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Theology

1 Cor 7:1-17

S
swimmer Sep 6, 2010

I request some clarification of this passage, if you please. The specific circumstances involve a spouse who is refusing any communication regarding the relationship and it's reconcilliation, and threatens divorce if the subject is brought up. All physical contact has been cut off as well. My spouse will not leave (I have not requested it) and I will not my spouse or the children. My spouse is requesting that I leave.
My question is this: my spouse is not "pleased" to dwell with me, but won't leave. Is there a scriptural basis for insisting that my spouse leave the home in this instance? 1 Cor 7:12 seems to indicate that the believer may not put away the unbeliever who is "pleased" to live with the believer.
I do not wish to violate scripture, so I am asking for clarification. The situation is intolerable as it is, so there must be a solution. BTW, we recently finished several months of very good scripture based marriage counseling.

C
Christinyou Sep 6, 2010

Do you beat your spouse over the head with scripture, if so STOP.

How much did Jesus love you? He did not get His, ("take this cup") way of taking away the cup He was about to drink, which had you and me and the whole worlds sin in that cup, One simple statement;
"Not my will but Yours". Then He died Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

How much do you love your spouse. Pray that God teach you to love your spouse like Christ loves His bride.

If a spouse leaves, it makes any chance of showing change to the other spouse difficult at best. It will take a long time for trust to be brought into the relationship again. By all means don't push anything except doing the only thing you can do and that is to become what God wants you to be, by the Christ birthed in you, you are a new creature with the mind of Christ and now the Holy Spirit can teach you who you are in Christ, focus on How Christ and what He does, did and is doing for His bride. Pray for your spouse also, that she/he become what God wants us to be.

In Christ: Phillip

R
RainMan Sep 6, 2010

Its seems as though you have all but given up. In situations like this you probably just wanna give up and end the pain. But my exhortation to you is that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is alive in the world. Look at the dry bones of your marriage and yes, be honest and say it is dead and buried (nothing wrong admitting where you are). But also remember we serve a God that can revive even the driest of dead bones. Nothing is impossible unto those who believe absolutely nothing. Hold on regardless of what you see and feel. Remember you cannot fix a broken marriage by trying to change the other person. Let the Holy Spirit lead you into making the changes in yourself (Regardless if you think you are faultless) and gradually if you hold on to the word and prayer you will travail. May the God of Ezekiel breathe life into your marriage and restore it.

God keep you

sermonindex Sep 7, 2010


Only you and your wife/husband know what has gone on between you, to bring things to the current situation.

In 1 Cor 7, the unbeliever is supposed to find the power of God in the believer so very unpalatable, that they cannot stay. This kind of 'leaving' is what releases the believer from the responsibility of the marriage, but, there are entitlements for the one leaving, which the other must fulfil.

If you are both believers, then God intends reconciliation, UNLESS one of you has been unfaithful, in which case, the innocent party can choose to proceed with divorce, despite repentance and forgivness between you both. (Matt 19)

Without doubt, it is important for believers (in any circumstance) to be open to God's deep searchings of heart, mind and soul. This can be extremely painful.

If you've never watched 'Fireproof' (YouTube), it gives plenty of food for thought in such circumstances, but, it is a limited representation of what is possible, and there are no children involved.

True reconciliation works at heart level and has to be on God's terms for both people. This starts with reconciliation with God, individually, I believe. Being proved to have changed, or to be keeping one's word (like God keeps His), are entirely necessary, but there needs to be a willingness to forgive the moments of failure, if genuinely repented by the one failing (and a reciprocal appreciation of one's own failures requiring equally genuine attention).

Oswald Chambers points out that God forms character in a Christian through the grinding repetition of tiny acts of obedience and the faithful fulfilling of daily chores and duties. It's anything but glamorous. In fact, it's tedious. Also remember, God is trying to make you and your spouse ONE. This implies organic changes on both sides.

It is extremely difficult for a Christian wife to leave a Christian husband, and extremely easy for anyone outside to assume they know enough to 'fix' what went wrong, but if you know in your heart that the marriage must end because of the issues you have not shared (No need to share them here.) you need to keep walking with God, your Father, and let Him lead you out step by step, into a new life without your spouse. Don't take my word for this without hearing from God yourself in a real way, because one day, you will have to answer to Him for the choices you made.

There are rich minings in scripture about marriage in the Old Testament, looking at God's desire to be married to Israel, and in fact, His eventual dying to redeem her in the fulness of time, through the New Covenant.

In spiritual terms, therefore, there is no room for manoeuvre for two genuine Christians. You HAVE to make the changes through God's grace, which enable you to make the marriage function. But, in natural terms, no one spouse can take responsibility for the other spouse's actions or inactions, and these pressures have the potential to bring about an early conclusion, no matter how unwanted it is.

God knows how much pressure a person can stand, and it ought to drive a believer closer to Him, to be more dependent on Him, to praise Him as never before, to thank Him for the glorious effects of His dealings, and to be looking to Him intently for every tiny hopeful change. Just remember that after God sent Moses to Pharoah, to say 'Let my people go', things got a lot worse for the Hebrews before they got better.

The question in 'Fireproof' is: is there nothing about this marriage that you want to save?

So, are you willing to lay down your life for that?

Having been careful not to give away your gender, it may be you have to honour your husband as head, against every natural instict. This is also a killer, but you may find some solace in Paul Washer's messages on the topics of husbands, wives, sons and dating, if you search for them online. The main point he wants to make is exactly the one on which your leading post ended, namely, not voilating scriptural principles. You might like to look for Charo Washer's testimony online, also.

May the Lord give you more grace, and a willingness to question your own assumptions.

M
Matthew2323 Sep 8, 2010

Swimmer,

You may find some helpful advice over at http://www.familymanweb.com/forum/

Some of the brothers there have walked or are walking a similar path.

Grace and peace,
Matthew

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