Polygamy in the Bible

[Hoovie]

Does anyone have firsthand knowledge with the missionary that converts one with many wives? How is the church handling this? (not just Oneness Pentecostal, but the Church at large)

[HappyTown]

Originally Posted by Stephen Hoover

So are you prepared to say Polyandry is a moral issue and forbidden under New Testament, while polygamy is not?

I'm sorry but the first thing that comes to mind is Wife Swap....

Hey I really enjoyed watching you and your wife, you both carried yourself very well. I did laugh when the gal took your baby crib outside....

[Hoovie]

Originally Posted by HappyTown

I'm sorry but the first thing that comes to mind is Wife Swap....

Hey I really enjoyed watching you and your wife, you both carried yourself very well. I did laugh when the gal took your baby crib outside....

Talk about a MORAL issue!

[HappyTown]

Originally Posted by Stephen Hoover

Talk about a MORAL issue!

You guys were great...

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by Stephen Hoover

So are you prepared to say Polyandry is a moral issue and forbidden under New Testament, while polygamy is not?

I believe that the issue is "covenant" or "social contract". The marriage covenant protects rights and entitlements of those under said contract. So under polygamy women have rights and entitlements. But with polyandry it's just "free love" and there are no rights or entitlements. There isn't any secure institution for the raising of children. Polyandry has always been morally wrong. God blessed polygamous men and families.

Now, shift to the New Testament. Paul clearly upholds monogamy. All of his statements are presuppositional. Why? Because the only legal marriage in the Roman empire was monogamy. In Paul's mind....polygamous marriages were not legal and therefore not valid. So Paul addresses marriage in a monogamous context. Like Paul, we are in a culture where polygamy isn't accepted. Also polygamy isn't necessary. So we by all means should continue embrace monogamous marriage and value it like Paul did. But notice....Paul never condemns polygamy as sin. Paul never warns us that men like Abraham, Jacob, Moses, David, and others were evil men with vile marriages not to be emulated. Paul never calls into question God's giving David his multiple wives. Paul assails monogamy...but he doesn't condemn polygamy.

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by Stephen Hoover

Does anyone have firsthand knowledge with the missionary that converts one with many wives? How is the church handling this? (not just Oneness Pentecostal, but the Church at large)

Actually yes. Missionary Bobby Wendel told a story about an Ethiopian man who had two wives and had been saved. He brought his entire family to church and they all were saved. Then the UPCI church they attended demanded that he divorce his second wife and make arrangements to determine who would raise his children. The man began to make arrangements to divorce his second wife and put her in a hotel room away from home with his children from her. But here's some background. In their community a divorced woman is regarded as a whore and treated like one. They typically end up in squalor, prostitutes, or sex slaves. This church had church the night before his divorce was to be finalized, but this man didn't show up. After the service ministers from the church went to his home and no one was home. They went to the hotel to see if the second wife might know where he was, and she was gone. At the last moment, he decided he loved his second wife too much to do that to her. They never saw the family again.

[TK Burk]

Originally Posted by Aquila

Actually yes. Missionary Bobby Wendel told a story about an Ethiopian man who had two wives and had been saved. He brought his entire family to church and they all were saved. Then the UPCI church they attended demanded that he divorce his second wife and make arrangements to determine who would raise his children. The man began to make arrangements to divorce his second wife and put her in a hotel room away from home with his children from her. But here's some background. In their community a divorced woman is regarded as a whore and treated like one. They typically end up in squalor, prostitutes, or sex slaves. This church had church the night before his divorce was to be finalized, but this man didn't show up. After the service ministers from the church went to his home and no one was home. They went to the hotel to see if the second wife might know where he was, and she was gone. At the last moment, he decided he loved his second wife too much to do that to her. They never saw the family again.

This is why Jesus said we must count the cost.... Evidently he did and it was too high.

Tough choices had to be made by those in the First Century also. If you were a Jew, you forfeited everything to become a disciple of Jesus Christ. Even today, Muslim converts often convert knowing it may cost them horrendous persecution or even their lives. But regardless of the cost, if it's right, it's right! (See Mark 8:34-38; 1Peter 4:13-16)

[Pastor DTSalaz]

Originally Posted by erikwebster

Wrong, the word "lust" actually means covet in modern english if its properly translated. Its referring to married women (once again).

Do you actually read the entire thread before you bring out the guns?

I should have only responded to your post and then put my personal feelings after on another post so as not to make you think I was referring to you. Anyways give me proof that the previous verse is referring to married women when the verse explicitly says A woman. Let me show you where I get my proof for the following verse.

Excuse me? Now we interpret the Word of God according to modern day English? Here is the verse with the Strongs #s after each word. Following this is the Kings James Concordance with every instance of the word and its translation.

Jas 1:15 ThenG1534 when lustG1939 hath conceived,G4815 it bringeth forthG5088 sin:G266 andG1161 sin,G266 when it is finished,G658 bringeth forthG616 death.G2288


ep-ee-thoo-mee'-ah
From G1937; a longing (especially for what is forbidden): - concupiscence, desire, lust (after).


G1939
ἐπιθυμία
epithumia
Total KJV Occurrences: 38
lusts, 22
Mar_4:19, Joh_8:44, Rom_1:24, Rom_6:12, Rom_13:14, Gal_5:24, Eph_2:3, Eph_4:22, 1Ti_6:9, 2Ti_2:22, 2Ti_3:6, 2Ti_4:3, Tit_2:12, Tit_3:3, 1Pe_1:14, 1Pe_2:11, 1Pe_4:2-3 (2), 2Pe_2:18, 2Pe_3:3, Jud_1:16, Jud_1:18
lust, 9
Rom_7:7, Gal_5:16, Jam_1:14-15 (2), 2Pe_1:4, 2Pe_2:10, 1Jo_2:16-17 (3)
concupiscence, 3
Rom_7:8, Col_3:5, 1Th_4:5
desire, 3
Luk_22:15, Phi_1:23, 1Th_2:17
desired, 1
Mat_13:17 (2)


Not once is it translated covet!!!

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by Rhoni

Can you imagine several jealous women in one household? The New Testament limits men, especially in leadership, from having more than one wife...there is good reason for that!

I can imagine something worse. Several Jealous women in one household all with PMS......

[Praxeas]

I would not mind having a couple wives as long as the worked and supported me