Are legal separations of spouses biblical in cases of abuse?
912883
Yes because the person abusing is breaking their marriage commitment to treat the other as Christ treated the church. Physically hurting the other violates faith that the other will protect them. Matthew 5:32 "But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery." I believe abuse falls in the unfaithfulness. Matthew 19:8 "Jesus replied, "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning." If someone is abusing their spouse then it falls into a hardened heart and under old testament law where a divorce is allowed.
365495
No - it shouldn't be against the law. It's not so much that I think the law should support it, but when you think about it no one really has any business in interfering with such relationships. Legally, people should only be able to have one spouse, but living together with more than one spouse or partner, as long as you are doing no one any harm, shouldn't be illegal. I'm against it, but I also think law shouldn't prohibit anything, that doesn't do harm to anyone.
911109
Even among baptized Jehovah's Witnesses, the decision regarding whom to date is considered a personal one as long as both parties are legally and Scripturally free to marry (a divorce without sexual infidelity is not a "Scriptural divorce").\n\nOf course, fatherly (or motherly) counsel regarding the human tendency toward sexual familiarity might be given by a congregation elder or mature sister. Also, a baptized Jehovah's Witness who insisted on dating outside his faith would not be allowed privileges in the congregation (which is very different from being formally "reproved").\n\nDating or even marriage outside the religion is not considered a "serious sin" by Jehovah's Witnesses, although it is certainly frowned upon. Jehovah's Witnesses do reject interfaith; a baptized Witness who marries in a house of false religion or by officiation of a minister of false religion has committed an act of "apostasy". Strictly speaking, such a person has already "disassociated" himself from Jehovah's Witnesses by his interfaith. The congregation would have to reinstate him, but only after he had repented and requested reinstatement.\n\n\nInterestingly, once a dating couple has legally married then the congregation's focus becomes helping the newlyweds to make a success out of their marriage; little or nothing is gained by commenting upon the wisdom of having gotten married. However, if either the bride or groom was not Scripturally free to marry, this new marriage constitutes an act of "adultery". A baptized Witness who commits adultery is subject to formal "reproof" or "disfellowshipping" until he can demonstrate repentance.\n\n(Matthew 5:32) I [Jesus] say to you that everyone [legally] divorcing his wife, except on account of fornication, makes her a subject for adultery, and whoever marries a [legally but not Scripturally] divorced woman commits adultery.\n\n\nAn unbaptized person who is formally associated with Jehovah's Witnesses should also discuss any act of "apostasy" or "adultery" with congregation elders. The unbaptized person cannot be formally "reproved" or "disfellowshipped" or "disassociated", but he may be asked to re-qualify as an "unbaptized publisher", and any planned baptism would likely be delayed.\n\nEven if the new marriage was not entirely in line with biblical principles, Jehovah's Witnesses are interested in HELPING the couple to make a SUCCESS of their marriage. Congregation elders hope to discuss Scriptural counsel with the couple. No adult NEEDS to consult with the congregation about his wedding or marriage, but it seems to make sense to do so.\n\nThe Christian congregation is the best place to get biblical encouragement and insight into God's will!\n\nLearn more:\nhttp://watchtower.org/e/19990215/article_02.htm\nhttp://watchtower.org/e/20030915/article_02.htm\nhttp://watchtower.org/e/20020208/article_01.htm
51417
I have been in this same situation.  This is not advice, but how it transpired for me.  My ex-wife was not good for myself and my two sons.  I left her.  I had those same exact thoughts and dilemma on what to pray for. Take her back and get the good and the really bad.  Or go solo with two young children and deal with loneliness and single parent struggles.  What I realized was that my ex-wife was not doing what I believe was the will of GOD. And that was to take care of us and do what was pleasing to GOD.  So I opted to take the less traveled road and not go back. 14 years have passed since then.  I still have my sons.  I have my second wife now going on 12 years.  I have an adopted daughter who is almost 4.  My life is tremendously better than it was back then.  Why? I found a person who REALLY loved my sons and myself unconditionally. Also, she was a real living example of a Christian.  By the way, her first husband ditched her after she sent him through numberous colleges.  Funny how GOD works. Sometimes your answers will come in the most unusual ways.  GOD gives insight and wisdom to get you through. Take Care of yourself. You will do what is right.  Just remember, there can be great gain by experiencing loss.  Also, I am not an advocate of divorce. However, it is necessary for the welfare of the children and yourself if your spouse hardens their heart with no recourse after much prayer and pleading.
861239
Legal separation is not the same as divorce.  If you want to remarry you need to get a divorce.
788800
That's a hard situation to be in but its also a common one.  One thing I beleive that we as Christians  should always do is seperate the person from the person's sin.  And this is especially true for our loved ones.  But truthfully this should be easiest with ones kids.\n\nOne thing I've been trying to do is try to look at things the way God does.  In this case before we submitted unto him and Christ came into our lives we have committed horrible sins (and continue to) yet he loved us and continues to love us.  He certainly does not approve in our action yet his love doesn't change.  Its a little more difficult for us to do this.  But we can always love and pray that they be ok.
360796
My preacher once told me that you are not obligated by God to stay in a relationship that is harmful to you.  He also said God forgives those who divorce due to adultery and that adultery is not limited to a betrayal of a physical nature but can also be a betrayal of the heart, etc.  Abuse is betrayal.  My opinion, it would probably be more harmful for the child to grow up with that type of role model than for the child to be removed from the situation. I will also pray for you.
213890
That's really a question for an attorney.  The laws very from state to state.  You could divorce him based on abandonment, but I don't know if that's possible in Oklahoma.
22945
Well, there’s only a few hints in the New Testament. You decide what they mean:\nJesus comments divorce: "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. 9 I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery." (Matt 19.8-9, pp. Mark 10.1-12)\nPaul, Romans 7: So then, if she marries another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress, even though she marries another man. (Rom 7)\nGodly leaders had special rules, though believers should fellow their example: Phil 3.17; 4.9; 1 Thess 1.6,7; 2 Thess 3.7,9; 1 Tim 4.12; Tit 2.7; 1 Pet 5.3; 1 Cor 4.6; 1 Cor 11.1.\nAnyway, these rules were made in a Bedouin society thousands of years ago. So why worry about them today? These societies suppressed women. And today, polygamy is only allowed in very macho countries where women has no rights at all, like Saudi Arabia and other conservative countries in the Middle East. In most modern societies polygamy is not allowed.
176264
If there is some type of abuse, get away.  Your safety should be your #1 priority.  If this is the problem, and your spouse seeks help for his problem, then I would say that you should not consider ending the marriage.  Seek counseling and hopefully your spouse will seek counseling.  However if your spouse doesn't make any changes, then cut them loose ASAP.  \n\nNow if you been hurt over something else, talk to your spouse and seek counseling together.  If they are not willing, get it for yourself.  Work on making yourself happy and understand it is O.K. to have strong feelings for you spouse.  But it may be the time for you to have strong feelings for yourself.  That is what counseling can help you with.\n\nWhatever you do, take care of yourself.  It is the most important thing you can do.  But don't rush to end a marriage just because things just don't look right.  It takes to and if your spouse is willing to make changes, be willing to look deeper into your problems.  It can work out.\n\nGood luck and I'll pray for you\n\nWT
412664
That is definately a tough one to deal with. Unfortunately the answers are not what we really want to hear. You see God set up the family system to work a certain way. You see all troughout the Bible that families come in many shapes and sizes and all of the children from both or from previous honored and obeyed their current father. \n  Now the good part!  The Word indicates that when two people are wed that they shall leave their father and mother and give themselves to each other.  They have essentially become a new family unit.  In that unit the husband is set up as the spiritual leader and the woman gains profound blessings. By that you are no longer under the authority of either of your parents.  Honoring them is still important as well as honoring each other. However, obeying every whim is not necessary. \nI do not know the situation you have but I can tell you putting God first, then your husband, and then family, will really help in a lot of things.  Father in Laws may be full of good advice and wisdom but we are not bound to use it any longer.  Listen to him. Honor him by living a life worthy to his son. But do not feel like you have to be what he wants you to be. Your family should be different than theirs.
731056
Yes but only if it is on the basis of abuse or adultery.
1081036
I think it says in the Timothy (one or two I can't remember) or Titus (or both) that a church elder must be a husband of one wife.  So no, if he has two wives, not only is he not able to meet the requirement of being a pastor, he's also in violation of his faith by being polygamous....I'm assuming this man claims to be Christian.  He needs to be separated from his wife (his second I think, since he's legally married to the first)
980445
If one party claims that the marriage is not irretrievably broken, then the court can suggest counseling.  I don't believe, however, that they can actually require it, but it can certainly delay the divorce.
751581
Per the Judeo/Christian Bible, "no."\nBut most people who claim themselves to be Christian in this country don't practice what they preach.  The rate of divorce alone demonstrates that point.  From a "civil" perspective, why not?  They can't do any worse than what the heterosexuals have done.\nFrom my own perspective, "no."
1144451
They can't ,they only way to re-marry would be for one or the other to die, and leave a widow. In the Bible Jesus talk about Divorce in Matthew 19:4-9 King James Version\n\n 4And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,\n\n   5And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?\n\n   6Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.\n\n   7They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?\n\n   8He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.\n\n   9And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.\n\nWhen he speaks and says except for fornication, it means that if before getting married one were untruthful and said that one was a virgin, but had in fact had sexual relations, then a letter of divorce could be given by the person that was deceived, in those times this would be the man, because due to the circumstances many women were raped by Egyptians or other men and would lie so that they could get a husband, because if they were truthful most likely no man would offer marriage. However, for example, if a woman were to tell her husband to be that she had lost her virginity and the husband to be accepted her this way, and they got married, he could not come around later on and say she was untruthful and give her a letter of divorce, because God wouldn't recognize this divorce. If you go to Corinthians 7:10-16 \n10And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband:\n\n   11But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.\n\n   12But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away.\n\n   13And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.\n\n   14For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.\n\n   15But 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.\n\n   16For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife? \n\nyou can see in these scriptures that the Lord tells those that are married for there to be no separation, and if they do go separate ways for there to be no re-marriage, but to look for reconciliation. It then states that if one is christian but the spouse isn't , but is still willing to live with the christian spouse, to not abandon them, because the incredulous spouse is sanctified in their christian spouse and then it states who are you woman/man to know if maybe the Lord will save your spouse. So what does the Bible tell us, it is telling us to stay with our spouses, and if we are to separate from our spouses, to remain alone or look to reconciliation. So as Christians we can not look into Divorce, we should look into making things better, and fixing the marriage if it is falling apart. If we have no choice and there is a divorce, then we need to look into strengthening our relationship with God and try to live a righteous life alone, because the moment one looks to find someone that is not our spouse, one is committing adultery.
808477
That's HORRID! Some ppl just don't care...\n\nBut obviously you're not one of them. So kudos to you and praise God. I hope your FIL and the KIDS heal speedily. Unf., the kids are the ones who really lose out in cases like this.\n\nWhat about browsing the Christian bookstore and finding a book or a CD that talks about healing after divorce and how God can use even the worst hurts to help us grow?\n\nOf course, your time and concern are the best gifts! I'll pray for your family.