It is essential to know the difference of the bond of God’s law of marriage and the bondage of a contentious “one flesh” spouse:
“The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 7:39
“Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.” Romans 7:1-3
When an unbelieving spouse chooses to leave, the believer is not “under bondage” to forcibly prevent that departure or continue a cycle of strife. God has called the believer to peace. However, this verse does not state that the marriage covenant itself is dissolved, nothing ends a marriage that God has joined together, only death makes it not applicable.
“But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.” 1 Corinthians 7:15
If your husband or wife departs from you, you are not under bondage to force to your contentious husband or wife to stay in the marital house. You can have peace in your heart from the Lord Jesus Christ as HE promises all His true followers, despite any trials or tribulations. Nowhere in Scripture is it written that the departure and/or divorce of your one flesh spouse ends the covenant. Paul clarifies that the only thing that severs the marriage bond that God joins together is death:
“A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 7:39 NIV
Nowhere does scripture it say your one flesh spouse departing or even divorcing you un-joins you or un-makes the “one flesh” that God has made into two individual fleshes again. That is why Adam and Eve are the perfect analogy for marriage, they were one flesh and bound together, from the beginning:
“And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him. And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. Genesis 2:18-25 KJV
To obey the Commandment of Jesus Christ, you can’t stop loving your spouse because they depart. For Jesus Christ said, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” John 13:34-35 KJV
Paul further explains the Commandments of Jesus Christ, when he says; “Wives, submit yourselves unto your OWN husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. his is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband. “ Ephesians 5:22-33 KJV
To understand the limits of a wife’s or husband’s liberty, one must look to the totality of Scripture. Romans confirms that the authority of the God’s marriage law remains active as long as both spouses are alive.
“Do you not know, brothers and sisters–for I am speaking to those who know the law–that the law has authority over someone only as long as that person lives? For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law that binds her to him. So then, if she has sexual relations with another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress if she marries another man.” Romans 7:1-3 NIV
Summary: While a believer is not required to fight a spouse’s desire to separate (the bondage of conflict), they remain spiritually bound to that spouse by God. Physical departure does not equal spiritual “un-joining”; therefore, the marriage bond remains intact until the death of a spouse.