Deuteronomy 24; Matthew 5, 19; 1Corinthians 7
Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage
A Chart to Unscrew an Inscrutable Mess
Dr. Jay A. Quine
1 Corinthians 7:8-24
But
I say to the unmarried and to widows that it is good for them if they
remain even as I. But if they do not have self-control, let them marry;
for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.But to the married I give instructions, not I, but the Lord, that the wife should not leave her husband (but if she does leave, she must remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband should not divorce his wife.
But to the rest I say, not the Lord, that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he must not divorce her. And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not send her husband away. 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. Yet if the unbelieving one leaves, let him leave; the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us to peace. 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?
Only, as the Lord has assigned to each one, as God has called each, in this manner let him walk. And so I direct in all the churches. Was any man called when he was already circumcised? He is not to become uncircumcised. Has anyone been called in uncircumcision? He is not to be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is the keeping of the commandments of God. Each man must remain in that condition in which he was called.
Were you called while a slave? Do not worry about it; but if you are able also to become free, rather do that. For he who was called in the Lord while a slave, is the Lord’s freedman; likewise he who was called while free, is Christ’s slave. You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men. Brethren, each one is to remain with God in that condition in which he was called.
Category
|
Paul’s Instruction
|
Concession
“but if”
|
The Result
|
Unmarried
(widowers?)
(divorced?)
& Widows
|
Remain Unmarried
v. 8
|
Continued lack of self-control
vv. 2, 9
|
Remarriage is allowed, v. 9
(within restrictions detailed below)
|
Married Believers
|
Do not divorce
v. 10
|
Divorce occurs
v. 11
|
Remain unmarried or be reconciled (unless pornea, Matt 5:32; 19:9)
|
Mixed Marriages
(i.e., believer and unbeliever)
|
Do not divorce
vv. 12-13
|
Divorce occurs (by abandonment because of faith)
|
Remarriage is allowed (but to a believer, v. 15)
|
Virgins (the never married)
v. 25
|
Remain unmarried
v. 26
|
You marry, v. 28
|
It is not sin, v. 28
|
General Overall Principle
|
Remain in your marital status,
vv. 8, 20, 26, 40
|
Changes in marital status (within the limits), vv. 21, 28, 39
|
It is not sin
|
The preferred marital status is to remain unmarried!
But no matter what your status, remain in the marital status you are in. God does not require a change!
