Let me take a wild guess. I think the key is the "still a lover never a fighter" caption. I'd guess its osisi rather than drusilla.
_{Hope I'm not exposing what is being hidden}

ricadelide:

Let me take a wild guess. I think the key is the "still a lover never a fighter" caption. I'd guess its osisi rather than drusilla.
_{Hope I'm not exposing what is being hidden}

As promised;

Original question;

The Bible says the only time a christian should divorce is if there is adultery, what if there is physical abuse?

First answer;

then get a divorce. I don't think the bible admonishes you to remain in a marriage where your life is in danger.

My take;
Ok, lets for discussions sake assume it's actualy life threatening extreme physical abuse? Do we head straight for divorce? No counselling, support network intervention or other mediation? No thought of healing and reconcilliation?

Are we equally assuming day broke and extreme physical violence sprung with it? no precursor warning or other reasons? Are we assuming this was a Godly union to start with? And if not, why look to scripture to end it, and at the same time give God a bad name? Why not look to the worldview or mindset on which the union was predicated - then again you probably did hence divorce! If you look to scripture and to God, why not at least consider healing?

A comment;

It seems that we have narrowed what the Bible actually teaches. Adultery is not the ONLY time (or reason for) a Christian divorcing. 1 Corinthians 7 details the various issues involved in divorce questions as well. What about the question of beliefs - "If any brother hath a wife that believeth not" (as in v. 12)? There are cases when people have been divorced on grounds of whether they had different worldviews - and verse 12 (in my opinion, at least) suggests that sometimes these disagreements may be so heated as to involved physical abuses.

In such cases, is it then Biblical to be separated? The answer is given in verse 15 - "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."

Just my thoughts.

My thoughts;
Firstly, where does the bible suggest or even hint at a Christian instituted divorce for any other reason than adultery?
Secondly, in that it suggests seperation, does it necessarily imply divorce? and does divorce presume remarriage?
Thirdly, I would think that precisely what the bible does is discounts "worldview differences" as a reason for divorce.

A comment;

Not everything is written in black and white in the bible, you shld be able to let the Holy spirit guide you to taking the right decision.
Even though the bible doesnt say the believing party can leave a marriage, i believe strongly that also applies. What if the unbelieving party were a member of a secret cult? Would you sit there because the bible didnt give you express permission to leave?

My thoughts;
Maybe the bible is not always black and white, but it tends to give a unified whole if properly studied - Please be led 0! (easier said than done I know)
On what basis would you "strongly believe" something the bible doesn't say, suggest or even hint at. Especially when the bible is pretty clear on what it does say? What if they were a member of a secret cult. When did membership commence? before, during. I believe my earlier point about foundations in marriage apply and also trusting in the love and power of God. Why is divorce a starting point or a solution for one who practices Xtianity, trusts God and/or is Spirit led? Leaving is not synonymous with divorcing! Please!!


A comment;

(a) In John 8, Christ forgave the woman caught in the very act; and when He said that she should go and sin no more, I suppose that it did not mean that the woman in question was to remain unmarried.

My thoughts;
What it meant, was she was to go away and sin no more! If she was married and her husband forgave her, fine. If he decided to divorce her, he has no sin. Under the law, anyone seeking her hand in marriage would have been committing adultery. Under grace, I would at best posit that if she were in a position to remarry - all things being new - that would be with the full understanding of what marriage entails.

A comment;

(b) what about the woman in John 4? She had had 5 husbands and the man she was with was not her husband (v. 18). What would she do - divorce and remain unmarried - or remarry?

My thoughts;
Firstly it is hard for us to know the exact detail of her situation. If "the one she was with" was someone elses husband, should he not return to his wife? Would you advise she kept and married him in that situation? Again, under grace, I would posit a best position. She was from that point saved - all things become new - thats not to say it is suddenly clear cut. If all her previous 5 husbands had remarried and had strong unions, could she be forced to go back to any of them? If there was someone free to marry her under grace and she was in a position to, would I decry it? Probably not, but with the caveat as previous.

A comment;

(b) If the divorce is irrecinciliable (especially if it was an unbeliever who walks away), then it seems (to me) that verse 15 does not hold a believer bound under such cases.

My thoughts;
A tricky one in truth. What if the unbeliever leaves a young spouse and remarries, or even remarries several times? What if there are offspring/step-families all over the place? What if the Christian abandoned is young and childless?

Thats why sound doctrine and scriptural understanding are great, but being Spirit led is in my opinion preferable. I would hasten to add that trust in God and/or the two should ensure a blessed union. Before and during.

God bless
TV

_{ps - My thoughts are just that, my thoughts. Based on my understanding, experience and revelation. Literal understanding and experience may differ, but true revelation will not - but could it be deeper? - as There is One Spirit. Hence my rider that everyone should seek God and seek to be led by the Spirit themselves. I still seek the demise of the MOGmyth.}

Hi TV01,

TV01:

Firstly, where does the bible suggest or even hint at a Christian instituted divorce for any other reason than adultery?

It may not appear that there are "other" reasons, but that is not to say I was forcing one in addition somewhere. My concern was that we often remain with the Gosples and tend to forget that the epistles discuss such issues as well. Hence, I was hoping to remind us that irreconciliable differences (such as the example of physical abuse and violence) might just as well come to the fore in this discussion.

TV01:

Secondly, in that it suggests seperation, does it necessarily imply divorce?

It would seem so; for when we read the reference of one who "departs", the force of that language means the departing one (agreeably an unbeliever) was leaving for good (1 Cor. 7:15) - in which case, the believing partner is not under bondage (or "bound" in such cases.

TV01:

. . . and does divorce presume remarriage?

I would be persuaded it does - not because of a syncretism (blending together) of Christianity and secular thought; but rather because a partner who is not under bondage (or "bound" in such cases means just that: they were not "bound" to remain in such cases without marrying again if they so desired.

By the way, what would it mean to look at the expression: "not under bondage in such cases" (1 Cor. 7:15)?

TV01:

Thirdly, I would think that precisely what the bible does is discounts "worldview differences" as a reason for divorce.

I'd agree it does not lean towards "worldviews". However, it also establishes answers for practical issues within Christian marriages that are common to everyone else (see, for instance, 1 Cor. 7:6 & 25).

how can a born again christian abuse a wife/ husband in the first place?