The Pauline Privilege

Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage

1 Corinthians 7: 13-16

            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 your 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 to peace. 16.  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?

            Here we have a case where many religions of all denominations have concluded and determined that the Apostle Paul gave new instructions that went beyond what Jesus said about divorce and remarriage in Matthew 19:9.      

Jesus said; And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries                         another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.”

            Now if we didn’t have Jesus’ words on this subject, we might also conclude that Paul has given a new reason for divorce and remarriage other than adultery. But we do have Jesus’ words and unless we are willing to allow the Apostle Paul to override what Jesus said, then we will have to interpret these Scriptures in light of what Jesus, Himself, had to say.

            Jesus told us in Matthew 19:9 that there was only one cause for a person to divorce their mate and marry another and that one cause is adultery. Neither we nor the Apostle Paul would have the authority to contradict that statement. And besides that, these words in 1 Corinthians are not from the Apostle Paul, they are from the Holy Spirit as inspired Scripture.

            So what does it mean when the Scriptures tell us that in a relationship where one spouse is a Christian and the other is a non-believer and the non-believer departs; The brother or sister is not under bondage in those cases? Well, we know what Jesus said. There is only one reason for divorce and remarriage that God allows. And according to Jesus that reason is adultery. Now the separation described with Paul’s statement does not involve adultery. So, how about it? Would Paul’s example qualify in Jesus’ example of an approved divorce? I think we can all see that it does not.

            If you will notice in these verses in 1 Corinthians there is no mention of divorce or remarriage, only separation. Now some will say that this “celibacy” places undue hardship on a person that God did not intend. Many will say that God “expects” a divorced person to have a happy life and not spend the rest of their life unmarried. They reason that God loves us and would not expect us to spend the rest of our life without a loving relationship.

            But what did Jesus say about that?

            If we continue reading past Matthew 19:9 we see that the disciples also questioned Jesus’ strictness in his “new law” on marriage, divorce and remarriage. Look at their question;

Matthew 19:10 -13

10  His disciples said to Him, “If such is the case of the man with his wife, it is better not to marry.”

11  But He said to them, “All cannot accept this saying, but only those to whom it has been given:

12  For there are eunuchs who were born thus from their mother’s womb, and there are eunuchs who             were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the       kingdom of heaven’s sake. He who is able to accept it, let him accept it.”

            So, There are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. In other words, some men have found themselves in a situation where they cannot remarry without committing adultery. They are in a situation where it would be sinful for them to remarry and so they choose to live a celibate life in order to be saved.

            The problem with obedience to the doctrines of marriage, divorce and remarriage is the fact that it is such an emotional issue. There are many who will just refuse to obey no matter what the Bible has to say. To find a mate and to live with them is such a strong desire in most people’s life that it become unbearable without faith and a commitment to the Word of God.

Carl O. Cooper