Albert Barnes Commentary 1 Corinthians 7:15

"Yet if the unbelieving departeth, let him depart: the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such [cases]: but God hath called us in peace." — 1 Corinthians 7:15 (ASV)

But if the unbelieving depart. If they choose to leave you.

Let him depart. You cannot prevent it, and you are to submit to it patiently and bear it as a Christian.

A brother or a sister is not under bondage. Many have supposed that this means they would be at liberty to marry again when the unbelieving wife or husband had gone away; as Calvin, Grotius, Rosenmuller, etc.

But this is contrary to the strain of the apostle's argument. The sense of the expression "is not bound" is that if they forcibly depart, the one who is left is not bound by the marriage tie to provide for the one who departed, or to do acts that might be prejudicial to religion by a violent effort to compel the departing husband or wife to live with the one who is forsaken. Instead, the person left is at liberty to live separately and should regard it as proper to do so.

God hath called us to peace. Religion is peaceful. It would prevent contentions and quarrels. This is to be a grand principle.

If it cannot be obtained by living together, there should be a peaceful separation; and where such a separation has taken place, the one who has departed should be allowed to remain separate in peace.

God has called us to live in peace with all if we can. This is the general principle of religion on which we are always to act. In our relationship with our partners in life, as well as in all other relations and circumstances, this is to guide us.

Calvin supposes that this declaration pertains to the former part of this verse; and that Paul means to say, that if the unbeliever departs, he is to be allowed to do so peaceably, rather than to have contention and strife, for God has called us to a life of peace.

The term "bondage" signifies "not enslaved." The term "called" (referring to God's call to peace) is used similarly in passages such as Romans 12:18; Romans 14:19; Hebrews 12:14.

The phrase "to peace" can also be understood as "in peace."