I have suffered physical and emotional abuse from both parents. I love and honor them but I did not spend a lot of time around them. My mother just passed away this year and my dad is in the hospital getting part of his lung removed. I do loving things toward them but I do not need to be around them when they begin emotional abuse. The bible says to love others as yourself and if you saw a friend being abused what would you tell them. Then follow the advice you would give them. We are told to hold each other accountable when we sin and anger especially when it hurts another person is a sin.

In a marriage each person is to sacrifice their needs for the needs of others just like every human being is to do to each other. It also says to think of others more highly than yourself it does not say however to hang around and day after day allow someone to rip you apart. In a marriage two people are to be best friends would your best friend do harm to you if so then maybe they are not your best friend.

It is very scary to leave something one gets used to but the Lord will give you strength to change because He loves you and cares for you. On this site there is now help. http://blog.helpformylife.org/ get some good advice and learn what it truly means to love someone what you are living is not love.

My dad has always been verbally and emotionally abusive to my family. However, he’s never physically abused us. The verbal and emotional abuse has done plenty of damage though: I’ve had suicidal thoughts since I was 9, and my mom and sis have had them as well for who knows how long. Plus a myriad of other…mental/depression-related symptoms. My mom always thought divorce was like the “unforgivable sin” and that she was just supposed to “submit”, so she never left him.
Well…my dad’s sort of improved. A few years ago they became missionaries and still are. We recently moved to a different city, and things have been HORRIBLE. My dad has become very verbally and emotionally abusive and I’m barely hanging on. My mom basically lost her sanity last week one night and almost tried to commit suicide because of him, but he stopped her. Is this just spiritual warfare? Should my mom stay with my dad? I’m so confused! God called them to be missionaries, but I don’t know how long my mom can last with him! I don’t know how long I can last! Would it really be a horrible sin if she left him..?

I know you did not ask for a reply. I would like to say that many Christians are not perfect so please do not base you faith on us but on only what Jesus did on the Cross for all of us. I will pray for the Lord’s protection from your dad’s abuse and to bless you for your kindness. I think you did very good by setting boundaries for them, good job.

Gale Jarvis’ testimony in comment 3 was very moving! Every church needs to hear honest humble heartfelt testimonies like his!

“It is the Word of God that teaches us to allow for the dissolution of marriages that have ceased to exist for the purpose they were formed.”

Jesus made only ONE exception for divorce: Marital unfaithfulness (Matthew 19:4-9, NIV). Taking into account Malachi 2:13-16, to have “broken faith with her” by “covering himself (footnote reads “his wife”) with violence” is definitely marital unfaithfulness, and is clearly not Christ-like! Your quote above can easily be loosely interpreted, as any marriage could be dissolved for any reason that could be argued as a valid reason to render the union as outside its purpose.
Some examples: “Burnt toast” and trivial matters, as well as financial matters (She outearns me and that threatens my role as the husband!), plus immature power struggles, and the list could go on and on. I’m mighty glad Jesus put the brakes on divorce, Old Testament-style!

off-topic, but briefly — We are not to conform to this world, nor the things that are of it, and I believe that also means not mistaking fitting the world into the scriptures as new revelation!