Moses wasn't wrong...Moses was merely governing a nation.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rico
So? What does that have to do with anything? Jesus even said it was MOSES who allowed the divorce, but it wasn't that way from the beginning.
God permitted many things under the Law because of man’s fallen nature. The Law wasn’t designed to make a person righteous. It was designed to restrain man’s unrighteousness. For example, God allowed several different forms of “marriage” or social union in the time of the patriarchs and under the Law:
Monogamous marriage
Levitical Marriage
Polygamous Marriage
War Brides
Concubinage
Each institution had set standards and guidelines to restrain man’s sinful nature. It doesn’t mean God approved of these things, but it does show that God permitted them and governed them to prevent total moral and social chaos.
I'm not pro-polygamy but the Law of Moses required a brother to marry his dead brother's wife and raise up children in his dead brother's name...even if he were already married.
Let's remember, God permits what God desires to permit when he desires to permit it. For a time he permitted a writ of divorce if a wife just displeased her husband. However, Christ takes marriage a step higher by stating that adultery is the only justification for divorce that allows remarriage. God allowed for many things because of the hardness of man's heart and man's fallen condition. Remember with God there is his "permissive will" and his "perfect will". Polygamy was only allowed under the Law and prior by God's permissive will. His perfect will is illustrated in the monogamous relationship of Adam and Eve. One husband and one wife.
Paul indicated that monogamy was to be embraced as the Christian norm. Now as far as polygmy being "sin"??? Not sure. God never permitted "sin". Surely such families will reap complications for such an arrangement and Paul precludes the husband from being a bishop.
Christianity brings mankind up to greater heights. Maybe it was allowed at one time, but just as divorce and remarrige were brought to new levels, so is marrige, and respect for one another. Sin?, depends on the definition you choose. One definition is "missing the mark". The best situation is one on one as far as marriage goes. If we go backwards to something less, then yes it can be said we are missing the mark.
I am at a loss here. It seems that more and more what I read seems less like Apostolic friends. Are we honestly debating whether polygamy is proper?
I don’t think we’re debating as to whether polygamy is right. The question is, how do we respond to it if society allows it. And of course questions arise as to if God permitted it and why, especially if some say it’s adultery. Because that would make the vast majority of biblical patriarchs and men of God in the OT adulterers. It’s just a discussion bro.
Moses wasn't wrong...Moses was merely governing a nation.
God permitted many things under the Law because of man’s fallen nature. The Law wasn’t designed to make a person righteous. It was designed to restrain man’s unrighteousness. For example, God allowed several different forms of “marriage” or social union in the time of the patriarchs and under the Law:
Monogamous marriage
Levitical Marriage
Polygamous Marriage
War Brides
Concubinage
Each institution had set standards and guidelines to restrain man’s sinful nature. It doesn’t mean God approved of these things, but it does show that God permitted them and governed them to prevent total moral and social chaos.
I hear what you are saying. But Jesus didn't say God allowed the divorce. He specifically said Moses allowed it because of the hardness of people's hearts.
My example still stands. In the new testament , not only are men not to lie with one another, they are not even supposed to be sissy's.
jl
True. But we're now challenged to define "sissy". Most in the world would call Jesus, Stephen, and Paul sissies for never fighting back when attacked, stoned, and persecuted. The Bible appears to teach a message like what my mother taught me..."It takes more of a man to walk away from a fight."
Do we define manhood according to the world's definitions or the Bible's?
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