1 Corinthians 7:16 has often been used to coerce victims of abuse to stay in the marriage in the hope that their abusers will be converted.
For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife? (ESV)
For how do you know, O woman, whether you will save that man or not? Or how do you know, O man, whether you will save that woman or not? (NMB)
You cannot know whether or not your spouse will come to Christ because of your Gospel witness. You don’t know whether your spouse will ever be converted. Salvation is a gift from God and it only happens when He quickens a dead spirit to life. The author of salvation is God, not us.
The question “How do you know whether you will save your husband?” can embrace both optimism and pessimism. John MacArthur (who we rarely quote approvingly) actually has a wise word about this verse. He calls it “God’s caution against marital evangelism”.
Barbara’s book Not Under Bondage [Affiliate link] deals with this on page 44.
Posts on this blog you might find helpful
Have I prayed enough? — a question often asked by victims of domestic abuse
I left him because I loved him
What does Scripture Really Say? — ACFJ Resources page
