The End of Marriage Pt. 1

Photo by Mandy Bourke on Unsplash

Marriage is an institution necessary to the maintenance of society but contrary to the laws of nature. — Honore De Balzac

Strange to see something so organic becomes the manipulation of the soul. Friends become foes once competition arrives in droves. All I want is to be able to love you fully. Because the only stability we know is the one we can control.

Love and marriage present a fascinating paradox. On one hand, marriage is a milestone many aspire to, often because we were conditioned from childhood to desire it. This is particularly prevalent in religious societies, especially within the ‘purity culture’ of a Christian context.

My view of marriage departs from the orthodox perspective. I am among those who have deconstructed their faith — not by abandoning Christianity, but by applying a deeper understanding of the Bible while honestly acknowledging its inconsistencies. I choose to examine the ‘plot holes’ and discrepancies of the text, seeking to understand why they exist rather than ignoring them.

This series will touch on many sensitive subjects — some of which are deeply personal — because my marriage was a primary catalyst for the deconstruction of my faith. To those reading: yes, I am married. However, I will not be delving into the private details of my own relationship.

Instead, I will explore these topics in tandem with a study of 2 Peter. Some of these themes are things I have addressed before, and I don’t anticipate revisiting them unless I eventually serve in a pastoral or teaching capacity — an outcome that seems unlikely for me.

In this series, we will cover:

• Godly Partnership: Examining marriage as both a spiritual bond and a human institution.
• Relationship Structures: Exploring Monogamy, Polygamy, Bigamy, and the concept of Fornication.
• Family Dynamics: The economic and social systems that sustain the family structure.
• Relational Health: Love, hatred, discipleship, and the reclamation of unity.
• The Future of Union: The end of institutionalized marriage and the regeneration of humanity.”

Let’s jump right into it. We’ll be looking at Genesis and going into two passages: Genesis 1:27–28; Genesis 2:23–25

Two Creations, One Truth: Rethinking the Genesis Accounts

For many who grew up in the church, the first two chapters of Genesis are often taught as a single story told twice — the second chapter simply zooming in on the details of the first. But as I’ve deconstructed my faith and looked closer at the text, I’ve found that forcing these two accounts into a single mold creates more “plot holes” than it solves.

If we look at them honestly, Genesis 1 and Genesis 2 describe two different creations of an entirely different nature.

The Divine Oracle vs. The Natural Law

I believe Genesis 1 and Genesis 2 are not just repetitive; they represent two distinct manifestations of reality.

• Genesis 1: The Immaterial Manifestation. This is the realm of Divine Oracles. Here, God speaks, and reality responds. This creation happens in a sequence of seven days — a framework often defended by Young Earth Creationism (YEC). I view this as a “blueprinting” or an immaterial expansion of creation where the divine will is established.
• Genesis 2: The Physical Manifestation. This account speaks to a creation manifested through the physical, the “dust of the ground,” and the natural laws of science. This is where the spiritual blueprint meets the material world. This view reconciles easily with Old Earth Creationism (OEC), naturalism, and the long, slow process of evolution.

By viewing these as two different “natures” of creation — one spiritual and one physical — we no longer have to choose between faith and science. We can hold both in tandem.

Adam, Eve, and the Birth of Marriage

This “Two Creation” theory also changes how we view the most controversial topic of this series: marriage.

In Genesis 1, “Adam and Eve” can be understood as a euphemism for humanity as a whole. When God creates humanity in His image and sees that it is “very good” (Genesis 1:31), there is no mention of a formal ceremony or a rigid institutional structure. In this broader creation of humanity, we see the potential for man to look entirely different than modern humanity, and various expressions of partnership — monogamous or polygamous. It is a wide, expansive view of human connection; to how we relate to each other and our ancestors.

In Genesis 2, however, the focus narrows. We see a clear, specific distinction: one man and one woman. This is where we see the “Institution of Marriage” begin to take shape.

I find both views are valid.

One accounts for the broad, diverse reality of human partnership across history, while the other provides a specific, institutional model that has defined religious society for centuries. The Bible offers more than one way to look at how humans were created to be together. We’ll explore some of those concepts together in this series.

Ultimately, Christ consciousness should reshape how we think of marriage and is the reason why I believe, with scriptural support, that institutionalized marriage must end. This consciousness of Christ begins at the end of Genesis 2 where it reads:

24 This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.

25 Now the man and his wife were both naked, but they felt no shame. — Genesis 2:24–25

In this context, nakedness is not merely a physical state, but a profound spiritual intimacy — the act of seeing Christ as He/She truly is, dwelling together in a bond of love. This perspective does not dismiss the concepts of sin or fornication; rather, it invites the believer into the ‘translucent’ relationship they have been part of since birth.

It is a vision where Christ is the Bridegroom who has left Heaven to be joined to all of humanity, and the Bride for whom every honorable man would leave natural relations to be eternally wedded. It is here that we find the strongest case for the Divine: a Being who must ‘code-switch’ to relate to His creation. This realization warns us of two equal dangers: taking the Bible so literally that we miss the spirit behind the word, or adopting a purely materialistic, non-spiritual perspective that fails to recognize the reality of ‘celestial beings.

In the next blog, we dive once again into different types of partnerships, monogamy, polygamy, bigamy, and other polyamorous relationships and what parts do they play in this time, what prophetic things can arise from these relationships and how all of these must give away if what the Bible teaches points to absolute truth. May all of you receive love that is pure, and overshadows all false and imperfect love that all humans endure in relation with each other. Receive my heart in simplicity and honesty. I love you all.

As Always,

James

28 So husbands ought to love their <own wives as their own bodies>; he who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. 30 For <we are members of His body>, of His flesh and of His bones. 31 For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. 32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning <Christ and the church>. 33 Nevertheless let each one of you in particular <so love his own wife as himself>, and let <the wife see that she respects her husband>. — Eph 5:28–33 (NKJV) <emphasis added>