Divorce and Remarriage – 1 Corinthians 7:8-16

Few issues have been as contested as the biblical view of divorce and remarriage.  There are basically four views among evangelicals on divorce: (1) No Divorce, No Remarriage, (2) Divorce, But No Remarriage, (3) Divorce & Remarriage for Adultery or Desertion, and (4) Divorce & Remarriage under a Variety of Circumstances.  I have a summary of these views and their arguments here.  I believe Paul’s teaching here in 1 Corinthians 7 is that a believer who is divorced by an unbeliever is permitted to remarry.

To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single as I am. But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

To the married I give this charge (not I, but the Lord): the wife should not separate from her husband (but if she does, she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and the husband should not divorce his wife.

To the rest I say (I, not the Lord) that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her. If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you to peace. For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?  (1 Corinthians 7:8-16 ESV)

In light of Jesus’ teachings Paul instructs the unmarried and widows to remain unmarried if they can exercise self-control, even as he has.  If the passions are too much of a fire within them they should marry, however.

To those marriages made up of two believers they should never divorce (Jesus spoke to this).  If they do divorce they should remain unmarried to give opportunity to be reconciled to one another again.  This presumes there is no marital unfaithfulness to begin with, though even if so that does not require divorce but rather excuses it.  Paul does not say how long one must remain unmarried, but we may presume it is until they reconcile or one disobeys the Lord and remarries or engages in sexual immorality.

If a believer is married to an unbeliever and the unbeliever wants to stay married they should not divorce (Jesus did not speak to this situation but Paul’s word is authoritative about it).  Contrary to some of the Corinthians’ thinking the children of this marriage would not therefore be unclean because one parent is an unbeliever.  In this case the clean makes the unclean clean.  But if the unbelieving spouse wants out of the marriage the believer is free to remarry.  Nevertheless, while married there is the chance that the unbeliever will come to faith.