Paul
the apostle shared the Lord's word that “If
any brother has a wife that believes not, and she be pleased to dwell
with him, let him not put her away”.
In chapter seven and verse thirteen of
First Corinthians, Paul told the “wives”
among the
church members if they have a “husband
that believes not...let her not leave him”
where we read:
And
the woman which has an husband that believes not,
and if
he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.
The
verse begins, “And
the woman which has an husband that believes not, ...”
Paul began
with the words, “And the woman”
which means
“the females who are married” “which
has an husband” which
means “who has a male husband” “that
believes not”
or “who is faithless and incredulous”. Paul referred to the wives
of the church members in Corinth who had “husbands” that did not
believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord.
The
verse continues, “... and
if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.”
Paul added
the words, “and if” which
means “and should” “he be
pleased” or
“the husband consent, agree, applaud and feel gratified with”
“to dwell” which
means “to occupy a house, reside, inhabit, remain and cohabit”
“with her”
or “with his wife”, “let her not”
or “do not allow or permit the wife” “leave
him” which
means “be sent away, depart, yield up and leave destitute”. If
the “unbelieving husband” desired to stay living with his
“believing wife”, the “wife” was not to “depart” from
him.
When
we think through these words from Paul, we see how he included
“wives” who had “unbelieving” husbands in his
instruction to remain with them. Jesus desires for people to remain
married, and should a “wife” have a husband who does not
believe, as long as he desires to stay with her, she is to stay with
him. In the same manner, “husbands” were to continue with
their “unbelieving wives”. Let us keep in mind the church is
Jesus Christ's “bride”, and “husbands and wives” symbolize
that relationship, and everything that is possible should be done to
demonstrate that relationship as unbreakable.
Next
time Paul tells the church members, “the
unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife”,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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