Agents of Grace" "October 10 Readings: 1 Corinthians 7

Today's Reading - 1 Corinthians 7

Background

Marriage became a hot-potato issue in the early church. There were some who saw sex as carnal and unworthy of the Christian, and thought all Christians should remain single. Others were dealing with situations such as those Paul addressed in this chapter, in which one partner was converted and found himself or herself married to an unbeliever. Should a child of God continue in a marriage with a child of the devil? The fledgling church faced so many issues and Paul addressed many of them here.

This is the most extensive, in-depth passage in the Bible on the subject of marriage, divorce, and sexual relationships.

Devotional - Agents of Grace

It seemed so logical to the newborn believers. Surely God would not want a redeemed, reborn, soul-cleansed believer in Jesus Christ sharing a bed with someone who had not received that grace, especially one who had rejected it. Light can have no fellowship with darkness - how can they have a marriage?

But Paul makes a point that I have seen illustrated in my own family, in verse 14.

For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband.

No one can marry their way into the grace of God and that is not what Paul is saying here. At its root, holy means "set apart for God." When a husband or wife is saved, that family is set apart for the activity of God in a definitive way.

My dad was saved out of a religious but largely unsaved family. He was radically saved and became a vibrant and aggressive witness for Christ. Over the years many of his extended family came to faith in Christ. When dad was saved, his family was "sanctified" - set apart for a special work of God. When a man is saved, his wife is sanctified (made holy) and if he both lives out and shares his faith, she is a special target of God's grace. The same is true when a wife is redeemed.

For this reason, Paul admonishes believers to stick with their marriages to non-believers. These marriages are not an offense to God, but an open door for ministry. 

Father, bless those who are your agents of grace in families in which many do not know you. Give them the strength to be good witnesses for you as you work through them. 

Think and Pray

Are there "mission fields" in your family?
Pray for them and consider how you can be a better agent of God's grace in their lives.