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NASB | 1 Corinthians 7:15 Yet if the unbelieving one leaves, let him leave; the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us to peace. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 1 Corinthians 7:15 But if the unbelieving partner leaves, let him leave. In such cases the [remaining] brother or sister is not [spiritually or morally] bound. But God has called us to peace. |
Subject: Can one know if their spouse is saved? |
Bible Note: The question may be: "How can anyone besides the person himself, and God, know if that person is saved?" I agree that “even the person himself can be mistaken“. It is the most horrible situation imaginable, to my mind, that a person can think they are saved when they are not. The Great White Throne is not the place to find out. We do well, while on this side, to examine ourselves, whether we be in the faith; prove our own selves (2 Corinthians 13). The question of examining another person is another question, and the task may be impossible. I agree as well that a person can receive the word with joy and yet not follow through to salvation. They have no root in themselves, but endure for a while: for when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, by and by they are offended. How to predict or prevent that falling away, I cannot tell, except it be to make sure that repentance and faith are the responses to the Gospel (Acts 20:31). Repentance is the act by which we turn to the Lord (2 Corinthians 3:16). Faith, meanwhile, depends on the Lord to have done his part in regenerating (John 1:13) and sealing (Ephesians 1:13) and to do his part in keeping the soul (1 Peter 1:5). I am not sure that we can discuss the part that man plays and the part that God plays. I think you will say that God does it all, as in John 1:13, and I may say that God demands that we do our part (as in Acts 17:30 and 2 Thessalonians 1:8). Perhaps I can hasten to acknowledge that God enables us to do our part (as in Psalm 80 and Ephesians 2) and help us to find agreement there. I would be interested in seeing a "profile" of a saved person. I hope it is not drawn in the first epistle of John. There I really believe we have a profile of a true prophet, such as the apostles were (the “we“ in 1 John 1), in contrast to that of a false prophet or other spirit (as in 1 John 4:1), the “they“ of 1 John 4:5 vs. the “we“ in 1John 4:6. The distinction between a false teacher and an unbeliever comes, I think, because the former is active in pushing a false doctrine and turning believers away from the faith. The unsaved person does not necessarily do that but, as you have noted, may be mistaken about his own relationship with the Lord. But not to preempt you, it would be interesting to have a profile that we can look at to be fairly sure that another person is really saved. Be careful now, and show the scriptures, and paint us a full picture. Some parts may not be pretty. Some people who are apparently saved can nevertheless be quite unpleasant. |