Polygamy

Q: Please advise the best scriptural defense against the teaching of
polygamy as being sound doctrine?

A: From the text of scripture and from the historical records of the time we
can conclude that polygamy was not known among the Jews or the Romans
during the time of Christ. Yet, in His answer to the Pharisees about the
Mosaic permission concerning divorce, we can see that polygamy also fits
into this category of something permitted for a time but never part of
God's original plan. Here is part of the discussion between Christ and
the Pharisees on this subject.

Mark 10:4 And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement,
and to put her away.
5 And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart
he wrote you this precept.
6 But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.
7 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to
his wife;
8 And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but
one flesh.
9 What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

Notice a couple of facts. From the beginning of the creation, God made
humans as male and female so that a man could leave his parents, cleave
unto his wife, and the two should be one flesh. If this teaching (taken
from Genesis 2:21-24) restricts divorce, it even more strongly supports
monogamy in marriage. God never set up for three to be one flesh. The Old
Testament permission was just that--permission based on the hardness of
their hearts. The divine plan is for one man and one woman to join in
marriage and become one flesh.

Paul also refutes polygamy by his teaching. 1Corinthians 7:2 states,
"Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and
let every woman have her own husband." Certainly, this statement makes no
sense apart from marriage being a monogamous joining. Paul makes no
provision for polygamy. Neither should we.

Thank you for the good question. I hope this helps.

Till He comes,

Pastor David Reagan

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