What does it mean, "...is sanctified by the believing wife/husband"?
1 Corinthians 7:14
ESV - 14 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.
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Asked June 13 2020
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Peggy Eastman
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Tim Maas
Paul cautioned unmarried Christians not to become "unequally yoked" with non-Christians by marrying them, which (as Paul said) would be the equivalent of light having fellowship with darkness, righteousness with wickedness, Christ with the devil, or the worship of God with idol worship (2 Corinthians 6:14-16). However, there were also cases in which one spouse in a couple who were already married (including having had children together) became a Christian, while the other did not. In such a case, the Christian spouse was then not to leave the non-Christian spouse on that account, since the non-Christian spouse, as well as the couple's children, could be accepted into the fellowship of believers on the basis of the Christian spouse's faith. (However, as I understand Paul's teaching, the individual salvation of non-Christian spouses and children would still be dependent upon their own personal exercise of faith in Christ.)
Aurel Gheorghe
1 Corinthians 7:14 deals with two issues: 1. unbelieving spouse and 2. children of such marriage. 1. The marriage vow was not based upon them being a believer but was based upon their faithfulness and commitment to each other thus there is no Biblical justification to divorce them because she/he is an unbeliever. 2. Paul here also is saying that the young children of such marriage cannot be responsible because they cannot make moral decisions at that young age and thus the believing parent faith covers them by the blood of Christ. However, when children are old enough to make moral decisions, they are not covered by the parent’s faith any longer. A believing parent can be a good example and influence, can instruct and pray for that child, but the child needs to make his/her own decision to follow Christ. So, by the holy life and Godly actions of the believing spouse, the holy influence would influence the unbelieving spouse and children to become more holy and purified in their life as well.
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