In the Bible we can see how Jesus built His church and how it began on the first day of Pentecost after His resurrection when Peter and the other apostles preached the first gospel sermon.

About 3000 of these people heard, understood, believed, and obeyed this same message to become Christians and were added to the church where they continued together in unity in the same doctrine. (Acts 2)

In Luke 8, the word of God is compared to a seed. If you plant a seed, and it grows, it will always produce after its own kind. If something else grows, it must have come from another type of seed.

Today, if we read and understand what those in Acts 2 heard, believe what they believed, and obey what they obeyed, we will become what they became – Christians, nothing more, nothing less, nothing else. The word of God can only produce Christians.

This “seed” began the church shortly after Jesus ascended into heaven. Today if we plant the same seed, it will produce the same church.

Today, those who meet together under the name “Church of Christ” strive to speak where the Bible speaks, be silent where the Bible is silent, do Bible things in Bible ways, and call Bible things by Bible names. In doing this, we are sowing seed from the original source, and it produces the original church that began about 33AD.

I have an old book of card game rules. If I follow the rules to one of those games, without changing them, then I am not playing a new game (even if the game is new to me). I would be playing the same game that had been invented years before.

If we follow the Bible, and only the Bible for our doctrine and authority in religion, then we are not creating a new church, but we are becoming members of the same church that was established in the first century.

Archaeologists in Jordan have unearthed what they claim is the world’s first church, dating back almost 2,000 years, The Jordan Times reported on Tuesday.
“We have uncovered what we believe to be the first church in the world, dating from 33 AD to 70 AD,” the head of Jordan’s Rihab Centre for Archaeological Studies, Abdul Qader al-Husan, said.
He said it was uncovered under Saint Georgeous Church, which itself dates back to 230 AD, in Rihab in northern Jordan near the Syrian border.
“We have evidence to believe this church sheltered the early Christians — the 70 disciples of Jesus Christ,” Husan said.
These Christians, who are described in a mosaic as “the 70 beloved by God and Divine,” are said to have fled persecution in Jerusalem and founded churches in northern Jordan, Husan added.
He cited historical sources which suggest they both lived and practised religious rituals in the underground church and only left it after Christianity was embraced by Roman rulers.
The bishop deputy of the Greek Orthodox archdiocese, Archimandrite Nektarious, described the discovery as an “important milestone for Christians all around the world.”
Researchers recovered pottery dating back to between the 3rd and 7th centuries, which they say suggests these first Christians and their followers lived in the area until late Roman rule.
Inside the cave there are several stone seats which are believed to have been for the clergy and a circular shaped area, thought to be the apse.
There is also a deep tunnel which is believed to have led to a water source, the archaeologist added.
Rihab is home to a total of 30 churches and Jesus and the Virgin Mary are believed to have passed through the area, Husan said.

Here’s some:

When two people who have never married before say their marriage vows which includes the words “til death do us part, they are making covenant vows to God. They will stay married for life until one of them dies. Marriage vows are a covenant and not a contract as the divorce courts would like for us to believe.

Divorce between covenant spouses (meaning first marriage for both) is absolutely wrong. God himself said that He hates divorce.

“Have we not all one Father? Did not one God create us? Why do we profane the covenant of our fathers by breaking faith with one another? Another thing you do: You flood the Lord’s altar with tears. You weep and wail because he no longer pays attention to your offerings or accepts them with pleasure from your hands. You ask, ‘Why?’ It is because the Lord is acting as the witness between you and the wife of your youth, because you have broken faith with her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant. Has not the Lord made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his. And why one? Because he was seeking godly offspring. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth. ‘I **** divorce,’ says the Lord God of Israel. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith.” Malachi 2:10-16

Remarriage, according to Jesus, is adultery between non-covenant spouses.

‘Haven’t you read,’ he replied, ‘that at the beginning the Creator made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh?’ So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate. ‘Why then,’ they asked, ‘did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?’ Jesus replied, ‘Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery.’” Matthew 19:4-8

Let me warn you that the exception clause of marital unfaithfulness was not in the original Greek manuscript. It was added to the manuscript in the 15th century.(See link below for photo of Greek manuscript) Jesus gave no excuse for divorce period!

“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 of marriage. So then, if she marries 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, even though she marries another man.” Romans 7:2-3

So then, the Bible is clear that marriage is a permanent covenant, only to be broken by death of one of the spouses. In spite of clear doctrine to support no divorce, divorce still happens. What if you are a victim of divorce against your wishes? What does the Bible have to say about this?

“To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.” 1 Corinthians 7:10-11

If you are divorced, you only have two options: remain single or reconcile with your spouse. Remarriage is not an option for a believer. Today people debate the issue, “Is it right to divorce and remarry?” Note that Jesus dealt with the issue, “Is it right for people to divorce?” That is quite a contrast! We have strayed far from God’s Word. It saddens me to see the number of professing Christians that are divorcing and remarrying. It is time for the body of believers to get back to God’s ideal for marriage and stop the rampant divorce rate throughout the world. As believers, we are responsible to follow and obey the teachings of Jesus: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. ” John 14:15

I have personally met several women whose eyes were opened when they read these words in their Bible and realized they were not in a covenant marriage, but in adultery. Their husbands had previously been married to their covenant wives. So they had to legally divorce their husbands to get out of their adulterous marriage.

I have lots of links for you below if you wish to check it out. The 2nd link has audio recordings that you can listen to.

I would like to mention that preachers have the 2nd highest rate of divorce and remarriage. The church has failed miserably in this area. Some preachers do know the truth, but refuse to say anything in fear of losing their congregation and money and some are too blinded to see the truth and go along with the world’s view that it

Well this is hard to answer. Considering what has come
to light in the Catholic Church….quite a number of ordained Priests and Sisters have broken their vows. Its more of a do as i say, not as I do approach.

The Church cannot make you do anything. They can only guide you on how we should try to live.

I am a divorced Catholic, so I do feel your frustration. Ideally I would have liked my marriage to work out, but it takes 2 people wanting that to have a snowballs chance.

We both know the vows that everybody says. So I wont go over that here. Marriage is not easy, and I believe that the intent of everyone who is married and also the church would be that all of us would work it out, and stick it out. But we all know that doesn’t always happen.

I am sorry for what you are going thru, I’ve been there. It is hard to come to grips with faith and life sometimes, especially when they seem to be polar opposites. Not that I am super holy, I came to what made sense for me, and I realize that isn’t totally in line with what my church teaches. I accept that, and respect my church for their position, even tho it is not what I myself may personally feel about it. I guess its agreeing to disagree on this one.

Hope that helped. Good Luck to you on your difficult journey.

lol…I like the way your try to used the Constitution of the United States ” right to pursue happiness”. so you’re saying there is no more happiness in your marriage to pursue? Divorce it the new found of happiness? what will you do when you find someone new and they want to get married. will you pursue that too

I’m Catholic and this is precisely why I REFUSE to attend church anymore. They have the most ridiculous rules surrounding marriage. I had to go to class (and catholic priests cannot marry, how can they advise about something they can’t do?) and my divorce, in the eyes of the church, is a mortal sin. I’m fed up with churches and their “rules”. All they want is my money and they won’t be getting that anymore.

Read the Bible, God would prefer you stay married, but God also allows divorce.

Just because you do not “want to” be married isn’t a good reason to get divorced. In the eyes of the church you vowed your promise to another human being in front of God. By you destroying that promise you have destroyed your faith, commitment, and morals and the church will not condone that. The church isn’t as accepting to that as society is.
you have rights, and you had the right to not get married. You have to make sure the person you promise your love to is the person you want to be with. People think they can say one thing and then instead of working at it, just give up because it’s easier, because they feel like they shouldn’t have to try, because they want something new and exciting. It’s sad.