"I believe the process of church discipline saved my life."

Discipline and Caring for the Sinned-Against “It’s one thing to have an empathetic counselor say, ‘I’m so sorry.’ It’s another thing to have King Jesus’ formally authorized representative on earth, the local church, publicly recognize the injustice as an injustice (see Matt. 18:17). It brings Christ’s own loving, affirming face into the crowd of your supporters: ‘Wherever two or three are gathered, there am I with them’ (Matt. 18:20).”

Discussion

Yes! Someone gets it! It seems that our churches and our church members have no idea what it’s like for the non-initiating spouse in a divorce without biblical grounds. The standard “take no sides” approach leaves the non-initiating spouse with nothing more than the knowledge that everyone except his or her close friends will ever know that the divorce was not only not mutual but also unjust. The only comfort offered will be that God will be with the non-initiator and will use this for his/her good. The Christian children of the marriage will be left with only their parents’ he said/she said versions of the rightness of the situation. Shame on us.