But to the rest, I,
not the Lord,
say: If any brother
has a wife
who does not believe,
and she is willing to
live with him,
let him not divorce
her.
And a woman who has a
husband
who does not believe,
if he is willing to
live with her,
let her not divorce him.
1 Corinthians 7: 12
-- 13
Monday I
was traveling back from visiting with my family and was not able to post to my
blog's and while traveling was able to give much thought to that which I am now
discussing. That which Paul was
facing in his present age is not any different than what we are facing in our
present age. Divorce is not only common
amongst those who claim to be non-Christian, or atheistic, those who are
secular in ideology, and in their theology, unfortunately is also common among
Christians. The wisdom of this world
has so infected the church that we think a little about what Jesus Christ
instructed Paul to write, and furthermore there is a dismissal, or excuses and
reasons to explain away what Jesus actually said. Even among Christians there is a dismissal of one's spouse over
the other and this due to things other than what Jesus Christ instructed us as
the only reason(s) that one would be able to divorce their spouse. Yes, before we convert to our Lord Jesus
Christ we married our spouse who, yet if ever, has come to believe in the Lord
Jesus Christ. As Paul has instructed
this is no reason that a person should divorce. Why is this so important?
God does not give instructions that will harm us, rather, those
instructions are to be this into a life that is in conformity to His will
bringing to us a worship of God. Some
think worship is only going to church on Sunday, or attending some Bible study,
or any other work done at the church, or feeding the poor, etc.. Even philanthropists do good things and yet
do not believe in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Yes our faith should lead us to do the work that needs to be done but we
do not do this work in any other manner than to worship our Lord Jesus Christ
and fulfill His commands. Not to make us feel godly! The
unbelieving husband or wife has the blessing of God for it is this family unit,
those who are keeping their vow, that are exercising their faith in their God: "For the unbelieving husband is
sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband;
otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy" (1
Corinthians: 7: 14). Many years
earlier Malachi wrote under inspiration to these words: "And this is the second thing you do: you cover the altar of the
LORD with tears, with the weeping and crying; so He does not regard the
offering any more, nor receive it with goodwill from your hands. Yet you say, "For what
reason?" "Because the LORD
has been witness between you and the life of your youth, with whom you have
dealt treacherously; yet she is your companion and your wife by covenant. But did He not make them one, having a
remnant of the Spirit? And why
one? He seeks godly offspring. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let
none deal treacherously with the wife of his youth" (Malachi 2: 13 -- 15). Jesus Christ Himself makes this very clear: "And He answered and said to them,
"Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning "made them
male and female, and he said, for this reason a man shall leave his father and
mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh? So then, they are no longer to but one
flesh. Therefore what God has joined
together, let not man separate" (Matthew Chapter 19:4 -- 6). Can this be any more clear, we are to keep
our vows and and if we have sinned in the past and have come to the knowledge
of what God requires of his children and have repented of our sins and are now
married, we are to keep our vow(s).
The world is watching and making a determination as to whether or not
you or I are actually, faithful Christians, or even if we are only Christians
in word and not in actuality. But what
if the unbeliever leaves? Paul
addresses the situation before it does occur: "But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a
sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us to peace. For how do you know, O wife, whether you
will save your husband? Or how do you
know, O husband, whether you will say your wife" (1 Corinthians 7: 15 --
16). Paul speaks of very strongly and uses the word that is translated
often as depart, and has the meaning of separation: the Greek word is χωριζέσθω,
and is in the third person, singular, present, imperative, and middle
voice. So what does this mean? Being that it is imperative then this is a
command that the person who has decided to leave must leave, it is a command
and it is in the present tense for he is not to waver back and forth, he is to
leave. The spouse is not to wring their
hands and do everything they can by pleading and begging, a person who has made
this decision to leave must leave. So
then is the one left behind free to marry?
Paul does not mention this, therefore where the Bible is silent we
follow the words that are not silent.
Paul does not mention that we are free to marry. Therefore, in the silence of this it is
clear that the one left behind is not free to marry. This is called the Regulatory Principle, that is, where the Bible
speaks that is what we follow and if the Bible does not speak of it, then
we are not to follow that thing unless there is clear scriptural unction where the Bible has not actually spoken, it is still a clear principle.
Who has the
priority in your life? Is it you? Is it your husband? Is it your wife? Is it your children? Is
that your work, or your success, is it your desire to have things that
represent success? Or, does Jesus Christ
have a priority in your life in all other things follow after that
priority? What if you must remain
single until the day you die and go to heaven?
So a what? Are you not a child
of God and will He not bless you for following His commands and will you not be in
heaven with Him, unmarried? This world is not your home, you are just passing through, and all your treasures are laid
somewhere up in the blue? Are you
willing to live for him and to deny all others, all things, to live according
to his commands? Did I happen to
mention before that to be a Christian one must be courageous, one must live
with strict adherence to their convictions, and to their commitment to our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ? Who, or what,
as priority in your life?
You are my portion, O LORD;
I have said
that I would
keep your words. I
entreated Your
the favor
with my whole heart;
be merciful to me according to Your word.
I thought
about money ways, and
turned of my speech to Your testimonies.
I made
haste, and did not delay
to keep your commandments.
Psalm
119: 57 -- 60
May God teach you good judgment and knowledge
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