1 Corinthians 7:17
But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches. But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches.
As God has placed each person and as the Lord has called each one, so each is to continue and walk faithfully there without seeking a change of position, and this is laid down as a rule for all the churches. It is counsel for those already married to an unbeliever or to one of a different belief to remain in that marriage and live faithfully where God placed and called them, seeking to win the companion by godly living rather than urging separation or divorce. If the unbelieving companion chooses to depart because of unbelief, the believer is not to prevent it by compulsion, for God has called to peace, and obedience to God must never be compromised to hold the marriage together. The believer's part is to labor and pray for the unbeliever's salvation in hope that the faithful wife may save her husband or the faithful husband may save his wife. Such faithfulness shows that consecration to God belongs in married life and in meeting domestic duty, which was urgently needed amid surrounding heathen customs then and amid moral looseness now.
Context and General Teaching
The verse stands as part of a reply to inquiries sent by the church at Corinth concerning home relations. Those inquiries embraced the expediency of marriage in the church, the propriety of separation from unbelieving partners, and the duty of heads of families in giving in marriage daughters, wards, or other virgins under their charge. Read with the customs of the times and the peculiar situation of the church set amid a heathen and persecuting people, the teaching gives a most valuable lesson. It must not be abused by superficial misconstruction at variance with uniform teaching and the whole tenor of Scripture.
Each person is to live faithfully and continue in the circumstances God has assigned and in the calling in which the Lord called him, rather than seeking a change of position. This direction to walk as God has distributed and as the Lord has called is ordained as a rule in all the churches. The wording shows that the Lord calls every one, and that God's call is not limited to one people or group. The phrase in all churches reflects the New Testament use of the plural word churches for local congregations.
Taken with the verses that follow, the instruction treats circumcision and uncircumcision as insignificant compared with keeping God's commandments. Setting aside an old covenant rite therefore does not mean setting aside the commandments. Keeping God's commandments remains meaningful, and they are not nothing or abolished.
Faithfulness in Marriage Life
Paul's counsel here is for married believers whose partners do not share their faith, directing those already married to remain with their spouses and seek to win them to the truth by godly living. A believer already married to an unbeliever or to one of a different belief is to remain in that marriage and live faithfully where God placed and called him, without seeking separation or a change of position. Urging divorce in such mixed marriages is forbidden.
If the unbelieving companion wishes to leave because of unbelief, the believer need not prevent the departure and must use no compulsion, since God has called to peace. The believer must not compromise obedience to God in order to keep the marriage together. Instead the believer's duty is to labor and pray for the unbeliever's salvation, trusting God to change the heart, in hope that the faithful wife may save her husband or the faithful husband may save his wife.
Consecration to God belongs in married life. It was especially needed then because of the heathen customs on every side, and it is needed now because of the tendency to looseness on all moral questions. A believer called while married to an unconverted husband is to remain in that calling and so walk by faithfully meeting domestic duty. A wife cannot be a conscience for her husband and cannot compel him to obey principles of health and purity in her place, because obedience is of the heart though the heart determines the act. When she is compelled to cook meat, tea, coffee, and everything contrary to health reform that she would never use for herself, God recognizes the true spirit of obedience in her heart and accepts her self-sacrifice and loyalty, counting what would be sin if done for her own sake as obedience and righteousness because of her motive. The verse belongs to plain teaching on the marriage relation that upholds bringing children into the world under proper conditions for their care, education, and training for immortality, and that condemns selfish yielding to appetite, which has been the curse of the marriage relation ever since sin came into the world. Those who are candidates for translation must be delivered from that selfish yielding before the close of probation.