Re: ---- Polygamy
I’m not one for bumping old posts- but I couldn’t find any more recent posts related to polygamy. As always- please read the entire post if you intend on responding to any individual point.
I think that polygamy- in this day and age is extremely hard for people to accept because if it were commonly practiced- those participating would almost certainly not be doing so under God’s will.
Some quick definitions, for those who are not aware: Adultery refers to sex outside of your marriage (marriage contracted under God); fornication refers to sex between people who are unmarried; polygamy (in the context of this text, we are talking specifically about polygyny, the marriage of one man to more than one wife)--This means that the man is making more than one contract of marriage to separate wives, of which he must fulfill all of their obligations.
I have been doing some in depth unbiased bible study for the past few months and have found a few notable things:
Polygamy is seen in the old testament. There are restrictions put on polygamy for people who do not equally love their wives or who do or should not have time to care for more than one wife.
There are phrases commonly quoted from the new testament which describe a man becoming one flesh with his wife (as quoted numerous times in this post)- which could easily extend to becoming one flesh with his second wife- initiating a new contract of marriage governed by the same rules as the first. Another commonly quoted phrase says that every man should have his own wife and every woman should have his own husband. This is a 1 Corinthians 7 quote actually referring to the fact that people should get married in order to avoid fornication.
The problem is that in our current society, if you think of two women cohabitating with a man, immediately, visions of sin and Godlessness appear in your mind. In this respect, I completely agree with the notion that Polygamy should be publicly illegal in the United States as well as other cultures that handle relationships as such.
In this respect, as set forth by Romans 13 we must respect the laws of the United States and cannot break the law to participate in Polygamy. I think that polygamy is (perhaps falsely) widely thought of as a way to satisfy lustful desires for multiple sexual partners. The institution of marriage is a contract of protection, care and co-operative assistance in serving God between a man and woman and is not some meaningless permission for a one-night-stand.
In an ideal world, a man who lives out God’s word every day and in all things he serves God—this man is an ideal father to his children. If this man chooses to marry a wife, who is also dedicated to serving God in all that she does, then it is good and their children will be raised as servants of God’s will. If the man should marry another wife, provided that he treats the first and second wives with equal respect and love, and that both wives raise their children as servants of God’s will, I can find no reason by God’s law that their marriages should be against God’s word.
Some people may argue that a man in a polygamous marriage cannot adequately provide for more than one wife. I respectfully disagree, saying that that is a stigma associated with men who sit on the couch and selfishly follow their own needs before God’s needs, their wife’s needs, and others. Many men cannot provide for one wife in today’s society because of their selfishness, but I do not see why a selfless man cannot both serve God, his wives, and children in a way in which God would approve.
All that being said, I am a happily married man and always seek to follow God’s will. I do not have intentions of pursuing another wife, although I do not find a Biblical justification of fault for others who would (except those who deliberately violate the laws of man via Romans 13). As a conclusion of my attempted unbiased analysis of God’s view on Polygamy, in an ideal relationship among willing participants fully dedicated to raising children in God’s will, there is no evidence which suggests this is contrary to God’s teaching. Furthermore, if such dedicated Christians exist, God should be praised for their ability to bring into the world as many children as they might have, being raised according to God’s will. If these ideal circumstances are not met, then it should be recognized that God would not approve.