Have you ever thought about what a woman might do if she finds herself in an abusive marriage?

Some in the church teach that a woman can not divorce for any reason or perhaps any reason short of adulteration. Trying to be sympathetic to the woman's situation they will allow her to leave her husband in a permanent separation. She is then not allowed to divorce or if she is allowed to divorce she can not ever remarry. If a woman knows that she can never remarry then I think she will be more likely to stay and put up with abuse. She may choose to be abused rather than be lonely. I believe this doctrine is not scriptural as you might gather from some of the other articles on divorce and remarriage at this site. I believe that this doctrine is cruel as well and also is against another New Testament teaching.

1 Timothy 5:11
11 "But refuse younger widows, for whenever they grow lustful against Christ, they desire to marry;
12 having guilt because they have cast off the first faith.
13 And with it all they also learn to be idle, going around the houses; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things they ought not.
14 Therefore I want the younger ones to marry, bear children, guide the house, giving no occasion to the adversary because of reproach."

I know that we are talking about divorce and separation and not the status of a widow, but they are very much alike. In both situations the woman suffers a loss, but the widow is allowed to and encouraged to remarry for the reasons stated in 1 Timothy 5 above.

So the loss of the woman who suffers abuse is much worse because men have decided that she had her chance and is forever forbidden to be happy in a safe secure marriage. This is cruel and our loving God would not require a woman to remain single and perhaps find herself in the same situation as the woman in 1 Timothy 5. Recently I heard someone refer to the plight of the lawfully divorced woman as covenantally widowed. I agree.

It has been my belief that a woman in an abusive situation is not married to a Christian man in good standing with God and thus can leave him for she is not under bondage to him, 1 Corinthians 7:15. She may remarry after removing any state contracts, in other words get a divorce. Remember God does not require the state's permission to marry.