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"I, not the Lord..."

Text: 1 Corinthians 7:12

ANOTHER THORNY MARRIAGE ISSUE

Divorce was an easy option in Corinth. It is still seen as a solution to problems in marriage today!

“But to the rest I, not the Lord, say:
If any brother has a wife who does not believe,
and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her.
And a woman who has a husband who does not believe,
if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him.”
1 Corinthians 7:12-13

1. A careful distinction stated

a) “I, not the Lord”

i) Paul made sure that he would not speak out of turn.

ii) He would not want anyone to misunderstand what he was going to say next.

b) What it does not mean

i) It does not mean that what Paul says is of no value.

ii) What Paul was going to suggest next would come from years of experience in life and ministry.

iii) It was apostolic wisdom and insight.

iv) It was just that this word is not a revelatory word.

2. “If any brother has a wife who does not believe”

a) The couple were probably already married.

b) Then the husband comes to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

c) But the wife does not share his faith.

d) But she is willing to stay in the marriage and live with her husband.

3. “Let him not divorce her”

a) The Christian husband must not seek divorce.

b) Divorce, as an easy option, has already been established, should not be taken.

c) This word confirms it; it is consistent with what Paul had written earlier.

4. “And a woman who has a husband who does not believe”

a) Paul now addressed the reverse, where the wife has become a believer, and her husband does not share her faith.

b) If he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him.

c) The principle of “no divorce” was consistently applied!