianism is in practice. The author found that the wives in egalitarianism can be more satisfied and thus the husbands will be more positive with their emotions and the situations the marital life will lead to be long lasting. This egalitarianism in fact complete the verse of genesis (2: 24) ‘They are no longer two separate individuals, but they are one’ a same self – oneself.

Also in Ephesians 5. 28 ‘in this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. When the husbands have this kind of a commitment he is prone to respect his wife. This will lead to better recognition and satisfaction to wife. In this it is more likely for the husbands to go forward with positive marital emotion. The general paper also argues that in a lasting marriage, both husband and wife are always determined to move closer together to have a long lasting relationship.

It tells us more about the theory when explaining that in human relation ship that at any time two people moving either closer together or further apart, there is no other direction. In a married life the couples are more likely to move closer together but the author further studies that when the couples get closer the take their companion for granted and that will cause them to drift apart. This exactly where the bible and The Word intervenes. People who put God in the middle of their closeness will definitely succeed. ‘Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and u will succeed’ says the book of proverbs.

What ells can the word complement with, in your struggle to find the divine meaning that sublime unity of marriage. Bible is the word of god and it contains God’s will for everyone thus it is more than advisable to meditate up on it daily. When talking about gender equality and respect for women in marital life a doubt can be occurred to anyone about the words of God about the same issues in the Bible because they are often misunderstood as a male dominant cultural perspective whereas Peter makes it very clear saying ‘husbands be considerate as you live with your wives.

And treat them with respect’. In the special revelation one sees little exhortation for the secular needs of a relationship. Such as being an out let to all the inputs of day-to-day life. Dowling argues in her article that conditions such as the need of good friend, a soul mate is to be found in the partner, if not the relationship would not flourish, while, the special revelation seems to stressing only the procreation aspect of married life. God has created mankind to be happy and praise Him forever. This can be analyzed and found from the coming of all the prophets and the final prophet.

The act of creation and the inspired revelations have proved that man and woman were created to live together. They needed to live together giving themselves to one another in the holy and sublime unity of marriage as we have seen from the first parents. This union of marriage is based on love, which is unconditional and romantic, with a lot consideration and care. Adam our great, great, great grant father tells us about the romance one needs to have towards his wife by saying ‘this is now the bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh’.

People always, from the beginning of time, understood that it was difficult for the human beings to have such solid and lasting relationship in the changing social, personal and economical conditions. Human kind, ever since the marriage and familial structure came in to being, experienced the bitterness of divorce, which appeared to some one as the best way to live. This phenomenon has, through out the time, caused concerns to the social, religious and national well-wishers who in turn studied, analyzed and critically looked upon deferent aspects and importance of this relationship.

They knew that without a marriage there cannot be a family, and without a family there cannot be a society thus the integrity of any person or organizations constituted by persons will remain with their ability to keep strong family bonds. Keeping it in mind men have always tried to learn religiously and socially and statically the many factors affecting the stability of marriage on their own contemporary times and they have found it to be the most useful for the self realization of human beings.

In the general observation, gender equality has been termed as one of the important factors among many in the stability of a marriage. One learns theologically that God, Himself, choosing the body of a man to create a woman, has made relevant the concept of fellow being and equality. Furthermore studies show that a marriage lasts longer and works better when a person can find a true personal friend in his or her partner. Dowling’s studies have argued and succeeded in proving that ‘in reciprocal service, a close friend must be willing to help his or her partner and feel able to ask him or her for one, the usual things.

Analyzing the versus from genesis, especially Gen. 2. 24 such as ‘ the man will now live not only for his own but also for his wife. Same is true for a woman. Both will forget themselves and will create a new self out of obviously two different individuals’, one understands clearly how well the creator meant the “being the best friend” factor of the relationship in married life. The creator had a plan for his creation as no one, in his or her good sense does anything without a reason behind that. Jeremiah 29.

6 tells more clearly about the plan God has for his creation that is ‘Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number…’ this exhortation through the prophet was only a revision of His blessing at the creation saying “Increase and Multiply”. The human culture generally have ignored or over looked these days this plan for the creation and they have taken into consideration more the companionship and the friendship factor of marriage relationship.

Thus the communities in many cultures felt that an intimate relation can be possible when they get closer and fulfill each other’s needs, it did not necessarily be men and women but just needed to be tow or more persons. The procedure for some found to be sexually more innovative, satisfying and the relationship more reasonable when the personal liberty taken in wrong concept. One, in the first place, fails to realize that the homosexual behavior does not really treat the genders equally.

Walter tells us the way in which the homosexuality humiliates the gender in the light of holy scriptures when in Genesis 19:1-29 we read about the attempted gang rape in Sodom ‘That was a case of ostensibly heterosexual males intent on humiliating strangers by treating them “like women,” thus demasculinizing them’ (Walter 1). We are in a world, which is over populated, where the homosexuals look for all the rights and privileges of any other heterosexuals, and we are in a world where the young generation is confused on the morality of their own sexuality and sexual behavior.

Since the Bible is our only inspired guide and the world’s most highly respected moral authority, let us see what it says about homosexuality, Genesis 1:26-28 – ‘God created male and female and told them to reproduce’. God’s natural order is for male and female to mate and reproduce. Fundamental human anatomy confirms this. But homosexuality is an unnatural abuse of reproductive mating. These are the undeniable basics which we must understand on the question that why homosexuality is harmful physically.

Homosexuality can be associated with bestiality, obviously, because both are unnatural defilements of reproduction. This is why homosexuality is an abomination. Eventually, whatever may be the inclinations, the behavior will be our free choice, because we are bestowed up on with a free will to choose between good and bad. When we make use of our free will we either be sinful or be sinless and graceful which does not mean we are unworthy of respect as a person or a creation of God. St. Paul has made it clear to all by saying all men are created to be saved.

Moreover every person is an “Image and Likeness” of the Father the creator. Some homosexuals popularized the view that they have no choice: it is in their genes or hormones (like race or gender). Some claim, “God made me this way,” so they can do nothing about it and no one should say it is wrong. Consider the Bible evidence St. Paul again encourages them in 1 Corinthians 10:13 ‘with every temptation, including homosexuality, there is a way of escape. When people become homosexuals, often there are others – even identical twins – who faced similar heredity and circumstances yet remained straight’.

In order to be away from this defilement one needs to be encouraged to enjoy fantasizing natural relationships and behaviors. Parents will do the needful to give a complete sense of morality and sins to the children. Encouraging the children to be involved in the work of evangelization. These children will realize the importance of familial structure and the strong relationship of a husband and wife in a divine way.

Work cited

Wink, Walter “Homosexuality and the Bible” society of biblical literature (1-3 1990)