Saving others

[LPS]

1Co 7:14 For the unbelieving husband is made holy through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy through the brother. Otherwise your children would be unclean, whereas in fact they are holy.
1Co 7:15 If the unbeliever separates, however, let him separate. The brother or sister is not bound in such cases; God has called you to peace.
1Co 7:16 For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband; or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

I think most of us read this passage - especially vs 16 - as “How do you know whether your example and prayers will cause an unbeliever to come to God and be saved?”

But that isn’t quite what this passage says, and I’ve often pondered it. Could it really mean that God will save some people because of the faith of others, even if they remain in unbelief themselves?

When Jesus was healing, sometimes he healed because of the faith of the person asking without mention of the faith of the person who needed to be healed. Sometimes it was a parent (Luke 8:50) or even friends (Luke 5:20).

Thoughts?

 

[thistle]

1Co 7:14 For the unbelieving husband is made holy through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy through the brother. Otherwise your children would be unclean, whereas in fact they are holy.
1Co 7:15 If the unbeliever separates, however, let him separate. The brother or sister is not bound in such cases; God has called you to peace.
1Co 7:16 For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband; or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

I think most of us read this passage - especially vs 16 - as “How do you know whether your example and prayers will cause an unbeliever to come to God and be saved?”

But that isn’t quite what this passage says, and I’ve often pondered it. Could it really mean that God will save some people because of the faith of others, even if they remain in unbelief themselves?

When Jesus was healing, sometimes he healed because of the faith of the person asking without mention of the faith of the person who needed to be healed. Sometimes it was a parent (Luke 8:50) or even friends (Luke 5:20).

Thoughts?

D-R Bible, Haydock Commentary:

Ver. 14-16. Is sanctified. The meaning is not that the faith of the husband, or the wife is of itself sufficient to put the unbelieving party, or their children, in the state of grace and salvation: but that it is very often an occasion of their sanctification, by bringing them to the true faith. (Challoner) — Sanctification which has different significations, cannot here signify that an infidel is truly and properly sanctified, or justified, by being married to a faithful believer; therefore we can only understand an improper sanctification, so that such an infidel, though not yet converted, need not be looked upon as unclean, but in the dispositions of being converted, especially living peaceably together, and consenting that their children be baptized, by which they are truly sanctified. — How knowest thou, O wife? &c. These words seem to give the reason, why they may part, when they cannot live peaceably, and when there is little prospect that the party that is an infidel will be converted. (Witham)

 

[melbanglican]

D-R Bible, Haydock Commentary:

Ver. 14-16. Is sanctified. The meaning is not that the faith of the husband, or the wife is of itself sufficient to put the unbelieving party, or their children, in the state of grace and salvation: but that it is very often an occasion of their sanctification, by bringing them to the true faith. (Challoner) — Sanctification which has different significations, cannot here signify that an infidel is truly and properly sanctified, or justified, by being married to a faithful believer; therefore we can only understand an improper sanctification, so that such an infidel, though not yet converted, need not be looked upon as unclean, but in the dispositions of being converted, especially living peaceably together, and consenting that their children be baptized, by which they are truly sanctified. — How knowest thou, O wife? &c. These words seem to give the reason, why they may part, when they cannot live peaceably, and when there is little prospect that the party that is an infidel will be converted. (Witham)

Rodney Stark, ‘The Rise of Christianity’, devotes considerable space to his belief that this is indeed how large numbers were won to the Christian faith in the earliest days of the Church.