Corinthians, chapter 7, I believe that’s on page 1,214 of your Pew Bibles. Taking a break this morning from 2 Thessalonians because of the baptism. Let’s give attention to the very Word of God. 1 Corinthians, chapter 7, beginning at verse 10. To the married I give this charge, not I, but the Lord.
The wife should not separate from her husband, but if she does, she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband, and the husband should not divorce his wife. To the rest I say, I, not the Lord, that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her. If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband.
Otherwise, your children would be unclean. But as it is, they are holy. But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases, the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you to peace. For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?
Thus far in the reading of God’s word. Amen. Please be seated. Would you pray with me? Father and our God, we ask now that you would grant us by your spirit understanding of this passage, but that you would also convict us, Lord. Convict us of our obligations before you, convict us of our sin, and remind us of all the promises that are yes and amen in Jesus Christ. We ask this in his precious name. Amen. Is the covenant significant? Is it important? Does it have any relevance for you? I’ve been speaking a bit about it this morning, and the covenant was fairly significant for the Philippian jailer.
If you remember a passage in Acts where Paul and Silas had been preaching Jesus Christ and as a result they’re thrown into the prison, the Philippian jailer is actually the one who places them in the stocks in the back and there becomes an earthquake and the doors are opened and the Philippian jailer is about to slay himself with a sword because he assumes that all the prisoners are gone and Paul cries out to him, don’t do that, we’re all here. And likely as a result of the Philippian jailer hearing them singing hymns and psalms and knowing that they were imprisoned for their preaching of Christ, he says to them, he asked that question, what must I do to be saved?
And the response given was a covenant response. It was a response from covenant language. Paul and Silas said to him, believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household. covenant truths and covenant realities spoken to the jailer as his family, as he and his family, believed to their salvation? It seems to answer that question for us. Is it significant? And I think this passage in 1 Corinthians helps us see that the covenant is, in fact, really significant.
Paul’s writing to the church at Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, those called saints. And he’s writing in part in response to questions apparently that they have submitted to him somehow, some way, they get questions to Paul. Paul was the one who planted this church, and so now they’re writing back to him and asking him questions, and one of the questions regards marriage, apparently, now concerning the matters about which you wrote, it is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman. So generally, in this section of Paul’s letter, he’s writing about marriage. He’s writing about divorce as well.
And then he narrows his focus. narrows his focus on a believing spouse with an unbelieving spouse. And he ultimately writes, each one should remain in the condition in which he was called. So he calls the believer to remain with the unbeliever. He calls the unbeliever, well, he notices that at times the unbeliever will remain with the believer. And he says this, for the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband.
Otherwise, your children would be unclean. But as it is, they are holy. That’s what we want to focus on this morning, this statement that Paul makes in the midst of proclaiming the truths of marriage and the call to remain in the condition in which you were called, even in marriage to an unbelieving spouse. Otherwise, your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. I might sum up the teaching here that I’m seeing in this passage this way.
The living God has entered into covenant with his people as the means of salvation. The living God has entered into covenant with his people as the means of salvation. We’ll look at the covenant this morning under three heads. First, the covenant provides protection. Secondly, the covenant includes a promise. And finally, the covenant leads to protection. As we’re going through this passage this morning, I want you to be asking yourself that question again. Is the covenant significant for me? Well, first, the covenant provides protection.
We read that this morning with regard to Abram, or Abraham. God said to him, behold, my covenant is with you. We read that in Genesis 17. God enters into covenant with Abram. He changes his name to Abraham, but he extends that covenant not only with Abram or Abraham, but also to your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant. And he calls him, as for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generation. And the sign of the covenant was circumcision.
That’s what we read. And Abraham was to apply that. Abraham was to apply that to all the males in his house, eight days and older. The sign of the covenant. And so we see this really close connection to Abraham. Abraham was the one who the covenant was made with initially, but it was through Abraham to his descendants that it was also made. And the sign of the covenant was to be applied by Abraham to every male eight days and older in his household. He was doing the work. He was doing the circumcision. He was called to do it.
The Lord was speaking and entering into that covenant with Abraham and then through Abraham with his offspring. In other words, the males in Abram’s house received the sign of the covenant and entered into the covenant because they were in Abraham’s house. It was because of Abraham, the one who believed, the one who was brought outside and God told him, look toward the stars, the heavens. If you’re able to number them, so shall your descendants be. And he believed the Lord and was credited to him as righteousness. And so Abram, the head of the house, would apply the sign of the covenant to all the males, even Ishmael.
Everyone inside his house would receive it. Those outside of Abram’s house were not included. And those who wouldn’t receive the sign of circumcision would be cut off from the people. But everyone inside Abram’s house was circumcised, all the males eight days and older.
So these entered into that covenant relationship only because of their relationship to Abraham. If they had no relationship with Abraham, they were not invited in, the sign of the covenant was not placed upon them, they were excluded. They were outside, only those who were in his household. Whether they be biological descendants or bought with money living under his roof, they were granted access and entry into the covenant.
In a sense, all those in Abraham’s household were under his umbrella, so to speak, the Lord’s covenant umbrella, in his house, and those who were not, those who didn’t receive the sign of circumcision were in danger. They would be cut off from his people. He would be a covenant breaker. So do you see that protection, for lack of a better word, That covenant protection, that covenant sign was given, and it protected that one. There was this keeping, there was this safeguarding through circumcision, through entry into the covenant, that the one who received the sign of the covenant would not be cut off from his people. He would remain in the midst of his people, the people of God, part of that body, part of the family. The one who received the sign of the covenant would not be a covenant breaker yet.
He would be viewed by the Lord as a covenant keeper, at least for a time. It was a time period for the one who received the sign of the covenant circumcision, under which he would be under that protective umbrella of Abram’s house, having been circumcised. But it was temporary. How do we know that?
Well, we consider Ishmael. Ishmael was Abraham’s son by Hagar, the maidservant of Abraham’s wife, Sarah, or Sarai, who becomes Sarah. Ishmael was circumcised, 13 years old. He was in Abraham’s house, and so all the males, eight days and older, were circumcised. Ishmael was specifically included.
He had the sign placed upon him, sign of the covenant. And in a sense, Ishmael was protected for a time through a circumcision, through that sign of the covenant. As a result, he wasn’t cut off from his people. As a result, he was not a covenant breaker, at least initially. By being circumcised, he had kept the covenant, at least outwardly. Now we know there would come a time when he would break himself off, when the covenant would no longer protect Ishmael. when he would no longer remain in the midst of his people by his choice.
He makes that decision to leave. We read nothing within the scriptures concerning the salvation of Ishmael. In fact, this is what we do read. The Lord says to Abram that Ishmael is going to be a wild donkey of a man. His hand will be against everyone. He’ll dwell over and against all his kinsmen. And that’s exactly what we read in Genesis 25. With regard to Ishmael, His life was 137 years, but he settled over against all his kinsmen.
He separates himself from his people, from the covenant people. He leaves. It was his nature to leave. And so he left the covenant behind. The covenant didn’t save Ishmael. Circumcision didn’t save Ishmael. It didn’t guarantee that Ishmael would remain with his people. It was a sign. And as a result of that covenant, he was protected for a time, but it didn’t save him. So there’s this sense that those in the household of Abraham were protected for a time. The protection for Ishmael was temporary. And so we know that neither circumcision nor baptism saves. We heard that this morning. What about today? We see a parallel, don’t we? We read it in 1 Corinthians 7.
For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. Otherwise, your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. Children of a believing parent is holy, is clean. This shouldn’t be too surprising as it parallels Abram’s household. That one born into the household of a believing parent has that same covenant protection.
Made clean. In the Greek, the word unclean is used. And that definition, if we open up a Greek dictionary, is that which may not be brought into contact with the divinity. Well, if you’re unclean, you can’t. But if you’re clean, then the idea is then you can.
You’re able to enter the holy city. Awake, awake, put on your strength, O Zion. Put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city. For there shall be no more coming into uncircumcised and unclean, only the clean. The clean are able to dwell on the holy hill of the Lord. Who shall dwell on your holy hill? He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart. Those who are clean. So as a result of being born into a home with a believing parent, the child is holy. It means set apart. It means reserved for God and his service. Ultimately, it means a person who could approach God. How? How is it? that these children are clean and holy.
It’s not because they’re sinless. None of us are truly clean, are we? Paul writes so very clearly in his gospel to those in Rome, none is righteous, no not one, no one understands. All have turned aside, together they become worthless, no one does good, not even one.
It applies to our covenant children as well, doesn’t it? So how? How can it be that Paul would say these children, these covenant children, are clean and holy? First, the child is holy because of the believing spouse is truly one of Abraham’s descendants. Isn’t that right?
A believing spouse is part of the covenant, indeed, Abraham, who believed, is the father of all who believe without being circumcised so that the righteousness would be counted to them as well, Romans chapter 4. And so as one believes, he becomes a child of Abraham, so to speak, a descendant of Abraham. He’s brought into the covenant. He’s a child of the covenant. The believer then is Abraham’s descendant and is set apart and is sanctified.
And then, Because God has made marriage a bringing together of two flesh to one. A oneness of flesh. Can’t forget that in the Garden of Eden, as he creates and fashions the woman, brings the woman to the man, he makes them into one flesh. They shall become one flesh. And they were not ashamed. It was a holy union between Adam and Eve, a union of two becoming one, a union which was pure and undefiled, a union which would glorify their creator and such that their marriage was holy.
And that same concept still applies. As a believer comes and is married to another, that marriage is holy. It’s set apart, it’s sanctified. And thus as a result of a holy marriage, even if one is an unbeliever, the sanctification that comes and runs right through the faithful one into the marriage results then in children of the covenant. results in holy children, clean children. That’s what Paul speaks of. That’s what he writes of here in this passage. Otherwise, your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.
Are you part of the covenant this morning? Are you a member of the covenant of grace? Do you enjoy the protection of the covenant? Let me be speaking to those this morning who are saying, no. No, I’m not a part of the covenant. I’m not a part of the family. Neither my father nor my mother were believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. Or maybe you’ve left the covenant. Maybe you like Ishmael. You’ve decided to separate yourself. And the question is, why?
Why would you not seek the benefits of the covenant? Why would you not seek to be in covenant with the God who made all things? Why would you not desire all the benefits and protections and promises that the covenant offers? Why would you not want to enter in and stay as a communicant member, a covenant member?
We’ve not gotten to those benefits yet. Lord willing, we will here in a moment. But before we do, You should be asking yourself, why? Why am I not pursuing membership in the covenant community? Why? What prevents me from coming in to the covenant? What keeps me from asking Jesus Christ to make me clean and bring me into this family of the living God? Let me also speak this morning to children, children of the covenant of this church.
Let me ask you, are you praising God? Are you praising God that through no effort of your own, no action of your own, you’ve been brought into this blessing of the covenant of grace? Again, we’ll speak about those promises in a moment, but just hearing the fact that you’re holy and clean as a result of your parents believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, do you realize the blessing that’s been poured out upon you this morning? Do you praise God that you’ve been sanctified and set apart as a result of your parents’ belief.
It’s not that you believe because of their belief, but because of their belief. You’ve been blessed with being included with those who are holy and clean. You’re part of the covenant body of Jesus Christ. You have not been cast off. You have all the benefits of the covenant community member just because your parents believe. It’s a little bit like being born into the most wealthy family in Massachusetts. You did nothing, but because of your birth, you’re positioned to inherit a fortune, riches beyond counting, and that’s exactly what you have in the covenant. You’ve been born into the possibility of the greatest and richest blessing, eternal life in Jesus Christ. You praise God for that. Brings us to our second point. The covenant includes a promise.
You may be scratching your heads for a moment and asking, well, what benefit did Ishmael receive from being brought into the covenant by Abraham? Or what’s the benefit for any child born into the covenant today? If being a member of the covenant is not salvation, then what good is it? What good? Well, the promises of God are contained in the covenant, aren’t they? Indeed, as Paul writes to the Jews in Rome, what advantage has the Jew or what value is circumcision?
Much in every way. And I think Paul was referring to, he certainly refers to the oracles of God, but he’s also most likely thinking of the promises of God contained within the covenant. So many promises. You might be thinking this morning of Psalm 23, the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
That’s a promise, isn’t it? If the Lord is indeed your shepherd, you have no wants, he’s supplying them all. As Jesus preaches in the Sermon on the Mount, he’s touching upon Psalm 23 in a sense, but if God so clothes the grass of the field which today is alive, tomorrow is thrown in the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? promise that the Father will provide for you. And that’s what Paul writes to the Philippians, and my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
He’s also promised to keep and protect, hasn’t he? Psalm 91, no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent. He will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. Psalm 121, the Lord will protect you from all evil. He will keep your soul.
Those promises though are for those who are trusting in Christ. There is a promise that belongs to each and every member of the covenant. Even if they have not yet professed faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and that promise we read of this morning in Genesis 17, I will give you and your offspring to you the land of your sojournings or the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession and I will be their God. Ishmael received that promise. I will be their God. And so extraordinary is this promise that it was necessary for Moses to repeat it.
That was in Genesis 17. In Exodus 6, I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the Lord your God. And in Leviticus 26, I will walk among you and be your God. You shall be my people. And in Deuteronomy, so that you may enter into the sworn covenant of the Lord your God, that he may establish you as his people today. And that he may be your God.
Why is that so significant? So significant that Moses would repeat it at least three times, probably more. I’m missing some, I’m sure. First, it’s because he’s the God who made all things. The God who’s promised to be the God of his covenant children is the God who made everything. They’re one in the same. There’s no other.
And he knows all things because he made all things, including you, a member of the covenant. He knows your needs, and certainly he knows your desires, but he also knows what’s best for you because he knit you together in your mother’s wombs. He knows you because he made you. And the result of this is that he knows each and every covenant child. He knows what’s in every covenant child’s best interest.
And it’s not merely that he knows, but his wisdom is beyond anything that we’re able to think of or compare it to. It’s one thing to have knowledge, but it’s quite another thing to take that knowledge and put it to work in wisdom, and that’s exactly what this God does, is he’s promised to be your God, an all-knowing God, but also an all-wise God, and he uses his wisdom for good for each one of his covenant children. That’s why this promise is so significant. But it goes beyond that, doesn’t it?
Not only does he know what’s best for you, he’s able to ensure that you receive it because he’s sovereign. He’s the one who governs all things. He takes his wisdom and knowledge and he brings it to pass because he’s the one who has the sovereign ability to do so. In other words, your God acts in accordance with his knowledge and wisdom because he’s the almighty God. Not only the one who’s made all things, but the one who governs and directs and disposes every single thing, event, and person. There’s nothing outside of his sovereign power and control and disposition.
This God who’s promised to be your God. I now think of this, the same God as the God of mercy and grace. For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people. This is the almighty God who’s full of grace, the same one who can even forgive your sins, the God who made you as a member of the covenant. He’s the God who also forgives the sins of his people by grace. You may have thought of those other aspects or attributes of God were more awesome, but here’s one. Don’t miss this incredible, unbelievable truth that the God of mercy and grace is the same God who’s promised to be your God.
The same God promises to forgive wretched sins. The same God who sent his son, his only eternally begotten son, into the world to suffer for the sins of all those who would believe upon him on the cross at Calvary, to shed his blood in satisfaction of his righteous judgment, pouring out his grace and mercy. This is the kind of forgiveness that he provides to each and every person, man, woman, and child who trust upon his son, the Lord Jesus Christ, I will be your God. He’s a God of forgiveness. He’s not a God of unforgiveness, but he’s full of mercy and kindness and compassion.
And this is the God who loves his children so much that he would give up his only eternally begotten son. if you only trust in him. If you’re in the covenant today, this is your God. It’s amazing that he would become your God. And it’s amazing that he would send his son, God in the flesh, to wash you clean from your sins if you only trust in Him.
Is that your desire this morning? To claim this God as yours? The God of mercy and grace, the God of forgiveness, is that your desire? You may be thinking I’m not part of the covenant, I haven’t entered in, but that’s not what I asked. Is it your desire to be able to claim this God as yours and then to cry out to him, save me by the blood of Jesus?
Leads us to our third point. The covenant leads to protection, excuse me, to production. Well, what was Paul teaching, really, in this passage? You may say, well, he’s teaching about marriage, and the answer really is yes and no. His ultimate concern is certainly to preach and teach for conversions and growth in grace. And that seems to be summed up in verse 17, only that each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him. The Lord assigns us our lives, doesn’t he? And so Paul is saying, stay in that life to which he’s called you to.
And so he instructs the wife who’s a believer now married to an unbeliever to remain in that marriage, or the husband who’s a believer who has come to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ to remain married to his unbelieving wife. Why? Because Paul is concerned for conversions. And he knows that A spouse who follows Jesus is bound to have an effect upon his unbelieving spouse. Who knows what the effect will be?
That’s what he’s asking. That’s what he’s saying. For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife? That’s what he’s asking. That’s the question he’s asking because Paul’s concerned for conversions and growth in grace. What will be the effect? Remain as you are. Because you might have an effect upon your unbelieving spouse. And then this extends to your children, doesn’t it? Who knows? It’s not written here, but I’m thinking that maybe Paul’s thinking that. Who knows whether you will save your children? Abraham was called, called that he would command his children in his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice.
It wasn’t just circumcision. He was supposed to live before them in such a way that he would woo them to believe upon his God and their God. Israelite parents were called to make the teachings, the law, known to their children. You shall teach them diligently. Diligently. When you’re sitting in your house, when you’re walking by the way, when you lie down, when you rise up, constantly teaching your children. That’s what Israelite parents were to do. What about Christian parents today? Training up a child in the way he should go. Fathers, don’t provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”
Ephesians chapter 6. And Timothy, think of Timothy, how he was taught, he was led to Christ. How do you know? This teaching, this concept between the believing and unbelieving spouse would apply, it should apply also to the children. A child in the house who is a covenant child, a holy child, a clean child, but not yet a saved child. Who knows whether the believing parent or parents might be the one to shine forth the light of Christ, the example of Christ to the child in such a way that the child is moved to trust in Jesus. How do you know?
The answer is we don’t. But that’s the call, isn’t it? The believing parent or spouse that has brought this child into the covenant now has an obligation to lead their children, their holy children, their clean children, to believe upon and trust in the salvific person and work of Jesus Christ. Now, you may be thinking this morning, well, that’s great. I’ll pray for the parents.
I’m an empty nester. My children are out. Time with them is significantly past. Or maybe you’re a young adult without children. Once again, your thought is, this passage is actually for somebody else. You’re thinking that I can pray for these parents, that they would fulfill their obligations in being a light of Christ to their children. But that’s where my work stops. Please pray. But please don’t leave this place thinking that that’s where your work stops. Jesus ministered to the children, didn’t he?
And he’s calling you as members of this church to do the same. There’s one body, one spirit, just as you’re called to one hope that belongs to your call, And grace has been given to you, to each one, according to the measure of Christ’s gift. And he’s given you, this church, he’s given you apostles, prophets, the evangelists, shepherds, teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ. And so it’s the elders’ work here, to equip you. But equip you for what?
Paul answers that question for the work of ministry for the building up of the body of Christ. What does that mean for you? We could spend the rest of our day today thinking about what that means, but let’s just focus on the work of ministry and building up the body of Christ with regard to these children who’ve come into the covenant. We’re now part of this church. You’re charged with building up the body of Christ. You’re charged with ministry here. which includes these covenant children.
You may say, well, they’re not communicant members. Yeah, right, but they are non-communicant members, which means they have not yet professed faith in Jesus Christ, but they’re clean and holy. What more do you need to know in order to receive them as you have received them this morning?
And they need, each one of our covenant children need your ministry. Jesus has assigned you the work of participating in the spiritual lives of these dear covenant children. Yes, they’re being trained up by their parents, but they should also be loved by you. And so like Paul, the goal is to build up these covenant children into a saved member of the body of Christ.
You can’t save anyone. Yes, I agree, neither can I. But you’ve been given the opportunity and the privilege and ministry to all of the body. So how do you do it? What do you do? How do you act? How do you build these little ones, these dear ones up such that they might come to profess faith in Jesus Christ? Let me give you six suggestions this morning quickly.
First, don’t put obstacles in their way. The disciples sought to. The children were brought to him that he might lay hands on them, but the disciples rebuked the people and said, don’t bring them to Jesus. The disciples understood the children as second or third class people. And as a result, they placed an obstacle in the way to Jesus. And so that’s the first, don’t put an obstacle in the way of our covenant children such that they can and Lord willing, will come to Christ.
Second, be an example of Christ, just like their parents are. Reflect Christ to them. How do these little ones see Jesus? Before they’re able to read or even speak, how do they see Jesus? Is it not by you reflecting his nature to them in loving kindness and mercy and compassion? They see. They know love. Be an example of Christ.
Third, assist their parents. Encourage their parents. How? Maybe by merely offering to watch the children so mom and dad can get out for the night. A night to recuperate, a night to rejuvenate, so they can come back home and continue their diligent work of raising up these dear ones in the love and admonition of the Lord. Fourth, come to worship. Just be present with their parents, which is the greatest encouragement to them.
And what an example and encouragement to the covenant children to see the body committed to and enjoying worship together. Fifth, use your gifts and talents. Whatever they are, maybe it’s teaching, maybe it’s encouraging. Whatever your gifts and talents, and you have been given gifts and talents to be used amongst the body of Christ, amongst our covenant children. Use them in building up the body of Christ and ministering to these dear ones. And sixth, and maybe this is the most important, recognize that this work is actually for your own growth, growth in grace and sanctification. Might a young covenant child come to faith as you minister to him or her?
Maybe. But it’s only the work of the Spirit. We know that. We confess that. So you can’t boast. But you can boast in this. That as you work this ministry, as you serve these covenant children, you begin to see all of your weaknesses, don’t you? And as you do, as you begin to see more and more of your weaknesses as you’re ministering to these little dear ones, you praise Jesus for all of his purity and all of his innocence and all of his faithfulness and all of his righteousness. that he’s clothed you with in your weakness. You see, that’s your work, isn’t it? To put his glory on display in your weakness so these little ones can see you growing in grace.
As the living God has entered into covenant with his people as the means of salvation, Philippian Jailer, As he heard the gospel, as he heard the good news, as he was ministered to by the covenant spoken of through Paul and Silas, he and his family came to believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ.
Yes, covenant is the means of salvation. Praise God that we were able to observe the sacrament of baptism today, the working out of God’s covenant of grace here in this place. Amen. Heavenly Father, help us. We are weak and frail. We need to be encouraged to minister to these dear ones, to recognize that they are part of our church. And Father, we’re called, we’re tasked with, we’ve given the privilege and opportunity of building up the body of Christ. So help us. Help us to improve our baptism. Help us, Lord God, to be sanctified as we seek to minister to these dear ones. We ask all this in the precious name of Jesus Christ. Amen. Brothers and sisters, our hymn of praise is number three.