Categories: marriage, Bible | March 3rd, 2008 | by Ken Horn | one comments
Who were the “sons of God” mentioned in Genesis 6:4?
“Sons of” in the Bible is used in a variety of ways. Often it means “having the character of” (compare “sons of thunder” in Mark 3:17). Because “sons of God” in Job 1:6 are angels, some people jump to the conclusion that these in Genesis 6:4 were fallen angels. However, angels are spirit beings. God sometimes gives His angels human form temporarily. But Satan cannot create. Further, if they were fallen angels they and their children would all have perished in the flood.
When we compare Genesis chapters 4 and 5 we see a pattern. In chapter 4 the Cainite line ends in immorality and violence. In chapter 5 the godly Sethite line includes spiritual giants. Kenan means “hymn singer.” Mahalalel means “the praise of God.” Jared means “one prostrating himself” (in prayer). But by the time of Noah and his sons they were the only ones still serving God. What happened? The best explanation is that sons of the godly Sethite line intermarried with daughters of humankind dominated by the Cainite line until the conditions arose that caused God to send the flood.
Thus we can conclude “sons of God” in this context means they were godly human beings.
Stanley M. Horton
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What 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
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