1 Corinthians 7:10-16
10 But to the married I give instructions, not I, but the Lord, that the wife is not to leave her husband
11 (but if she does leave, she must remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband is not to divorce his wife.
12 But to the rest I say, not the Lord, that if any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she consents to live with him, he must not divorce her.
13 And if any woman has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not divorce her husband.
14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband; for otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy.
15 Yet if the unbelieving one is leaving, let him leave; the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us in peace.
16 For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?
Concerning Divorce
To those already married
Next, Paul gives instruction to those who are already married. He says, “I give instructions, not I, but the Lord.” By that time, the earthly ministry and teachings of the Lord Jesus had been accurately preserved both in written form and through oral tradition. Paul was most likely familiar with these sources as well. (1) The principle is that divorce is not permissible. Marriage belongs to God’s created order and is a blessed institution (ref. Matt. 5:32; 19:3-9). (2) If a person has already been divorced, there are two options: remain unmarried or be reconciled to one’s spouse. From the way Paul expresses himself, it appears that he regards the latter as the better course.
Tho those who became Christian after marriage
The next issue concerns marriages in which one spouse became a Christian after the marriage. It appears that there were quite a number of such people in the Corinthian church. Regarding this matter, Paul says, “I say, not the Lord.” (1) If the unbelieving spouse is willing to remain in the marriage, the believer must not divorce. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his believing wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband. (2) The “sanctified” spoken of here does not refer to moral holiness, but to being “set apart from the world.” A believer’s household is placed under God’s protection. Furthermore, that household has been given the mission of displaying God’s glory. To be a member of such a household is to be in a state of being “set apart from the world.” The same meaning applies when Paul says that the children are holy. (3) If the unbelieving spouse chooses to leave, Paul’s position is that the believer should let that person go. His reason is that the one who has become a Christian is called to live in peace. Moreover, no one knows whether the unbelieving spouse will ultimately be saved. Whether or not there are unbelievers in your family, God’s protecting hand is upon your household. Let’s pray that your home will become a household that displays God’s glory. And also pray for the salvation of your family members.
Today's prayer
Heavenly Father, please bless and protect my household. Help every member of my family to become followers of Christ. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.