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1 Cor 7:14 does anyone know what does this means?

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by Joe, Apr 17, 2008.

  1. Joe

    Joe New Member

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    For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. 1 Cor 7:14

    sanctified? I don't understand this, though I have studied it. Exactly what are the benefits being passed on to the unbelieving spouse and/or children?

    I want to believe if a husband is a believer, his unbelieving wife and children may be able to 'slide on into heaven" alongside him. Maybe they are lukewarm and are just going with the flow, or possibly not saved. But I know this is incorrect

    Thanks
     
  2. Brother Bob

    Brother Bob New Member

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    I believe it means that though one believeth and the other one not, it is better to be married, that their children not be bastards. IMO

    BBob,
     
  3. Amy.G

    Amy.G New Member

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    Sanctified in this verse means that the unbelieving spouse will benefit from the blessings God bestows on the believing spouse because he or she belongs to Him.
     
  4. webdog

    webdog Active Member
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    ...but how do the children go from unclean to holy?
     
  5. Amy.G

    Amy.G New Member

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    Well, I'm not really speaking to you because you are mean to me. (yeah, I read that comment in Bible versions.) :laugh: :laugh: ........
    But...holy means "set apart for God". They are not saved, but they are under the blessings and protection that God gives the believing parent. Because they have one believing parent they are much more likely to be exposed to the gospel than if neither parent believed.


    Ok. I'm back to not speaking. [​IMG]





    :D
     
  6. Joe

    Joe New Member

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    Thanks Amy. I understand what you are saying yet it's not specific enough for me to really grasp it.
    Nor do I grasp how the children suddenly become holy through the believing parent.

    One would think that to mean the children automatically go to heaven due to their believing parent. Except in actuality, they go to heaven anyways since they are not of maturity to be accountable under the law. Without the law, there is no sin.

    Now I can say hello back to you ;) the other thread was closed. That was sweet.
     
  7. Joe

    Joe New Member

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    Ok. Yet I don't believe that is what it means when considering this verse...

    Deuteronomy 24:16 The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin.
     
  8. Amy.G

    Amy.G New Member

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    Yes, it sounds kinda confusing. That's how I interpret it though, but I could be wrong.

    As I recall Egypt enjoyed the benefits of Abraham's blessings while he was living there for awhile, because God's blessings were upon him. I think it's sort of the same type thing. We know that people aren't saved just because they have believing parents, so that's not the meaning of the verse.

    :)
     
  9. Gold Dragon

    Gold Dragon Well-Known Member

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    Our church is currently going throught 1 Cor and recently studied this chapter and this was a very difficult passage that we went in depth into.

    A little context helps a lot in this verse. In this chapter, Paul appears to be addressing some married folks in the Corinthian church who have responded to sexual immorality and Paul's praises of singleness by overreacting with abstinence and even divorce/separation. It may have been from misguided attempts to attain a "higher level" of holiness.

    In response, he tells married people to have sex and stay married.

    From verse 13-16, he addresses those who presumably married before converting or by arrangement, were forced to marry a non-believer. Paul gives them two options.
    A) if their non-believing parther doesn't wish to leave, stay together.
    B) if their non-believing partner wishes to leave, let them.

    I'll deal with case B first because it is easier and gives insight into the verse in question. Paul says to let the unbelieving partner leave because:
    1) of peace: he recognizes the conflict and strain that different religions would have on a household
    2) you don't know that you will save your spouse. This means that staying together in and of itself does not save the other spouse. Therefore the sanctification/making holy/setting apart talked about with case A is not about salvation.

    Which brings us to case A. How does the believing spouse "sanctify" their unbelieving spouse and their children by staying together?

    We came across two possible interpretations:
    1) The believing spouse sanctifies the marriage and family as something that becomes holy in God's sight and therefore should not be torn apart by divorce.
    2) The believing spouse influences the non-believing spouse and their children with holy thoughts and practices that they would otherwise not have in their lives if they were not a believer.

    In light of the context of the passage, I lean towards the first interpretation because it appeared that some folks in the church were separating because they felt that was more holy and Paul is saying that even the marriage of a Christian to a non-Christian is holy in God's eyes.
     
    #9 Gold Dragon, Apr 17, 2008
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 17, 2008
  10. pinoybaptist

    pinoybaptist Active Member
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    Amy, I think your explanation is closest to what the verse means.
     
  11. Brother Bob

    Brother Bob New Member

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    Even when a believer is married to an unbeliever, God sanctifies the relationship based upon the believer.
    The children being Holy, is what we have been stating since being on here that they have not reached the age to lose their favor with God.

    Marriage itself is the santification, unless they are marrying into adultery. I believe marriage is a bond made in heaven, not all the paper work we do here on earth.

    He was speaking to a believer, but I feel it is also true if they are both unbelievers, as long as they are marrying in the Lord, and not adultery.

    1Cr 6:16What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.

    Mark 10:
    9: What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

    BBob,
     
    #11 Brother Bob, Apr 17, 2008
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 17, 2008
  12. North Carolina Tentmaker

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    I agree with the idea that nonbelievers can benefit from the blessings of God on the believer but I think we can take this a step further. Not only will they benefit physically but they also have the benefit of exposure to the gospel.

    Take three families. In family 1 both parents are lost. In family 2 the wife is saved but the husband is lost. In family 3 both parents are saved. Now look at the children born into these three families, which ones are more likely to believe? Don't give me that elect nonsense, if God controls election then you have to admit he also controls which kids get born where. I believe that the children of the believers will be more likely to become Christians themselves. The children of one believer will be more likely than the children of lost parents. Now of course there is no guarantee. God's offer of salvation is open to any of them and any of them can choose to reject that offer, but my point is that there is a benefit for the child with Christian parents.

    Go past verse 14 and look at the entire passage. I Cor 7:11-17
    Look at verse 16 in particular. Because they are married to believers the unsaved spouse is exposed to the gospel. The testimony of the wife might lead her husband to trust Christ and the same goes for the believing husband with the lost wife. There does not seem to me to be any guarantee here, just a possibility.
     
  13. Darren

    Darren New Member

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    The context is the entire chapter. More narrowly it seems the section we're talking about starts in verse 12 and ends in verse 17.

    The writer here, actually separates out this section as his opinion, not a command of God. Something that should also be examined I think. In any case, it could be expressive. It's clear this is not a literal saying that they are like believers, from verse 16 (amplified version is great here, have a look http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1 Corinthians 7 ;&version=45;)

    It could easily mean to say "they are like believers in deeds, and more likely to become believers and in any case, separating from them is non-beneificial to any party",

    I know, my "summary" is longer than the verse, but in my defense, I'm looking at 5 verses, not one.
     
  14. Joe

    Joe New Member

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    Thank you Brother Bob, Northern Carolina Tentmaker, Darren and others for your help. That helps :wavey:
     
  15. ituttut

    ituttut New Member

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    Some have answered, and maybe you can get your teeth into. Here is another to chew on. As I see it, we are to look at the benefit for the believer, and not the unbeliever. The children also cannot be saved at birth, but are made clean as the believer has sactified the unbeliever.

    Look as to whom is the sanctifier. The saved person is considered holy and has been sanctified by God, therefore considered righteous. We in the Body of Christ are made righteous because Jesus Christ is righteous. Can one become unrighteous, or anybody make us so? I like the wording found in Williams New Testament, "For the unbelieving husband is consecrated by union with his wife and the unbelieving wife by union with her Christian husband, for otherwise your children would be unblessed, but in this way they are consecrated."
    I do not see in this situation God has or could sanctify the unbeliever to eternal life with Him.Salvation is predicated on believing what God tells us as we live. We must believe Him as He speaks to us, by His Word - the Bible.
     
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