July 19
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INSTRUCTIONS FOR UNEQUALLY YOKED MARRIAGES
12 But to the rest I say, not the Lord, that if any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she consents to live with him, he must not divorce her. 13 And if any woman has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not divorce her husband. 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. 15 Yet if the unbelieving one is leaving, let him leave; the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us in peace. 16 For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife? – 1 Corinthians 7:12-16
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In this letter, Paul gives clear instructions to those who are in unequally yoked marriages. In Genesis 2:24, the institution of marriage was made, where a man leaves his mother and father and cleaves to his wife and the two becomes one. In Amos 3:3, the prophet asks “Can two walk together unless they have agreed to meet? Clearly Paul honors the sanctity of the covenant of marriage. But in this part of his letter to the Corinthian church, he wants to address those who became believers after they have been already married.
He gives instructions to those who became believers if their spouse are unbelievers. He says that if a man has an unbelieving wife and she agrees to still live with him, he must not divorce her. If on the other hand a wife has an unbelieving husband and he still agrees to live with her, she must not leave or divorce him. Paul presents the sanctification of God in the life of a believer. Because he or she have committed to serve the Lord, God is taking care of the unbelieving spouse. It is not in the place of the believer to convince their spouse to believe, but it is the work of the Spirit to do so. It is a great opportunity for these believers with unbelieving partners to shine the light of the gospel to their spouses.
In this instruction, Paul also gives a way out to those whose unbelieving spouses decide to leave them. They are free and can live in peace. You may ask “Why stay when it is a very difficult situation to have very contrasting views of God and the world?” In Verse 16, Paul gives us the reason why it is important to hold on to those whose unbelieving spouse still wants to stay in the marriage, there is hope for them to hear the gospel and see the work that Christ has done in the life of the believing partner.
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REFLECTION
• How can the believing partner maintain peace in unequally yoked marriages?