Doesn't Paul say that if an unbelieving partner departs, "a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases" (I Corinthians 7:15)?

To understand this statement, we must consider the context. In this letter, Paul is answering questions posed by the Corinthians in a former letter to him (see I Corinthians 7:1). In this passage, Paul gives clear instructions that for married people, sexual relations are right and should not be withheld, except by mutual consent for short periods of time. He furthermore instructs that married couples should not separate, that if they are separated, they must not remarry someone else, but rather seek to be reconciled. Even when the partner is an unbeliever, there should not be separation, for the believer may be the means of bringing both the unbelieving partner and the children to salvation. Following this we have the verse concerning "not under bondage." "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" (I Corinthians 7:15).

"Not under bondage" is misconstrued by some to mean that if an unbeliever divorces a believer, the believer is free to remarry. If that were the case, Paul would be contradicting himself. He had just said, "But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife" (v. 11).

The phrase "not under bondage" is given in the context of speaking about marital obligations -- giving "due benevolence," not withholding sexual relations, remaining with an unbeliever, and sanctifying the unbelieving partner and the children. If the unbeliever departs, the believer is free to let him or her depart and should not feel guilty for obligations he cannot perform. The believer is not bound, in other words, to live in the same house with and perform marital duties toward an unwilling, unbelieving partner. Rather, "God has called us to peace."