Posted on 06/14/2014 8:33:41 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
When you look at world history, and especially biblical history, you will find that polygamy has been an accepted and honorable way of life. Many beloved prophets of the Old Testament were polygamists, and Abraham was a friend of God, all while having many wives. Polygamy was once a lifestyle accepted by all.
For Christians of 2000 years ago, polygamy was stopped by the Roman empire.
Paul, in his letter to the church in Rome, said, “A bishop should be the husband of one wife.” He was simply telling them to obey the law of the land. Roman law is alive and well today in America, and we all know what happened to the Roman Empire.
It’s very unfortunate what has happened in Colorado City, Ariz., and in other states. It has given polygamy a terrible name and image....
(Excerpt) Read more at lasvegassun.com ...
2 Samuel 12:8 I also gave you your master's house and your master's wives into your care, and I gave you the house of Israel and Judah; and if that had been too little, I would have added to you many more things like these!
If possible, this verse is a little stronger case. Samuel is relaying a message from God to David where He tells David that He gave Saul's wives to him. As if that were not enough, the Father goes on to tell David that he would have added more things like these if this which had already been given was too little. In fact, if we research just a little more we see David being referred to as a "man after [God's] own heart" in 1 Samuel 13:14 and Acts 13:22. Similar to the situation with Joash above, it is hard to reconcile polygyny as sinful when God credits himself as giving David his wives.
NOT 'similar'.
Were not widows supposed to be taken care of in the OT?
Did not Onan 'sin' by failing to give his dead brothers wife an heir?
Did not GOD fail to take more of Adams ribs for wives for him?
You are absolutely correct in what you are quoting, but I still go back to 1 Kings 15:4, which obviously only points out the matter of Uriah the Hittite. If God is against polygyny, wouldn’t He have pointed it out here?
I can reason it this way, though keep in mind it is me talking not the Bible. In the matter of the census, David didn’t disobey a command, though he sinned. In the matter of Uriah the Hittite, he committed adultery and murder, both of which are violations of the Lord’s commands. If this is true, the we can conclude that polygyny is not a violation of the Lord’s commands. Whether that line of reasoning is correct or not is up to debate, I think, but the fact is that The Lord has not issued a command against polygyny except, depending on your understanding of the corresponding verses in the New Testament, for leaders of the church. Don’t you think if it was so sinful there would have been a clear command about it?
Using your reasoning, should we not care for widows now? By the way, caring for widows was not inclusive of marrying and having children with the widow, except in the case of a man taking his deceased brother’s wife.
The answer to your first two concluding questions is yes, of course.
The answer to your third question is one that doesn’t stand up to reason. If the Father had taken two ribs, would we not say all men should have two wives. What about three ribs, would that mean three wives? Is it a sin for a man to remain unmarried? After all, a rib was taken. Of course not - the argument falls apart. I believe God was showing marriage was between man and woman, not showing the number of wives.
"For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh."
Please note the word of God uses the singular form wife, (not wives). Just because God allowed polygamy in Old Testament, doesn't mean He approved of it.
Also note what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 7:2:
"But because of immoralities, each man is to have his own wife, and each woman to have her own husband."
Please note once again, Paul uses the singular form wife, not wives in this text. Clearly, God's will in one man and one woman in marriage.
The world can do as it pleases, and justify what it wishes with regard to moral law; but you cannot justify polygamy via God's word; which in the end, all men will answer to, and be judged by.
1 Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel. 2 So David said to Joab and the commanders of the troops, “Go and count the Israelites from Beersheba to Dan. Then report back to me so that I may know how many there are.”
3 But Joab replied, “May the Lord multiply his troops a hundred times over. My lord the king, are they not all my lord’s subjects? Why does my lord want to do this? Why should he bring guilt on Israel?”
4 The king’s word, however, overruled Joab; so Joab left and went throughout Israel and then came back to Jerusalem. 5 Joab reported the number of the fighting men to David: In all Israel there were one million one hundred thousand men who could handle a sword, including four hundred and seventy thousand in Judah.
6 But Joab did not include Levi and Benjamin in the numbering, because the king’s command was repulsive to him. 7 This command was also evil in the sight of God; so he punished Israel.
8 Then David said to God, “I have sinned greatly by doing this. Now, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing.”
9 The Lord said to Gad, David’s seer, 10 “Go and tell David, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am giving you three options. Choose one of them for me to carry out against you.’”
I find it VERY hard to believe that a person can 'sin' withOUT breaking a command of GOD.
Then cling to your belief.
The clear evidence in scripture that ONE man and ONE woman, married; is the IDEAL; although multiples were permitted.
The only thing I can say to this is that you are saying scripture is lying. See 1 Kings 15:5. Scripture does not lie.
The burden of proof is on you, not me. Show me where scripture says one man and one woman is ideal. It doesn’t. If your argument about Adam and Eve is what you are basing your supposition on, then you are saying unmarried folks are in the same position as polygynists.
I have studied this topic much more than I expect you have, though I suppose I could be wrong. One man and one woman = one flesh. YES. And one man with another woman = one flesh. YES. See 1 Corinthians 6:16.
Regarding “own” wives and husbands, I encourage you to do a review of the original language and then tell me if your stance is the same. See: http://biblicalpolygyny.com/wiki/index.php?title=Own. Why would Paul use a different word? Why would he use a word that means what “own” means when referring to the wife?
I cling to my belief because I can support my stance in scripture. In that circumstance, this is justified.
I am?
Which reply number?
I am?
HMMMmmm...
James 4:17 Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.
In this case, the Bible shows that you don’t have to break a specific command of God for it to be a sin.
Your reasoning ends up at that conclusion, yes.
God created man and took one rib from man to create a wife for him, therefore God only intended one man and one woman to be married.
That same reasoning leads to:
God created a wife for man, therefore any man not following the protocol God set by marrying is sinning.
The logic is flawed.
See 125 and 128
You are directly contradicting 1 Kings 15:5.
Likewise...
...Show me where scripture says one man and MULTIPLE women is part of GOD's PLAN..
This verse came along WAY past the times of polygamy instances in the bible.
Are we permitted to grandfather things in, to explain OT practices?
...a strawman: no logic at all.
For David had done what was right in the eyes of the LORD and had not failed to keep any of the LORD's commands all the days of his life--except in the case of Uriah the Hittite.
Houston; we have a problem!
David must have been LYING when he stated: "I have sinned greatly by doing this. Now, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing.”
(I think LYING is a SIN)
(Here might be a good place to place your James verse to see if it works.)
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