Polygamy

The issue of polygamy rarely comes up at Setting Captives Free yet, at times, there are those who have questions about the practice. Is polygamy, indeed, sinful, and does Scripture speak against it? This article was written for those who have questions about polygamy, or may even be considering pursuing this practice in their own lives.

One passage often used to support polygamy is in regard to the qualifications for leadership.

A polygamist might say the word "one" is to be interpreted as "first." Therefore, one who is to qualify for church leadership is to still be married to his "first wife." That’s a pretty handy interpretation, isn’t it? Yet we know this is not the intended interpretation because the Bible has nothing good to say about polygamy. There is no reference to a blessing being imparted upon those who partake of this practice; (in spite of it, at times, but not because of this practice) and there is certainly no Old Testament or New Testament teaching that encourages it or speaks of it in a favorable manner. Instead, monogamy is the clear pattern the Bible encourages and promotes because, from the beginning, the plan was "one man, one woman."

By creating a helpmate that was suitable for Adam, the Lord fulfilled the need of Adam, and that was that he was no longer alone, but had been given a helpmate to walk through life with him. He did not give Adam "helpmates" or "helpers" (plural).

1 Corinthians 7 is such a clear teaching on this subject that I am absolutely amazed and sickened to see how those in support of polygamy will twist it into SUPPORTING this selfish practice. Yet, what does the passage really say?

Does it speak of husbands and wives in a singular fashion, or in a plural one? Not once in this passage is there EVER a reference to a husband not leaving his "wives," or "meet the sexual needs of your wives," or "give to your wives their conjugal rights." If polygamy were practiced in the early church, do you not think that Paul would have addressed this issue and spoken clearly to those who had multiple spouses? Instead, there is nothing - nada, zilch, no references to anything even hinting at polygamy here.

Polygamy is nothing more than coveting, selfishness, and an attitude of "I want MORE!" It is an attempt to spiritually legalize adultery. I am still amazed that some can look at the destruction and pain that polygamy brought into the lives of those in the Old Testament and still hold onto the dream of how "wonderful it would be." Can they not see David and how, even though he had multiple wives and concubines, he still wanted more? And, what about Solomon? It was his lust and desire for "more and more wives" that potentially shipwrecked his soul. Why can't they see how this is one of those things in Scripture that is spoken of when it says "There is a way that seems right to a man, but the end result is death?" (Prov. 16:25)

If you read the account of Jacob, Rachel, and Leah, you will see rivalry, discord, jealousy, and pain. There was death for Rachel, in her quest for "more," as she died during childbirth with Benjamin. Read Genesis 30:1-24 and it should make you cringe to see how Leah is brokenhearted as she realizes that the man she loves is in love with another woman, and how Rachel is jealous of Leah for her ability to bear children. Why was there such pain? Because God instilled within us the desire for unity and oneness with one person, and polygamy shreds that union!

This passage uses the singular, "wife," not "wives!" How can a man who has multiple wives be "one flesh" with them all? He can't! And the polygamous man does the very thing that Jesus Christ warns about at the end of verse 6. He SEPARATES that which God has drawn together by inviting a different woman into his marriage bed.

Here's another example of how the Bible illustrates the pattern of one man and one woman. Read the account of Nathan when he confronted David for his sin with Bathsheba.

We know that, in his illustration about the rich man and the poor man, Nathan is speaking of David and Uriah. David was the man who had "very many flocks and herds," referring to his harem of women. Yet what did Uriah have? He had "One little ewe lamb," singular; one wife, with whom he was content. Yet David; who had HUNDREDS of women with whom to have sex, went, instead, and took the wife of Uriah, knowing full well who she was. Why? Because his polygamous practice from the past had taught him to respond to a beautiful woman, much like Samson did when he said to his father, "Get her for me, because she looks good to me." (Judges 14:3)

Polygamy does not control lust or temper the flames of desire in the heart but ENFLAMES them with "I WANT MORE!" What was the end result of this case of greed? Again, there was more death. David’s unbridled passion and desire for more women led to the fulfillment of the four-fold penalty he imposed upon himself. Not only did the son he had with Bathsheba die, but so did three more of his sons, Amnon, Absalom, and Adonijah. Oh friend, do not be deceived as David was when he saw that beautiful woman in the rooftop. Instead, step back and look at the whole picture of what unbridled passion and lust for "more" cost him!

Here is a truth you can take to the bank, my friend. Correct biblical interpretation will always make us more Christ-like, more willing to carry our cross, more desirous to die daily, more faithful to the Lord, and more willing to serve others. The teaching of polygamy does none of these things. Instead, it takes and it feeds off the weak and needy. It is fueled by lust and is self-serving.

Polygamy also leads to deception. I have spent much time at polygamy websites in an attempt to understand their reasoning and their so-called exegesis of passages that support it. Below is one such point that they believe supports a New Testament example of polygamy. (Please note that, at the best, they could only find one, and I think you will agree that the one they included is about as clear as trying to read a book a mile away by looking through a muddy telescope, at midnight, with no moon, underwater.) J

Need I say more?

Instead of denying the flesh, polygamy says to gratify it, and "Let's twist the Word so we don't feel guilty about it." Grace will always be more than we need to resist the temptations of the flesh that look oh, so pleasing at the time but, in the end, are only empty cisterns that make us more thirsty.

In Christ,
Shon Bruellman
Executive Director-Purity Courses

Passages