Polygamy

Are you concerned that polygamy might actually be legalized in our nation? I know it may seem far-fetched, but I assure you it is a real possibility. In fact, there are places in the United States where polygamy is openly practiced. We know the federal government outlawed polygamy, but there are places, especially in states like Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, North and South Dakota where polygamy can still be found. The polygamists attempt to justify their conduct by appealing to various so-called "new revelations," but there is no justification—absolutely none. The Bible is too plain on the topic for anyone to dispute its teaching.

I shall introduce the lesson today on "Polygamy" with some definitions. There are several words that are related to our topic. The word "polygamy" is a generic word that literally means many marriages. Included under the broad term, "polygamy," are various forms of multiple marriages, such as, polygyny, polyandry, and communal or group marriages. The word "polygyny" refers to marriages with many wives, the most common form of multiple marriages. "Polyandry" means marriages with several husbands, a form of marriage that has rarely existed in any culture. "Communal marriages" involve several husbands and several wives in the same relationship, sometimes called "group marriages." Polygamous marriages have never had God's specific approval—although God permitted it at certain times in the past. He strongly condemns it in the New Testament, although the word "polygamy" is never used in the Bible. In fact, those who engage in such behavior shall not enter the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6:9-10; Gal. 5:19-21).

More than fifty-five years ago, I purchased and read a novel with the title, The Peaceable Kingdom. The book outlined the difficulties polygamous marriages face. I remember the jealousy that existed among the wives in that polygamous marriage. If the husband bought one wife a new washing machine, he had to buy the other wives new washing machines. If he bought one a new automobile, he had to buy all of them new automobiles. How could a husband condition himself to treat all wives the same and avoid the jealousy that is inevitable in such arrangements? It would be impossible for a husband to be equally in love with all of them. The truth is: Multiple marriages are based on lust and greed. There is no way under heaven such marriages can please God. Nor can polygamous marriages be good for everyone involved—especially for the children.

The book of Deuteronomy has a brief section on polygamy. "If a man have two wives, one beloved, and another hated, and they have borne him children, both the beloved and the hated; and if the firstborn son be hers who was hated; then it shall be, when he makes his sons to inherit that which he has, that he may not make the son of the beloved firstborn before the son of the hated, which is indeed the firstborn: but he shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he has: for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his" (Dt. 21:15-17). Does not this passage show the jealousy and hatred that are bound to arise in all polygamous marriages? The word "hated" in these verses probably would be better translated "unloved" or "loved less?" The English Standard Version renders the Hebrew "unloved." The New Revised Standard Version translates the term, "disliked."

We know what God's original pattern for the home was. "So God created man in him own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them" (Gen. 1:27). "And the Lord said, It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him...Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh" (Gen. 2:18, 24). Did the Lord say, "wives" (plural) or "wife" (singular)? Incidentally, the Lord Jesus Christ endorsed the Genesis account (Mt. 19:4-5). Paul used the singular of "wife" when he wrote: "Nevertheless let everyone of you in particular love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence (or respect) her husband" (Eph. 5:33).

The Old Testament provides a record of the very first polygamous marriage. "And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other was Zillah" (Gen. 4:19). From that time onward during the Jewish covenant, some of the kings and other prominent people married multiple wives. Abraham was certainly one of the most influential men among the ancient Hebrews. He married a beautiful woman named Sarah. She must have been beautiful or the Egyptian pharaoh would not have wanted her in his harem. And remember that she was an old woman when the pharaoh made arrangements for her to be one of his wives. You can read the incident in Genesis 12.

Abraham and Sarah were old people when the Lord promised to give them a son. Sarah could not believe she would have a child in her old age. So she arranged a plan to help the Lord out of a difficult position. N. B. Hardeman, the president of Freed-Hardeman University when I was a student, said that Sarah formed the first Ladies' Aid Society. Sarah suggested that Abraham have intimate sexual relations with Hagar, Sarah's servant (Gen. 16:1-3.). Archaeologists have discovered records which show that such behavior was common in southern Mesopotamia. A woman who could not bear children would give her servant to her husband. Since the servant belonged to the wife, any children born to the servant would belong to the wife. Both Abraham and Sarah committed a serious blunder—a blunder that still has serious repercussions.

When Sarah saw that Hagar was pregnant, she despised her handmaid. Sarah said to Abraham: "May the wrong done to me be upon you: I have given my maid into your bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the Lord judge between me and you. But Abraham said unto Sarah, Behold, your maid is in your hand; do to her as it pleases you. And when Sarah had dealt severely with her, she fled from her face" (Gen. 16:5-6). This incident occurred almost four thousand years ago, but it is an example for men and women in every country in every generation. Human nature had not changed. Following God's pattern of one man and one woman until death separates human beings will avoid the jealousy and anger Sarah experienced and the haughtiness Hagar used against her mistress.

The Old Testament describes Solomon as a very wise man. I have no doubt he was, most of the time. But as Solomon got older, he behaved very foolishly, about like Liz Taylor and some of the other stars in Hollywood. 1 Kings tells us about the stupid behavior of the king Solomon. "But king Solomon loved many strange women (that is, women outside the nation of Israel), together with the daughter of pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians and Hittites: of the nations concerning which the Lord said unto the children of Israel, You shall not go in unto them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clung unto these in love. And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart" (1 Kings 11:1-3).

A few observations on this passage are in order. Solomon could never be accused of discrimination. He apparently married just about everyone who was available. We have no way of knowing how many of his wives and concubines were faithful Israelites, but that seems not to have made much difference to Solomon. What an absolute shame that one so wise—one with such great potentiality for good—would destroy his usefulness by his utter stupidity! Did Solomon repent before his face-to-face meeting with the Lord? We do not know, but we do know he is not listed among the great heroes of the faith in Hebrews 11.

Dr. Daniel R. Heimbach, professor of Christian Ethics at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, in my judgment, has written one of the best books on sexual ethics I have found. His book has the title, True Sexual Ethics: Recovering Biblical Standards for a Culture in Crisis (Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2004). Dr. Heimbach's book has the enthusiastic endorsement of some of the leading evangelicals in America: Dr. Paige Patterson, Fred Barnes, Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Dr. Wayne Grudem and Dr. Richard Land. But I have a problem with Dr. Heimbach's discussion of polygamy. A few brief statements from Dr. Heimbach's book will show one serious flaw in the book. Please listen carefully. "God also opposes polygamy. But while he clearly opposes having more than one wife or husband at a time, he does not ban it for everyone.....In the New Testament, polygamy is prohibited for people in church leadership, but again this prohibition is not applied to others" (pp. 216-217).

Dr. Heimbach has a brief discussion of Romans 7:1-3, but apparently did not understand the universal application of the principles involved. I ask you to think with me on this very important passage. I am sure that most of you know the purpose of the book of Romans. The Holy Spirit gave the book to show that we are not under the Mosaic covenant, but under the gospel of Christ. Paul informed the Roman Christians: "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes; to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith" (Rom. 1:16-17). It is through the gospel—not through the law of Moses—that we are justified. Paul makes that truth even plainer in these words: "Therefore by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets" (Rom. 3:20-21).

One of the ways Paul proved that we are not under the law but under the gospel is by using as an example God's law that binds husbands and wives. Paul asked the Roman Christians: "Do you not know, brethren, (for I speak to them who know the law), how that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives" (Rom. 7:1)? The "law" Paul had in mind was the law of Moses. As the Romans surely knew, that law was binding on the people of the Jewish covenant as long as they lived. Please listen to the example Paul uses to prove his observation that "the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives." "For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he lives; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband" (Rom. 7:2).

God's law of marriage bound a husband and wife so long as they lived. According to Jesus Christ, a husband and wife become one flesh. "Wherefore they are not more two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder" (Mt. 19:5-6). The Jews asked about the writing of divorcement that Moses allowed. Jesus responded: "Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put a way your wives, but from the beginning it was not so" (Mt. 19:7-8). The little prepositional phrase, "from the beginning," demonstrates that Christ was returning to God's original pattern as revealed in Genesis 1 and 2.

If the husband died, the wife was no longer bound to her husband. She was free to marry again. But neither she nor her husband could marry another while they were still bound to each other without committing adultery. I am fully aware how harsh these words may sound in the ears of many modern people. But there is no doubt of Paul's meaning. Please listen to the next verse. "So then if, while her husband lives, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from the law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man" (Rom. 7:3). How could the language in this verse be plainer?

Christ gave a legitimate reason for a woman to divorce her husband or a husband to divorce his wife and to marry another. "And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except if be for fornication, and shall marry another, commits adultery: and whoso marries her who is put away commits adultery" (Mt. 19:9). If a woman's spouse commits adultery, she can put him away and marry another without committing adultery. But if she marries another man without having a scriptural right to divorce, she commits adultery.

According to Paul, if a woman marries another man while her husband lives, she shall be called an adulteress. Why would she be called "an adulteress?" Because that is exactly what she is. If her husband dies, she has every right to marry another man. In that case, she is no adulteress, even though she is married to another man. When I was a very young preacher—probably still in my teens—I preached at a country church in central Kentucky. The class was dealing with the qualifications of elders. Elders are to be married and to have only one wife. The King James Version says a bishop or an elder is to be "the husband one wife" (1 Tim. 3:2). The Greek calls him a one-woman man.

One of the members in that class argued that if an elder's wife died and he remarried, that disqualified him from being an elder. He would be a man with two wives. That is the very opposite of Paul's teaching in Romans 7. If a man's wife dies, he is free to marry another woman without being married to two wives. However, if the members of the church have difficulty with a man's remarrying and remaining an elder, it might be better for him to step down as an elder. After all, how can we lead if we do not have the confidence of those who are supposed to follow?

After using the illustration of a husband and wife, Paul advised the Roman Christians: "Wherefore, my brethren, you also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that you should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God" (Rom. 7:4). As I mentioned a while ago, the main thrust of Romans 7:1-4 is the removal of the Mosaic covenant and the establishment of the gospel of Christ. But the example of the husband and wife teaches the truth on polygamy. Polygamy is an attack on marriage as God ordained it. Christians must oppose polygamy and all other aberrant forms of marriage. A polygamist is an adulterer. Do you know what will happen to all adulterers who do not repent?

Paul asked the Corinthians: "Do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, not effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God" (1 Cor. 6:9-10). Paul told the Ephesians: "For this you know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ, and of God" (Eph. 5:5).

There is not even the slightest doubt the New Testament unequivocally condemns polygamy and all other forms of sexual immorality. But from a purely practical viewpoint, polygamy makes absolutely no sense. No so-called "revelation" outside the scriptures can overturn what the New Testament so clearly condemns. Any sexual relationship outside a monogamous marriage will bring the curses of God on the heads of those who practice them. But the good news is: We can turn away from all sin—whether sexual or otherwise—and be forgiven, be added to the Lord's church and be on our way to heaven. How do I know that?

As I have already mentioned, the Corinthians had been guilty of all kinds of sin (1 Cor. 6:9-10). But they were washed, sanctified and justified (1 Cor. 6:11). When were they washed, sanctified and justified? The answer can be found in the great book of conversions. The apostle Paul visited the Jewish synagogue in the city of Corinth. While he was there, he preached that Jesus was the Christ. Please take note of what occurred as a result of his preaching. "And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized" (Acts 18:5-6, 8).

If you are not a Christian, will you not this very day confess your faith in Christ, repent of your alien sins and be baptized to wash away your sins (Acts 22:16)? Then devote your life in service to your God and to your fellowmen. God almighty will say to you when you meet him in the judgment: “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joys of thy Lord.” What could possibly be sweeter than that?

Winford Claiborne

The International Gospel Hour

P.O. Box 118

Fayetteville, TN 37334