17thOctober
What is a “sanctified” family?
Categories: sanctification, holiness, marriage, family, Christian living, consequences, Christianity, circumstances | 2007 | by Ken Horn | 6 commentsWhat does 1 Corinthians 7:14 mean when it says an unbelieving husband is “sanctified” through a believing wife and the children are now “holy”?
The context refers to a situation where one partner in a marriage becomes a Christian and the other does not. Paul says the believing partner is not to initiate a divorce in such cases where the unbelieving partner chooses to stay in a loving relationship.
He explains further that continuing in this relationship “does not defile the believer. The believer’s faith in God and Jesus has a sanctifying influence over the relationship. In that sense the unbeliever is sanctified, or set apart from anything sinful in the relationship. If this were not so, the children born to the couple would be unclean, that is, ceremonially unclean and therefore unable to come into the presence of God. But the sanctifying influence of the Christian parent makes the children holy in the sense that they belong to the Lord and can be brought into His presence for His blessing. The Holy Spirit can make such a marriage situation into a powerful ministry” (Horton, Stanley M., I & II Corinthians, Springfield, Mo., Logion Press, 1999, p. 71).
This does not mean the unbelieving spouse is given salvation. The children also, upon reaching an age of accountability, still have to make their personal choices. But the blessings they enjoy because of the believing parent certainly could influence them (and the unbelieving partner as well) to accept Jesus as Savior and Lord.
Stanley M. Horton
Some good points made here. I can think of people in my family who might never have come to Christ without the faithful influence of Christian loved ones.
Good …. Danette
“If this were not so, the children born to the couple would be unclean, that is, ceremonially unclean and therefore unable to come into the presence of God.”
I was born to unsaved (and unwed) parents. Had I died as an infant, would I have been unable to come into the presence of God? I think I know the answer, but I wonder if readers might be misled?
Jerry,
Yes, this can be a little misleading. The answer is basically saying that the child would not be living in God’s presence unless one of the parents were a Christian. The answer to “Had I died as an infant, would I have been unable to come into the presence of God?” is no, you would not have been unable to go into the Lord’s presence. We believe children who die before the age of accountability do go into the Lord’s presence. Thanks for the comment. Because we are using short answers to these complex questions, inevitably other questions will arise.
Response to “What is a “sanctified” family?”
1st. Corinthians 7:14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.
Apparently children with two unbelieving parents are “unclean”, while those with at least one believing parent are “holy”. It seems the children, like the unbelieving parent, are sanctified by the believing partner. Therefore, if the believer should fall away, the holy children would become unclean.
There must be an explanation in the application of the words “sanctified”, “holy”, and “unclean”.
Since Paul is writing to Gentiles to whom he has taught freedom from Mosaic law, the word uncleanness, in this instance, would not seem to refer to a ceremonial defilement, unless it were a disqualification for a Christian baby dedication ceremony in which unsaved people might be unwelcome. Even in such a case as that, must we not suffer the little children to come unto Jesus?
Since the word “sanctified” means “set apart” as “holy” for sacred use and /or for blessing, consider this paraphrase:
For the unbelieving husband is blessed by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is blessed by the husband: else were your children unblessed; but now are they blessed.
In other words, protective, material and familial blessings fall upon the family of one believing parent as the goodness of God leads the unbelievers toward repentance.
Bob Lyle
Bob,
Great paraphrase and final paragraph summary. I think you’ve captured it.