Example #1

An Indian couple was married and had two children.  The man has never been a member of the Lord’s body, but the lady is a Christian who attends regularly.  Both children followed the ways of the father and so have never become members, nor do they attend services since they have matured.  The son has become a drunkard and the daughter’s husband left her for another woman.

Our sister used to cry and talk quite a lot about the wayward son, but one day in Ladies’ Bible class she was unable to read scripture or answer questions because she was so emotional.  After class I asked her to tell me about it.  She said her daughter had returned home with two children because her husband had “…gone to the temple and put the string with another woman.”  Hindu custom allows the man and woman go before the priest in the temple to exchange vows and the priest will place a thali, (made of yellow thread that is tied with three knots to make it sacred), around her neck to confirm the vows.  The Indian law recognizes this as a marriage whether or not the man has divorced the first wife. However, if the husband dies, only the first wife inherits.

About a year ago, there is a new development with the parents.  He has now filed for divorce and left our sister for a younger, fair-skinned woman.  She is left as a widow with no job and now has to worry about how to feed and clothe her daughter and the two grandchildren as well as herself.

QUESTIONS:

1. What does the Lord say someone in that position should do (1 Cor. 7:11)?
2. There is no changing past events, but what comfort does the Lord offer this lady about future actions?
3. Assuming neither the mother nor daughter wanted to be put away, do they have a right to another marriage (Matt. 5:32).
4. What was the original problem that caused all this to happen (2 Cor. 6:14-15)?
5. What help or what hope is there for children who grow up with only one Christian parent (2 Tim. 2:15; Matt. 12:36; Rom. 14:12)?