DEEP DIVE | Holy Household, Holy Children: 1 Corinthians 7:14

1/07/24

Paul rarely mentions the domestic parent-child relationship in his letters. 1 Corinthians 7:14 is one such rare reference.[1] Set within 1 Corinthians 7:10-16 where Paul urges the married to remain married, 7:14 contains an obscure reference asserting the holiness of children with a believing parent. 1 Corinthians 7:14 states, ‘For the unbelieving husband is being made holy by his wife, and the unbelieving wife is being made holy by the brother. Otherwise, your children would be unclean, but now they are holy.’  What does Paul mean here that the children are holy?

Not Guaranteed Salvation

To begin with, Paul does not mean that the children of a believing parent are automatically saved. For Paul, justification is by faith (Romans 1:16-17). Only individuals who confess and believe ‘Jesus is Lord’ will be saved (Romans 10:9). The unbelieving spouse is not currently saved (1 Corinthians 7:16) despite being made holy (7:14). So, one can assume that the same is true for the children.

Transferability of Holiness

The language of being ‘holy’ and ‘unclean’ in 1 Corinthians 7:14 is related to the concepts of purity and pollution in ancient times, which concern appropriate boundaries for a certain context (deSilva, 2000, p. 243). Being holy is to be set apart or consecrated for God and his worship.

Rather than being contaminated and thus becoming unholy when married to an unbeliever, Paul insists in 7:14 that the unbeliever becomes holy when married to a believer.[2] The transferability of holiness by contact is rooted in the Old Testament (e.g. Exodus 29:37; 30:29; Leviticus 6:18) and demonstrated in Jesus’ ministry (e.g. Matthew 8:2-4; Mark 1:40-45). Believers are ‘called saints’ (literally holy people) since they are made holy in Christ (1 Corinthians 1:2; 6:11). Moreover, they are God’s temple where his Holy Spirit dwells (1 Corinthians 3:16-17). So then, the children’s holiness in 7:14 concerns being in contact with God’s presence in the believer and the church.

Sanctifying Influence of Believers, especially Believing Parents

As believers live in holiness or set-apartness in faith, lifestyle and worship, they inevitably influence those in their pagan household. A parent’s influence over his or her children in ancient times is significant. Paul instructs children to honour and obey their parents (Ephesians 6:1-3). He believes parents to be providers for their children (2 Corinthians 12:14) and urges believing parents to bring their children up ‘in training and instruction of the Lord’ (Ephesians 6:4; cf. 1 Timothy 3:4, 12; 2 Timothy 1:5; 3:14-15). If this sphere of sanctifying influence helps lead unbelieving spouses to salvation (7:16), how much greater is this influence over the children of believers?

Solidarity of the Household

Underlying Paul’s statement in 7:14 is his assumption of family solidarity (Rosner, 1994, p. 170). In New Testament (NT) times, the household represents the basic unit of Greco-Roman society that provides stability to the city-state through its cohesiveness. We see this solidarity demonstrated in NT accounts of faith and baptism of entire households (e.g. John 4:53; Acts 10:48; 16:31-34; 18:8; cf. 1 Corinthians 1:16). Indeed, God extends his faithful love to the entire household (e.g. Genesis 6:18; 17:7-27; 18:19; Deuteronomy 30:19; Acts 2:39; 16:31).

The children’s holiness in 1 Corinthians 7:14 is thus based on this understanding that the household is a unit and its members belong together. When one member is holy, the entire household is consecrated to God. 1 Corinthians 7:14 suggests that the children with believing parents also belong to God’s holy household. This makes sense particularly since churches generally met in homes in Paul’s day. Children of believers would be included as part of God’s household, participating in all aspects of ministry and worship.  

In sum, Paul considers children with a believing parent as holy in the sense that they are set apart for God and participate in God's holy household. The children benefit as they live under the sanctifying influence of their believing parent and the church.

Our Context?

The general principles of 1 Corinthians 7 remain the same despite many changes in the shape and function of households since Paul’s day. The children of believing parents are holy. So, believing parents need to recognise their own status as God’s holy people and that they, together with their children, belong to God’s household. While parents need to make every effort to bring their children to church, churches need to ensure that they include children in their community, ministry and worship. Intergenerational ministry is important as members of God’s household, alongside believing parents, have important sanctifying influence over the children. Both are significant in the sanctification and ultimate salvation of the children.

Written by Viv Cheung

All translations of the New Testament are my own.

Bibliography

deSilva, D. A. (2000). Honor, Patronage, Kinship & Purity: Unlocking New Testament Culture. InterVarsity Press.

Rosner, B. S. (1994). Paul, Scripture and Ethics: A Study of 1 Corinthians 5-7. E.J. Brill.

[1] Other references include instructions in household codes (Eph 6:1-4; Col 3:20-21; 1 Tim 3:4, 12; 5:4; Tit 1:6), condemnation of those who disobey their parents (Rom 1:30; 2 Tim 3:2) and the obligation of parents to provide for their children (2 Cor 12:14).

[2] This is not to say that Paul is advocating for evangelism by marriage. Later in the chapter, Paul instructs the widow (i.e., one with the option to choose her spouse) to marry ‘only in the Lord’ (7:39).