Biblical approach to Polygamy.
BIBLICAL APPROACH TO POLYGAMY.
Christianity is a religion that believes marriage is between a man and a woman. God ordained a marriage to be a union between a man and a woman and not a man with women or woman with men. Churches differ on doctrines in regards with dealings with polygamist. Some churches exclude a polygamist from being a worker or officer of the church. Some even said polygamist cannot make heaven if they do not break away from their polygamous homes. Some even exclude polygamist from baptism and the Lord’s Table. What should be the church perspective to polygamist in the church? How can Christianity and polygamy co-exist? These are the questions that this article tend to answer as it approach polygamy from the biblical point of view and how church should respond to polygamist in the churches.
Polygamy is the practice of having several spouses especially wives at one time. Polygamy includes polygyny which is marriage to more than one woman and polyandry which is marriage to more than one man. The term polygamy is more often used however as a symbol for polygyny which was common throughout the ancient world. In Africa, polygamy is widely common, west African is the region where polygamy is majorly practiced all over the world. Polygamy is predominant there as a result of the following reasons: to raise work force because the major source of income is farming, numerous children were symbol of status and wealth, raise army for wars, search for a heir, solution during menopause, pregnancy and nursing. In some African culture it’s a taboo for husband to have sex with their wives during pregnancy and nursing stage, sexual incompatibility, infertility of wife, a wife’s ill health. In the western world, polygamy is forbidden for over 2500 years, in India who are majorly of Hindu religion, polygamy is forbidden, in Arab and Islamic nations, polygamy is legal provided the husband can take care of them all. It can be deduced that polygamy is associated with custom, culture and religion of people.
The bible presents monogamy as the divine ideal. The creator made marriage as a union between one man and one woman. (Gen 2:18-19, matt 19:4-6, 1 Corinthians 6: 16). According to the custom of that time, Abraham took Hagar the Egyptian maidservant of his wife Sarah to be his wife when Sarah was unable to bear a child.(gen 16:1-4) Abraham’s son, Isaac had only one wife but Abraham grandson Jacob took two wives Leah and Rachael because he was deceived . Leah and Bilhah were his concubines as a result of strife and envy between Leah and Rachael. After the time of Moses, polygamy continued to be practiced especially by wealthy individuals such as Gideon, Elkanah, Saul and David (judges 8: 28-30, 1 Sam 1:2; 2 Sam 5:13, 1 kings 11:3) but the famous polygamist in the bible was Solomon (1 king 11:3) the book of Deuteronomy 17:17 condemn king having many wives lest his heart be turn away from God. This was evident in the life of King Solomon. Polygamy just like divorce was tolerated because of the hardness of people’s hearts (Matthew 19:8) Polygamy has caused a lot of family crises and problems. Many homes have been devastated and shattered as a result of polygamy. A polygamist was interviewed if he had liked being a polygamist? He replied “ I didn’t plan to be a polygamist but when fame, wealth increases, he failed to manage it and discipline himself . I do not pray for any of my children to be a polygamist” in the same vein biblical models that are polygamist voluntarily or on their own volition have more than one wives, they did so under trying circumstances.
Polygamous homes are characterized with taking advantage of the wives, fighting between the rival wives, inherent rivalry, hatred between rival wives, inability to provide adequately for all the wives and children.in most polygamous homes in west African nations, wives usually cater for the needs of their children, the husband usually have a favourite which he is financially responsible to and in a bid to win the husband’s favour the wives usually result into witchcraft, voodoo and African magic. Envy and strife made them attack each other’s children whom they see as prosperous or a threat. As a result of all these troubles, untimely deaths, divorces, pains, struggles, sickness are inevitable in most polygamous homes. The troubles of polygamous home are enough for a man to shun polygamy but culture, customs, religion have enslaved some into polygamy. Some subscribe to polygamy as a last resort for their wives who were barren and who wished to have children without divorcing their wives whom they love as in the case of Elkanah. Monarchs also routinely used polygamy to cement relationship with different tribal factions and families as in the case of Solomon.
Being a polygamist does not mean you are a sinner or condemned to hell if you are saved. If you are a polygamist before you are saved, the grace of God is sufficient for you. You do not need to condemn yourself, please God daily and be faithful to him as you serve him in a local church. Church pastors should engage polygamist in units where they can serve God faithfully. Allow them to partake in baptism if they are not baptized and let them partake in the Lord’s Supper. As for the unsaved polygamist, preach love and acceptance to them. If Jesus has not condemned them who are you to condemn them. As for the saved that found themselves in polygamy, preach love to them, God is willing to accept them if only they can repent and continue to serve God. Christianity is not a religion but a life of relationship with God where lives are transformed to become like Christ. Hence the church should preach love which is the summary of the gospel. Christianity should not encourage the practice of polygamy as a result of dangers attached to it; it is not the will of God for his Children because polygamy may turn the heart of God’s children away from him. In a polygamy culture, Christians should influence them by preaching the message of love and repentance. Jesus did not hate polygamist, he loves them and is able to restore them and draw them to his presence if we are willing to reach out to them in love.
Oladipupo Abolanle
+2348051938901
Christianity is a religion that believes marriage is between a man and a woman. God ordained a marriage to be a union between a man and a woman and not a man with women or woman with men. Churches differ on doctrines in regards with dealings with polygamist. Some churches exclude a polygamist from being a worker or officer of the church. Some even said polygamist cannot make heaven if they do not break away from their polygamous homes. Some even exclude polygamist from baptism and the Lord’s Table. What should be the church perspective to polygamist in the church? How can Christianity and polygamy co-exist? These are the questions that this article tend to answer as it approach polygamy from the biblical point of view and how church should respond to polygamist in the churches.
Polygamy is the practice of having several spouses especially wives at one time. Polygamy includes polygyny which is marriage to more than one woman and polyandry which is marriage to more than one man. The term polygamy is more often used however as a symbol for polygyny which was common throughout the ancient world. In Africa, polygamy is widely common, west African is the region where polygamy is majorly practiced all over the world. Polygamy is predominant there as a result of the following reasons: to raise work force because the major source of income is farming, numerous children were symbol of status and wealth, raise army for wars, search for a heir, solution during menopause, pregnancy and nursing. In some African culture it’s a taboo for husband to have sex with their wives during pregnancy and nursing stage, sexual incompatibility, infertility of wife, a wife’s ill health. In the western world, polygamy is forbidden for over 2500 years, in India who are majorly of Hindu religion, polygamy is forbidden, in Arab and Islamic nations, polygamy is legal provided the husband can take care of them all. It can be deduced that polygamy is associated with custom, culture and religion of people.
The bible presents monogamy as the divine ideal. The creator made marriage as a union between one man and one woman. (Gen 2:18-19, matt 19:4-6, 1 Corinthians 6: 16). According to the custom of that time, Abraham took Hagar the Egyptian maidservant of his wife Sarah to be his wife when Sarah was unable to bear a child.(gen 16:1-4) Abraham’s son, Isaac had only one wife but Abraham grandson Jacob took two wives Leah and Rachael because he was deceived . Leah and Bilhah were his concubines as a result of strife and envy between Leah and Rachael. After the time of Moses, polygamy continued to be practiced especially by wealthy individuals such as Gideon, Elkanah, Saul and David (judges 8: 28-30, 1 Sam 1:2; 2 Sam 5:13, 1 kings 11:3) but the famous polygamist in the bible was Solomon (1 king 11:3) the book of Deuteronomy 17:17 condemn king having many wives lest his heart be turn away from God. This was evident in the life of King Solomon. Polygamy just like divorce was tolerated because of the hardness of people’s hearts (Matthew 19:8) Polygamy has caused a lot of family crises and problems. Many homes have been devastated and shattered as a result of polygamy. A polygamist was interviewed if he had liked being a polygamist? He replied “ I didn’t plan to be a polygamist but when fame, wealth increases, he failed to manage it and discipline himself . I do not pray for any of my children to be a polygamist” in the same vein biblical models that are polygamist voluntarily or on their own volition have more than one wives, they did so under trying circumstances.
Polygamous homes are characterized with taking advantage of the wives, fighting between the rival wives, inherent rivalry, hatred between rival wives, inability to provide adequately for all the wives and children.in most polygamous homes in west African nations, wives usually cater for the needs of their children, the husband usually have a favourite which he is financially responsible to and in a bid to win the husband’s favour the wives usually result into witchcraft, voodoo and African magic. Envy and strife made them attack each other’s children whom they see as prosperous or a threat. As a result of all these troubles, untimely deaths, divorces, pains, struggles, sickness are inevitable in most polygamous homes. The troubles of polygamous home are enough for a man to shun polygamy but culture, customs, religion have enslaved some into polygamy. Some subscribe to polygamy as a last resort for their wives who were barren and who wished to have children without divorcing their wives whom they love as in the case of Elkanah. Monarchs also routinely used polygamy to cement relationship with different tribal factions and families as in the case of Solomon.
Being a polygamist does not mean you are a sinner or condemned to hell if you are saved. If you are a polygamist before you are saved, the grace of God is sufficient for you. You do not need to condemn yourself, please God daily and be faithful to him as you serve him in a local church. Church pastors should engage polygamist in units where they can serve God faithfully. Allow them to partake in baptism if they are not baptized and let them partake in the Lord’s Supper. As for the unsaved polygamist, preach love and acceptance to them. If Jesus has not condemned them who are you to condemn them. As for the saved that found themselves in polygamy, preach love to them, God is willing to accept them if only they can repent and continue to serve God. Christianity is not a religion but a life of relationship with God where lives are transformed to become like Christ. Hence the church should preach love which is the summary of the gospel. Christianity should not encourage the practice of polygamy as a result of dangers attached to it; it is not the will of God for his Children because polygamy may turn the heart of God’s children away from him. In a polygamy culture, Christians should influence them by preaching the message of love and repentance. Jesus did not hate polygamist, he loves them and is able to restore them and draw them to his presence if we are willing to reach out to them in love.
Oladipupo Abolanle
+2348051938901
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