Mutual Indwelling (Oneness)

I’ve often heard marriage likened to an intimate dance between two people where one takes the lead and the other follows. When dancing closely with someone, it becomes easy to trip over the other person’s foot. However, if moving in unity the dance will be graceful. It comes as no surprise then that the oneness unity of the Godhead would be another implication for marriage. I am not implying that the Father, the Son, and Spirit are dancing but they are undoubtedly moving in harmony because God is one.

Perichoresis, or the "mutual indwelling" of each member of the Godhead in the other, helps to describe the oneness of the Trinity. As husband and wife indwell one another, they too become one and this is particularly true when we consider God’s intelligent design of man and woman. Although it is important to exercise caution so as not to over-spiritualize the idea of perichoresis for husband and wife, it is evident how it can be seen analogously. The Godhead is one and together with the Father, through his Word, and by his Spirit created the heavens and the earth as we know it. Humans will never create another world but by God’s power he has created husband and wife in such a way that when they come together as one, they have the miraculous ability to procreate.

Although the Holy Trinity can be viewed as a guide for those in covenant marriages, there is by far no comparison. God the Father, our eternal Creator is gracious and loving so much so to offer us his divine example and share it with us through his divine Word. As created, finite beings, humans can never accomplish all that has been done by the Holy Trinity.

Furthermore, husbands and wives may do great things together in marriage, but never can they do it apart from God. Nevertheless, prosperity in marriage is likely to result when a husband and wife allow the Holy Spirit to dwell within them and operate according to God’s standards of love, identity, authority, equality, submission, and oneness.

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