Sanctification through spouse?

[Andria]

I was doing some reading and got confused by this passage...any input would be appreciated.

1 Corinthians 7:12-16 (New International Version)

12To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. 13And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. 14For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.

15But if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. A believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. 16How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

In verse 14 it makes it seem like automatically the unbelieving spouse is sanctified by their believing spouse, but in verse 16, it says "how do you know...?" A friend said he believes that since in marriage you become one flesh that they are automatically sanctified because one can't perish while the other lives forever...but then in my study Bible it refers to 1 Peter 3:1 where it says, "Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives...".

I guess, ultimately it's hard for me to imagine a spouse fully sanctifying their spouse regardless of if they live their whole lives believing or not...but verse 14 clearly says the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and vice versa.

Opinions? Thanks...I'm still a babe here at a young 22 lol

 

[johnmark29020]

Its a little hard to wrap your mind around it when first read,but its really simple. If you believe and your spouse doesnt. He/she will be in the kingdom because of you. Thats if they never believe. However by living a faithfilled life in front of them could cause the to believe. Thats what peter refers to in his words. 16 is a suddle reminder not to judge your spouse as a believer or not. The truith is we may never know if your husband or wife believes. However if your spouse breaks the marriage bonds and marries somone new. Then they are on there own again unless the new spouse is a believer. Thats the way I understand it anyway. I know some people dont see it that way. I hope this helps. YBIC roy

 

[Andria]

oh, that's very interesting insight, thank you. it's almost like too good to be true? i don't know, it's just so different from what i've "known" for years.

 

[welltan]

That is a scripture that is hard to put a handle on it.

Another is:

Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?
1 Corinthians 15:29

 

[Anonymous]

Andria,
Sanctification - sanctify and its derivatives cover a broad spectrum of application. It does not generally mean salvation, but to be separated for a specific, holy purpose. Believers are sanctified by, the blood of Christ, by the Word of God, by the Holy Spirit for God himself. Unbelieving spouses and children are sanctified by a believing spouse or parent in that they have been exposed to the things of God and are now in a place of greater blessing and protection because of that believer. They, however, must come to Christ for themselves for salvation. A further use of the term includes inanimate objects and days. The Tabernacle/Temple along with the furniture and vessels with the tools of service were sanctified by their dedication to the Lord's service. Certain days for fasting and prayer were sanctified and made holy by their dedication to the Lord. A believing spouse in a home adds a degree of dedication to the home and the rest of the family shares in the radiated blessing from that believer. I hope this helps rather than muddying the water. Let me know if anything here needs clarification.

 

[steve]

john;
good start in the right direction, i believe. how much more is there that YHWH is waiting for us to grow up enough for Him to reveal to us? the glass that we see through is still pretty dark, but i am convinced that it will include the impact that we have on the spiritual world.

 

[Doc]

Dear Andria,

Wow...you ask some GOOD questions!

I pondered on this one for over a week, and we in fact, discussed it at some length in our Orlando home fellowship group as well. Here is what God seems to have worked through me:

For the unbelieving husband is set apart as holy to God on account of [his relationship with] the [believing] wife, and the unbelieving wife is set apart as holy to God on account of [her relationship with] the [believing] brother. For otherwise [hypothetically, i.e., without this principle of sanctification in the believer] your children are unclean, but as it is in reality, they are holy.
1st Corinthians 7:14

In this particular passage, Paul is dealing with the particular subject of divorce, and the reasons for it. What Paul was basically writing was that unbelief on the part of the spouse was not a justifiable reason for divorce. However, Paul also recognizes that this is a difficult situation as well, but reminds the believer that the relationship is not meaningless in the grander scheme of things.

We need to think of the believing spouse in this relationship as the 'preservative' in the relationship. Actually, there is Biblical precedence for this in the how salt was once used in Bible days as a preservative.

Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Matthew 5:13

Let your speech [be] always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. Collosians 4:6

Salt [is] good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another. Mark 9:50

One passage in the Old Testament that I find particularly of interest as it relates to this is the protection that 'unbelieving' Lot received as a direct result of his relationship with his uncle, Abraham. Because of the blessing that was afforded to Abraham, Lot's very life was spared, and he and his family were allowed to escape the wrath of Sodom and Gomorrah.

And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt. Genesis 19:29

Now, I wouldn't be a very good preacher if I left unacknowledged that Lot's wife turned to a 'pillar of salt' because she looked back....thus serving as a warning, or 'preservative' if you will, for the family of Lot and all generations to today!

The believer himself/herself, the marriage, the unbelieving spouse, and their children are all "set apart to God" for the special protection and oversight that falls to the "lot' (sorry about the pun) of believers. In the same way that the presence of believers in organizations and countries brings blessing and protection from God, so in marriage too this principle obtains. This does not mean that the unbelieving husband (or the children) are automatically saved, but it does mean that they are treated by God as belonging to the believing spouse, falling under that spouse's "umbrella" of blessing and protection.

Hope this helps!

Blessings,

 

[Andria]

Wow, thanks for the information and putting so much time into it. That is very helpful and makes a world of sense.