Originally Published by James Richardson April 26, 2026 on Medium

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.

• 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.
• Queer Union and Scripture: Examining marriage within the LGBTQIA+ community—where it finds scriptural justification, the contexts in which it is condemned, and how it fits into a broader theological framework.
• Divorce: God's plan for divorce, and how divorce has shaped society over the years.
• The Future of Union: The end of institutionalized marriage and the universal regeneration of humanity upon Christ’s return."

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.

These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens. Gen 2:4 ESV

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. It should be noted that Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 2:4 implies not only two creations, but multiple, if not infinite universes. 

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.  - Gen 1:1 ESV

Adam, Eve, and the Birth of Marriage

This "Two Creation" theory 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 from modern humanity theologically understood as fallen.

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. – Gen 1:27

The creation account in Genesis 1 can be understood as an entirely spiritual narrative, dense with hidden wisdom and divine goodness—a depth not fully revealed to the Hebrews until later generations through the Wisdom tradition (Eccl 3:11–15; Sirach 42:15–25).

For the modern reader, these Wisdom scriptures present a challenge: they accommodate diverse expressions of partnership, whether monogamous or polygamous. When read alongside the Genesis narrative, these varied relationships reveal God’s broader purpose—to invite humanity into a vast, expansive network of connection with each other, with the Divine, and with the world. This expansion ultimately reshapes not only how we relate to one another today, but also how we connect with 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 humanity’s earthly nature, and the "Institution of Marriage" begins to take shape.

I find validity in both perspectives: regarding Genesis 1 and 2 as two separate, distinct accounts of creation, or viewing them as a single creation narrative that expands in scope. 

We can hold both in tandem. It should be noted that Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 2:4 implies not only two creations, but multiple, if not infinite universes. 

One accounts for the broad, diverse reality of humanity across Eternity, while the other provides a specific, institutional model that has defined religious society for millennia. 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, Jesus’ teachings radically changed how religious leaders regarded marriage. Taking a closer look at His teachings, and having our mind’s transformed should reshape how we think of marriage. With scriptural support, I submit to you not only how institutional marriage must end, but also before it’s end, how the rigid sanction of monogamy will be challenged by Christ before He returns. As 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

Here, nakedness is not merely a physical state, but a profound spiritual intimacy—the period of humanity experiencing Christ as <He/She/Them/It> truly is, dwelling together in the perfect bond of love. This perspective does not dismiss the concepts of sin, adultery, idolatry or fornication; rather, it invites the believer into the 'translucent' relationship they have been part of before they were born. (Jer 1:5; Ps 139:13-16; Rom 8:29)

It is a vision where Christ is the Bridegroom who has left Heaven to be joined to all of humanity. And collectively we are 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>, reserving His most sacred language to relate to His creation in a way they understand. This realization warns us of two equal dangers: taking the Bible so literally that we miss the spirit behind His Word, or adopting a purely materialistic, non-spiritual perspective that fails to recognize the reality of Eternity and 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 way 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; the type of love we all have endured in relation with each other at some point in time. 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>