1 Corinthians 7:10–16

 ¹⁰ Now to the married I command, yet not I but the Lord: A wife is not to depart from her husband. ¹¹ But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to divorce his wife. ¹² 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. ¹³ And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him. ¹⁴ For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy. ¹⁵ But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases. But God has called us to peace. ¹⁶ For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?

Commentary

Vs. 10 "Now to the married I command, yet not I but the Lord: A wife is not to depart from her husband." 

Having addressed the issue of singleness (7:1-2, 7-9), which like marriage is a personal choice (Matt. 19:1-12), and like being married is not commanded of anyone (see 1 Tim 4:1-3). The Apostle Paul now addresses those who are married. Now it appears that some believers were wondering if divorce was permissible for them. To which the Apostle promptly responds by reaffirming the Lord's commandment for us all (Mark 10:10-11) by saying neither a wife is to divorce her husband, nor is a husband to divorce his wife (vs. 10-11). For keeping ones marriage vows is a paramount duty for each and every believer (see Matt. 5:32, 19:9; Luke 16:18). That said, there may be extenuating circumstances where remaining with one's spouse could be detrimental to the physical or the emotional well-being of the wife or her children. Which leads us into verse 11. 

Vs. 11"But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to divorce his wife." 

Thus if the wife feels she must depart, the Apostle Paul commands, "...let her remain unmarried or let her be reconciled to her husband." Thus separation is not to be entered into lightly, and if separation is required, such separation does not annul ones marriage vows. Therefore if a wife departs from her husband she cannot then go off and get another husband for herself, and thus violate the Lord's commandment when she does (see Mark 10:10-11). For only sexual immorality is a just cause for annulling a marriage covenant. Hence if a believing wife feels that she can no longer remain with her husband, and she of her own volition departs from him, then she must remain unmarried and not go seeking a new spouse for herself, (for that would be the same as if she had divorced him, which is only permissible again when sexual immorality has occurred). Thus if she departs from her husband she is to remain unattached, or she is to be reconciled to her husband, she is not permitted to remarry, unless of course her husband in the course of time had died then she could remarry, (since death annuls a marriage covenant), but only then to another believer. The same principals then apply to the husband. A husband is not to divorce his wife for any reason. For only where sexual immorality has occurred is a divorce from one's spouse permissible in the eyes of the Lord (Matt. 5:31-32).  

Vs. 12-13 ¹² 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. ¹³ And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him. 

The Apostle Paul having addressed a certain woman's circumstances about departing from her husband, now gives his own counsel as an Apostle of Christ, equipped by the Spirit of God and entrusted by our Lord and Savior do render decisions about all such things (1 Tim 1:12). And so to the rest of the married believers in Corinth who are in marriages where one spouse believes and one does not; which is not an uncommon situation as people come to Christ after they are already married. Now if such is the case, the Apostle Paul says, if any man has an unbelieving wife, or any woman has an unbelieving husband, and their unbelieving spouses are willing to remain married to them, then they are not to divorce them. For though the Gospel transforms people, and very often changes their lives circumstances as well, it does not annul ones marriage. For as we will see God can can still bring much good to a marriage where there is a believer in it. 

Vs. 14 "For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy."

Notice that the believer becomes the means by which the unbelieving spouse comes under God's sanctification. Indeed God's sanctification of them moves even to their children making them holy. Now this sanctification does not equate with salvation, but it does mean that God's hand will be over that marriage covering the unbelieving spouse and children as long as they themselves don't turn hostile towards the Gospel, which can also bring them salvation the moment they receive it into their hearts as well. Which itself is a very strong reason for staying together. That said, the unbelieving spouse may still want to depart. A situation the Apostle addresses in verse 15.

Vs. 15 "But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases. But God has called us to peace." 

Here the Apostle Paul makes it clear that though there are some very real benefits that come to the unbelieving spouse, if they insist on departing, then a believer is not under bondage, that is they are not required by God to try to force the unbelieving husband or wife to stay. For God called has called us to peace. That said what happens then to their marriage? I think it still intact as long as the unbelieving spouse remains faithful to it, which seems highly unlikely if they are so adamant about leaving it. Thus if the unbelieving spouse departs and seeks a divorce (or takes another to themself) then the believer is no longer bound to that marriage covenant, since the unbeliever has broken it.

Vs. 16 "For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?"

The Apostle Paul now returns to his exhortation in verse thirteen-fourteen, that a believer should not divorce their unbelieving spouse, since not only is the unbelieving spouse being sanctified by the believer (vs. 14), but as the Apostle states here the believing husband or wife just may be the means through which their unbelieving spouse comes to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (vs. 16). 

Scripture Quotations

The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.