In Christ Jesus, intimacy becomes identity. We are more than mere lovers, we are one! We are married more than more or woman ever could be.
I used to think that our relationship in God was based on growing in greater connection with Him. We start out as His children, say, then we become like a married couple.
I looked at passages like:
"And it shall be at
that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call me Ishi; and shalt call me
no more Baali." (Hosea 2: 16)
and
"For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one
husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ." (2 Corinthians 11: 2)
But then I read in Jesus' prayer before His trial and execution:
"I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the
world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved
me." (John 17: 23)
And of course:
"Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of
judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4: 17)
Then I return to the first chapter of John's Gospel:
"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:" (John 1: 12)
For the believer, our intimacy is our identity in Christ Jesus. For this reason Paul wrote:
"That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and
grounded in love,
"May be able to
comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth,
and height;
"And to know the
love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the
fulness of God. " (Ephesians 3: 17-19)
God is love (1 John 4: 16), and we are one with Him in our Spirit man, but He desires us to work out this salvation, presenting our bodies a living sacrifice and renewing our minds to the Truth (Romans 12: 1-2).
Intimacy is identity in Christ realized to our minds and senses through receiving His Word.