DISCUSSION FORUMS
MAIN MENU
Home
Help
Advanced Search
Recent Posts
Site Statistics
Who's Online
Forum Rules
Bible Resources
• Bible Study Aids
• Bible Devotionals
• Audio Sermons
Community
• ChristiansUnite Blogs
• Christian Forums
• Facebook Apps
Web Search
• Christian Family Sites
• Top Christian Sites
• Christian RSS Feeds
Family Life
• Christian Finance
• ChristiansUnite KIDS
Shop
• Christian Magazines
• Christian Book Store
Read
• Christian News
• Christian Columns
• Christian Song Lyrics
• Christian Mailing Lists
Connect
• Christian Singles
• Christian Classifieds
Graphics
• Free Christian Clipart
• Christian Wallpaper
Fun Stuff
• Clean Christian Jokes
• Bible Trivia Quiz
• Online Video Games
• Bible Crosswords
Webmasters
• Christian Guestbooks
• Banner Exchange
• Dynamic Content

Subscribe to our Free Newsletter.
Enter your email address:

ChristiansUnite
Forums
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
March 29, 2024, 06:19:38 AM

Login with username, password and session length
Search:     Advanced search
Our Lord Jesus Christ loves you.
286776 Posts in 27568 Topics by 3790 Members
Latest Member: Goodwin
* Home Help Search Login Register
+  ChristiansUnite Forums
|-+  Theology
| |-+  Bible Study (Moderator: admin)
| | |-+  Remarriage after divorcing an unbeliever according to Paul
« previous next »
Pages: [1] Go Down Print
Author Topic: Remarriage after divorcing an unbeliever according to Paul  (Read 1331 times)
tqpix
Jr. Member
**
Offline Offline

Posts: 89


I'm a Christian!


View Profile
« on: April 17, 2004, 12:02:20 AM »

1 Corinthians 7:12-16
12   But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away.
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.
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.
15   But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.
16   For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?

In verse 15, does Paul say it's okay to remarry after a divorce, because we, the believers, are "not under bondage in such cases".

I say "yes".  Some people might argue that "not under bondage" simply means that we are not obligated to keep living with the unbeliever.  However, Romans 7:2 and 1 Corinthians 7:39 says

Romans 7:2
For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.

1 Corinthians 7:39
The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.

Notice the word "bound" in both these verses.  Now notice the word "bondage" in 1 Corinthians 7:15.

I think "bondage" refers to a person being tied to the law (i.e. we are bound by the law as long as we are married to the unbeliever).  If the unbeliever leaves us, the marriage is dead and we are no longer tied to the law.  Therefore, just like widows, we are free to marry other people--as long as they are Christians:

"...she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 7:39)

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE) says that Paul couldn't possible be permitting remarriage after divorcing an unbeliever, because Paul, having claimed to be a Roman citizen, would be under the scrutiny of the Romans for making such authority and changing their laws.

However, Paul is clever, and prevented such scrutiny.  The verses following verse 16 in 1 Corinthians 7 don't talk about remarriage until verse 39.  By having verses that talk about something else between verses 16 and 39, this fooled the untrained eye into believing that "bondage" in verse 15 referred to the marriage rather than the law.  To further ensure that the Romans don't make the connection verses 15 and 39, he talked about the condition of widows in verse 39.
« Last Edit: April 17, 2004, 12:21:45 AM by tqpix » Logged
Pages: [1] Go Up Print 
« previous next »
Jump to:  



More From ChristiansUnite...    About Us | Privacy Policy | | ChristiansUnite.com Site Map | Statement of Beliefs



Copyright © 1999-2019 ChristiansUnite.com. All rights reserved.
Please send your questions, comments, or bug reports to the

Powered by SMF 1.1 RC2 | SMF © 2001-2005, Lewis Media