The Choice is Theirs

 

DEVOTION

THE 1^ST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS

THE CHOICE IS THEIRS

1 Cor 7:12-16

12 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. 13 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. 14 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. 15 But if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. A believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. 16 How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

NIV

Much has been said about this comment that Paul makes regarding that it is him who speaks, and not the lord regarding this next segment of advice, which may have been in response to a question. If all scripture is God-breathed, then how could this not be from the inspiration of the Lord? It is thought, this advice he is giving is not directly spoken about in any text or rather in the law given to Moses. However, it still is consistent with Godly principles and should be seen as being inspired by the Spirit, rather than just a portion of a letter that only came from the mind of man. This portion deals with marriages where one of the partners has become a believer and the other has not. How should this type of marriage survive? It comes down to the choice of the non-believer, rather than the believer. This reason can only be on account that believer is bound to their marriage in obedience to the Lord. Whichever the unbelieving spouse makes the believing spouse should be willing to accept. It is interesting, because of the believing spouse the unbelieving spouse is declared holy so that children will be clean or holy. However, the point is still the same regarding the mindset of a believing person regarding marriage. It is established by God and therefore is ordained that it should remain holy and sacred remaining intact till death parts them. There is one specific circumstance a believer has been given the approval to leave a marriage, but that is the only one. Today, of course, it would seem appropriate for a Christian woman to seek refuge through divorce because of either a mentally or physically brutal husband. It seems horrible under sharia law that a husband has the right to physically beat or even behead his wife if she displeased him in any way, but that is a man without God. Within a marriage where there is at least one spouse who knows the Lord, there is a chance the other will find their way to God. But the choice remains in the hands of the unbelieving spouse. It seems that is the simplest way to interpret this portion. The believer has no choice, it rests with the unbeliever.