What does it mean that we were made for relationship?
We were not made to be alone. We bear the image of a God who is love and who lives in relationship, and He made us for relationship: with Himself and with one another. Scripture moves from 'it is not good for the man to be alone' to the gospel, in which we are brought into the very fellowship of God and called to love one another. Our deepest loneliness is healed in belonging to God through Christ and to His people.
This question arose from studying What does it mean to be made in God's image? and Who is Jesus?.
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What the Scripture says
We bear the image of a God who is love
'Let us make man in our image,' God said, and He created them male and female in His image. We are made like a God who is love and who, before the foundation of the world, lived in the love of Father and Son. To be made in His image is to be made for love and for relationship: the capacity for communion is not an add-on to being human; it is what being human is for.
God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the sky, and over the livestock, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
God created man in his own image. In God’s image he created him; male and female he created them.So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
He who doesn’t love doesn’t know God, for God is love.He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
Father, I desire that they also whom you have given me be with me where I am, that they may see my glory, which you have given me, for you loved me before the foundation of the world.Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
'It is not good for the man to be alone'
The first thing God pronounced 'not good' in all of creation was solitude: 'It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make him a helper comparable to him.' And so woman was made, and the two, leaving father and mother, become one flesh. The wise man agreed that two are better than one, and that a threefold cord is not quickly broken. From the very beginning, we are created for companionship, first in marriage and by extension in the family of humanity and the family of God.
Yahweh God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make him a helper comparable to him.”And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
Therefore a man will leave his father and his mother, and will join with his wife, and they will be one flesh.Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.
If a man prevails against one who is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Jesus chose us for companionship
Mark records that Jesus 'appointed twelve, that they might be with him.' Before He sent them out, He called them in. And He told His disciples, 'No longer do I call you servants... But I have called you friends,' and He commanded them to love one another as He loved them. Following Christ is not a solitary ascent; it is life in His company and in His family.
He appointed twelve, that they might be with him, and that he might send them out to preach,And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach,
No longer do I call you servants, for the servant doesn’t know what his lord does. But I have called you friends, for everything that I heard from my Father, I have made known to you.Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, just like I have loved you; that you also love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
The gospel is fellowship with God
John declares what he saw and heard 'that you also may have fellowship with us. Yes, and our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son, Jesus Christ.' This is the heart of the gospel: not only forgiveness, but communion. Jesus says that those who love Him will be loved by the Father, and that He and the Father will come and make their home with them. We love, because He first loved us: our capacity for love is our maker's gift, and He has acted in Christ to give us the relationship we were made for.
that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us. Yes, and our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son, Jesus Christ.That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
Jesus answered him, “If a man loves me, he will keep my word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him, and make our home with him.Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
We love him, because he first loved us.We love him, because he first loved us.
And into the family of God
Because we are made for relationship, God does not save us into isolation but into a household. We are 'fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God,' and John writes that as many as received Christ were given the right to become children of God. The end of it all is a wedding: the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready, and 'blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.' We were made for love, and God has been working from the first page to the last to bring us home to it.
So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God,Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become God’s children, to those who believe in his name: who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Let us rejoice and be exceedingly glad, and let us give the glory to him. For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his wife has made herself ready.”Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
He said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’” He said to me, “These are true words of God.”And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
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Does everyone deserve God's judgment?→“for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”What is the body, soul, and spirit?→“Yahweh God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”What is hell?→“Then he will say also to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels;Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:”How does God judge people who never heard of Jesus?→“For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity; that they may be without excuse.For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:”Is hell eternal punishment or annihilation?→“These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”Why does every human life have dignity and worth?→“God created man in his own image. In God’s image he created him; male and female he created them.So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”What is the difference between the heart, soul, and mind?→“Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.”Why do I still feel lonely?→“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, and flame will not scorch you.When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.”Can I seek God on my own?→“As it is written, “There is no one righteous; no, not one. There is no one who understands. There is no one who seeks after God. They have all turned aside. They have together become unprofitable. There is no one who does good, no, not so much as one.”As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”Explore further
Who is God the Father?→God the Father trail“Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you such a long time, and do you not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father. How do you say, ‘Show us the Father?’Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?”Why do I need the church?→The Church trail“Let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good works, not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as you see the Day approaching.And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”What is the Lord's Supper?→The Church trail“For I received from the Lord that which also I delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night in which he was betrayed took bread. When he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “Take, eat. This is my body, which is broken for you. Do this in memory of me.” In the same way he also took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink, in memory of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.”Hold onto these
Verses to meditate on
God created man in his own image. In God’s image he created him; male and female he created them.So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
Yahweh God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make him a helper comparable to him.”And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
No longer do I call you servants, for the servant doesn’t know what his lord does. But I have called you friends, for everything that I heard from my Father, I have made known to you.Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us. Yes, and our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son, Jesus Christ.That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God,Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
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