Page 183 - Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible Christianity. Based on the King James Bible

DIVORCE

He had in mind a situation where a husband was problem it be to be married to an idolater, especially
physically harming the wife and/or children, or where when we learn that idolaters often participated in
their lives were threatened. Or, He might have been fornication as a part of their worship. What conflict
thinking of situations such as those today in which one there would be, also, in religious discussions in the
person can get a divorce whether the other partner home! How easy it would be to get into heated
wants it or not. In such a case, the options are clear: arguments about funerals, etc. Even though such
remain unmarried or be reconciled. If God permitted conditions might be miserable to live in, the Bible says
remarriage today, this would have been the perfect that the unbeliever should not depart. Reason? Verse 16,
place to state it; as a matter of fact, this is the place that “For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt
it would have been absolutely necessary to state so. save thy husband? Or how knowest thou, O man,
We note that Paul said, “...yet not I, but the Lord.” whether thou shalt save thy wife?”
This was not merely what Paul thought, but what God God is interested in saving people! He knows that
commanded. In v. 12, “But to the rest speak I, not the believers can win others to Christ, especially when they
Lord...” Paul did not disclaim inspiration, but rather live with them and demonstrate the benefits of the
taught that he was dealing with a matter which Christ gospel. Our problem is that we not only are not very
did not mention while He was on earth. We should zealous about soul winning, we also do a poor job of
remember that Christ told His disciples, in Jn. 16:12-13, living Christ in everyday activities.
that He had not told them everything, because they Verse 15 is taken by some Christians to give
could not have absorbed it. He said that the Holy Spirit permission for divorce and remarriage, when it says,
would come and reveal more of Christ’s truth; this “But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother
situation in 1 Corinthians is a fulfillment of that. While or a sister in not under bondage in such cases: but God
on earth, the Lord Jesus did not say anything about a has called us to peace.” Does the phrase “not under
believer being married to an unbeliever. That was left bondage” free the divorced person to remarry? A little
for Paul to deal with. common sense will show that it does not. Even if we
1 Co. 7:14 gives one reason why divorce should not consider this writing to be uninspired, there would be
occur: the unbelieving partner is sanctified by the no way that a sane person would make a statement in v.
believer. A second reason is that the children would be 11 and then contradict it in v. 15. In v. 11 he gave only
sanctified, also. What a great privilege it is for one two options to the divorced person: remain unmarried,
person in a family to be saved! The presence of one or be reconciled. Why would a person limit the
Christian in a family brings the blessing of God, which possibilities to these two, then add another a few
would be impossible otherwise. To say that the sentences later? No intelligent person does things that
unbeliever is sanctified does not guarantee his salvation; way. Then, when we remember that these words were
to say that the children are holy does not guarantee inspired by the Holy Spirit, it is ridiculous to think that
their salvation, either. Sanctified and holy do not the Spirit of God would set down a requirement, then
necessarily mean to be saved or purified or made better. change it thirty seconds later.
A good example of that is 1 Pe. 3:15, where we read What, then, does v. 15 teach? Simply that when the
that we are to “sanctify the Lord God” in our hearts; unbeliever leaves, the believer has no further
obviously, we cannot improve the Lord. We sanctify responsibility to be the proper wife or husband to that
Him, but we certainly do not save or purify Him! To departed one. To understand the necessity for this we
sanctify means to set something or someone apart, to be need only to remember that, even in our day, a divorced
different from all else. Thus, to sanctify the Lord in our man sometimes returns to his estranged wife and wants
hearts is to give Him a place which is above all else. to spend the night. Sometimes a Christian woman
In a family where at least one member is saved, that thinks that she should permit such, since she did not
family is set apart, different from other families which seek the divorce in the first place; but this verse teaches
do not have any believers in them, in this respect: not that the believer has no responsibility of marriage
only can they hear the gospel, but they can also see the toward the one who has departed. The departed
effects of it in everyday life. [Such a family also has a husband may not return and expect the wife to be
special blessing of the Lord because of the presence of obedient, unless there is a reconciliation. The departed
the child of God.] How few in this heathen world have wife may not return and expect to be provided for,
that privilege! A family which had at least one Christian unless there is a reconciliation.
in it would have a better chance of being saved than In a similar way, some Christians interpret v. 28 to
otherwise. permit remarriage after divorce, when it says, “But and
Therefore, Scripture is admonishing the believer not if thou marry, thou hast not sinned...” The same
to leave the unbelieving mate. We can imagine what a reasoning applies. Even from a human standpoint, no

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