Annulments, What Exactly Are They?

Annulments: What They Are, Where They Come From, and How God Sees Them

Recently, I came across a post by a Catholic woman I follow online. She was sharing her beliefs about how the Catholic Church does not affirm same-sex marriage, and she did so respectfully and calmly — yet the comment section erupted.

People began calling her judgmental, hypocritical, and unloving. Many pointed out that she herself was divorced and remarried, as if that somehow disqualified her from speaking about biblical marriage at all.

In response, she gently explained that her first marriage had been annulled by the Church — meaning the Church had determined that her first union was never a valid sacramental marriage in God’s eyes.

That word — annulled — caught my attention. I realized how little I actually knew about what that meant, and how easily it can be misunderstood, both inside and outside the Church. Was it a “Catholic loophole”? Did it only apply to certain marriages? Did God see annulment the same way the Church or the law does?

That encounter sparked my curiosity and sent me down a path of research, prayer, and reflection — digging into how annulment is understood across Catholicism, Protestantism, Judaism, and civil law.

What I discovered is that annulment is not an easy escape from a difficult marriage, nor is it a way to “reset” vows one grows tired of. Instead, it’s a careful process of discerning truth: whether a marriage was ever truly a covenant before God to begin with.

What Is an Annulment?

An annulment is not the same as a divorce.

• Divorce ends a marriage that was once considered valid.

• Annulment declares that a true marriage never existed to begin with — that something essential was missing from the very start.

The question at the heart of annulment is not, “Did this relationship fail?” but rather, “Was it ever what God designed it to be?”

Annulment is meant to bring clarity and truth — not convenience or escape. It’s a process of discernment, not avoidance. While civil systems and churches may grant annulments based on evidence, God alone knows the heart, and no human declaration can hide a false motive or rewrite truth.

The Origins of Annulment:

The concept has deep historical roots:

• In ancient Judaism, rabbis occasionally declared marriages invalid if consent was coerced, if one spouse was already married, or if other halakhic (Jewish legal) conditions were not met.

• In Roman law, marriages could be nullified for lack of proper consent, kinship violations, or fraud.

• As Christianity developed, the Church adopted and refined these principles to form a process for determining when a marriage lacked true sacramental validity.

By the Middle Ages, annulments were formally recognized in the Catholic Church, not as “Catholic divorces,” but as declarations of nullity — legal and spiritual statements that a valid union never existed in the eyes of God.

But from the beginning, the purpose was always truth. Annulment was never meant to serve as a convenient “reset button,” but as a careful recognition that God never joined what humans mistakenly did.

The Jewish View: Kiddushin, the Get, and Rare Annulments:

I always like to look at how topics might have been understood or practiced during Jesus’ time, and that’s why I wanted to include the Jewish view here. It helps bring context to the biblical roots of marriage and how covenantal relationships were treated in the culture He lived and taught in.

In Judaism, marriage is called kiddushin, meaning sanctification — a holy covenant before God.

A Traditional Jewish Wedding Includes:

1. Kiddushin (Betrothal): The groom gives a ring and says, “Behold, you are consecrated to me according to the law of Moses and Israel.”

2. Ketubah: A written marriage contract outlining responsibilities and rights.

3. Chuppah: A wedding canopy symbolizing the new home.

4. Sheva Brachot: Seven blessings recited over wine.

Once performed before valid witnesses, the marriage is considered binding in the eyes of God and community.

Ending a Marriage: The Get

A valid marriage can only end through a get, a religious divorce document given by the husband and accepted by the wife (Deuteronomy 24:1–2). Without it, she remains married under Jewish law.

Jewish Annulment:

True “annulment” (bitul kiddushin) is rare, and happens only if the marriage was invalid from the start — for example:

• Lack of consent or coercion,

• Discovery that one spouse was ineligible for marriage under halakhah,

• Improper witnesses or ceremony.

Judaism treats marriage as sacred, but recognizes that deception or coercion can void it. That same moral truth echoes the heart of God’s standard — He looks not at appearances, but at truthful intent.

The Catholic View:

In the Catholic Church, an annulment (or declaration of nullity) does not undo a valid marriage — it recognizes that a true sacramental bond never existed.

A marriage may be declared null if:

• One or both lacked genuine consent,

• There was deceit or coercion,

• One party was psychologically incapable of fulfilling marital duties,

• One did not intend permanence, faithfulness, or openness to children.

If the Church determines that something essential was missing at the time of the vows, the union is declared null — as if it never truly existed in the eyes of God.

However, if a marriage was validly entered and consummated, it cannot be dissolved by any human power — only death ends it.

This distinction reflects the Catholic understanding of marriage as both a natural covenant and a sacrament: something God Himself joins. And even here, annulment is not taken lightly — it’s a sober investigation, not an escape clause.

Protestant Perspectives:

Most Protestant churches do not have formal annulment procedures. Instead, they turn to Scripture to discern when a covenant may be broken or invalid.

According to the Bible:

• Adultery breaks the marital covenant (Matthew 5:32; 19:9).

• Abandonment by an unbelieving spouse frees the believer (1 Corinthians 7:15).

Many Protestant leaders hold that if a marriage was entered under deceit, coercion, or without genuine commitment, it may not have been valid before God in the first place — essentially a spiritual annulment, even if not called that.

The emphasis is on whether God truly joined the union — not whether a priest or government recognized it.

But no Protestant teacher who holds Scripture in reverence views annulment as a “get out of marriage free card.” It’s not meant to excuse sin or justify convenience. God sees the motive, the promise, and the depth of commitment made on the day those vows were spoken.

Civil Annulments:

In civil law, an annulment simply means a marriage was legally invalid — as though it never happened.

Common grounds include:

• Fraud or misrepresentation,

• Coercion,

• Incapacity (mental illness, intoxication, or underage),

• Bigamy or incest,

• Failure to consummate (in some jurisdictions).

Civil annulments are entirely legal in nature and make no spiritual claim. They do not determine whether God or a church viewed the marriage as real; they only determine whether it was legally valid.

And while civil annulments may erase a marriage on paper, they do not erase truth. God sees what the law cannot: the heart, the intention, and the authenticity of the vows.

Biblical & Spiritual Understanding:

From a biblical standpoint, marriage is a covenant, not just a ceremony or legal contract.

“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” — Genesis 2:24

This verse, written long before churches or clergy existed, reminds us that God Himself joined the first marriage.

Jesus later reaffirmed this truth:

“What God has joined together, let no one separate.” — Matthew 19:6

That means a marriage’s validity is not defined by location, ritual, or officiant — but by truthful consent and covenantal love made before God.

God honors marriages that are:

• Entered freely,

• Founded on faithfulness and love,

• Meant to reflect His covenant nature.

When God May Not Recognize a Marriage . . .

A marriage may not be valid in God’s eyes if:

• It was entered under deceit, coercion, or manipulation,

• One or both partners never intended lifelong fidelity,

• It was made for selfish or impure motives rather than covenant love.

In such cases, even if the state or the church calls it “marriage,” God may not, because His standard is truth, not formality.

And yet, even here, annulment should never be used as a quick escape from hardship or change of heart. God’s view of covenant is serious, sacred, and binding. He does not take broken promises lightly — but He does offer grace when truth and repentance lead a person back to Him.

What About a Civil Marriage That Ends in Divorce?

If two people married civilly — without clergy but with sincere vows — and later divorced, the answer depends on the nature of their covenant.

If the vows were made freely and in truth, God likely saw that as a real covenant.

If adultery or abandonment broke it, Scripture allows for divorce (Matthew 19:9; 1 Corinthians 7:15).

But if the marriage was never entered sincerely — if there was no real intent to honor covenant love — then spiritually, it could be viewed as annulled in God’s eyes because it was never a true joining to begin with.

“The Lord was witness between you and the wife of your youth.” — Malachi 2:14

God judges not by the ceremony, but by the truth of the hearts involved. And He cannot be deceived. Using annulment lightly or dishonestly would not fool Him — it would only expose the heart that sought escape rather than integrity.

Can God Redeem an Imperfect Beginning?

This is one of the most tender and hope-filled truths about God’s heart.

What about when a marriage didn’t start perfectly — when it began out of convenience, comfort, or circumstance, and only later blossomed into genuine love?

The answer is clear through Scripture and God’s nature: yes, God can absolutely redeem and recognize a marriage that began imperfectly if it grows into true covenant love.

God continuously redeems imperfect starts. Throughout the Bible, God repeatedly honors relationships that began messily but were transformed by faithfulness:

• Jacob and Leah’s marriage began with deceit, yet God blessed it and used it to build Israel’s tribes (Genesis 29–30).

• Ruth and Boaz began with practical provision and cultural duty, yet God turned it into a story of redeeming love.

God is a Redeemer. He doesn’t require perfect beginnings — only surrendered hearts.

“Behold, I am making all things new.” — Revelation 21:5

A covenant becomes sacred not because it starts with ideal motives, but because it grows into faithfulness, sacrifice, and love that reflects God’s own heart. When two people choose to honor their vows, to forgive, to nurture true love, and to invite God into their union, He sanctifies it — even if it began as something less than ideal.

“Love covers a multitude of sins.” — 1 Peter 4:8

If the relationship evolves from convenience into sincere, self-giving love, God recognizes and blesses it as a real covenant.

The key difference is growth. If the marriage matures into truth and covenantal love, God sees it as redeemed. If it remains loveless, selfish, or deceitful — then it may remain only a contract, not a covenant.

God’s heart is always toward redemption. When we turn imperfect stories toward Him, He writes grace into them.

“He makes beauty out of ashes.” — Isaiah 61:3

At the end of all legal and religious debates, there’s this unshakable truth:

“The Lord looks on the heart.” — 1 Samuel 16:7

God knows whether a covenant was made sincerely, whether it was betrayed, or whether it was never real at all. He sees not just the paperwork, but the posture of the heart.

Annulments, in any form, are human attempts to recognize what God already knows — whether two people were truly joined by Him, or simply united by circumstance.

But make no mistake: annulment is not a shortcut for regret or a tool to erase promises made in truth. God takes covenant seriously. His grace is abundant, but His standard is holy.

Marriage is sacred because it mirrors God’s covenant with His people — faithful, self-giving, and eternal. But not every union that bears the name “marriage” reflects that reality.

God’s concern is not where vows are spoken or who officiates, but whether the vows were true, freely given, and rooted in covenant love.

Annulment, rightly understood, is about uncovering truth — not rewriting it.

It’s about discerning whether a marriage was what it appeared to be, or whether it was never joined by God in the first place.

And because God alone sees the heart, He alone knows the difference between a covenant never made and one simply broken.

Annulment is not an easy way out — it’s a solemn recognition of reality before the God who cannot be deceived.

“The Lord was witness between you and the wife of your youth.” — Malachi 2:14

“What God has joined together, let no one separate.” — Matthew 19:6

Did you know all of this about annulment? Or were you kind of in the dark about it like I was? Did I leave anything out or do you have any further questions?