Oneness of flesh in Christ can be found only in a Christian home between a Christian husband and his Christian wife. This oneness of flesh is not merely in name only, whereby the wife takes on the surname of her husband, but is emotional, mental and spiritual in nature. God had declared this oneness in flesh in Genesis 2:24, even before the fall of man. In the Garden of Eden, Adam could not find “an help meet for him” (Gen 2:20) among the animals in which God had created. Hence, God created a woman (Eve) out of the rib of Adam and “they shall be one flesh” (Gen 2:24). However, this oneness in flesh was destroyed after the fall, when sin came into the world and had become the weakness of man, disrupting the godly peace in the family.

In Ephesians 5:31-33, we are reminded that with God’s help, through this oneness of flesh in Christ, we are able to experience the blessing of godly peace in a Christian home. There will be a blessed restoration of the paradise of peace in the home, similar to the oneness between Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, whereby both the husband and his wife desire to promote Christ by obeying God’s Word in all areas of their lives, including the upbringing of their children. Every member of the family must have a willing heart to be one in Christ and to obey God’s Word. The husband will be the head to lead his family and love his wife, while the wife will submit lovingly in reverence to her husband. This oneness between the Christian husband and the Christian wife will provide a godly example for their children to follow and, together as a family, they will be a holy witness and testimony for Christ in this world. However, families without this oneness will result in a lack of godly parenting such that both parents only focus on their individual careers and physical needs and neglect the spiritual well-being of their children and the family. As such, they will not be able to experience and enjoy godly peace in their home.

This oneness of flesh is a great mystery of Christ and His Church (Eph 5:32). This mystery, however, is revealed through the godly testimony of the oneness of flesh in Christ that are found in the Christian family. The Christian husband and Christian wife relationship is akin to Christ and His Church. Through this, we will be able to understand God’s love for His Church, from the oneness in Christ found in the Christian family where the Christian husband loves his Christian wife, and the wife submitting to her husband.

Therefore, let all family members obey God’s instructions for the Christian family, with the help of the Holy Spirit dwelling in us, so that we may attain this paradise and enjoy this godly peace in our earthly homes.