But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Corinthians 2:14)

1. When we read this, what are the “things” referred to?  
2. It can mean lots of things, but we know that they are considered “foolishness”
3. We know that those who do receive them discern whatever those things are “spiritually” -- not through fleshly knowledge
4. We know that, one of the things we can be certain of to receive from God when asked is Wisdom (James 1:5)
5. So in this regard, I would argue that wisdom would include understanding God’s will for an institution He holds in highest regard and, in fact, God intends to express the Gospel.
6. But that wisdom will be contending with that part of our thinking or our emotions that still belong to “natural man’ which I believe, for the Christian, is the “old man” (Romans 6:6)

1. If God says that it is not good for man to be alone (Genesis 2:18), is that simply a statement of loneliness?  
2. I would argue it’s not, because God also says he will make a suitable helper for him (Genesis 2:18). 
3. Yet, why do you, me, or anyone need a helper?  It’s because the person is missing total self-sufficiency.  They need the help that can be offered by another person.
4. So, if the woman offers something that shores up a weakness in the man, it stands to reason she is also different.
5. But if we accept that she’s also different, can we accept that she’s different not only in good ways, but in bad ways as well?

1. Even if you hold on still that men and women are exactly the same in all things, what do you gain from that worldview if you’re wrong?
2. What if the fundamental core of conflict lies not in your rightness or her wrongness or vice-versa, but that there’s essential, foundational, God-created differences of the nature of sin?
3. Do you benefit from trying to “believe” it away with the culturally-accepted view?
4. On the other hand, perhaps we’re wrong, and we posit that there are, in fact differences, and they resonate with some actual truth.  Then certainly you still benefit from understanding the root cause, even if it only applies to your marriage and your marriage only.
5. If what we say has zero resonance and zero applicability, then, you can seek some other source and continue to base that in your original world-view, which is that everyone is alike.

1. The full counsel of God is spiritual, foolishness to the flesh, and discerning of all things;
2. Man and women are equally valued to God, but different in their roles, responsibilities, and sinfulness;
3. Understanding the core of every marriage benefits you because it allows you to go more deeply into the nature of our different design.

Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made.He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” 4But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise,b she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. (Genesis 3:1-6)

1. God says the serpent was more crafty than any other beast....so would a characteristic of being crafty mean the serpent is most likely to pick the path of least resistance?  
2. Therefore, can we hold at least lightly that, to properly develop a marriage we acknowledge and defend against such deception?  And that perhaps in regards to this particular sin and deception, men are a stronger defense and therefore lean on man as a defense?  (Note: don’t worry, men have their gender-specific sin as well)
3. So...is it worth knowing the means of this deception?
4. The serpent attacked by introducing doubt
5. Eve first repeats God’s command: she knows what is the right answer
6. However, the serpent picks a specific response: “you will be like God.”
7. This is the temptation -- and it succeeds....
8. So the modern listener may say, “no woman wants to be like God...”
9. “knowing good and evil” -- this is how the serpent tempts
10. So let’s pause on this and ask, “What would a modern representation of being like a God and knowing good and evil” be like?
11. Judgment.  Knowing someone’s motive.  

1. Critical -- meaning they judge their husbands
2. Unspoken expectations -- so it’s judging someone for not knowing what