Is polygamy a sin

Euodius · Feb 12, 2020

HTacianas said:
Leviticus 18:18 prohibits sexual relations between a man and his sister in law. It's not a prohibition against polygamy.

It is a prohibition against polygamy.

HTacianas · Feb 12, 2020

Euodius said:
It is a prohibition against polygamy.

It prohibits sexual relations between inlaws. It is of the same type as 18:8

Lev 18:8 - The nakedness of thy father's wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father's nakedness.

It prohibits sexual relations between a man and a woman who has had relations with his father, the charge made against the Corinthian man:

1Co 5:1 - It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.

Euodius · Feb 12, 2020

HTacianas said:
It prohibits sexual relations between inlaws. It is of the same type as 18:8

Lev 18:8 - The nakedness of thy father's wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father's nakedness.

It prohibits sexual relations between a man and a woman who has had relations with his father, the charge made against the Corinthian man:

1Co 5:1 - It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.

The verse applies more broadly than you claim.

AvgJoe · Feb 13, 2020

vlisco said:
Hello guys, I've been wondering if it's a sin for a Christian man to marry more than one wife. Will a person ho to hell if he legally marries more women? Pls advice with scriptural reference. Thank you

vlisco · Feb 14, 2020

HTacianas said:
There is no scriptural prohibition against polygamy. It has long been prohibited by the Church. Even those who don't follow the teachings of the Church still have it as a holdover from when they did.

But I don't know where you live so I don't know if it's legal or not.

there are no legal laws against polygamy where i live.. but im concerned more about whether doing that may mean that ive sinned and cost me heaven

Alexsalimander · Feb 15, 2020

Exodus 21:10 KJV
If he take him another wife; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish.
This is as far as I know the only command in the Bible regarding polygamy: you must treat your wives equally in every way.
As far as I have found there is no direct prohibitions against polygamy, but many, many examples and such as to why and how it is a bad idea. For instance, rachel and leah, hannah and penninah, David's wives and Solomon's wives, both of which got them in trouble with God. (Not hell, just trouble) and many others. And it goes against how God made us, to be one man and one woman as one flesh. So is it inherently wrong? I dunno. Is it best? Definitely not.

vlisco · Feb 17, 2020

Alexsalimander said:
Exodus 21:10 KJV
If he take him another wife; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish.
This is as far as I know the only command in the Bible regarding polygamy: you must treat your wives equally in every way.
As far as I have found there is no direct prohibitions against polygamy, but many, many examples and such as to why and how it is a bad idea. For instance, rachel and leah, hannah and penninah, David's wives and Solomon's wives, both of which got them in trouble with God. (Not hell, just trouble) and many others. And it goes against how God made us, to be one man and one woman as one flesh. So is it inherently wrong? I dunno. Is it best? Definitely not.

i agree! there are no scriptures that clearly prohibits polygamy

dayhiker · Feb 18, 2020

This is the verse that speaks to me the most about if its OK to have more than one wife. In 2 Samual. 12: 7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. 8 I gave your master’s house to you, and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you all Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more.

Context is David stealing and committing adultery with Bathsheba against her husband. Here Nathan clearly says God gave David for this but says the above int his context. My paraphrase of the above ... God gave you all of Saul's wives into your arms and if you wanted more wives you just had to ask.

If you do a historical study its not God's people the Jews that taught a man could only have one wife but the pagan Gentiles that taught that. See Plato's Republic.

vlisco · Feb 19, 2020

dayhiker said:
This is the verse that speaks to me the most about if its OK to have more than one wife. In 2 Samual. 12: 7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. 8 I gave your master’s house to you, and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you all Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more.

Context is David stealing and committing adultery with Bathsheba against her husband. Here Nathan clearly says God gave David for this but says the above int his context. My paraphrase of the above ... God gave you all of Saul's wives into your arms and if you wanted more wives you just had to ask.

If you do a historical study its not God's people the Jews that taught a man could only have one wife but the pagan Gentiles that taught that. See Plato's Republic.

This makes sense..

SwordmanJr · Mar 23, 2020

solid_core said:
Yes, it is a sin, because its adultery against the first wife.

Who belives in Christ Jesus will not come to the judgement, but already came to life, so no hell.

That's a rather odd declaration, because claiming it is the sin of adultery leads to the conclusion that we all may expect to see the Patriarchs burning in the pits of Hell, for almost all of them had plural wives.

I will agree with you that MOST forms of POLYGAMY are indeed sin, but POLYGYNY is not a sin. That is proven within the scriptures where it was revealed by Nathan the prophet that God gave to king David at least two of his already plural wives, and the Lord also COMMANDED the taking of an additional wife (in relation to those brothers who were already married) from his dead brother who had no heir.

So, in the end, were it sin for a man to have plural wives, we would not see the very actions and commands from God that we can read by simply allowing the word of God to speak for itself rather than to force meaning into the scriptures that ultimately condemn the very Patriarchs of our faith. Talking to some "priest" isn't going to change what the word of God says, but those men will teach you the traditions of their respective institutions that may or may not align with the very word of God.

Now, MOST men can't handle more than one wife, and many can't even handle one, so POLYGYNY is not for all or most men. Most should avoid it. The men I know personally who have more than one are men with great love for others. They are all exceptional in their own way, as are their wives. With feminism having infiltrated so many cultures across this earth, along with the utter ruin it brings into the hearts and minds of its adherents, it was inevitable that socially engineered theologies would spring up in various sects, denominations, non-denominations, religions, government, laws, etc., with religious leaders chiming in with their false teachings about it.

Folks, REAL marriage, as defined by God rather than mankind and his petty laws, as defined in Genesis 2, is NOT that silly piece of paper from your local government, and the supporting laws behind that piece of peper. TRUE marriage is a life-long commitment toward inner change and growth. It is a sacrifice. It is a dying to self. It also is known to have a prolonging effect upon those who are truly committed. Those who see marriage as defined by that piece of paper from City Hall and laws, they are those who go running to get a lawyer when things get tough. Believe it or not, there are MANY couples out there who have one of those pieces of paper from their local government, and yet who are living in adultery and fornication after having been married, illegitimately divorced by governmental decree, and re-attached to someone who, in God's eyes, is not their spouse for the taking.

So, the question remains....what do YOU choose to believe; the Bible, some "priest" or "pastor," one of the man-made, socially engineered theologies that literally fill pulpit teachings, Sunday school materials, "christian" books, radio, TV, and in discussions with family and friends? Taking responsibility for what one chooses to believe is utmost in the exercise of TRUE faith.

Jr

solid_core · Mar 23, 2020

SwordmanJr said:
That's a rather odd declaration, because claiming it is the sin of adultery leads to the conclusion that we all may expect to see the Patriarchs burning in the pits of Hell, for almost all of them had plural wives.

I will agree with you that MOST forms of POLYGAMY are indeed sin, but POLYGYNY is not a sin. That is proven within the scriptures where it was revealed by Nathan the prophet that God gave to king David at least two of his already plural wives, and the Lord also COMMANDED the taking of an additional wife (in relation to those brothers who were already married) from his dead brother who had no heir.

So, in the end, were it sin for a man to have plural wives, we would not see the very actions and commands from God that we can read by simply allowing the word of God to speak for itself rather than to force meaning into the scriptures that ultimately condemn the very Patriarchs of our faith. Talking to some "priest" isn't going to change what the word of God says, but those men will teach you the traditions of their respective institutions that may or may not align with the very word of God.

Now, MOST men can't handle more than one wife, and many can't even handle one, so POLYGYNY is not for all or most men. Most should avoid it. The men I know personally who have more than one are men with great love for others. They are all exceptional in their own way, as are their wives. With feminism having infiltrated so many cultures across this earth, along with the utter ruin it brings into the hearts and minds of its adherents, it was inevitable that socially engineered theologies would spring up in various sects, denominations, non-denominations, religions, government, laws, etc., with religious leaders chiming in with their false teachings about it.

Folks, REAL marriage, as defined by God rather than mankind and his petty laws, as defined in Genesis 2, is NOT that silly piece of paper from your local government, and the supporting laws behind that piece of peper. TRUE marriage is a life-long commitment toward inner change and growth. It is a sacrifice. It is a dying to self. It also is known to have a prolonging effect upon those who are truly committed. Those who see marriage as defined by that piece of paper from City Hall and laws, they are those who go running to get a lawyer when things get tough. Believe it or not, there are MANY couples out there who have one of those pieces of paper from their local government, and yet who are living in adultery and fornication after having been married, illegitimately divorced by governmental decree, and re-attached to someone who, in God's eyes, is not their spouse for the taking.

So, the question remains....what do YOU choose to believe; the Bible, some "priest" or "pastor," one of the man-made, socially engineered theologies that literally fill pulpit teachings, Sunday school materials, "christian" books, radio, TV, and in discussions with family and friends? Taking responsibility for what one chooses to believe is utmost in the exercise of TRUE faith.

Jr

Patriarchs did not have Jesus' words, so His rules do not apply to them.

For example, Isaac had two wives who were sisters, but Moses prohibited to have sex with women who are sisters, later. It was not a sin for Isaac, but it was a sin for people under Moses.

Jesus made even more strict rules than Moses, so the polygamy as such or even divorce and remarriage is a sin now, but was not under Moses.

SwordmanJr · Mar 23, 2020

Euodius said:
It is a prohibition against polygamy.

Perhaps you could explain to us all how that verse prohibits polygyny in general when it specifically targets the taking of a wife's sister as an additional wife.

Jr

SwordmanJr · Mar 23, 2020

solid_core said:
Patriarchs did not have Jesus' words, so His rules do not apply to them.

Where did Jesus prohibit a man from having plural wives?

For example, Isaac had two wives who were sisters, but Moses prohibited to have sex with women who are sisters, later. It was not a sin for Isaac, but it was a sin for people under Moses.

Two sisters, yes. I can understand that, but, by what authority do you expand the prohibition against the taking of two sisters as one's wives into meaning ANY taking of ANY subsequent wives?

Jesus made even more strict rules than Moses, so the polygamy as such is a sin now, but was not under Moses.

Making stricter rules is FAR too general a statement. Please show us specifically where Jesus ever addressed the taking of plural wives. Jesus did address DIVORCE in relation to Moses, but where did He ever address plural wives without you ADDING to the text what is simply not there? When Jesus said, "...for it was not so from the beginning," He was talking about DIVORCE, not polygyny. Context is always important. There are far too many false teachers out there who inject into the text what isn't there. Mormons and jehovah's witnesses do that all the time, and we don't allow them to get away with it, so there's no reason to let this slip by along that same vein. Please explain. This is interesting.

Jr

solid_core · Mar 23, 2020

SwordmanJr said:
Where did Jesus prohibit a man from having plural wives?

"Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery"
Lk 16:18

This de facto prohibits polygamy, because if polygamy was still allowed, marrying another women would not be adultery.

SwordmanJr · Mar 23, 2020

solid_core said:
"Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery"
Lk 16:18

This de facto prohibits polygamy, because if polygamy was still allowed, marrying another women would not be adultery.

What you appear to be missing here is that the verse in Luke that you quoted speaks directly to the scenario of any man who DIVORCES his wife to marry another, it is THEN adultery enters into the picture.

So, how did you miss that? A man marrying a second wife while keeping the first, that does not fall under the Lord's declaration for adultery.

So, please explain to us all this massive leap you have made in order to ignore the element of DIVORCE in what Jesus said.

Jr

Euodius · Mar 23, 2020

SwordmanJr said:
Perhaps you could explain to us all how that verse prohibits polygyny in general when it specifically targets the taking of a wife's sister as an additional wife.

Jr

As I said, it is inherent to the original language, context, and tradition.

solid_core · Mar 23, 2020

SwordmanJr said:
What you appear to be missing here is that the verse in Luke that you quoted speaks directly to the scenario of any man who DIVORCES his wife to marry another, it is THEN adultery enters into the picture.

So, how did you miss that? A man marrying a second wife while keeping the first, that does not fall under the Lord's declaration for adultery.

So, please explain to us all this massive leap you have made in order to ignore the element of DIVORCE in what Jesus said.

Jr

The definition of adultery is that you are with a woman that belongs to somebody else or that you belong to somebody else.

If polygamy is allowed, you would not belong to your first wife.

In the New Testament, marriage is for the whole life, no divorce and no other woman.

SwordmanJr · Mar 23, 2020

solid_core said:
The definition of adultery is that you are with a woman that belongs to somebody else or that you belong to somebody else.

If polygamy is allowed, you would not belong to your first wife.

In the New Testament, marriage is for the whole life, no divorce and no other woman.

Wrong. Nowhere does the Bible talk about a man belonging to someone else as a definition for adultery. Knowing the Bible is knowing what it actually says rather than injecting into it what isn't there.

Paul Said:

[1Co 6:16 KJV] 16 What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.

Nowhere in that context did Paul ever say that to become one flesh with a harlot, the man had to be single, nor that he ceased to be one flesh with his first wife or other wives. You will also search in vain to find where Jesus ever redefined marriage from the OT definition in Genesis 2 as recognized by the the Patriarchs, who also knew that plural wives was not a violation of that definition.

So, if a man becomes one flesh with a harlot, then he also becomes one flesh with his subsequent wife or wives, which is not at all a releasing from the first. Unless you have something solid from scripture, apart from forcing meaning into the Bible that is not anywhere stated, your case is bankrupt.

Jr

SwordmanJr · Mar 23, 2020

Euodius said:
As I said, it is inherent to the original language, context, and tradition.

I asked for an apologetic from the Bible rather than your own words about it all. Where in the context was polygyny even addressed? Where in the original language was polygyny addressed?

As for "tradition," well, we already know what Jesus had to say about that....

Jr

dayhiker · Mar 23, 2020

If it was the case that the way a large section of Christianity interprets these references to adultery as being adultery then there would be OT teaching, examples, laws about this. But not once does the OT say that a man having more than one wife is adultery.

Is polygamy a sin

Are you kitten me right meow?

Well-Known Member

Are you kitten me right meow?

Member since 2005

Active Member

Active Member

Active Member

Mature veteran

Active Member

Double-edged Sword only

Well-Known Member

Double-edged Sword only

Double-edged Sword only

Well-Known Member

Double-edged Sword only

Are you kitten me right meow?

Well-Known Member

Double-edged Sword only

Double-edged Sword only

Mature veteran

Similar threads