1 Corinthians 7:13

11 But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to divorce his wife.

12 But to the rest I, not the Lord, say: If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her.

13 And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him.

14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; otherwise ^ayour 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 ^ato peace.

16 For how do you know, O wife, whether you will ^asave your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?

Commentaries:

Forerunner Commentary
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What Does 1 Corinthians 7:13 Mean?

1 Corinthians 7:12-16

Here, Paul is relaying God's opposition to separation and divorce because they are obviously a result of a lack of peace. It is for this very reason that God hates divorce so much. Divorce creates not peace and unity but war and division. Among us, it should be a last resort.

Why? He tells us simply that we have been called to peace (verse 15). When we divorce, we are not making peace. We are actually going to war and causing separation. But God allows it, He says, in situations in which the relationship has been so undermined by sin (like adultery) that peace is impossible. Trust has been ruined. It takes quite a person to return to a loving relationship after such divisive, perfidious things have happened. It can be done, but He allows divorce because God considers peace more important.

So, the child of God must strive to do his or her part to make and maintain peace, especially in a marriage, even if the other spouse is an unbeliever. We should endeavor to make it work because that our election binds us to do just that. We have been called to be peacemakers, not to be disruptors, not to revel in conflict, but to make peace.

Richard T. Ritenbaugh
The Peacemakers

Other Forerunner Commentary entries containing 1 Corinthians 7:13:

Genesis 19:26

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What Does 1 Corinthians 7:13 Mean?

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