Let her remain unmarried

"And unto the married I command, [yet] not I, but the Lord,
Let not the wife depart from [her] husband: But and if she depart,
let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to [her] husband:
and let not the husband put away [his] wife."
1 Corinthians 7:11

This article is written to address the first of two options give for wives that leave their husbands. As I have written in the article titled "love worketh no ill to her neighbor", whether or not a wife returns to her husband, true repentance will cause her to love her neighbor (her first husband in this case). Therefore, if she left, it should be the first husband's choice whether she returns or not (if she is truly repentent). If the first husband is not a believer, he may not see the need to take her back. If the first husband is a believer, he should consider the admonishment in Ephesians 5:25 that "husbands are to love their wives as Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it". Please consider how the LORD dealt with unfaithful Israel in Hosea 2 and Jeremiah 3.

However, if the wife chooses to remain unmarried, please note that this is a very honourable state. Paul says:

"For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that. I saw therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I."
1 Corinthians 7:7-8

"But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the LORD: but he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife."
1 Corinthians 7:32-33

Remaining unmarried, in Paul's eyes, is better than marriage because only an unmarried person can have no cares of the world.

"The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord. But she is happier if she so abide, after my judgment: and I think also that I have the Spirit of God."
1 Corinthians 7:39-40

Here, according to Paul, the unmarried virgins are happier if they remain unmarried.

Married to Christ

"Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God."
Romans 7:4

Those that "remain unmarried" are not really "unmarried" in God's eyes, they are "married to Christ". When we begin to think about Christ as our husband, and serve Him as a husband, ministering to Him daily, there will be no want for another.

Jesus' disciples

"His disciples say unto him,
If the case of the man be so with his wife,
it is not good to marry."
Matthew 19:10

The eunuch's rewards

"Thus saith the LORD, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation [is] near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed. Blessed [is] the man [that] doeth this, and the son of man [that] layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil. Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the LORD, speak, saying, The LORD hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I [am] a dry tree. For thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose [the things] that please me, and take hold of my covenant; Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off."
Isaiah 56:1-5

Remaining unmarried sounds difficult for most of us. However, let us not think upon the difficulties, but rather on the promises of God.

"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment,
worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
while we look not at the things which are seen,
but at the things which are not seen:
for the things which are seen are temporal;
but the things which are not seen are eternal."
2 Corinthians 5:17-18

"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God."
Colossians 3:1-3