Marriage Laws - United States - Annulment Laws - Doctrine of Annulment

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Doctrine of Annulment

  1. There is a difference between annulment and divorce.
    1. A divorce dissolves a marriage that did legitimately exist.
    2. Annulment declares a marriage null and void, which in reality never did exist.


  2. Marriages in violation of the laws of consanguinity of affinity (i.e., in violation of the laws of blood relationships or in-law relationships) are to be regarded as null and void. They never really existed in God's eyes.


  3. Representative forbidden marriages are listed in Lev.18.
    1. A father or mother, vs.7.
    2. A stepmother, vs.8; 1Cor.5:1.
    3. A sister or stepsister, vss.9-11.
    4. A grandson or granddaughter, vss.10,17.
    5. An aunt or uncle, vss.12-14.
    6. A daughter-in-law, vs.15.
    7. A brother's wife, vs.16. (Exception is the Leverite Law. John the Baptist braced Herod who unlawfully took his brother Phillip's wife.)
    8. A stepdaughter, vs.17.
    9. A sister of an ex-wife if the ex-wife is alive.


  4. According to Lev.18, all these are material for annulment since they are still objects of disgust in the Lord's eyes, Lev.18:3; cf. 18:2730. The discipline for this perversion is deformed children.


  5. An Old Testament illustration of the practice of annulment is found in Ezr.9,10, based on the "holy race" concept, 9:2. Intermarriage with gentiles was threatening the Messianic line. Annulment was ordered even if children had become part of the picture, Ezr.9:10-15; cf. 10:15,11-14,19,44; Neh.13:23-31.


  6. A teenager, before the age of total individual responsibility, who marries in defiance of his parents, Num.30:16; Eph.6:13.


  7. Paul's teaching demonstrates that all other marriages are legitimate in God's eyes, 1Cor.7:14.
    1. If you are married to an unbeliever and he or she is willing to stick it out, do so, 1Cor.7:12-14.
    2. If you are married to a husband who is either an unbeliever or a negative believer, who disobeys the Lord, again stick it out, 1Pet.3:1,2.
    3. The believer-unbeliever marriage relationship is "holy" or legitimate in God's eyes, and is not material for annulment, 1Cor.7:14.


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