“The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord” (1 Cor. 7:39). God intends marriage to be for a lifetime. Aside from one exception (Mt. 5:32; 19:9), God considers a married couple bound to each other until death. If a woman’s husband dies, then she is free to remarry. Some have argued that “only in the Lord” in 1 Corinthians 7:39 means the widow can only marry a Christian man. Is this the case?

First, consider Paul’s statement earlier in the chapter about marriage to a non-Christian, “But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him” (1 Cor. 7:12-13). If one goes to 2 Corinthians 6:14—a passage where marriage is not the subject—to prove that marriage to a non-Christian is a sin, then one makes Paul to contradict himself. In 1 Cor. 7:12-13, he tells the believer not to separate from their unbelieving spouse, yet in the other passage he writes, “come out from among them, and be ye separate” (2 Cor. 6:17). Paul is not speaking of marriage in 2 Corinthians 6. The non-Christian can be influenced by the godly conduct of their Christian spouse (1 Cor. 7:14; 1 Pet. 3:1-4).

            Some actions are not the wisest course, but are not sin. Marriage to a Christian is often the wiser course, but it does not seem to be an absolute requirement in the NT. If “only in the Lord” in 1 Cor. 7:39 means a widow can only marry a Christian, then it is difficult to provide an answer to why she would be allowed to be married to a non-Christian in her first marriage (1 Cor. 7:12-13), but not in a subsequent marriage after her first husband died.

            It seems best to regard “only in the Lord” in 1 Corinthians 7:39 as meaning “according to the teaching of the Lord.” That is, she is free to remarry any man who has the right to be married according to the Lord’s teaching. The preposition “in” (ἐν en in the Grk.) can often mean “according to” in this sense. For example, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right” (Eph. 6:1). Are children only to obey Christian parents? If a non-Christian parent commands a child to do something that is proper and right, then the child should obey. The force of “in the Lord” is not the spiritual location of the parent, but rather the child acting according to the Lord’s will. It is parallel to this phrase, “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord” (Col. 3:18). Or consider Romans 8:8 “So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.” This does not mean while we are in our physical bodies we can’t please the Lord, rather, as the context shows, those who walk “after the flesh” (vv. 4, 5).

Thus, a widow may marry again. She may marry any man who has God’s approval to marry. Obviously, a man who has put away his wife for some reason other than fornication is not eligible by the Lord for approved remarriage (Mt. 19:9). Thus, Paul is qualifying his phrase “she is at liberty to be married to whom she will” when he adds “only in the Lord” (1 Cor. 7:39). The Lord gives us liberty in certain areas of life. Let us abide by His teachings, neither restricting the liberty He has provided, nor going beyond the bounds He has set.

-Mark Day

Matthew 5:13-16, “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

Without question this text suggests the theme of Christian influence. We all have influence on other people regardless of age, position, or status. When it comes to influence, the Bible has much to say in the matter.

We Must Recognize That We Influence Others And Are Influenced By Others.

1 Corinthians 5:6, “Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?”

This statement is found two times in the New Testament. (see also Galatians 5:9) The word leaven is found 11 times in the New Testament and is used to illustrate to us the power of influence. All of us have influence, the question is, is it good or bad? The kind of influence we have on others is based on what we allow to influence ourselves and if we are not careful, some influences may be slowly changing us. 

Your Companions Will Influence You For Good Or Bad.

Proverbs 13:20, “He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.” 1 Corinthians 15:33 says, “Be not deceived: Evil companionships corrupt good morals.” (ASV)

If we allow the leaven of this world to influence us, our lives will slowly be changed from what God would have them to be, into lives filled with worldliness and sin. It only takes one companion with wicked thoughts and wicked lifestyle to gradually lead you into the same kind of sin.

Our Influence Can Cause Another To Be Converted To Christ.

1 Peter 3:1-2, “Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.”

Even if the husband is not a Christian, the woman is to be submissive. Paul, in 1 Corinthians 7, said that a Christian may win their mate to Christ by the way they conduct themselves. Peter approaches the same topic in telling wives to be submissive to their husbands. Even if some don’t obey the word (Gospel) preached, they might be converted without a word from their wives by the proper conduct from their wives. No one can become a Christian without obeying the Gospel.

Our Influence Will Outlast Us.

Hebrews 11:4, “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he had witness borne to him that he was righteous, God bearing witness in respect of his gifts: and through it he being dead yet speaketh.”

The first person on this earth that we have record who died was Abel. Yet his influence still lives on. We read of his influence, how his sacrifice, by faith, was offered. And his example of obedient faith still lives on today. Sometimes we don’t realize the power of our influence in the lives of others. We need to strive to have an influence of good, rather than bad. Our influence continues to live even after our death. We can all think of people who have had influence in our lives, we remember how they helped us, we remember the examples they set in our lives.

If you are a Christian who hasn’t set a good influence, you need to repent. Start today.

-Jerry D. Sturgill

Is the Bible sufficient for our salvation? Do we need anything else to aid us in salvation? The denominational world teaches us that we do. The Mormons believe the Book of Mormon is needed in addition to the Bible. The Methodists rely on the Methodist Discipline for their answer. Other denominations use their creed books to decide the rule of faith. Do we need these creed books written by man to find the answers for salvation? Absolutely not! The Bible gives us the answer for everything spiritually. Notice these observations about the Bible.

The Bible Is Inspired of God. No other book in the world can claim inspiration. Joseph Smith “said” that the Book of Mormon is inspired, but it has been found full of errors and contradictions. The Bible, however, has been proven to be genuine. Paul states in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” Since the word of God completely furnishes man, he does not need anything in addition to the Bible.

The Bible Supplies Our Needs. Peter writes: “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue” (2 Pet. 1:3). God’s “divine power” is His word (Rom. 1:16) and it gives us all things for life and godliness. This covers the entire scope of our lives. Do we need something in addition to the Word of God? Absolutely not! Creed books cannot supply these needs, only God’s Word can.

The Bible Is Pure. Psalms 119:140 records, “Thy word is very pure, therefore thy servant loveth it.” The word pure means, “free from defilement, uncontaminated.” In Proverbs 30:5-6, Solomon writes, “Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar,” Those that add unto the pure word of God will be reproved (Rev. 22:18-19). Creed books are not pure because they contain many things contrary to the Word of God and they also contradict themselves.

The Bible Is Right. The Psalmist affirmed this in Psalms 33:4 when he wrote, “For the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in truth.” Since the word of the Lord is right, there is no reason to follow a “creed” of man.

The Bible is Able To Save. In 1 Peter 1:22-23, Peter wrote, “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” A person is saved by obeying the truth by being born again through faith in the word of God (Rom. 10:17); repenting of his sins (Luke 13:3); confessing his faith (Rom. 10:10) and being baptized into Christ for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38; 47, 1 Pet. 3:21). No creed book can substantiate such a claim. The Baptist manual contradicts itself by saying the salvation is “wholly of grace” (Hiscox, p. 61) and “solely through faith” (Hiscox, p. 62). Is it “grace only” or “faith only”? Neither! A person is saved by grace through the act of faith in obedience to God’s Word (Eph. 2:8). Other creed books have similar errors concerning salvation.

The Bible is sufficient for all our needs. We do not need a manual, discipline, catechism or any other creed for salvation. The Bible completely satisfies God’s requirement for salvation.

John West

-submitted by Jerry Sturgill

Centuries before Christ came into the world, the Lord foretold of the universal mission of His Servant, “And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth” (Isaiah 49:6). Jehovah’s servant would not only raise and restore the faithful remnant of Israel, but would be a light to all the nations of the earth, bringing salvation to all people. The scope of Jesus’ mission is universal. When He arose from the dead, He explained this universal scope to His disciples: “Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Luke 24:45-47).

Isaiah identified Jerusalem as the starting point, and perhaps from the figurative language one could think that all people would travel to Jerusalem, “And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem” (Isaiah 2:2-3). While certainly Jews from all nations were gathered at Pentecost to hear the first proclamation of the Gospel (Acts 2:5), the Lord’s intention was not for His disciples to stay in Jerusalem so the Gentiles could come and get the good news. No, He wanted His followers to go out into every nation and bring the good news to them. Echoing the sentiments of the prophecy in Isaiah 49:6, Jesus told the apostles, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Jesus’ commission to preach to all nations is not only recorded in the aforementioned Luke 24:47, but also in Matthew 28:19 where—after Jesus proclaimed His universal authority—He commanded, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” The Gentiles, here translated “nations,” are included in those whom Jesus came to save. Mark’s account includes “all the world” and “every creature” (Mark 16:15).

The Gospel went into all the world in the first century; it was preached to every creature (Colossians 1:6, 23). Today the commission is still required of Christians. The final part of Jesus’ commission regards what must be done with those who have been made disciples through baptism, “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you…” (Matthew 28:20). A disciple is to follow all things Jesus has commanded. The command to go teach all nations that Jesus had just given in verse 19 is no doubt included in “all things” that disciples are to observe. Are you, as a disciple of Jesus, trying to teach others about him? To teach and baptize to make more disciples is part of what being a disciple of Jesus is all about. Will you help the world to know about the salvation Jesus Christ provides?

-Mark Day