Baptists/Divorce and remarriage

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Expert: - 12/28/2008


Question
Thank you for your time sir. I am faced with a huge and very heavy issue in my heart. I am 41 years old and left my wife 2nd of 7 years almost two years ago. At her request I delayed filing the divorce as she had some immigration issues to resolve. She got them fixed earlier this year but on May 4th of this year I got saved. My first wife has since remarried. I attend a baptist church and the pastor and another pastor I talked to at a men's retreat counseled me heavily not to file. To try and reconcile. I told her I was not going to file and she said she was going to. I did attempt reconciliation but she has made it clear she does not want me and wants the divorce. She is not saved and has been very critical of my faith. She has now said that she will not file and is telling me to. She was told that as a christian, I can not file and if I do, I would be inelligible to remarry. She is now trying to hurt me by holding this over me. There is a woman that has come into my life whom I would like the opportunity to have a relationship with and possibly marry in the future. I have been counselede that 1 Corinthians 7:15 commands me to let her go and that my filing the divorce would still be scriturally sound as I can not let her go if we remain married. I was told that even if I file in these circumstances, I would be elligible to remarry. Sir, can you give me your interpretation please. Thank you very much.

Answer
Randy, thank you so much for your question. Would you please re-send your question to me but designate it as private and it will not be posted for all who look at allexperts.com website to read? Things I need to tell you is not everyone's business. I hope you will not mind.

Blessings.

Dr Don Howe, RN, PhD, ThD.

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Dr Don Howe

Expertise

I welcome questions that deal with theological issues, relationship issues, church history, world religions, current events from a Christian worldview, "gray areas" that are present today, church growth movements, false prophets, spiritual abuse issues, end time events, prophecy, medical ethical issues, hermeneutical questions, and how Israel fits into God's economy today. I will answer all questions in a grammatical/historical normative interpretation of God's Word. If I can not answer a question, I will do the research and find the answer if available. If you are looking for a liberal theological answer or agrument, do not ask. I am not an expert on church planting or evangelism.

Experience

I have over 27 years of experience doing ministry as a bivocational minster/professional nurse. I do ministry as a volunteer with ministries that are nonprofit and not able to pay for ministers. I have experience working with youth, children, elderly in different placement settings, mentally ill and mentally challenged in different settings, felons in state prison and county jails, hospital chaplancy, choir ministry, and deacon ministry. I am an ordained SBC minister. I am a Professional Chaplain. I am currently doing hospital minstry, ministry to shut-ins, and a chaplain with Victim Relief Ministry working with victims of diasters and domestic violence. I work as psychiatric nurse in large county jail system.

Organizations
American Association of Christian Counselors, Baptist Nursing Fellowship, Nurses Christian Fellowship, Therpon Institute, Victim Chaplain & Counselor Association of America, International Board of Christian Counselors, American Society of Christian Therapists.

Publications
N/A

Education/Credentials
PhD, Therapon University, USVI, 12/07 in Biblical Counseling, DCC, Southwest Bible College & Seminary, Jenning, LA 04/05 in Christian Psychology and Counseling. ThD, Slidell Baptist Seminary, Slidell, LA 02/04 D.D., Slidell Baptist Seminary, Slidell, LA 07/03 Tyndale Seminary, Fort Worth, TX 2001-2003 BSN, Univ. of Texas in Arlington, Tx 05/93 ADN, Midwestern State Univ., Wichitia Falls, TX 5/77 Covenant Medical Center in Lubbock, Externship 08/04-12/05, 4 units of CPE earned.

Awards and Honors
Board Certified Christian Counselor by International Board of Christian Counselors. Issued 01/24/06.

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