What is the meaning of 1 Corinthians 7:39? A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives • “A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives” (1 Corinthians 7:39). • Marriage is presented as a lifelong covenant, echoing “What God has joined together, let man not separate” (Matthew 19:6). • Paul’s wording parallels “A married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives” (Romans 7:2), underscoring the same principle. • This binding reflects God’s original design in Genesis 2:24—one flesh, intended for permanence. • The imagery of covenant faithfulness also appears in Malachi 2:14, where marriage is described as a “covenant with your wife by covenant,” highlighting God’s seriousness about marital vows. But if her husband dies • “But if her husband dies” (1 Corinthians 7:39) introduces the single legitimate release from the marriage bond: death. • Again, Romans 7:2 confirms, “But if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage.” • Death dissolves the earthly covenant, not by human decision but by God’s sovereign boundary between life and death (Psalm 104:29). • This reality offers comfort that God’s law takes compassionate account of life’s final transitions (Psalm 116:15). She is free to marry anyone she wishes • With the covenant ended by death, “she is free to marry anyone she wishes” (1 Corinthians 7:39). • Freedom here is genuine liberty, not mere permission; Paul makes the same point when urging younger widows to remarry in 1 Timothy 5:14. • However, Paul also affirms singleness as honorable (1 Corinthians 7:8), so remarriage is a choice, not a command. • The phrase “anyone she wishes” honors personal agency, yet that freedom operates within godly boundaries. As long as he belongs to the Lord • “As long as he belongs to the Lord” (1 Corinthians 7:39) sets the essential boundary: the new spouse must be a believer. • Paul’s larger teaching on relationships reinforces this: “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers” (2 Corinthians 6:14). • Even apostles followed this pattern: “Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife?” (1 Corinthians 9:5). • The spiritual unity of husband and wife nurtures shared faith, discipleship, and godly legacy (Ephesians 5:22–33). • Choosing a spouse “in the Lord” preserves the witness of Christian marriage and guards against divided devotion (Joshua 24:15). summary 1 Corinthians 7:39 teaches that marriage is a lifelong covenant, dissolved only by death. Upon widowhood, a believer is genuinely free to remarry, yet that liberty carries a clear guideline: the new spouse must be “in the Lord.” This balance of permanence, compassionate release, and spiritual discernment upholds both the sanctity of marriage and the priority of faith in every life decision. |
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