"A wife is bound for as long a time as her husband lives. But if the husband dies, she is free to marry whom she wishes, only in the Lord."
The above is one of a few passages that is often misused to teach that divorce does not end a marriage. Of course, the idea that a marriage cannot be ended contradicts God's definition of divorce (given as law) and makes a mockery of God's having divorced Israel, which teaches us by example (Deut. 24:1,2; Mark 10:3; Jer. 3:8). This being true, what did Paul mean when he said, "A wife is bound for as long a time as her husband lives"?
The question of whether divorced persons (both men and women) could marry had been previously answered by the apostle (verses 1-2; 8-9; 27-28). He now addresses other questions likely similar to the following: "If a woman’s husband dies is she still bound to him and if not may she marry who she wishes?" The answer given is that she is only bound as long as he lives and that if he dies she must marry "only in the Lord."
The above text only addresses questions that pertain to women, therefore it cannot be used to teach that only death ends a marriage. Death ends a marriage, but the word ONLY is neither explicit nor implied.
Suggested reading:
A Comprehensive Study of 1 Corinthians 7
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