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Originally Posted by browilder61
This also fits in with the "overall context" - 1Cr 7:10 - And unto the married I command, [yet] not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from [her] husband:
1Cr 7:11 But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to [her] husband: and let not the husband put away [his] wife.
"the ONLY WAY a Christian is free in a divorce is when the non-Christian leaves the marriage"?? not according to the above verses in the SAME CHAPTER. Notice vs. 11 - "....."let her remain UNMARRIED" which means she became unmarried the moment she left, or deserted and she is to either stay that way or be reconciled to her husband, and the husband is not to put away the wife. There is a big difference in what it says above, and "some others" that read 1Cor7 the way a Roman Catholic would read it, and look down their noses on Christians who have been divorced and remarried as second class Christians.
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I guess I'm not sure I agree if you are saying that if a non-believer departs a believer, the believing spouse in not able to marry.
Let's look at the full context:
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1 Corinthians 7:8-15 I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I. But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn. And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife. But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. 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. 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.
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Paul says for the unmarried it is better to remain unmarried, but it is better to marry than to burn.
in verse 11, (the bold blue) yes Paul says that if
she departs let her remain unmarried. Paul is talking about a saved person, a believer. So if the believing spouse leaves, she is unable to re-marry unless she reconciles with her spouse.
See the
But? here comes the exception..... If the unbelieving spouse departs, let him depart. A brother or a sister in not under bondage is such cases: but God hath called us to peace.
So the believing spouse, (that had a non believing spouse depart) is now unmarried, and like Paul says it is better to remain unmarried, but better to marry than to burn. If you are able to remain unmarried with out the desire of a sexual relationship then great, if not, marry.
So just for an example, I am a believer and I would never leave my spouse in obeying the scripture. If for some reason, I had to leave my spouse, (protection) then I would have to remain unmarried. Although, what if my husband committed fornication during our separation? I guess along with Church counsel, I would have to figure that out??
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Webster's 1828 Dictionary [A-J]
fornication
FORNICA'TION, n. L. fornicatio.
1. The incontinence or lewdness of unmarried persons, male or female; also, the criminal conversation of a married man with an unmarried woman.
2. Adultery. Matt. 5.
3. Incest. 1Cor. 5.
4. Idolatry; a forsaking of the true God, and worshipping of idols. 2Chron. 21. Rev. 19.
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But, if my unbelieving spouse left me, I would let him leave and I would not be bound to the marriage anymore. God has called me to peace and I don't think this means I have to pay the penalty of my departing spouses leaving and continue to burn.
If my believing spouse left me, then I would also have to seek Church counsel and invite my spouse to join the counsel in hopes of reconciliation. Although, there would be a possibility that my believing spouse would be treated as a Pagan and then I would treat him as an unbeliever.
If we follow the steps just as laid out in scripture, we can't go wrong and can live in peace as God intends.