Huh, what is Robertson’s problem? 1 Timothy is very clear.
Robertson is a freaky freemason who’s mind is going.
His organization reeks of that weird greed and avarice.
http://www.epm.org/resources/2010/Feb/23/meaning-husband-one-wife-1-timothy-3/
1 Timothy 3
This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop (or elder), he desireth a good work.
A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
How many men will ever become a bishop?
I asked a pastor about this one time. He said something like just with individuals, God wants humanity to get rid of some sins first, then He can help them with the others. Polygamy wasn’t a priority back then. The big one way back when was worshiping other gods. Of course marrying a bunch of women with different beliefs didn’t help - so they sort of went hand-in-hand if you ask me!
1 Timothy is also conditional -- if a man desire the office -- a better reference is Jesus's own teaching on divorce in Matt 19:
Some Pharisees came to him, and to test him they asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause?”He answered, “Have you not read that the one who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”
They said to him, “Why then did Moses command us to give a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her?”
He said to them, “It was because you were so hard-hearted that Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for unchastity, and marries another commits adultery.”
I know a hundred Freemasons and every one follows the same New Testament I do. Period. They provide services to those who otherwise couldn’t afford them, period. They donate their time and money like not many others. Talk all you want about fake Christians but a group such as the freemasons is above such drivel. I take huge offense to your comment and would ask you to be a man. Or adult of your choice on gender.
I don’t know if Pat’s right or not, but 1 Timothy is referring only to bishops.
OK - says Bishops/teachers of the Good news should be married to one person 9and not single unless one wants to listen to Paul’s personal preferences), but what does it say about the average Joe?
“Huh, what is Robertson’s problem? 1 Timothy is very clear.”
I agree with you that polygamy and polyandry are not Christian practices, but 1 Timothy is not as perfect a proof text as you might think.
1) The verse in question is about bishops. That’s not about other believers.
2) And we know there were bishops with no wives at all. Thus, the verse limits bishops to one wife, doesn’t mandate they have any, and still says nothing about everyone else.
3) People interested in polygamy are interested in it because of their own sexual desires and not because of anything scripture says anyway.
NIV plainly and expressly titles this chapter “Qualifications for Overseers and Deacons.”
Are you here contesting the translation of NIV by claiming that ordinary people are somehow included among “overseers and deacons”?
Only if one is to serve as a bishop. Last time I looked Roman Catholic Bishops are not married, and all other denominations demand monogamy for those holding like offices (deacon etc.).
Of course it’s impossible (except under the new twisted definition) for a woman to have one wife. And of course the new morality will state that the language only applies to a “man”, but women who hold such position of servitude can have many wives or husbands (depending upon how the partner(s) currently define themselves).
Woe to those who call evil good and good evil.