Is a non-believing Spouse saved?

(from the study of Hermeneutics)

As another student responded to this topic academically well and contextually well, my two cents will follow a current practical implication. A concern I have with the modern day believer is that it often seems that believers are trying to walk the line of christianity as closely as possible with their old life. Instead of pressing on for God to that higher calling, they live with the attitude of "what they can get away with" and still be saved. Many, not all, push the boundaries of sin instead of pressing forward for righteousness. Their focus is spiritual survival not growth, and their motive is wrong. I like how Don (another student) sums up in the end of his response a question about unbelieving spouses being sanctified, he says "It seems possible that their real motive could have been to “put away” their spouse.  And religious diversity was merely the vehicle to do so." I think this is completely plausible, and not only plausible in the context of 1 Corinthians 7:14 but plausible today. I think Don is correct with his summation that the church had adopted the attitude of divorce from the influence on unbelievers in Corinth and where trying to justify their actions. Certainly sounds the same as arguments of divorced believers and preachers now days who have spent large amounts of energy on defending their actions. However, I digress, for this is about a believer and unbeliever, and on this I have two main thoughts:

1) It is wonderful to see the responsibility God has given to us in interpreting and applying the scriptures. With regard to 7:14 it is interesting to note that Jesus did not rule on this and Paul is left to rule out of his apostolic authority [Pickerill:1991]. It is in our hands to address such challenging topics today.

2) The reason for a believers actions should always be to lead people to Christ and never away. Pickerill states that "the ultimate reason for keeping a mixed marriage together is the holy influence of the believers life on the unbelieving partner, resulting in the possible salvation of the entire household."

I don't believe that an unbelieving spouse can enter the Kingdom based on the fact that they are in an earthly covenant with a believer. Jesus calls us to be in an eternal covenant with Him and that is made on a personal level between us individually and Him. This eternal, personal covenant is the key to the gates of heaven. Jesus said in Matt 10:32 that whoever confesses Him before men, He will confess before the Father, and an unbelieving spouse is making no such confession but at best only referring to what their spouse confesses, thus confirming their spouses salvation and not their own. Jesus also said in Matthew 7 that we will know true believers by their fruit, and how can an unbeliever who is not spiritually renewed with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit bare spiritual fruit. In Matt 7:21 Jesus said that the ones who enter the kingdom are those who do the will of the Father, and is not His primary will that we accept Him personally? Back to our text in 1 Cor 7, and Paul states is v16 that how will we know if the unbelieving spouse is saved or not? Well, when we consider the criteria Jesus put forward we can see how we will know, not by simply submitting to the believing spouse but rather by confessing Christ and living in a way the produces fruit.

So in summary, the believing and unbelieving spouse remain married in order for the believing spouse to model Christ in his/her life so that the family can witness that and be drawn to salvation.

Cited

Pickerill D 1991. The first epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians. Spirit Filled Life Bible, Thomas Nelson Publishers.