Question: Why can a guy, in today’s society, have as many children with as many women that he wants, as long as he doesn't make a personal commitment to any of them?
Wouldn't it be better to see a guy make a marriage commitment to each one rather than just sleeping around? Today’s society seems to be like you can just use a woman until she get's pregnant then get another one. Are you ok with that?
My Reply:
It's good that you see this as a problem. It's not right for the guy in your first paragraph, and such a guy would be living in sin. Plus, I believe that in many countries, it’s also seen as a crime.
As for marrying all of them, scripture does make it clear that God's original design of marriage was for 1 man and 1 woman. Jesus also relates Himself to this model as the bridegroom of the Church.
But the polygamy issue shouldn't be related to only today's culture, for I have spoken with a Mormon woman once who said she supported polygamy because the patriarchs married several women. But there are 2 explanations to raise:
1) -Adam never married more than 1 woman. Sure there was only one other at the time, but Adam lived some, what, 800 years (one may argue that was 800 years after being kicked out of the Garden. Who knows how long they were in there before disobeying God)? There were others by then. But he only married Eve, and none other.
-Abraham married Hagar, but only because his wife, Sarah, emotionally insisted (you know how women sometimes get...you do what they say and don't ask questions), and because an ungodly culture at the time permitted it (it was even common!). But this also bit him in the butt later. And even though Abe married Hagar, Ishmael is still known as the son who was born in sin. So even though scripture says he married them both, and the culture at the time permitted and promoted it, God only honored the 1st marriage as the blessed one, and only blessed the child from the first one.
-Jacob/Israel originally wanted Rachael, but was tricked into marriage with Leah (see why drunkenness is bad?). And when the Lord saw that Leah was despised, He made Rachel barren. You see, even though Jacob desired her more, God saw the first marriage and honored it over the man's desire.
2) In the Old Testament (especially in the beginning), God commanded that we subdue the earth and multiply. In order to do this, one often found reason to take several wives (once again though, not part of God's original design). Now in New Testament times, Jesus updated that command to "go and make disciples of all the nations". So the command to subdue and multiply has been accomplished...there's no more need to do so. NOW, our mission is to make disciples of all these people who've subdued the earth.
So you see, according to God's design, marriage is with only 1 of each gender. The adding on of wives is a human thing, invented out of sin. But in polygamous marriages, God only honors the first marriage...all the others are adulteresses.
As for marrying all of them, scripture does make it clear that God's original design of marriage was for 1 man and 1 woman. Jesus also relates Himself to this model as the bridegroom of the Church.
But the polygamy issue shouldn't be related to only today's culture, for I have spoken with a Mormon woman once who said she supported polygamy because the patriarchs married several women. But there are 2 explanations to raise:
1) -Adam never married more than 1 woman. Sure there was only one other at the time, but Adam lived some, what, 800 years (one may argue that was 800 years after being kicked out of the Garden. Who knows how long they were in there before disobeying God)? There were others by then. But he only married Eve, and none other.
-Abraham married Hagar, but only because his wife, Sarah, emotionally insisted (you know how women sometimes get...you do what they say and don't ask questions), and because an ungodly culture at the time permitted it (it was even common!). But this also bit him in the butt later. And even though Abe married Hagar, Ishmael is still known as the son who was born in sin. So even though scripture says he married them both, and the culture at the time permitted and promoted it, God only honored the 1st marriage as the blessed one, and only blessed the child from the first one.
-Jacob/Israel originally wanted Rachael, but was tricked into marriage with Leah (see why drunkenness is bad?). And when the Lord saw that Leah was despised, He made Rachel barren. You see, even though Jacob desired her more, God saw the first marriage and honored it over the man's desire.
2) In the Old Testament (especially in the beginning), God commanded that we subdue the earth and multiply. In order to do this, one often found reason to take several wives (once again though, not part of God's original design). Now in New Testament times, Jesus updated that command to "go and make disciples of all the nations". So the command to subdue and multiply has been accomplished...there's no more need to do so. NOW, our mission is to make disciples of all these people who've subdued the earth.
So you see, according to God's design, marriage is with only 1 of each gender. The adding on of wives is a human thing, invented out of sin. But in polygamous marriages, God only honors the first marriage...all the others are adulteresses.
---Pastor Andy
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