MAY 17, 2020
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS ABOUT MARRIAGE (PART II)
INTRODUCTION:
1. The Corinthians had written to the Apostle, seeking his advice on a number of things in reference to the state of the church. As we can see from this chapter, one of the subjects upon which they sought direction was marriage.
2. In our last study (Verses 1-11), he told them that as a general law, every man should have his own wife, and every woman her own husband, and that the parties had mutual responsibilities to the union. However in light of the present circumstances, if a man, according to God’s gift could remain single, it would be more expedient. But, regardless of the present circumstances, those who were married were to remain so.
3. His instructions concerning those who were married were essentially the same as what Jesus had taught. (Vrs. 10, 11) However, beginning with Verse 12, he will address some particulars of which the Lord had not spoken.
I. THE CASE IN WHICH ONE OF THE MARRIED PARTIES WAS A CHRISTIAN AND THE OTHER A JEW OR A PAGAN. (VERSES 12-15)
A. THIS KIND OF CASE WAS NOT SPECIALLY ADDRESSED IN OUR LORD’S TEACHINGS. (VSE. 12a) “But to the rest speak I, not the Lord…”
1. By this clarification he is not suggesting that this was merely his own opinion. To be sure, had the Lord had occasion to address this particular subject, His instructions would have been in perfect agreement with His inspired Apostle.
2. The context makes it clear, that in the former instruction, both parties were Christian.
3. That which Paul here writes concerning mixed marriages, he writes by divine inspiration. (See Ch. 14:37)
B. IF THE UNBELIEVING PARTY IS WILLING TO REMAIN IN THE MARRIAGE, IT SHOULD NOT BE DISSOLVED. (VERSE 12)
1. The rule which the Apostle lays down is that such marriages are lawful, and therefore no obligation is on the Christian’s part to dissolve it.
2. Therefore, if the Christian is not bound to break the union, he has no right to do so. As we noted in our previous lesson, the Gospel was not designed to interfere with the ordinary and lawful relations of mankind.
C. NEITHER THE HUSBAND NOR THE WIFE IS ALLOWED TO REPUDIATE THE OTHER. (VERSE 13)
1. The Greek word is the same respecting both actions. He may not “send her away.” She may not “leave him.”
2. By the Law of both the Greeks and the Romans, the woman as well as the man had on legal grounds the right of divorce.
3. These marriages in which one of the parties had become a Christian, but the other had remained in unbelief, might, according to the Law of Christ, be continued, and if at all possible, must be continued.
4. He proceeded to remove some objections which a Christian might have entertained on this point.
D. THE MARRIAGE UNION IN SUCH CASES IS NOT MADE PROFANE, BUT REMAINS SACRED. (VERSE 14)
1. Paul states that the holy state of matrimony remains holy in the cases of mixed marriages, because the unbelieving party is sanctified by the believing party. How is this so? I believe it simply means that a believer, without offence to the Law of God, may continue in a married state with an unbeliever, for the state of marriage is a holy state, notwithstanding the disparity with reference to religion. Sanctification here is not referring to holy character. Certainly, no believer can so sanctify an unbeliever, either in marriage of any other relation. All that we are required to understand here is that the unbeliever was sanctified in regard to the subject under discussion, i.e. whether it was proper for the parties to live together.
2. Paul states that children born to such a union are not illegitimate. The argument here is that, since your children are not regarded as illegitimate or unclean, the union itself is not unholy. They were joined together by God, and made one flesh. No marriage union is to be put asunder, whether the parties are both Christian or both unbelievers, or if it be a mixed marriage.
E. IF THE UNBELIEVING PARTY REFUSE TO REMAIN, THE BELIEVER WAS THEN FREE. (VSE. 15)
1. The Christian was not to repudiate the unbelieving spouse, but it the unbelieving party broke up the marriage, the Christian partner was thereby liberated from the marriage contract. The Apostle is not here contradicting His Lord, Who made adultery the only exception. (Matt. 5:32) It is by the Spirit of Christ that he adds desertion as another cause.
2. In case of desertion, “a brother or sister is not in bondage,” i.e. is not bound. If the unbeliever is content to remain, the believer is bound, but if the unbeliever will not consent, the believer is no longer bound.
3. The Gospel was not designed to break up families, or to separate husbands from their wives. “But God hath called us in peace.” Separation should be avoided if at all possible. However, in some cases, the Christian may have no other choice.
F. ONE GREAT REASON TO KEEP THE MARRIAGE TOGETHER IS IN HOPES OF SAVING THE UNBELIEVING PARTNER. (VERSE 16)
1. To the many duties in marriage, here is added one of utmost importance, that of seeking the salvation of a spouse.
2. When one becomes a Christian, his great desire is to see his loved ones saved. If such a one is married, then first priority will be the salvation of his or her mate.
3. See I Pet. 3:1, 2
II. CHRISTIANITY WAS NOT INTENDED TO BREAK UP ANY OF THE LAWFUL RELATIONS OF LIFE OR CHANGE THE EXTERNAL STATE. (VERSES 17-24)
A. AS A GENERAL RULE CONVERTS WERE TO REMAIN IN THE SAME SOCIAL POSITION AS THEY HAD OCCUPIED BEFORE CHRISTIANITY FOUND THEM. (VERSES 17-20)
1. It is not surprising, knowing the effect that the first preaching of the Gospel, had that men were in many instances disposed to break loose from their social ties.
2. Paul endeavored to convince all believers that their relation to Christ was compatible with every social relationship, whether it be husband and wife, slave and master, etc. It mattered not whether they were circumcised or uncircumcised, bond or free, married or single, their relationship with Christ remained the same.
3. Whatever station or condition a man occupied before knowing Christ, let him remain in it. “As God hath distributed to every man (whatever his lot in life), as the Lord hath called every man (whatever his station when called by the Word and Spirit of God) so let him walk.” (Verses 17, 20)
B. PAUL’S FIRST APPLICATION OF THE PRINCIPLE JUST LAID DOWN. (VERSES 18, 19)
1. Jews, when they became Christians, were sometimes wont when they left Judaism to obliterate the mark of circumcision.
2. Then, on the other hand, the Judiazers were intent on seeing Gentile converts circumcised. Both were wrong. (See Rom. 2:25-20)
C. PAUL’S SECOND APPLICATION OF THIS PRINCIPLE. (VERSES 21-23)
1. Being another man’s servant was not uncommon in that age of the world.
2. We can understand why one who was a slave might see his emancipation in Christ as reason to think that he should not be another man’s bondman. However, his spiritual emancipation was not effected at all by his temporal state.
3. Paul says, “Care not for it.” In other words, it matters not. In other places, he stresses that it is the will of God that we witness a good witness in whatever calling we are in. (See I Pet. 3:18ff)
4. However, if the opportunity to become free were offered, the bondman might either:
a) Use the opportunity to be set free,
b) Or, as many see it, use it as an opportunity to be a witness for Christ by remaining a servant.
5. Notice, the state of a servant no way prejudices a man as to his spiritual liberty. A servant and a free man, with reference to Christ, are both one. (Verse 22)
a) A servant may be as near the Kingdom of Heaven as a free man.
b) And regardless of a man’s state of civil liberty, if he is a Christian, he is still the servant of Christ, and bound in all things to obey Him.
c) As to the new man, “There is neither bond nor free, but Christ is all in all.”
6. Whether bond or free in the civil sense, if Christians, we are bought with a price (Ch. 6:20), and therefore, we are not the servants of men, but of Christ. (Verse 23) As servants, their service to their masters was to be done as unto the Lord. (Eph. 6:5, 6)
D. THE SUMMATION OF HIS ADVICE ON THIS MATTER. (VERSE 24)
1. No man should use his religion as an argument to break through any natural civil obligation.
2. Christians should quietly and comfortably abide in the condition in which he is, and this he may do when he abides therein with God.
3. The special presence and favor of God are not limited to any outward condition or performance.
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