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      with Pastor Gregory
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      "THE PERMANENCE OF MARRIAGE"
      1 Corinthians 7:10-16
      Strong's Concordance
      Theme: The believer is to always remain committed to their marriage partner.

      I. THE STANDARD FOR THOSE CHRISTIANS WHO ARE APPREHENSIVE WITHIN A CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE - 7:10-11

        A. THE OUTLAWING OF DIVORCE AMONG BELIEVERS - v. 10

          1. Marriage in the first century existed in four different forms within the pagan and morally corrupt society from which the believers in Corinth had not fully separated.

          2. These four forms of marriage are as follows:

            a. The "CONTUBERNIUM" [tent companionship] - was the lot of slaves who were at the whim of their masters to move about freely, to arrange for other partners, or to sell to another master.

            b. The "USUS" [common law marriage] - recognized a couple to be married after they had lived togehter for a year.

            c. The "COEMPTIO IN MANUM" - in which a father would sell his daughter to a prospective husband.

            d. The "CONFARREATIO" - existed among the patrician class and is the basis of our modern Christian marriage ceremony.

          3. In our text today, Paul addresses the issues concerning a variety of marital situations beginning with the permanence of marriage among two believers.

          4. He states:"But to the married I give instructions, not I, but the Lord" - indicating that Paul recognized that he was reiterating a teaching that Jesus Christ also taught when He was on earth.

          5. This teaching was that "the wife should not leave her husband." -- later, he reiterates this by stating "that the husband should not divorce his wife" -- both meaning essentially the same thing.

          6. This indicates that divorce between believers is strictly and explicitly forbidden since it is contrary to God's plan for mankind - cp. Matthew 19:3-10

        B. THE OUTCOME OF DIVORCE BETWEEN BELIEVERS - v. 11

          1. Understanding that divorce had been occuring in Corinth, Paul then underscores the importance of marriage by stating that a person who divorces his/her spouse has one of two options:

            a. "... but if she does leave, she must remain unmarried"

            b. "... or else be reconciled to her husband"

          2. Notice, that these options hold out as the ultimate responsibility to see the potential for reconciliation - which is clearly the will of God - preserved at all costs.

          3. The potential for a remarriage is completely eliminated when a person divorces their spouse - if you are not willing to be married to this one, you may not be married to anyone.

          4. There is never an occasion where God will bless the dissolution of a marriage between two believers - cp. Malachi 2:16

          5. The priority of"being reconciled"governs both parties of the marriage -- a person who is divorced by their spouse must maintain their commitment to reconciling as long as it is possible.

          6. Never should there be an occasion when a believer initiates a relationship with another person as long as your spouse remains in an unmarried state.

      II. THE SITUATION OF THOSE CHRISTIANS WHO ARE ABIDING IN A PARTIALLY CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE - 7:12-14

        A. THE ADMONITIONS TO PRESERVE THE MARRIAGE - vv. 12-13

          1. "But to the rest I say, not the Lord, ..." - this does not lesson the authority of what is being stated, only indicates that Christ didn't specifically address this condition when He was here. But, because of inspiration, it is just as important as if He had.

          2. What was a person to do if they found themselves married to an unbeliever? Were they supposed to divorce them so as to not be "unequally yoked together with unbelievers?" -- "If any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he must not divorce her" (and repeated for a wife)

          3. Marriage transcends religion and from the beliver's perspective ought to be preserved, if at all possible.

          4. You must recognize that in all of the references to divorce, at no time is a believer told that they may initiate a divorce from their spouse - even when married to an unbeliever who is presumably immoral and idolatrous.

        B. THE ADVANTAGES OF PRESERVING THE MARRIAGE - v. 14

          1. Christians married to unbelievers are not to worry that they themselves, their marriage, or their children would be defiled by the unbelieving spouse and then use that as justification for divorce.

          2. In actuality, the opposite is true = your presence in the home has a positive impact on it.

          3. Paul indicates that the home is sanctified when the marriage is preserved: "For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband; for otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy."

            a. This is not referring to members of the family being saved independently of personal faith -- just because they have a parent who is saved.

            b. "Although the believer's faith cannot suffice for the salvation of anyone but himself, he is often the means of other family members coming to the Lord by the power of his testimony"

            c. Compare Genesis 18:26 and Genesis 39:5

      III. THE STANDING OF THOSE CHRISTIANS WHO ARE ABANDONED BY UNBELIEVING PARTNERS - 7:15-16

        A.THE ALLEVIATION OF THE ROLE OF SANCTIFIER - v. 15

          1. Having just imposed a spiritual responsibility upon the saved spouse in a spiritually mixed marriage, Paul now alleviates the responsibility from a believer when the unbeliever completely rejects them.

          2"Yet if the unbelieving one leaves, let him leave ..." demonstrates that the pursuit of divorce is only characteristic of the unbeliever, but must be accepted by the believer, because "God has called us to peace"and not rancor.

          3. However, the admonition to remain committed to reconciliation as long as possible is still the will of God.

          4. However, when the unbelieving spouse eliminates the possibility of reconciliation, his "leaving" is consummated and has an affect on the believers standing.

          5. When this occurs, "the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases" -- there are several issues raised by this instruction:

            a. The word "bondage" literally means "under obligation" or "enslaved"

            b. Immediately, the context suggests that the obligation is to serve as the sanctifying influence in the marriage.

            c. However, it is possible that it extends to more than just that portion of the marital responsibility and applies to the marriage itself.

            d. This would suggest that when an unbeliever divorces his spouse and remarries, all possibilty of reconciliation is destroyed, and the believer is free to remarry as though widowed - cp. v. 39

          B. THE ASPIRATION OF THE RIGHTEOUS SPOUSE - v. 16

            1. However, at no time must the believer yearn to be freed from the marital commitments, attempt to provoke the unbeliever to desertion, or exercize any resentment toward their lack of faith - cp. 1 Peter 3:1-5

            2. In light of these things, Paul reminds the believers who are in "mixed" marriages that they might be the vehicle through which God works to save their spouses: "For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?"

            3. The deep desire and prayer both during the marriage and after a divorce, is that your spouse be saved and you be reconciled. This remains the primary purpose.