QUESTIONS CONCERNING MARRIAGE, DIVORCE, & REMARRIAGE [1 Cor. 7]

Another issue that plagued the ancient assembly of the Lord's people at Corinth was some problems pertaining to marriage. This chapter begins a new section in which the apostle Paul answers questions the Corinthian Christians had asked him (v. 1; cp. 8:1; 12:1; 16:1).

There appears to have been 2 areas over which the Corinthians were struggling on this issue. First, some sort of "asceticism" or a doctrine that taught abstinence in marriage. Secondly, some were apparently divorcing their spouses at random. The Holy Spirit led Paul to answer both problems. It is my judgment the key verse to remember is 1 Cor. 7:26. Whatever this "present distress" was, it must be seen as the over-riding factor in determining the context of the chapter.

There are some who hold to the doctrine of abstinence in marriage. Some are still bound up in Victorian-era morals that taught sex was even "dirty" between a husband and a wife. Yet, the Bible teaches that "marital privileges" may be enjoyed, and must be experienced "to avoid fornication" (v. 2). The only exception for abstinence is clearly laid out in v. 5. The marriage bed is "undefiled" (Heb. 13:4), and to teach anything to the contrary is to teach an apostate doctrine that evidences one has "departed from the faith" (1 Tim. 4:1-3).

The issue we primarily use 1 Cor. 7 for is divorce & remarriage. There was much division in Corinth over this. There is no less debate among the Lord's people today; various erroneous doctrines run amuck through the kingdom. This text can help us refute them & defend truth.

The "married" received explicit instructions from Paul in vv. 10-11... there should be no divorce. This harmonizes with what God has always felt about divorce (Gen. 2:24; Mal. 2:16; Mt. 19:3-9). The word "leave" or "depart" Paul uses is the same word the Lord used in Mt. 19:6 when He said not to "put asunder" what God has joined. Man has no right to end what God alone joins together. Paul then argues that if a divorce does occur, the parties should "remain unmarried, or else be reconciled..." This leaves them in a position to put back together what should not have been torn apart in the first place. One point needs to be made for clarification... obviously, Paul is speaking of an unscriptural divorce (i.e., a divorce not for the cause of fornication as spelled out by the Lord in Mt. 19). If the cause is fornication, one has the approval of the Lord to put his/her spouse away and marry another. There would not be any need to "remain unmarried."  Thus, 1 Cor. 7:10-11 does not apply to scriptural divorces.

Some also take the position that Paul is granting another cause for divorce and remarriage with his words in v. 15. When a believer weds an unbeliever, and if the unbeliever no longer wants to stay married, some reason from v. 15 that the believing spouse is now free to remarry; he/she would not be "under bondage in such cases..." This may sound soothing to those in that situation, but it is not Biblically correct.

The word "bondage" is not the same as the "bond" of marriage described in Rom. 7:2-3. The "bondage" spoken of by Paul in 1 Cor. 7:15 refers to "servitude." One is not obligated to "serve" an unbelieving spouse who might demand the believer choose him/her over loyalty to God.  Allegiance to God must never be sacrificed to anyone or anything, even to the Divine institution of marriage.  If such an unbeliever departs (divorces), Paul says, "Let him go." However, that does not create a situation where the believing spouse now has the right to remarry. In such a case, the believing spouse must remain celibate (since the divorce was not for the cause of fornication) until such a time as the union may be restored.  If the couple is never reconciled, this would be an example of one becoming a eunuch for the cause of Christ and for the sake of the kingdom of heaven (cp. Mt. 19:12).

The present controversy among brethren of the "post-civil divorce Biblical putting away" is easily refuted by 1 Cor. 7. This doctrine holds that if "Jack" unscripturally puts away "Jill," "Jill" can later Biblically put away "Jack" and remarry when "Jack" remarries or commits fornication. [a/k/a "Mental Divorce" in that "Jill" would mentally put away "Jack" after the civil divorce.] Though popular, this is blatant error. It flies in the face of Paul's teaching in vv. 10-11 & what Jesus taught in Mt. 19; they are to remain "unmarried" to avoid the sin of adultery.

Divorce & remarriage plagued the ancient Corinthian church. It plagues us today. Knowing the truths in this chapter will help stop the plague among modern churches of the Lord.