Divorce and Abuse.

Posted bySteven WalesPosted inDivorceTags:, , , ,

Paul teaches that husbands and wives can be witnesses to unbelieving spouses and should not seek to divorce them:

“If a woman has an unbelieving husband and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his believing wife…. But if the unbeliever leaves, let him go.  God has called you to live in peace. How do you know whether you will save your husband….?”

1 Corinthians 7:12-15.

Some counseling programs argue this scripture indicates women should not leave abusive husbands.  Instead, they should endure black eyes and broken bones hoping the men will repent because of their example.  These counselors encourage abused women to go to the church for help but not to the police unless they fear for their lives. 

THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS WRONG WITH THIS!

  1. It’s a matter of integrity. God wants the family SAFE! When a man becomes violent, he’s crossed the line.  (And he will NOT listen to the church! Are you kidding? It’s laughable.)
  2. Children are better off safe with a single mom than in a violent home.  These counselors say leave if your life is in danger—but who can predict when wife abuse will become murder or child abuse?
  3. As for evangelism, bullies are NOT influenced by one they don’t respect.  Abusers are more likely to repent after their family has left them or the police have locked them up.  It is LAW and CONSEQUENCES that will bring repentance.
  4. The Bible prescribes punishment for those who abuse slaves.  “If a man smite the eye of his maid, so that she lose it, he shall set her free for the eye’s sake.  And if he knock out his servant’s tooth, he shall let him go for his tooth.” Exodus 21:26-27.  If an abusive master must release his slave for being violent, do we really believe God expects a wife to stay put? Is the wife’s worth lower than that of a slave?

Finally: Hiding abuse perpetuates it—even in church.

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Published by Steven Wales

Dad's Daily Devotional began as text messages to my family. I wanted my teenagers to know their father was reading the Bible. But they were at school by then. Initially, I sent them a favorite verse or an insight based on what I read each day. That grew into drafting a devotional readng which I would send them via text. I work as an attorney and an adjunct professor, and recently wrote a book called HOW TO MAKE A'S.

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