The Sanctified Husband and Wife 1 Corinthians 7:14

Paul the apostle told the church members in Corinth if a “woman” or “man” has a spouse who is an unbeliever, they are not to “put away” or “divorce” them, and in chapter seven and verse fourteen of First Corinthians, Paul gave the reason as he told church members a “husband is sanctified by the wife” and the “wife is sanctified by the husband” where we read:

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.

The verse begins, “For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, ...” Paul began with the words, “For the unbelieving” which means “even as, indeed, no doubt, seeing then, verily and therefore the faithless and incredulous” “husband” or “married man” “is sanctified” which means “rendered or acknowledge to be venerable, consecrated, dedicated or hallow” “by the wife” or “through the married woman”. An “unbelieving husband” is “consecrated and hallowed” by his “wife's” belief and trust in Jesus Christ.

The verse goes on to say, “... and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.” Paul continued with the words, “and the unbelieving” which means “the faithless and incredulous” “wife” or “married woman” “is sanctified” which means “rendered or acknowledge to be venerable, consecrated, dedicated or hallow” “by the husband” which means “through the married man”: “else were your children” which refers to “therefore, so then and wherefore the married man and woman's offspring would be” “unclean” or “not cleansed in thought and life”; “but” which is a disassociation conjunction that means what is about to be written takes precedence over what was just stated “now” or “at the present moment” “are they holy” which means “the children are pure, morally and ceremonially blameless and consecrated”. In addition to the “unbelieving husband” being “sanctified” by the believing “wife”, the “unbelieving wife” is “sanctified” by the believing “husband”, and the “children” of them both are “clean” and “holy”.

When we consider these words from Paul, we see the benefit to “unbelieving spouses” by continuing with their spouses who “believe”. God so honors the marriage relationship that he includes the “unbelievers” who are married to “believers” in His blessing. Being “rendered or acknowledged as venerable, consecrated, dedicated and hallow” is a wonderful blessing from God, and those who believe in, trust in, rely upon and cling to Jesus Christ enjoy that benefit. God is so gracious that He extends to the “unbelieving spouse” and their “children” “sanctification” as long as they stay married. Let all “unbelieving spouses” take note – if you are married to a believing spouse, stay married.

Next time Paul tells the church members who are husbands and wives, “if the unbelieving depart, let him depart”, 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.