Is it a sin for a couple to separate or divorce? Phillip Jensen says there is a difference between the two; to divorce is to seek another marriage but to separate is to live apart whilst still being married. He says that Christians should never seek divorce as a way to solve marital problems but sometimes, sadly separation is good, for example, in the case of domestic violence, to protect the safety of a wife or children, and to help the offending spouse to deal with their issues. He looks at 1 Corinthians 7: "To the married I give this charge (not I, but the Lord): the wife should not separate from her husband (but if she does, she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and the husband should not divorce his wife." And refers viewers to a longer discussion on the issue, which can be found here.