Will Marriage Save My Spouse?

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Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 7:14 "For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband..." At first glance it appears this verse implies as long as a spouse is saved, an unbelieving spouse will experience salvation as well. Is this correct?
First, sanctified is the Greek transliterated hagiazo. Here in 1 Corinthians it means "to separate from profane things and dedicate to God." This is very different than being saved. The believer has been set apart from the wickedness of the unbeliever, and the unbeliever is set apart from the total influence of sin in the world. The work of the Holy Spirit is alive in the life of the believer thus impacting the life of the unbeliever. Pastor and theologian John MacArthur stated, "You become set apart unto God and holy when you believe in Christ...but just having been in a home or living in a home where somebody is a Christian, has a sanctifying influence. Paul doesn't mean that the unbeliever is automatically made a Christian by marriage but what he does mean is that the marriage is benefited and that everybody in the house reaps the benefits."

 Second, when studying Scripture, context is so important. By context, I mean reading the verses surrounding a certain passage. Remember books of the Bible were not originally broken into chapters and verses. They were one complete writing meant to be read in whole. 1 Corinthians 7:1-16 is about married life. If you read on, verse 16 says, "How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?" Here Paul makes the distinction between sanctification and salvation. They are not the same.

 Last, salvation comes by grace through faith in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8). This comes through Christ alone (John 14:6). And salvation is a personal decision, not a group consensus  Mark 16:16 says "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned." 



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