Daily Scripture Reading 1Corinthians 7:10-31
In recent decades, Christianity has adopted a cavalier attitude about divorce and remarriage. The official position of many churches and pastors is that divorce should be avoided and remarriage is not good; however, their actions reveal a different mindset. Too many Christians have the mentality that being single is lonely; therefore, it should be okay for a divorced Christian to get remarried.
On the contrary, the Bible is clear over and over again that while divorce is unavoidable at times, remarriage is almost always adultery and should not happen. Today’s passage fleshes out what that means when one spouse becomes a believer and the other does not.
In the first 10 verses of chapter 7 Paul celebrated and elevated singleness, but conceded that, due to sexual temptation, it is good to get married. He instructed spouses to fulfill their duties to their spouse. Then he encouraged the unmarried and widows to remain as they were if they had the self-control to do so without sinning.
1Cor. 7:10 ¶ But to the married I give instructions, not I, but the Lord, that the wife should not leave her husband
1Cor. 7:11 (but if she does leave, she must remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband should not divorce his wife.
Note in verse 10 the phrase “not I, but the Lord”. The instruction in verses 10-11 is from the Lord, it is not Paul’s opinion.
Marriage is intended to be a lifelong commitment. Malachi 2:16 tells us God hates divorce. Unfortunately, sometimes divorce is unavoidable, and the instruction in these verses reminds us that in those situations, divorced people must not remarry.
That is contrary to the mentality of many Christians today who think that since singleness is lonely, it should be okay for a divorced person to get remarried. The Bible concedes that divorce is unavoidable at times, but remarriage is never inevitable. Divorced people should either reconcile with their spouse or stay single.
1Cor. 7:12 ¶ But to the rest I say, not the Lord, that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he must not divorce her.
Notice the phrase “I say, not the Lord”. This appears to indicate that the instruction in verses 12-13 is Paul’s opinion; thus, perhaps not as authoritative as the rest of Scripture. However, the guidance Paul gave in verses 12-13 is an application of the instruction in verses 10-11.
1Cor. 7:13 And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not divorce her husband.
This letter was written not long after Paul had visited Corinth and brought the gospel message to them. Some believed and some didn’t. There were probably situations where a man or woman became a believer as a result of Paul’s preaching, but their spouse did not. Paul was instructing them what to do. Essentially, they were not supposed to divorce their unbelieving spouse.
1Cor. 7:14 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.
1Cor. 7:15 Yet if the unbelieving one leaves, let him leave. The brother or the sister is not enslaved in such cases, but God has called us to peace.
If the unbeliever decided to leave the marriage, the believer didn’t have much choice but to allow the departure. That is what is meant by the phrase “not enslaved”. However, the instruction in verses 10-11 still applied, the believer was to remain single or reconcile with their spouse.
1Cor. 7:16 For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?
1Cor. 7:17 ¶ Only, as the Lord has assigned to each one, as God has called each, in this manner let him walk. And so I direct in all the churches.
1Cor. 7:18 Was any man called when he was already circumcised? He is not to become uncircumcised. Has anyone been called in uncircumcision? He is not to be circumcised.
A huge debate in the early church was whether or not Gentiles needed to be circumcised and obey the Law of Moses in order to be saved. The answer was no. On the other hand, the Jews who had grown up obeying the Law of Moses and then became believers were supposed to continue obeying the Law.
1Cor. 7:19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is the keeping of the commandments of God.
1Cor. 7:20 Each man must remain in that condition in which he was called.
1Cor. 7:21 ¶ Were you called while a slave? Do not worry about it. But if you are able also to become free, rather do that.
1Cor. 7:22 For he who was called in the Lord while a slave, is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who was called while free, is Christ’s slave.
1Cor. 7:23 You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.
1Cor. 7:24 Brothers, each one is to remain with God in that condition in which he was called.
1Cor. 7:25 ¶ Now concerning virgins I have no command of the Lord, but I give an opinion as one who by the mercy of the Lord is trustworthy.
Pay attention to the phrase “I have no command of the Lord”. Paul made it clear he was merely offering his opinion.
1Cor. 7:26 I think then that this is good because of the present distress, that it is good for a man to remain as he is.
1Cor. 7:27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you released from a wife? Do not seek a wife.
1Cor. 7:28 But if you marry, you have not sinned. And if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet such will have trouble in this life, and I am trying to spare you.
1Cor. 7:29 But this I say, brothers, the time has been shortened, so that from now on those who have wives should be as though they had none;
1Cor. 7:30 and those who cry, as though they did not cry; and those who rejoice, as though they did not rejoice; and those who buy, as though they did not possess;
1Cor. 7:31 and those who use the world, as though they did not make full use of it. For the form of this world is passing away.
Over the past several decades, Christianity has increasingly been guided by emotions rather than truth. One area we see this trend is in the matter of divorce and remarriage. The attitude of many church members today is that singleness is lonely; therefore, it should be okay for divorced people to remarry. That is an emotional way of looking at the topic.
The truth-based outlook is that remarriage after divorce is adultery; therefore, it should not happen. This is not always fair. In today’s passage, Paul addressed what this means when a person becomes a believer, but his or her spouse does not. If the unbelieving spouse leaves the marriage, it is unfair to the believing spouse to be single, and perhaps lonely. However, as Christians we should be more concerned about obeying God than catering to our emotions.
To what extent have your or your church adopted the mentality that since divorced people are lonely, it is okay for them to get remarried because it is not fair to expect them to remain single?
What should churches be doing to support and encourage those who are single because an unbelieving spouse left them?
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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”