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In verses twelve and fourteen, Paul tells the Corinthians that if they are already married to pagan spouses, then they should not seek to divorce. Because of their desire to serve Christ, some of the Corinthians thought they ought to divorce their pagan spouses and marry Christians. But Paul affirms the marriage commitment. God’s ideal is for marriages to stay together, even when one spouse is not a believer. The Christian spouse should try to win the other to Christ. Paul makes a strong case for staying with the unbelieving spouse and being a positive influence on the marriage. Paul, like Jesus, believed that marriage is permanent.

1 Corinthians 7:12-14

12 To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. 13 And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. 14 For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.