"Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel... By which also ye are saved... unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)

An annulment according to the Roman Catholic Religion, which they say, they have the right to grant, means "that the marriage never existed" (Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 1629). The "Pocket Catholic Dictionary" defines an annulment as such, "Official declaration by competent authority that, for lawful reasons, a previous act or contract was invalid and consequently null and void. In ecclesiastical law, annulments mainly apply to marriage contracts over which the Church has the right to determine their validity." (Page 21)

But is the "Roman Catholic Church" a "competent authority"? And what makes their declaration "official" if it contradicts the Word of God? And for that matter, does any church have the right to say that a marriage never existed? How can they justify saying that a marriage never existed after thirty years of co-habitation that produced several children? Are these then illegitimate children? Was the woman playing a harlot all these years?

However, if you are not in agreement with the Roman Catholic Church that she can dissolve a marriage, you are under her curse. "If anyone says that the Church cannot establish impediments dissolving marriage, or that she has erred in establishing them, let him be anathema." (Council of Trent, pg. 181)

Is this not just a tradition of men that makes the Word of God ineffective? Is this not just another way to take the sting out of sin to practice adultery? For after they have granted their annulment they say that "the contracting parties are free to marry" (Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 1629).

Jesus told the religious leaders of His day "Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition … Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition" (Mark 7:9, 13). The Bible says this would characterize false Christianity. "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." (2Tim. 4:3-4)

What then does the authority of the Scriptures have to say on Marriage and Divorce? "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 7:2-3)

Marriage is a permanent and binding covenant between a man and a woman (not two of the same sex which is an abomination to the Lord, Leviticus 20:13). This involved saying vows before two or three witnesses that it might be established (Ruth 4:9-11), and this that they might not be looked upon as fornicators, and then the marriage was consummated, which was the seal of their union (Exodus 22:16-17). "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh." (Genesis 2:24)

Can those who have been made one by God be divided as if they were never married? Absolutely not! The religious leaders of Jesus day sought to put away their wives "for every cause" , and Jesus sharply rebuked them for it.

"The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause ? And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." (Matthew 19:3-6)

Divorce is not the will of God, in fact He hates it (Malachi 2:14-16), but He allowed it because of the hardness of their hearts. But there were rules for divorce. If a man or woman divorced and remarried, they themselves would become adulterers. "They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so . And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery. " (Matthew 19:7-9)

"It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: But I (Jesus) say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery. " (Mt. 5:31-32)

"And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her. And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery ." (Mark 10:11-12)

"Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery ." (Luke 16:18)

In the Scriptures above, all the possible scenarios are played out. Whether the man divorces the wife or the wife divorces the man, both are adulterers if they remarry, and so are they that marry them.

Believers are commanded not to marry unbelievers. " Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers : for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?" (2 Corinthians 6:14) This was the command to God's people in the Old Testament as well. "Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. For they will turn away thy son from following me , that they may serve other gods" (Deuteronomy 7:3-4).

The reason a Christian should marry a Christian is to produce "a godly seed" (Malachi 2:15), a godly offspring that are trained in the ways of the Lord. Marrying an unbeliever will likely "turn away thy son from following Me." Unbelievers are children of the devil (Mt. 13:38, John 8:44, Acts 13:10); they have not been born of God and become His children, therefore a Christian ought not to marry a non-Christian. It has been wisely said, "If you marry an unbeliever, you will definitely have trouble with your new father in law".

But when two unbelievers are married and one of them becomes a believer, the newborn Christian is encouraged to remain married with the unbeliever unless they will not have them any longer. Peter says "Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear" (1Peter 3:1-2). Paul gave the following instructions.

"And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife. But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean ; but now are they holy. 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." (1Cor. 7:10-15)

How About Remarriage?

Are there any grounds at all for remarriage? Yes there is. If the partners spouse dies, then they can remarry, but "only in the Lord" , that is, only to those who are in Christ Jesus, or born again believers.

"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. " (1Cor. 7:39)

"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 7:2-3)

Now if a couple have irreconcilable differences and cannot live together they are called to be at peace with one another and could separate, but this does not give them the liberty to remarry. "Let not the wife depart from her husband: But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband" (1Cor. 7:10-11).

But I thought adultery would allow the non-guilty party to remarry? Yes it would. "Thou shalt not commit adultery" (Exodus 20:14), was the seventh of the Ten Commandments given to Moses. Under the law, those who committed adultery were to be put to death. "And the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbor's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death." (Leviticus 20:10) "If a man be found lying with a woman married to an husband, then they shall both of them die, both the man that lay with the woman, and the woman: so shalt thou put away evil from Israel" (Deuteronomy 22:22).

Today we do not have the death penalty for adultery, but according to the law of Moses, the guilty are as good as dead, loosing the innocent party "from the law of her husband" . If then, the spouse is dead according to the law, they are at liberty to marry again in the eyes of the Lord. This does not mean, "that the marriage never existed" as the Roman Catholic Church teaches, only that the marriage covenant was now broken and they were now free to marry again, but "only in the Lord" , that is, to another Christian.

When Jesus came into the world He did not make this law more lax, but in fact went beyond the outward aspect of the law. He said, "whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." (Matthew 5:28) Jesus did not make it any harder for us to commit adultery as some organizations try to do by searing the conscience with their man made traditions, such as "annulments", but now adultery could be done even apart from the physical act, and in the heart. Why was this? He wanted us to recognize that we have an unclean heart before God, so as to lead us to Calvary's cross where we might find pardon and cleansing for sin. "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man" (Matthew 15:19-20).

It does not matter how terrible a sin a man or woman has committed. There is no sin too big for God that He cannot forgive and cleanse. His grace is greater than our sin. His promises are sure and Amen. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1John 1:9) This is all possible through His dear Son Jesus who "loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood" (Rev. 1:5). God "hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace" (Ephesians 1:6-7). If we will repent and believe the good news, that Christ died for our sins, and was buried and rose again from the dead, and receive Jesus by faith alone, "we shall be saved from wrath through him" (Romans 5:9). And "when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming" ( John 2:28), for He "is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy" (Jude 24).

The Apostate Church

"A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife … Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats , which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth." (2 Timothy 3:2, 4:1-3)

The Spirit speaks expressly that in the latter times the church would become apostate and would depart from the Word of God, and the characteristic of that church would be that of "speaking lies in hypocrisy". Two identifying characteristics of this church's regulations are mentioned in this passage, which are "Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats". Is there a church that teaches these "doctrines of devils" under the pretense of piety that we may identify her?

Forbidding to Marry

Pope Gregory VII in 1075 A.D. imposed a regulation of celibacy on the Roman Catholic priesthood disallowing them to marry. The Bible tells us that "Marriage is honourable in all , and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge." (Hebrews 13:4) Even Peter, whom the Roman Catholic Church claims was the first pope, had a wife (Matthew 8:14), and he was an elder (1 Peter 5:1) in the church. Paul's instruction to Timothy was that bishops should be "the husband of one wife".

Vatican II states under the titles "Training of Priests" and "Life of Priests" that "Students who follow the venerable tradition of priestly celibacy as laid down by the holy and permanent regulations of their own rite should be very carefully trained for this state. In it they renounce marriage … based on the mystery of Christ and his mission, celibacy, which at first was recommended to priests, was afterwards in the Latin Church imposed by law on all who were to be promoted to Holy Orders. This sacred Council approves and confirms this legislation so far as it concerns those destined for the priesthood". (Vatican II, pg. 715, 893)

The tenth article of the decree of the Council of Trent, in relation to marriage, will show the general view of the Papacy on that subject. "If anyone says that the married state excels the state of virginity or celibacy, and that it is better and happier to be united in matrimony than to remain in virginity or celibacy, let him be anathema." (The Council of Trent, pg. 182)

Abstaining from Meat

This same church that does not let their priests marry, also forbade the people to eat meat on Friday during the 1260 years of the Dark Ages. "Pope Nicholas I (858-867) declares that abstinence from flesh meat is enjoined on Fridays" (Catholic Encyclopedia). It was a mortal sin to eat meat on Friday, and if one died in this state before making it to confession on Sunday, he would be condemned to Hell by the Roman Catholic Church.

How many thousands, or millions, of Roman Catholics were sizzling temporarily in the Catholic Purgatory or permanently in Catholic Hell for having committed this alleged sin of eating meat on Friday? And what happened to them after February 17, 1966, when Pope Paul VI promulgated the apostolic constitution Poenitemini ? With this document, the pope wiped out the obligatory Friday abstinence, and reduced the days of mandatory fast and abstinence to but two, Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. He also raised the age when children were bound by the law of abstinence and made several other changes to dietary disciplines. From that day forward, it was not a mortal sin to eat meat on Fridays, except for Good Friday. The observance of Fridays as days of abstinence is now urged rather than, as formerly, made a matter of obligation.

"The law of abstinence forbids the use of meat, but not of eggs, the products of milk or condiments made of animal fat." POENITEMINI (Apostolic Constitution On Penance), Issued on February 17, 1966 by Pope Paul VI. "To abstain means to refrain from eating meat…. The obligation to abstain from meat binds Catholics 14 years of age and older." (Handbook for today's Catholic, pg. 43) This commandment of the Roman Catholic Church clearly exposes them as the church that has long ago departed "from the faith … commanding to abstain from meats" (2 Timothy 4:1-3). This binding obligation of the Roman Catholic Church is at enmity with the Word of God, for meats "God hath created to received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth."

Roman Catholics are also required to abstain from food and drink for one hour prior to receiving communion. "To receive Holy Communion worthily one must be baptized, be free from mortal sin and observe the law of fasting. 1. No food, liquid or solids or alcoholic beverages may be taken for one hour before receiving." (Outlines of the Catholic Faith, pg. 38) But the apostle Paul said "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days" (Colossians 2:16).

Contrary to all these rules and regulations of the Roman Catholic Church, Jesus forbade publicized fasting (Matthew 6:16-18), which would include any fast that is regulated by a church authority and imposed on all.

Some may think that exposing the Roman Catholic Church and her lies is not profitable, or too critical, or divisive, or hurtful, but Paul gives Timothy a different conclusion. "If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained." (2 Timothy 4:6)

"Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins." (James 5:19-20)

GNC