But to the rest say I, not the Lord: If any brother hath an unbelieving wife, and she is content to dwell with him, let him not leave her.

'say I, not the Lord' -'he leaves the realm of those things which Jesus personally discussed.' (Willis p. 223) 'Shall. Christian husband or wife be compelled to live with. heathen? Christ left no explicit answer to this question.' (Erdman p. 79)

Points to Note:

1. Paul isn't giving his opinion here, he is still giving the commands of the Lord (1 Corinthians 14:37). Rather, he is giving revelation on. matter in which Jesus had not specifically addressed while upon this earth.

2. Why is this topic brought up? 'The question may have been raised in the Corinthian's letter: "Should not the believing partner separate from the other, rather than be "mismated" with an unbeliever?"' (F.F. Bruce p. 69)

3. 'What it also demonstrates is that not all conversions were household conversions.' (Fee p. 299)

4. Becoming. Christian or "unbelief" in. partner do not qualify as scriptural grounds for divorce.

5. 'There is nothing in the following passage which reveals that God wants Christians to marry non-Christians...The matter which Paul discusses here is the proper conduct of. Christian in. mixed marriage relationship and not whether entering such relationships is right or wrong.' (Willis p. 224)

6. Neither are we to conclude that Jesus didn't give any biblical principles that would apply to Christian-unbeliever marriages. Certainly Matthew 19:4. is the basis for such marriages even being considered legitimate marriages in the first place. Paul's point is that Jesus didn't specifically discuss the legitimacy of Christian-unbeliever marriages. And yet, this doesn't mean that none of the things Jesus said apply. In comparing this section (1 Corinthians 7:12-15) with Matthew 19:3. will find some similarities. (1) All are under God's marriage law-1 Corinthians 7:14 (i.e. God joins together those who aren't His people); 1 Corinthians 19:4-6. (2) The same type of command is found in both texts, i.e. don't leave or depart, don't sunder what God joined together (1 Corinthians 7:12=1 Corinthians 19:6)

. dangerous twist happens when we try to argue that Jesus' teaching about marriage doesn't apply at all in Christian-unbeliever, or even unbeliever-unbeliever marriages. If Matthew 19:9 or 1 Corinthians 5:32 doesn't apply in Christian-unbeliever marriages, then consistency would demand that Christians can't put away non-Christian spouses who are guilty of fornication.

'If, as some conclude, believers in "mixed" marriages are not subject to Jesus' personal teaching on marriage and divorce, then there exists no scriptural grounds whatsoever for them to divorce their mates for fornication, even if those unbelieving spouses in Corinth might have visited the temple prostitutes on. daily basis. Why? Because the only scriptural instruction granting the right to divorce for the cause of fornication is found in that very source, which supposedly does not apply to them, namely in the personal teaching of Jesus...Thus, the believer, having an unbelieving spouse with the daily practice of fornication, would be obligated to remain in that marriage..' (GOT. 'May the Believer Deserted By an Unbeliever Remarry?' 1-4-90. p. 22)

'content to dwell with him' -'if he/she has no desire to terminate the marriage' (McGuiggan p. 104) 'to house with him (her) and means to continue the marriage relation.' (Lenski p. 291) 'To be pleased together with, agree together.' (Robertson p. 127)

Point to Note:

It is always "assumed" that the believer is "content" to dwell with the unbeliever. The believer is never to initiate the divorce (except for fornication). In addition, the believer isn't allowed to make life miserable for the unbeliever, and hence "force" them out of the marriage. Sometimes we forget what becoming. Christian meant to people of the first century. Apparently, when some men and women obeyed the gospel, they were taking the risk of losing their mates. (Matthew 10:37; Luke 10:26) And often we complain that we can't sleep in any longer on Sunday morning--what. contrast!

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Old Testament