My unsaved husband keeps leaving me--can I divorce him? -- Tony Capoccia

The scripture says that I am no longer morally bound to my unsaved husband if he leaves me (1 Corinthians 7:15).

"If the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. A believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace."

When my husband gets mad he leaves me. For the past 10+ years he has left me every few months and comes back whenever he pleases. This makes it hard on me. I don't want to go through this again. So, what does it mean by "not being bound...live in peace?" I want to move on without feeling guilty for not waiting for him.

Answer

It is true that a Christian is free to divorce a non-Christian if they no longer desire to live with their Christian spouse. The term "bound" is the same word used in 2 Cor 7:39 concerning the death of a spouse, which means that the woman is free from the marriage. Thus, if your unbelieving husband leaves, because he no longer wants to live with you, then you are free to divorce him and to remarry.

Added to Bible Bulletin Board's "Tony Capoccia's Questions and Answers" by: