Quote:
Originally Posted by Aquila
I hope you don’t think I’m arguing “for polygamy”. I’m just telling what I believe is the truth about a subject as I understand it. Here’s the issue with polygamy…not only does God not outright condemn it…he commands it (in the case of Liverite Marriage and rape) and gave Moses Laws by which to govern it and concubinage. If it was morally repugnant or undesirable in God’s sight, the giving of the Law would be the opportunity to express such sentiment. God blesses, and the Scriptures even praise, men who had multiple wives. No hint of condemnation is given. And after studying ancient marriage customs I’m convinced that marriage in ancient Israel was more of a social contract to be closed or opened as the individuals in said contract felt was necessary. And as long as none violated their covenant by violating their spouse’s will or taking that which belonged to another, God issues no sanction or condemnation.
Now…fast forward to the New Testament. I believe the Bishop was to serve as an example to the church. Not only does monogamy provide more harmony in the home but monogamy better symbolizes the relationship between Christ (one Lord) and his bride (one church).
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"If a man find a damsel that is not betrothed and lay hold on her, and lie with her, and they be found; then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel's father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife; because he hath humbled her, he may not put her away all his days"
Deut 22:28,29
So, if a man rapes your daughter are you going to let the rapist buy her and marry her? Is this the kind of law you want to live your life by? When Jesus came, he said that Moses wrote some things because of the hardness of men's hearts. I believe that the liberal view towards polygamy falls under this category. I do not live by the law. I am under grace. Jesus blew a lot of things out of the water when it came to the things the Pharisees belived and practiced and He always practiced in favor of the rights of people and the needs of people. Polygamy tramples the rights of women and children in many cases, unless you are talking about men throwing away women and children they have married in polygamous cases because they no longer want to be responsible. God gave Adam one wife and he also asked that his leaders in the NT be married to only one wife (that is my view). When we are rightly dividing the Word, we need to look at the rights of people. Joseph could have had Mary stoned for fornication but instead the Bible said that because he was righteous he was going to put her away privily. Jesus did not stone the woman taken in adultery even though He was the one without sin. Think about what that means.