Polygamy

[leonardronaldo]

Here's a question (sorry if I derailed)

If you are a former Muslim, Mormon, etc. What do you do with your multiple wives then? Is it right to divorce them or keep them?

Muslims are allowed to have 4 wives and more right-hand-possessed women.
If that's the case for a muslim, I would suggest him to first preach the gospel to all of them. Then divorce all of them (except the one who he most loved). The purpose of marriage, in the Bible, I believe is for us to learn to love and recognize how great the love of Christ has been to His bride (the church).

However he himself should look out for himself firstly, since the penalty for leaving islam is death lol

 

[Huckleberry]

Modern society abhors the thought of polygamy, but I don't see a Biblical context for it being unlawful. Does anyone have any verses that condemn polygamy?
I know I am going to get flack from this... but I feel like it is a topic that needs to be aired out. Many of the patriarchs had multiple wives, or at least children from multiple women: Jacob, David, Solomon, etc...

I do not support this behavior. I'm just bringing it up. I believe in equal rights for women.

If there's anything in the Bible that's not true, this has to be it:
I Kings 4:
[SUP]29[/SUP] And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore.[SUP]30[/SUP] And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt.
[SUP]31[/SUP] For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all nations round about.

 

[leonardronaldo]

I guess I am missing your point here...what are you saying?

I am saying is the idea of poligamy is absurd to Christ and Paul who are filled with Holy Spirit.
We see in the text that husband is to give his life to his wife, just like Christ did.
If the husband has committed to give his life once, i don't think he has another life to give.


Blessings

 

[mystdancer50]

I am saying is the idea of poligamy is absurd to Christ and Paul who are filled with Holy Spirit.
We see in the text that husband is to give his life to his wife, just like Christ did.
If the husband has committed to give his life once, i don't think he has another life to give.


Blessings

Okay. Got it. I guess I just had trouble wrapping my mind around your statement. Thanks.

 

[leonardronaldo]

Okay. Got it. I guess I just had trouble wrapping my mind around your statement. Thanks.

No problem.

Peace of Christ

 

[Bryancampbell]

Muslims are allowed to have 4 wives and more right-hand-possessed women.
If that's the case for a muslim, I would suggest him to first preach the gospel to all of them. Then divorce all of them (except the one who he most loved). The purpose of marriage, in the Bible, I believe is for us to learn to love and recognize how great the love of Christ has been to His bride (the church).

However he himself should look out for himself firstly, since the penalty for leaving islam is death lol

What if they turn from the gospel because of being hurt that he divorced them and picked one wife out of the 4+ women? That's some tricky stuff there.

I know this isn't how it should be perceived. But what is your opinion on...umm...Israel being a type of marriage to God just as the Church is considered a bride. I'm not saying anything. Neither am I saying I see polygamy in that. Matter of fact I might get a beat down for asking this. But had anyone else thought of this? I know God's people become one. Isn't Israel part of the Church as one bride? Hmmm. My ignorance.

 

[mystdancer50]

What if they turn from the gospel because of being hurt that he divorced them and picked one wife out of the 4+ women? That's some tricky stuff there.

I know this isn't how it should be perceived. But what is your opinion on...umm...Israel being a type of marriage to God just as the Church is considered a bride. I'm not saying anything. Neither am I saying I see polygamy in that. Matter of fact I might get a beat down for asking this. But had anyone else thought of this? I know God's people become one. Isn't Israel part of the Church as one bride? Hmmm. My ignorance.

I think of it this way: there is only one bride and that bride (church) is the bride of Christ. Thus, only those who belong to Christ are included. So it isn't two churches and two brides, it is only one. God's chosen people and the Gentiles were grafted together in Christ. So, the bride of Christ is both Gentiles and Jews that have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. New covenant.

 

[Bryancampbell]

I think of it this way: there is only one bride and that bride (church) is the bride of Christ. Thus, only those who belong to Christ are included. So it isn't two churches and two brides, it is only one. God's chosen people and the Gentiles were grafted together in Christ. So, the bride of Christ is both Gentiles and Jews that have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. New covenant.

Ah yes, thank you I understand now

 

[LT]

Muslims are allowed to have 4 wives and more right-hand-possessed women.
If that's the case for a muslim, I would suggest him to first preach the gospel to all of them. Then divorce all of them (except the one who he most loved). The purpose of marriage, in the Bible, I believe is for us to learn to love and recognize how great the love of Christ has been to His bride (the church).

However he himself should look out for himself firstly, since the penalty for leaving islam is death lol

That sounds horribly unloving. Divorce them all but the one he loves most?!
To giving them the freedom to go... that I would understand. But divorce is NOT WHAT GOD WANTS!
You seriously think that divorce is better than polygamy?! READ YOUR BIBLE! God HATES divorce! Yet the Bible never condemns polygamy.

If learning Christs love for His Bride is the only purpose for marriage, then what Christian would ever get married? We already know the Love of Christ that He has shown us in the Greatest Work of all time: the PASSION of Christ.

The purpose of marriage is to "multiply and fill the earth", and "for those who are weak, and tempted by the lusts of flesh". Yes, there is an example of Christ in marriage, but that is not it's chief purpose.

My conscience still tells me that polygamy is wrong. But what you guys are saying is not Biblical.

 

[leonardronaldo]

What if they turn from the gospel because of being hurt that he divorced them and picked one wife out of the 4+ women? That's some tricky stuff there.

I know this isn't how it should be perceived. But what is your opinion on...umm...Israel being a type of marriage to God just as the Church is considered a bride. I'm not saying anything. Neither am I saying I see polygamy in that. Matter of fact I might get a beat down for asking this. But had anyone else thought of this? I know God's people become one. Isn't Israel part of the Church as one bride? Hmmm. My ignorance.

Then they either haven't understood the gospel, nor they just don't want to leave Islam. First of all, a Christian should understand the purpose of marriage itself. Becoming more Christ-like, to be more conformed to the Image of Christ.

What I know, there is only one way to God, which is through Jesus. The Old-Testament believers, get to heaven, because of their faith on God and His Savior to come.
After Jesus' time, then it has been made clearer. For example, in Matthew 25:
34 Then shall the King say unto them on His right hand, ‘Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
35 For I hungered, and ye gave Me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took Me in;
36 naked, and ye clothed Me; I was sick, and ye visited Me; I was in prison, and ye came unto Me.’

That I believe is the most important description of one Church.

 

[leonardronaldo]

That sounds horribly unloving. Divorce them all but the one he loves most?!
To giving them the freedom to go... that I would understand. But divorce is NOT WHAT GOD WANTS!
You seriously think that divorce is better than polygamy?! READ YOUR BIBLE! God HATES divorce! Yet the Bible never condemns polygamy.

If learning Christs love for His Bride is the only purpose for marriage, then what Christian would ever get married? We already know the Love of Christ that He has shown us in the Greatest Work of all time: the PASSION of Christ.

The purpose of marriage is to "multiply and fill the earth", and "for those who are weak, and tempted by the lusts of flesh". Yes, there is an example of Christ in marriage, but that is not it's chief purpose.

My conscience still tells me that polygamy is wrong. But what you guys are saying is not Biblical.

Yes, God hates divorce if you have committed your life to one wife. No poligamysts can claim have done that.

So you understand and that's it? What I meant by learning, is you then do it, practice it in your life. Can you give a love that great, that you will lay your life for one? That's what I believe the most important essence of marriage shared by the Holy Spirit through Paul.
I can't say anything more to you, if you think CHRIST's example is not the chief purpose in marriage. I tell you, CHRIST is the chief purpose for everything to be created. You can't put Christ second, third. It's blasphemy and idolatry to put your GOD second or third.

May the Lord's grace be upon us

 

[mystdancer50]

It wasn’t until sin made man fall (Gen. 4:23) that polygamy occurs. Cain was cursed, Lamech is a descendent of Cain and the first to practice polygamy. The first time polygamous relationship is found in the Bible is with a thriving rebellious society in sin; when a murderer named “Lamech [a descendant of Cain] took for himself two wives” (Gen.4:19, 23).


The same Godly pattern of one man and one wife is lived by Noah. At the time of the Ark (Gen. 7:7), Noah took his one wife into the ark, all his son’s took one wife; God called Noah’s family righteous and pure. If polygamy were ordained of God, it would have made sense that Noah and his sons would have taken additional wives with them to repopulate the earth faster from the cataclysm.

We have examples of saints in the Old Testament going off the commandment i.e Solomon, but this is not God approved. Many of the patriarchs took more than one wife. Abraham, by recommendation of Sarah, took her maid. Jacob was tricked through Laban, into taking Leah first, and then Rachel, to whom he had been betrothed. polygamy was not wrong in ancient cultures, but was a departure from the divine institution that God ordained.

Was Abraham, David Solomon condemned or approved for practicing polygamy? Well they certainly did not get blessed for it! The fact that every polygamist in the Bible like David and Solomon (1 Chron. 14:3) were punished. This should be evidence that this is not God’s will.

Read the full article here: What does Scripture say about Polygamy

(I broke the rules...but don't tell!)

 

[Married_Richenbrachen]

The US (not utah). He was/is a believer, too. He didn't have her when we parted ways, but a friend said he was introduced to her. He said when the husband and wife walked off, the concubine followed behind them. Weird. He was weird. I remember him talking about having concubines when I knew him. He obviously went ahead and got one.

Pretty sad, though. Poor girl. :|

 

[Jullianna]

That sounds horribly unloving. Divorce them all but the one he loves most?!
To giving them the freedom to go... that I would understand. But divorce is NOT WHAT GOD WANTS!
You seriously think that divorce is better than polygamy?! READ YOUR BIBLE! God HATES divorce! Yet the Bible never condemns polygamy.

If learning Christs love for His Bride is the only purpose for marriage, then what Christian would ever get married? We already know the Love of Christ that He has shown us in the Greatest Work of all time: the PASSION of Christ.

The purpose of marriage is to "multiply and fill the earth", and "for those who are weak, and tempted by the lusts of flesh". Yes, there is an example of Christ in marriage, but that is not it's chief purpose.

My conscience still tells me that polygamy is wrong. But what you guys are saying is not Biblical.

Genesis 2: [SUP]18 [/SUP]The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”
[SUP]19 [/SUP]Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. [SUP]20 [/SUP]So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals.
But for Adam no suitable helper was found. [SUP]21 [/SUP]So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribsand then closed up the place with flesh. [SUP]22 [/SUP]Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.
[SUP]23 [/SUP]The man said,
“This is now bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called ‘woman,’
for she was taken out of man.”

[SUP]24 [/SUP]That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.
[SUP]25 [/SUP]Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Not sure I agree that the purpose of marriage is to be fruitful and multiply in light of this passage. The passage says "helper" , not "breeder", you know? Not all married couples have children by no choice of their own and they are no less married.

 

[mystdancer50]

Not sure I agree that the purpose of marriage is to be fruitful and multiply in light of this passage. The passage says "helper" , not "breeder", you know? Not all married couples have children by no choice of their own and they are no less married.

That is a good point, Jullianna. Thanks.

 

[LT]

Yes, God hates divorce if you have committed your life to one wife. No poligamysts can claim have done that.

God hates divorce PERIOD. There are no "if"s in that statement. What you are saying is not in Scripture.
How is it Christ-like to humiliate 3 women by divorcing them: putting them out on the streets as "used goods"(as Muslims would view them)?!
You would doom 3 women to life long poverty, and shame, and think it righteous to do so?
No! A righteous man would suck it up, and own up to his foolish decision, to get married 4 times, and sacrifice himself for them daily.

 

[Drett]

Polygamy was not banned by Jesus it was banned by Augustine 400 years after Christ.

 

[LT]

Not sure I agree that the purpose of marriage is to be fruitful and multiply in light of this passage. The passage says "helper" , not "breeder", you know? Not all married couples have children by no choice of their own and they are no less married.

Purpose of woman = helper
purpose of marriage = multiplication/companionship/preventing temptation

I do agree with your post, and found the verses very relative. I did not define marriage to it's fullest definition, but I still believe my point is secure.

 

[leonardronaldo]

God hates divorce PERIOD. There are no "if"s in that statement. What you are saying is not in Scripture.
How is it Christ-like to humiliate 3 women by divorcing them: putting them out on the streets as "used goods"(as Muslims would view them)?!
You would doom 3 women to life long poverty, and shame, and think it righteous to do so?
No! A righteous man would suck it up, and own up to his foolish decision, to get married 4 times, and sacrifice himself for them daily.

False, it is not a humiliation to be married like the New Testament describes.
Of course if they turn to Christ, that man should care for them like any other sisters in Christ, especially if they lack something. Divorcing doesn't really mean putting them out on the streets, he still can let them stay in her house until they chose to leave, but not as his wives, but sisters. So your accusation of me suggesting dooming 3 women, is clearly false.

If the wives have turned to Christ, they would feel disgusted as well to be staying in that marriage, I would say.

Yet again, I can't blame you since you think Christ is not the chief purpose of marriage.

Peace of Christ

 

[Bryancampbell]

It wasn’t until sin made man fall (Gen. 4:23) that polygamy occurs. Cain was cursed, Lamech is a descendent of Cain and the first to practice polygamy. The first time polygamous relationship is found in the Bible is with a thriving rebellious society in sin; when a murderer named “Lamech [a descendant of Cain] took for himself two wives” (Gen.4:19, 23).


The same Godly pattern of one man and one wife is lived by Noah. At the time of the Ark (Gen. 7:7), Noah took his one wife into the ark, all his son’s took one wife; God called Noah’s family righteous and pure. If polygamy were ordained of God, it would have made sense that Noah and his sons would have taken additional wives with them to repopulate the earth faster from the cataclysm.

We have examples of saints in the Old Testament going off the commandment i.e Solomon, but this is not God approved. Many of the patriarchs took more than one wife. Abraham, by recommendation of Sarah, took her maid. Jacob was tricked through Laban, into taking Leah first, and then Rachel, to whom he had been betrothed. polygamy was not wrong in ancient cultures, but was a departure from the divine institution that God ordained.

Was Abraham, David Solomon condemned or approved for practicing polygamy? Well they certainly did not get blessed for it! The fact that every polygamist in the Bible like David and Solomon (1 Chron. 14:3) were punished. This should be evidence that this is not God’s will.

Read the full article here: What does Scripture say about Polygamy

(I broke the rules...but don't tell!)

I don't see in this article how David was punished for having so many women. I do remember David being punished for adultery consigned with murder resulting in the death of their son. Mmmm. I don't agree with polygamy but I don't remember David being punished for it.