Category: Devotions

Hendriksen observed well, “Paul’s emphasis is on the words calling and called, which relate to spiritual rebirth through God’s Word and Spirit. And calling refers to one’s situation in life. This spiritual rebirth is not merely a vertical link between God and man but also a horizontal relation that extends from a person’s place in life to his or her fellow men. A calling can be understood as a position or a vocation in which a believer lives in obedience to God’s precepts. Paul is saying that “everyone is to remain in the station in which he found himself when he was called.””

The Christian life is the grace of living out the character of God as declared summarily by God in the Ten Commandments even in the Word of God. There is a consistency between the heart and the hand. God is glorified in such a life. The essence of God’s law is nothing less than the expression of God’s character – His holiness and His love. True holiness and true love begins with a transformed heart. There is an inner holiness and love present in the heart. It is not a mechanical outward obedience of the Pharisees. That’s not true righteousness, Jesus pointed out.

The converted Jew should not be ashamed of his Jewish background. His circumcision does not impede his Christian testimony at all. He should accept his past for who he is and rejoice now for what God has done for him in Christ. Likewise, the heathen man who is converted need not follow the Jewish ceremonial law of being circumcised to be accepted into the Christian community. Although salvation begins with the Jews it must by no means be construed that the ceremonial law of circumcision has been carried over to the Christian faith. The Christian is baptised by water as an outward sign of his inward faith. He need not be circumcised following the Jewish ceremonial law. It has been abrogated in Christ.

William MacDonald said well, “There is sometimes a feeling among new converts that they must make a complete break with every phase of their former life, including institutions such as marriage which are not in themselves sinful. In the newfound joy of salvation, there is the danger of using forcible revolution to overthrow all that one has previously known. Christianity does not use forcible revolution in order to accomplish its purposes. Rather, its changes are made by peaceful means. In verses 17–24, the apostle lays down the general rule that becoming a Christian need not involve violent revolution against existing ties. Doubtless he has marriage ties primarily in view, but he also applies the principle to racial and social ties.”

Here is highlighted the possibility of the unbelieving partner getting converted. This should be reason enough for the believing partner to seek to persevere to keep and prosper the marriage. By a good testimony and influence, perchance, God opens his or her spiritual eyes.

1 Corinthians 7:15 But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace. When the unbelieving partner in a marriage decide to end …

1 Corinthians 7:15, If the Unbelieving Depart, Let Him Depart Read more »

The Apostle Paul tells us that the children born in a marriage where one partner is a believer is holy in the sight of God. It does not mean that they are without sin but that God has set them in apart by virtue of their believing parent. The believing father or mother provides a sanctifying influence by influencing the children in the things of God. The believing parent prays for the children, reads Bible stories, reads the Bible, shares with them the gospel at the earliest age that they may be saved.

God knows the beginning and the end of all things. It is Him who allows such a situation to arise in saving one spouse in an otherwise heathen marriage. We can trust in His grace to help the believing spouse persevere to influence the better half for God without giving up. May God be gracious to make a way. Amen.

The Apostle Paul addresses the believer who is also a wife to her unbelieving husband. She was converted probably after her marriage to the unbelieving spouse. The advice is that she does not rush to severe the marriage relationship because of their different faith. Rather, if her husband does not object to her faith and is willing to honour the marriage, she must not leave him.

The husband with an unbelieving wife is not to leave his wife. He becomes a Christian after marriage as such his wife still an unbeliever. In such a situation, the Apostle Paul advises the man to keep the marriage. It may be that the wife is an idol worshipper still living in great unbelief and darkness.