1 Corinthians 7:13-14: Unsaved Spouses?
Last night at church there were a number of women who were grieving the fact their husbands had not made a commitment to Christ. This brought to mind 1 Corinthians 7:13-14
1Co 7:13 And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.
1Co 7:14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.
Here are some scriptures and understanding that came at that time.
When a man is pleased to dwell with his saved wife he is sanctified by the faith of the wife. We are saved by faith. Those two being one in God's eyes means the faith of the wife is imputed to the husband. This is an amazing and challenging concept. In the Old Testament when clean and unclean met, the result was the clean became unclean.
In the new, [now that we are sanctified by the blood of Jesus and not that of animals perhaps] the unclean husband is made clean by the faith of the wife. How, or why, can this be?
Jesus said, "in as much as you have done it unto one of the least of these my disciples, you have done it unto me." Is it possible that God counts a man who is faithful to his wife as being faithful to meeting His needs?
One thing is sure. Paul was sold on teaching that the children of a believer are sanctified and the union that brought them forth is also clean. The best explanation of what this means for the unbeliever is this. If they are faithful in doing what they know to do for their mate it will be accounted to them as unto the Lord. If they are married to, but despise their mate, will the same be accounted to them? God knows.
This knowledge should encourage and liberate husbands and wive's from the drivenness to get their partner saved before they die. Salvation is God's work and the best way given a woman to save her husband is through her meek and humble conduct, which does not require a salvation message to be preached.
Please, share your thoughts and experiences on this.
Blessings,
Tim Reinagel
www.perfectinglove.com
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Marriage
I was not saved when I got pregnant. I got saved after the child was born. Can I marry the father of my child, even if he is unsaved. He goes to church with me and is involved, but not yet saved.
Do you recall how in the old
Do you recall how in the old testament, the term, "they wrought confusion in Israel" is used? It is situations like this it is referring to. Yoo are describing how you have done everything wrong, and then are asking, "what is the right thing to do?" This is confusion. Your question sounds like one of the test questions the scribes and pharisees would use on Jesus. Nonetheless, here is how I untangle the question:
As far as God is concerned, when you look at the old testament, when a man and woman lay together, the man was to take her as his wife immediately and not to shame her. If your 'husband' is pleased to dwell with you, then you should marry and keep him your husband in my opinion. Pray for his salvation and live a Godly life as a Christian, that he may see your chaste conduct and be won to the Lord.
more to the scriptures
1 Corinthians 7 14-17 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.15 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.16 For now do you know O wife whether you will save your husband? Or do you know O husband whether you will save you wife?17 But as God has distributed to each one, as the Lord has called each one, so let him walk. And so ordain in all the churches.
I feel that all of chapter 7 should be read. I discern that God is saying that we do not know they will become saved. Also I see that the sanctification is for the children born into an unequally yoked marriage. That is is actually to benefit the innocent children for the kingdom of God belongs to the such as these. I do not believe that this gift belongs to the rebellious who belong to the kingdom of darkness.......... moving on to verse 28 But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Nevertheless such will have trouble in the flesh, but I will spare you.
The marriage itself is not sin but really God's word does say For what does light have in common with darkness. Also He says we are not to be unequally yoked. There is a very good reason why we need to take all of God's word in. He tells us these things in order that we have the fruits of the spirit especially those of peace Love and joy without discention and adversity they come fron an unequally yoked marriage.
Also in Ephesians 12 about wrestling with darkness and not flesh and blood .......do we really want to do that daily in our households of marriage?.... Putting on the full armor of God is daily ....for me it becomes by the minute...lol..seriously ...Also when Christ comes back in Revelations God declares that salvation belong to God and the Lamb . He repeats it that salvation belongs to the Lord so like in the verses of 1 Corinthians Do you know? What about one will taken up and the other left behind?
Really I could go on and on.....the word tells us enough to say very loud and clear not to become unequally yoked.
In the case where a husband or wife becomes saved while in the marriage we have an all together different set of circumstance. A co-worker and now sister in the Lord got saved shortly after marrying your long time boyfriend and father of her child. We meet before her marriage and spoke about the Lord and she was so hungry God used her marriage to bring her even closer to Him. Her husband on the other hand was not interested, yes he wanted to be married but the church thing for him was a no go. She has grown very quickly upon her salvation and is now doing the work of the Lord. Her husband is still not saved and she has all the traits and battle of an unequally yoked marriage. Although I see a more supernatural presence of protection over her that I do not have going into an unequally yoked marriage eyes open. I believe is a situation like that God has more mercy ......being a baby christian still our friendship love and prayers that we share we believe will bring a miracle. We do not stand on our salvation gives them a free one ......we stand on we will see them saved by their own choice and by their confessing Christ Jesus as Lord......love in Christ to you all and may your marriages be blessed by God Almighty
unsaved husbands
I am writing this as a word of advice to those who may be choosing to marry an unbeliever. No matter how much you may love the person.....remember you love with the heart of God......You are truly better to get out of the relationship and mourn the loss and not marry the unsaved.
Unfortunately I am married to an unbeliever who professed to be a believer. Although I knew in my heart that something was off, He was quite convincing along with charm and not hard to look at I fell in love with him. We married 7 months after meeting for a rush wedding due to the fact that His father was ill and dying. What was good took a turn quickly..........God told me not to marry Him by the way....it was all set in motion already, we were moving to care for his father ......a distant move. I couldn't back out then could I or maybe I should have seeked God earlier....or was it cold feet......no God spoke to me and said DO NOT MARRY HIM!......clearly.....Hence I disobeyed.
Now I am sad to say that I am reaping what I have sown.....Satan knew exactly the tactic to keep me from the ministry I was doing and finding out the truth after you have said I DO.....can change the course quickly. The unbeliever is legal ground for Satan and his posse ......he controls the mind of the unbeliever because that is who they are haering from.
Now I know that Our all knowing God knows what we will do before doing it and that He can turn the bad into good........a note of caution ....in His timing....which means that the strife of darkness and light becomes almost unbearable .......even to the point of violence and death in some cases.........Satan seeks to destroy us ..... He hates us and will use our unsaved loved ones to accomplish the assignment ..... I pray for protection daily ...after a few very scary battles.....I am leaning that greater is He (My Jesus) that is in me holds true to it's promise.
I am now 3 years in and only 2 ways allow me out of the marriage His unfaithfulness.....which he is not ....or if he wants the marriage to end.....which I don't see happening any time soon....He loves me very much ...and when He acts in demonic accord he rarely even remembers it .actually quite interestingly he states that it is not how he wants to be and says it is like something else takes over...... I believe him.
I am learning quite a bit about spiritual warfare and even high level warfare through this trial......tough lesson.... my prayer is that God will use this for mighty things for His Glory..... I am a child of God...thats that....I walk in faith that my husband will become saved....soon would be nice....It is in the hand Of Abba Father.
Just remember that the light and the darkness do not belong together.....also that disobedience to God's word has very real consequence.....Say a prayer for me upon reading this because the battle has begun once again as I am growing Deeper in The Lord and have chosen to act in faith and do some ministry work once again ......although in a different field....I live for My God and know that He is the God who hears and sees....and is faithful and so very loving....never-the-less I am telling anyone who may need to hear this message .....the pain of this path is difficult ....where I am at in thsi battle I surly would have chosen differently....I may not always feel this way ....but I sure do right now....Love in Our Lord Jesus Christ to you all may God be glorified in our trials and tribulations......Thank you Father for your love and compassion through our rebellious ways.... Blessings in YHWH
Re:Unsaved Husbands
Claire,
Thank you for sharing your insights on this from your valuable perspective. You are certainly blessed, and may the Lord draw your husband to Himself shortly. We all know what force comes over him and we all know the one who can set him free. I trust he will one day see your chaste conduct and stop resisting what he (I suspect) already knows in his heart.
Blessings and Peace,
Timothy
Thanks Michael
Michael,
Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts on this. It brings another verse to mind which supports what you are saying.
1Pe 3:1 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;
1Pe 3:2 While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.
There is an implication in the word 'won' that the husband is not won. Now the question is, are they won to the Lord, or is it saying won to their wife? Given the context of those who "obey not the word" the answer would be won to the Lord, by being brought into obedience to the word.
In the mean time I am sure the unbeliever is reaping a blessing through the faith of the believer. Is it eternal life? I cannot say. You make some good points. "For now we see through a glass darkly."
The verses you supplied on not believing and damnation do not contradict what I was saying, if the Lord is imputing the faith of the believer to the unbeliever. We all have areas in our lives where we lack faith and yet the faithlessness in those areas does not do away with the faith that saves, even though it dims it or undermines it if not dealt with.
I can see that this discussion is one that may be one of those areas where 2Timoty 2:23 comes into play, "But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes."
The practical side of life and what this means as to how I live it in the presence of an unsaved spouse does not change. Regardless of what the Lord imputes, an unbeliever is missing out on a tremendous life in this life if they do not surrender to the Lord. What happens to them in eternity will certainly be seen in the judgement, and I would not want to assume I was saved because my mate is saved and someone posted a theoretical question on a message board! ;)
Blessings brother,
Tim Reinagel
www.perfectinglove.com
Unbelieving husands
1Co 7:14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.
This is about whether it is alright for a holy child of God to be married to an unbeliever. What Paul is saying is that it is OK. The unbeliever is sanctified (set apart) for marriage to his wife, but it doesn't mean he is right with God.
Tim, I am certain that your suggestions, though interesting, really cannot match with the rest of Scripture. "He who believes not shall be damned" (Mark 16:16). "that whosoever BELIEVES in Him should not perish" (John 3:16) and so on. We are not saved by doing good works to Christians but by repentance and faith towards God as a response to the work of God in Christ. Otherwise it is salvation by works alone, without faith.
Its better to interpret the above verses in the context of the holiness of marriage. That is what they are about.
unbelieving husbands
If you had known what these words mean, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the innocent. Matthew 12:7. We should be careful not to take the posture of a pharisee. It is quite possible that God is offering comfort to His people who are united together with unbelievers. It is a horrible thought that the one you love is going to Hell. I tend to think God is merciful and since a believer is united as one with another (believer or not) Gen 2:24, it is hard to imagine that God would separate them in death and for eternity. This idea does not lessen my convictions that all people are responsible for their own salvation. The two ideas can coexist and are not mutually exclusive.
The point is that it is POSSIBLE that God is simply providing a comfort for those who have lost their unbelieving loved one. He is the God of all comfort 2 Cor 1.