1 Corinthians 7:12-17 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. 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. 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. 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. How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife? Nevertheless, each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has called him. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches.
Nevertheless, each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has called him is Paul's central theme in 1 Corinthians chapter 7. The disruptions, upheavals, and excessive concerns in a Christian's life might hinder the purpose of the Good News that all people might be saved from sin. In the above passage, Paul advises the husband or wife to continue in marriage, if possible, for the sake of saving an unbelieving mate. But if the unbelieving mate desires to disconnect from the marriage, he says, allow the spouse to do so. Why? To live as much as possible in peace. Attempting to force a nonbeliever to stay in a marriage will undoubtedly lead to a sustained period of conflict and struggle. Little peace or contentment will be found in such a discordant environment. In a divided marriage when one person's will or flesh is battling another person's will or flesh, the work of God's Spirit is diminished greatly, regardless of the presence of a Christian in the home. Paul says, let the unbeliever leave so God's spirit of peace will rule over the home. However, in the situation where the unsaved mate desires to stay married, then keep the marriage intact, especially considering that the unsaved one might be saved in the future. Yet in both situations, staying married or not staying married, peace and stability in the home is important. As we wrote in the last breakfast, contentment with godliness is important to further the gospel message. Paul's instructions for the Corinthians is for them to reflect God's grace and mercy in whatever state they find themselves, for such godlike attributes will be a light in their marriages. Bringing salvation to the world is the focus of Paul's life. He wants husbands, wives, all people, to be saved, to find the Good News, to discover God's grace and mercy. Discontent, disruptions, struggles in Christians' lives can obfuscate this focus of salvation for all people. Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy THAT WILL BE FOR ALL THE PEOPLE. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. (Luke 2:10-12)
In the above passage we find Paul exhorting Christians to stay married to unbelievers who are willing to live with them. Through this union, which was established before God, the unbelieving mate and the children are sanctified or made acceptable to God. Because of the believing spouse, this marriage is made holy to God as a result of the contractual marriage before God. This holiness is the same kind of holiness that is referred to when we obey the law. When we obey the law we are within the constraints of God's righteousness on Earth. The law reveals how people should treat God and others, but obedience to this law does not bring salvation to people: only the blood of Christ brings eternal salvation to people. The blood of Christ creates new creatures, born into the family of God. Consequently, when we marry under the auspices or authority of God as Christians or when we come to the knowledge of Christ in our marriages, God accepts us as his own. We are now under his grace and mercy. The marriage partners and their children in a contractual marriage are accepted by God. As children of God, our unions are blessed by him: sanctified. But salvation, true holiness, is Christ IN US AND WE IN HIM, true acceptance of God's free gift. No other arrangement is acceptable in eternity. Our lives might reflect goodness and appropriateness here, which is honored by God now; but we must be BORN AGAIN to know God in his holiness and perfection. No other avenue is open for man to find God. We see this clearly in the account where Peter and John healed a cripple at the gate called Beautiful and offered this explanation: "It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. He (Jesus) is “‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.’ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:10-12)
As we ruminate over today's scriptures, we must come to the conclusion that nothing should get in the way of us serving God one hundred percent. God does not want our lives to be wrapped around the concerns of this life. We are to be like the virgins with oil mentioned in Matthew 25:1-12. At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight the cry rang out: "Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!" Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, "Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out." “No," they replied, "there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves." But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. Later the others also came. "Sir! Sir!" they said. "Open the door for us!" But he replied, "I tell you the truth, I don’t know you." The world and its concerns can make us drowsy or indifferent to spiritual things. Rather than having the indwelling oil of the Holy Spirit active in our lives, we might find ourselves asleep, allowing the Spirit of God to seep from our active lives. Paul asks the Corinthians not to consider this world and the things of this world as so important that they forget the things of God. Yes, relationships, marriages, and stability are important; but more important is our fixation on the life that lasts forever, the new creature's life, eternal life. No matter what, we should keep the presence of the Holy Spirit burning in our lives. Our lives should be full of the anointing oil of the Spirit. When Jesus was going away, He told his disciples, When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me. (John 15:26) That is still the purpose of the Holy Spirit in us, to testify of Christ. May we not become entangled in anything that keeps us from allowing the Spirit freedom in our lives.
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