This is from 1 Corinthians: 7:12-14. Does this mean that if a Christian marries an athiest, then the athiest is saved? Kinda like getting a green card to heaven?
12To 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. 13And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. 14For 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
2007-06-26 10:36:17 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I don't see it as meaning the sanctity of marriage. It states that the unbelieving spouse is sanctified, which, defined means: 1. to make holy; set apart as sacred; consecrate.
2. to purify or free from sin: Sanctify your hearts.
3. to impart religious sanction to; render legitimate or binding: to sanctify a vow.
4. to entitle to reverence or respect.
5. to make productive of or conducive to spiritual blessing
It does not say that the marriage is sanctified, but the non-believing spouse....
2007-06-26 10:49:32 · update #1
The problem had apparently occurred that married persons who had become Christians were wondering if they should stay married to non-converted partners. This is one witness to the idea of a specific "Christian-kind: of marriage. Some thought they had to abandon the spouse who was not willing to convert. Paul makes a practical decision to uphold the stability of marriages involving Christian/non-Christian is there is acceptance between the partners. While later theology would say both partners needed to be Christian to have a sacramental marriage Paul understands the natural marriage of Christian/non-Christian as having a real validity. The charge had often been leveled against Christians that they broke apart families and undermined marriages. In a culture like the Ancient World extended family gave persons their identity, ability to work, legitimacy for inheritance etc. To insist that believers marry "In the Lord" i.e. two Christians might be preferable but Paul would not destroy real marriages just to have sacramental ones. He says that there is a beneficial effect somehow transmitted to the non-Christian by the Christian partner. Even today in the Catholic Church these are called Mixed marriages. They are accepted as long as both partners agree to have the children baptized as raised as believers. Holiness is understood best as both "separated from the ordinary" AND "separated for the godly". Christians should be Better marriage partners with this added mission in mind.
2007-06-27 05:04:46 · answer #1 · answered by ndorphynbear@sbcglobal.net 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Marriage is a holy, blood covenant between God, a man and a woman. Believers are not supposed to marry un-believers like scriptures say, but if one of two unbelievers gets saved, which seems to be the case Paul is writing about here and this book is written to answer questions they had written and asked him; again, IF one of the two gets saved, then if the UN-believing spouse desires to live with the saved one and (knowing the changed life of the Lordship of Jesus is implied) can do that without strife and trouble to the believer, then good, who knows if that unbeliever might be saved by the life of the believer?
IF the UN-believer CAN'T accept this change in the life of the spouse and the UN-believer leaves, the believer isn't under bondage to that spouse any longer and (implied) is free from that previous covenant.
The "believer" has no right or legality to divorce a spouse who desires to live (implied; amicably) with them.., just because they are an "unbeliever". the word 'sanctified" simply says God still honors the marriage as long as the unbelieving spouse wants to live with the believer in accord. If the unbeliever leaves BECAUSE of Christ in the life of the spouse, then God says, "Be free". The children are then made "holy" under the ONE believer in the marriage..., "otherwise your children would be unclean".
Have you ever heard a sermon on that? I have and it's quite eye-opening!
God has no protection plan for unbelievers' children and they are fair targets for the devil by previous generational sins and diseases and sicknesses. Whew! What a glorious covenant we have with God as 'believers'. You have to know this is very controversial in the religious world especially to the 'legalists'.
2007-06-26 10:54:41 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Good question. As I Christian I have studied the Bible and you have to take the entire chapter and sometimes the book, not just a few verses. However, in this case, the "sanctification" talked about is the sanctity of marriage. Whether your spouse is a believer or a non believer you still must believe in the sanctity of marriage. Salvation has nothing to do with it. Thanks and have a wonderful day.
2007-06-26 10:43:14 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Look at it this way. No unbeliever would be 'willing' to listen to that constant Christian 'static'. They'd either leave the Christian, or eventually convert. Same with the kids. Bring them up in the ways of the Lord, and when they are older they will not stray from it. At least for the most part. Yes, I know there are ex-Christian atheists out there. But I have to wonder just how Christian they were to begin with.
2007-06-26 10:47:43 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
I have a feeling that a lot of fundy friends are going to explain that these verses aren't "really" saying what they are very clearly saying.
Yes, that is what they say Mugg. Keep asking questions! I love the scriptures you find. If the bible is gods perfect word, it would certainly not contain errors or bizarre qualifications for heaven, like this...
2007-06-26 10:40:15 · answer #5 · answered by Laptop Jesus 3.9 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
God has always used some people to bless others. Marriage is not an exception to this.
God also hates divorce, so this also serves to eliminate one possible cause of divorce.
2007-06-26 13:07:47 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The bible is to be followed as far as it it is translated correctly. Those little italicized bits in the bible means someone added the words in to make sense to the general public. Don't you think God would have provided an additional witness to his divinity which perhaps is less tampered with than even my beloved King James bible? I do. I found it too.
2007-06-26 10:42:05 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
It sounds to me like it is saying that Christians can never divorce an abusive spouse.
After all, Christians also say that anyone who is abusive or displays criminal behavior is not a "true Christian."
And if you are married to someone who isn't a "true Christian," the verses you provided say that you must not divorce them.
2007-06-26 10:45:52 · answer #8 · answered by scifiguy 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
see http://www.bcbsr.com/books/1cor7.html
2007-06-26 10:58:59 · answer #9 · answered by Steve Amato 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋