Bible Discussion Thread

What does Paul mean in 1 Corinthians 7,4 if 1 of the parents is Holly than the other partner is Holly and also their children?

1 Cor. 7:14 has caused a lot of debate because many believe the word sanctified means salvation, that if one member of the family is saved, then the other members are saved also. It doesn't mean that. What Paul is saying is that if a non-believer is pleased to dwell with the believer, that person will be living under the influence of the Holy Spirit in the believer's life.

I'll give you the literal translation about children. It says else were your children, but it is literally else are your children unclean; but now they are holy. It doesn't say they are clean. They're still unclean. The word holy is the same word for sanctification. Both words mean set apart. They're unclean but they are set apart to be under the Lord's influence in the life of the believer.

If you follow the Lord and the non-believer says it doesn't bother me any, that non-believer is set apart to be under the influence of Christ in your life. But they still need to be saved. They still need to receive Christ.

Nancy, the apostle Paul in 1 Cor 7, is speaking to the Church on marriage & in the event that the marriage goes sour, how should the Christian wife or husband behave. To state, the Lord doesn't recognize or approve of divorce, but Paul says that, sometimes the spouses need to split (maybe because one rejects or abuses the other, or is unfaithful). And of course, they then need to remain unmarried for the rest of their lives. However, if the husband is pleased to keep the marriage going & the wife is happy with that arrangement, then vv 13,14: "the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the (believing) wife (& vice versa)". So what Paul is intimating here, is that the believing spouse in the marriage will be a testimony to the other spouse of godly things, will be able to pray for him/her, or make the Word of God real to him/her in practical ways. So the children from that wedlock may also be taught in the faith. So we see, that marriage is a holy union & all options used to save it.