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In Christ, Mark
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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.
But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?
1 Corinthians 7:12-16
This ends today’s reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
As we have been studying the seventh chapter of 1 Corinthians, marriage has been at the forefront of Paul’s words to the church in Corinth. Earlier in the chapter, we found him talking about how a husband and wife should function within a marital relationship, focusing on the self sacrificing attitude needed between a husband and wife.
But what happens if things start to go wrong as they often do when two people attempt to live a life where they are supposed to be completely and uncompromisingly devoted to one another but have different spiritual beliefs?
In today’s passage, we find Paul offering some guidance. Look again at that here:
To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.
But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife? 1 Corinthians 7:12-16
Here we find Paul addressing marriages where the husband and wife are not equally yoked, where one might be a Christian while the other is not. How should the Christian mate treat the other?
Well, the first thing we see that divorce is not the answer and this is definitely counter to what the world would say. The world would say that if you realize incompatibility in a marriage, just agree to split and go separate ways. But the ways of the Lord will almost always run counter to the world’s recommendations.
As we see in our scripture passage, a Christian husband who is married to an unbelieving wife isn’t to divorce her if she’s willing to live with him. Ditto for a Christian wife and her unbelieving husband.
Why?
Because there is always hope for conversion and change, that’s why.
An unbelieving wife becomes sanctified through her marriage to her Christ-believing husband. She is set apart from unbelieving wives who are married to unbelieving husbands. The same holds true the other way around as an unbelieving husband will be sanctified by being married to his Christian wife. The believing partner in the marital relationship brings holiness to their unbelieving companion.
Now this would be a blessing in its own right but Paul adds one more benefit to remaining married. The children of a marriage where either the husband or wife are Christian believers will be holy, this as opposed to a child born in a marriage where neither the husband nor wife believed in Jesus.
Let me stop and say something here that needs to be understood. God’s word here is not saying that a husband or wife should remain in a marriage that is abusive. The Lord would never require a person to remain in a place where there is intentional, sinful harm being inflicted on them. If you’re in that situation, the Lord can lead you out and to a place where you can be treated with love. Please don’t ever remain in an abusive environment, even if the abuser is trying to convince you that what they are doing is biblical. Woe to the person who does this and tries to propose God endorsing their sinful, evil behavior.
Finally, we find Paul address the scenario where an unbelieving husband or wife wants to leave the marriage. In these instances, the Christian husband or wife is not obligated. They are okay letting the unbelieving partner to walk away and can live in peace doing so. They shouldn’t feel like they are the ones responsible for saving their mate. God is the only One who can do the actual saving through His Son Jesus. He just uses people to help others come to Him for salvation.
Are you a Christian and married to an unbeliever?
Paul’s words offer
important direction so you know how to manage it. Allow the Lord's holiness to transfer from you to your husband and children, and pray that your partner might make the choice to be saved themselves.
Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Feel free to leave a
comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
Send any prayer requests to Gods4all@aol.com
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