Slices
Prepare
‘Love? Yes, God loves us. But his love is passionate and seeks faithful, committed love in return’ (Eugene H Peterson).* Pray that, even today, your commitment to the Lord will grow.
*From Run with the Horses: The Quest for Life at its Best © 2008, IVP
Bible passage
12 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. 13 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. 14 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.
15 But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. 16 How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?
Concerning change of status
17 Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches. 18 Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should not be circumcised. 19 Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commands is what counts. 20 Each person should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.
21 Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you – although if you can gain your freedom, do so. 22 For the one who was a slave when called to faith in the Lord is the Lord’s freed person; similarly, the one who was free when called is Christ’s slave. 23 You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of human beings. 24 Brothers and sisters, each person, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.
Explore
Remember, Paul is helping God’s people know how to live God’s way (v 10). So when he writes about married couples facing difficulties, he focuses on what’s right for the Christian spouse to do, and in specific – not all – situations. For two Christians, the bottom line is ‘don’t divorce’, though there may be exceptions (‘But if she does’, v 11). If so, they should separate and stay single, or be reconciled after a break.
If a non-Christian is happy to carry on working at their marriage with a (maybe new) Christian, fine – no need for divorce (vs 12,13). Because of the Christian spouse’s faith, God will look with favour on that household (v 14), though this doesn’t mean the unbeliever is ‘saved’ by it. Of course, wonderfully, he or she may come to the Lord later (v 16). The unbeliever can of course decide that ‘enough’s enough’ (v 15). If so, the peace of separation will be welcome.
Is this how you understand these verses? And what’s the big idea behind verses 17–24? Is it something like ‘how we’re living for God and how we’re letting him shape us are more immediately important than the situation in which we’re living’? Or do you see something else?
Respond
If any of this connects with you or the lives of those you know and love, pray for them now in their struggles.
Deeper Bible study
Help us, O Lord, to show such love and faithfulness in our relationships that our love for Christ may lead others to want to know and love him too.
Paul makes two astonishing claims about the marriage of believers and unbelievers. The unbelieving partner is ‘sanctified’ by the believing wife or husband and their children are also made holy (v 14). Holiness has no meaning other than belonging to or being set apart for God. Nowhere else in Paul’s writings is there any similar thought that salvation may be mediated through a person. In chapter 1, Paul has unequivocally declared that people who believe are only saved by ‘the power of God’.1 The standard explanation of these verses is that the love and faithfulness of the believing partner leads the unbeliever and the children to Christ. Is there more than a physical meaning to ‘becoming one flesh’?2 Does God grant a special gift to faithful believing partners to bring their families to God? Paul certainly says that a Christian should not divorce their partner simply because they are not Christian (v 12).
Paul then turns to people’s status in society. Following his understanding of the imminent return of Christ, Paul discourages Christians from putting effort into changing their status in a world order which will shortly disappear. Being Jew or Gentile will shortly be irrelevant (v 19). So will the distinction between slave and free.
Passages such as this are often cited to condemn Paul for not being critical of slavery. There were many slaves among the early believers but few slave owners. Paul famously urged Philemon to free his Christian slave Onesimus,3 but his general advice was that Christian slave owners should treat their slaves justly and that Christian slaves should be obedient.4 For Paul, this world’s order was rapidly passing away. In the coming kingdom, there would be no such inequality, no slave or free, but all would be equal in the sight of God.
‘There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.’5
1 Cor 1:18,21 2 Gen 2:24 3 Phlm 16,17 4 Col 3:22 – 4:1 5 Gal 3:28
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Proverbs 27,28; 1 Thessalonians 5
Pray for Scripture Union
Please pray for Sarah Howard-Smith as she manages the administration of Faith Guides who are assigned to the SU North team, ensuring that they receive appropriate support and encouragement.
