Hebrew scholars tell us that the same Hebrew word for "one" is used in Genesis 2:24, "And they
shall become one flesh," and in Deuteronomy 6:4, "Hear, O Israel:the Lord our God is one
Lord." This fact has sometimes been used as an evidence that even in the Old Testament the triune
nature of God – a unity of more than one part – was alluded to. I would like to look at the reverse
side of the coin and use it to show the ideal nature of the oneness between husband and wife.

The Persons of the Trinity have had, have, and will have the same purposes and goals for all
eternity. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit may have different roles in carrying out these purposes,
but there is no conflict of purpose or will in the Godhead. Just so, the ideal married couple will
have the same purposes and goals although their roles in achieving these goals may be somewhat
different. There will not be a conflict of wills, because for a Christian couple the question should
never be, "Shall we carry out his will or her will in this matter?" but, "What is God’s will for our
family in this matter?"

In the New Testament we have a couple, Aquila and Priscilla, who closely approached this ideal.
The first mention of this couple is in Acts 18. Paul lived with them in Corinth because they were
tentmakers and so was he. The passage implies that Aquila and Priscilla worked together at the
same secular occupation. (For the purposes of this article, secular occupation will mean the work
by which one provides for the physical needs of oneself or others.) I believe that in an ideal
environment all husbands and wives would do this. Unfortunately, in modern society few couples
can work together in the same secular work. However, even if they are physically separated
during their secular work, they can carry it out with a common purpose; they can have a
partnership of attitude. For example, let us suppose the husband of a young couple with children
goes out to some job or business, while the wife stays home to care for the children and house.
The husband should not regard his job as a means to inflate his ego or to make a name for himself
in the business or professional world. The purpose of his job is to glorify God, provide a means
to lay up treasure in heaven, and to provide for the physical and educational needs of his family.
Likewise, the wife in spending the money her husband earns and in caring for the home should
not have as her goals keeping herself and the children in the forefront of fashion or making her
home the showplace of the neighborhood, but to glorify God, have the means to lay up treasure
in heaven, and to provide for the physical and emotional needs of the family.

If the wife works outside the home her purposes should be the same ones; her work should not
be a means to pursue selfish ends. There should be this oneness of attitude toward the purposes
of secular work even if the couple cannot engage in exactly the same work.

The husband and wife should also minister together to the emotional, educational, and spiritual
needs of the family. Both should be interested in the training and discipline of the children. Both
should share the interests and activities of the children. Both should provide time in their schedules
for family worship, family communication, and family recreation.

Aquila and Priscilla not only worked together in their secular work, they worked together in their
spiritual ministry. Together they traveled with Paul to Syria (Acts 18:18), together they ministered

to Apollos (Acts 18:26), and together they provided a place in their home for the assembly (1 Cor.
16:19). Both are referred to as Paul’s helpers in Christ Jesus (Rom. 16:3). The ideal Christian
couple should be seeking ways to serve the Lord together and to help one another develop and use
the spiritual gifts of each. A husband and wife can minister together hi teaching children, in visits
to homes and hospitals, in tract distribution, and in ministering to the saved and unsaved in their
own home. If the husband has been given a gift for public ministry, the wife can have a part in
this as they study the Bible and pray together. The wife’s spiritual and scriptural insights spoken
to her husband privately may be very helpful to him as he ministers publicly. Even if their roles
in the ministry are somewhat different, they should have the partnership of a common purpose.

Serving the Lord together promotes the unity of the couple as well as the interests of Christ. In
fact, the unity of the couple is one of Christ’s interests (Eph. 5:28-31). Working together to
promote spiritual, emotional, and physical well-being in each other, in their own children, and in
persons outside the family will form special ties between husband and wife that can be formed in
no other way.