1 CORINTHIANS 7:15 A HUMBLE EXPLANATION!

By

Bernard Cox

In answer to the pertinent questions that are raised as a result of 1 Corinthians 7:15 which reads,
But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such
cases: but God hath called us to peace.

Let us always respect the wisdom of the prophet William Branham, who always admonished us to
refrain from interpreting the Bible, Saying that It is already interpreted; but to read and understand
it as it is, not adding to or taking away from it.

My friend, I am beholden, (under a moral obligation) to follow the Lords prophet, and thereby, to
say only that which he said.

Lets also see the type of this situation in the Bible...

We have the scene set where Zacchaeus was a non-believer, perhaps a doubting Thomas, who lived
with his believing wife, who loved him so, to the extent of her dedicated prayer; that God would
save her unbelieving husband. I have no reason not to believe that this is what we ought to
understand regarding 1 Corinthians 7:15.

God expects all men, women and children to come to salvation and election in equally the same
way. First the Holy Spirit of God ELECTS, (from before the foundations of the world) and then
He CALLS, (in the here and now, calling souls to a New spiritual Birth). Then comes, after the
process of baptism in water, sanctification and the proving of our loyalty, faith and love for Him
through trials and tribulations, which is rewarded after achieving success therein, with the
ANOINTING, (the sealing of the soul by the Baptism of the Holy Ghost). That isnt the finale yet!
Still to come is the Brides PLACING which is scripturally seen in the Bible as the adoption as
a true son of God... as was demonstrated in Jesuss case at the Mount of Transfiguration. - Matthew
17:1-5 That is the finale of spiritual migration in maturity! This relates to the event the Bride still
awaits before the rapture. This is where and when the Third Pull becomes manifest in the Lords
Bride. It will occur when the persecution comes from Rome upon His hunted Bride.

THE.MARK.OF.THE.BEAST.AND.THE.SEAL.OF.GOD.2_ LONG.BEACH.CA FRIDAY_ 61-

0217
E-17 Now, the Holy Spirit is the Seal of God. Now, if you say you believe and haven't
received the Holy Ghost, then God's never recognized your faith yet. That's right. Because the
Seal is the recognition that God has completed and finished His work in you (That's right.),
that He recognized, sure. Someone said, "Why do you make it so loose, Brother Branham,
saying, Saint John 5:24?" That's the beginning of the Spirit. That's right. I believe that a man,
as soon as you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, it's a portion of the Holy Spirit. When you're
sanctified, another part of the Holy Spirit cleans you. Then you're filled with the Holy Ghost.
Right. Now, "But he that heareth My words, and believeth on Him that sent Me, has Eternal
Life." There's only one type of it; that's God's life.

Which ties perfectly with the following qoute of the prophet

THIS.GREAT.WARRIOR.DAVID_ CHICAGO.IL TUESDAY_ 55-0118

E-44 He knowed where he was at. Hallelujah. Every David setting here tonight, you're
positionally in Christ. God has confirmed it. ELECTION, CALLING, ANOINTING,
PLACING: He elected you and called you. He elected you and called you. Then He anointed
you with the Holy Spirit, and now, He's placed you in the body of Christ, each one of these
Davids.

Watch what happened to Zacchaeus as a result of the faithful prayer of his diligent believing wife...

[E-54 So the morning that He was to appear, Rebekah must've prayed all night for her husband.
She wanted him to be saved. (That's the way you've got to pray for people. Prayer changes things.)
So she must've prayed all night. Along about daylight, little old Zacchaeus got up and put on his
best clothes that he had, you know, and stepped out, and told Rebekah he was going to get a fresh
breath of air.
But that night maybe the Lord had been dealing with him, according to Rebekah's thoughts and
prayer.
Now, if you want God to save your husband or your wife, just keep praying for them, just keep
praying. That's all you have to do. Just keep praying and believing. If there's any spark of life there
at all, God will put something across the path that they'll see it. Then if they reject it, then that's up
to them. But notice.

E-55 Then that morning, she'd prayed hard that something would happen that would convince
Zacchaeus that this was that Prophet that they were looking for. (The Jews always believe their
prophets, and the Messiah was to be a prophet, 'cause God had told them to believe nothing but a
prophet. So then He had to be the prophet.) [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.] So then, that morning
Zacchaeus went out.
And I imagine Rebekah just laughed up her sleeve and said, "Praise God, he's going down there
sure as I'm laying here in this bed."
Zacchaeus went--goes down there. And he gets to the front gate where he knowed Jesus of Nazareth
was coming. But there was so many there he couldn't even get close to Him. He was small in
stature. So he went up Glory Avenue to Hallelujah Lane. That's usually where He crosses. And he
climbed up in a sycamore tree and set down. (You want to find Jesus, you'll find Him on Glory
Avenue or Hallelujah Lane, or something like that.) So he knowed He'd cross there, so he climbed
up and set down in this tree.
Said, "I'll watch Him. And when He turns the corner, I'll pass my opinion about Him. I don't believe
He's any prophet. I don't believe it. And so, I'll just get up in this tree, and I'll get my own
conception of Him when He passes by." (Remember, he'd never saw Him.) So he thought, "You
know what? He might see me up here."

E-56 So I can just see old Zacchaeus up there, pulling all the limbs and leaves around him so he'd
be well camouflaged. Nobody would see him.
And after while, a noise came up the street. (Strange, wherever Jesus is there's usually a lot of
noise.) And here come a lot of noise up the street. He said, "Well, He must be approaching."
And he noticed coming around the corner a great big fellow, bald-headed. Said, "I'm sorry, folks.
You have to step back. Our Master's very tired. He's been here..." others passing by.
Now, which one of them would be Him? After while a little meek-looking Fellow come by. He
thought, "And that's what they call a prophet? That's what they call the Messiah? Why, He's no
prophet. Look at Him. He don't even look like one. He don't even dress like one."
But He walked quietly, till He got right under the tree, and He stopped, and He looked up, said,
"Zacchaeus, come down. I'm going home with you today."
"You remember what Zacchaeus said when he joined the Full Gospel Business Men down there
after he got saved? He said that he was took off of his feet when not only did He know he was up
there, but knowed who he was, and said, 'Zacchaeus, come down from that tree. I'm going home
with you.'"
"Zacchaeus fell down, and said, 'Lord, if I've done anything wrong, I'm willing to make it right.'"

E-57 How we need more Zacchaeuses today. When they can see the manifestations, and the
Presence of the very God that's promised in the Bible, and get up and walk away from it, what a
pitiful condition this nation is in. What a ripened judgment condition.
And many times you say, "I don't have to listen to that," go listen to somebody will pat you on the
back, and let you live in sin. Then meet it yonder at the judgment bar and see what's going to
happen. You flee from the wrath that is to come. Repent, or perish.
God, when He does things like He's doing today, nowhere in Scripture did He ever send such until
judgment followed it. Exactly right. Judgment's going to strike, as certain as I'm standing here on
the platform as a servant of Christ. Certainly. You remember that.] - William Branham - 62-0720
A.TESTIMONY.ON.THE.SEA_ SALEM.OR FRIDAY_

The prophet William Branham waited ernestly on the Lord diligently, characterized by care and
perseverance, expecting that the Lord would reveal to him His word on the subject of marriage and
divorce where it relates to the couples who had been divorced and were living in what the Bible
termed to be adultery. Millions of people were struggling with the situation not knowing whether
they should seperate; for their salvation and election was considered to be at risk based upon the
teachings in 1 Corinthians the seventh chapter.

It was found, that the Lord demonstrated mercy in this regard based upon the fact that the people
had been deceived over the centuries by their unenlightened pastors and priests, and their own
ignorance of Gods written Word, to find themselves in this situation. Following is what was
revealed to the prophet for to deliver to the world on this subject just prior to his death in 1964.

[12 Just remember this. To you people who are married, and divorced, and remarried, promise me
one thing. See? You've put your confidence in me. (I--I guess this is not taped. I don't... ) You--you--
you've--you believe me as your prophet sent from God, your servant; then you take my word for
this, will you? Go on living just like you are. Don't you try anything else like it, but live, just go
ahead, just live happy. You got... You're saved. If you're Christians, you go ahead living for Christ;
He had a reason to save you.
Now, when I come back, the Lord willing, I'll explain that to you in the Bible. See? And don't get
upset. Many men told me, said, "Well, I love my wife, but I'm--I'll just have to leave her; I--I don't
want to miss the rapture." Don't you do that. Stay just as you are till you hear from me again (See?)
on this subject. Then when I... I can't explain it in ten or fifteen minutes; it's going to take some time
to explain it, because it's got to be the Scripture. It's got to be THUS SAITH THE LORD. If it isn't,
it isn't right.

14 I know these questions that Jesus said here, "If a man puts away his wife and marries another
save the cause of fornication commits adultery, whosoever marries her put away, liveth in
adultery"... These things, He had a reason to say that. He was God; that's His Word.
Now, let's go back to the beginning and find out what it all means (You see?), then we bring it up.
But till we do that, just go right on as you are now, just like you always have been doing, if you're
Christians. If you are a Christian couple, and you're married, and got children, and things like that,
some little ties that bind you, don't leave your wife or your husband now. Don't do that. See? Wait
till you hear me again on the subject. Will you promise me that? Raise up your hand. Now, you've
confided in me to believe me. Now, you--you believe me this far; now, believe me just a little bit
farther on the subject.] - 1964-08-30M QUESTIONS.AND.ANSWERS.3_
JEFFERSONVILLE.IN COD SUNDAY William Branham

Zacchaeus had every right scripturally to leave his believing wife and go his way... perhaps to his
own detriment. The thing is, his wife loved him unconditionally such that, had he walked out, her
prayers for her husbands salvation perhaps wouldnt have stopped, and the Lord would still have
manipulated Zacchaeus path back to Him... all depending on election, based upon predestination of
what the Lord had seen in His minds eye before the foundation of the worlds.

Brother Oyago Charles, I hope that explaination answered your question in some way...