BiblicalInsights.net

The practice of polygamy is ancient.  The first polygamist in the Bible is Lamech (Gen. 4:19).  Lamech took two wives: Adah and Zillah.  Lamech was a descendent of Cain.  Cain, you will recall, was the first murderer recorded in the Bible.  This family exhibits disobedience to God in various ways.  Polygamy is one of them.  Polygamy is the marriage of one man to two or more women at the same time.  This is a form of fornication  and is condemned by God.  Polygamy developed historically not because God approved it or authorized it, but because of the sinful dominance of women by men who were stronger and more powerful.  This is why polyandry (a woman married to more than one man at the same time) is almost never heard of.
Did God approve of polygamy in the Old Testament?  Some argue that God approved of polygamy in the Old Testament because men such as Abraham, Jacob, David and Solomon seem to go uncensored even though they had more than one wife. Consider the following information.
1.  In Gen. 2:18-25, God made one woman as a help meet (suitable) for the man.  The two became one flesh.  Jesus appeals to this creative design in Matthew 19:1-9 and shows that it was always God’s divine intent for marriage to be between one man and one woman for life.  This clearly defines marriage as a monogamous relationship between one man and one woman (both of whom are scripturally qualified to marry).  This definition of marriage is indisputable.
2.  Romans 7:1-3.  Paul states that if a woman married another man while her husband lived, she would be called an adulteress.  The result of this arrangement would be called bigamy.  If bigamy is condemned by God, so would polygamy.  Bigamy and polygamy are forms of fornication.
3.  I Cor. 7:2.  “Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own (emphatic) wife, and let every woman have her own (emphatic) husband.”  Marriage is restricted to one man and one woman.
4.  Abraham and Sarah ran ahead of God in the matter of Hagar, the Egyptian.  Their lack of faith in God only complicated matters (Gen. 16:1-2).  God did not approve of their lack of faith in Him which resulted in the birth of Ishmael by Hagar and Abraham.  Abraham stumbled in his faith on more than one occasion.  God divinely intervened when Abraham lied to Pharaoh and Abimelech (Gen. 12:14-20 and Gen. 20 respectively).  Does God approve of lying?  No, no more than He does of bigamy or polygamy.
5.  David and Solomon.  David and Solomon multiplied to themselves wives in direct disobedience to God’s command.  In Deut. 17:17, Moses writes, “Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away:…”  Moses spoke of the restrictions God placed upon the king of Israel.  God did not approve of the polygamy of these kings.  They violated God’s original marriage law (Gen. 2; Matt. 19).
6.  Monogamy is taught in the Bible by precept (I Cor. 7:2; I Tim. 3:2, Matt. 19:3-4; and Rom. 7:1-3).  Monogamy is taught in the Bible by precedent (Gen. 2:24; Gen. 1:27–God gave Adam only one wife).  Polygamy was never established by God for any people by precept or by precedent.
7.  Polygamy would violate most marriage vows.  It would violate the law of love between a man and his wife.  It is not possible for a man to love two women equally at the same time.  It is the nature of marital love to be exclusive to one spouse.
8.  Monogamy is taught by the figure of the relationship between Christ and His church (Eph. 5:23-32).  God is a jealous God and will not permit rivals (II Cor. 11:2).
9.  Every polygamist in the Bible suffered for his sins.  This includes David and Solomon.  David had rivalry, jealousy, and hatred in his own family and his family was torn apart by these sinful forces.  Solomon’s wives led him into idolatry and apostasy.  I Chron. 14:3. II Kings 11:4-10).
Some Excerpts from John L. Edwards’ book, An In Depth Study of Marriage & Divorce need to be considered in light of the aforementioned Biblical truths.
1.  Edwards affirms that polygamy is never spoken of as adultery, but marriage (p. 82).
2.  “If polygamy is marriage in scripture, it seems that God would not want to break a polygamist marriage anymore than he would want to break up a monogamist marriage” (p. 84).
3.  “However, it is also certain that God condoned polygamy as a marriage relationship.   If God changed his mind about this, he has never revealed it to us” (p. 83).
4.  “The only scriptures in the Bible that could be construed to teach that polygamy is adultery are the scriptures where Jesus spoke about marriage and divorce.  In this case, the present indicative of the Greek would have to be continuous action and apply to the relationship of the second wife.  We have disproved that theory in this book.  There is not a single scripture that teaches that polygamy is adultery” (p. 84).
5.  “On the other hand, polygamous marriages are recognized as an honorable relationship throughout the Bible” (p. 86).
6.  “It is important that we teach people to keep their vows when they come into the church, so long as those vows are not evil within themselves” (p. 86).
7.  “It is important that we understand these principles when dealing with societies that practice polygamy, so that we can be consistent in our teaching about keeping vows that we have made” (p. 86).
Edwards teaches that polygamy is acceptable to God.  He further states that we would have no right to tell a polygamist that he must separate from any of his wives.  Basically, he endorses polygamy.  The reason that he does this is to be consistent (point 7 above) in keeping the vows we have made in marriage.  Edwards changes the meaning of “adultery” in Matthew 19:9 to “covenant breaking.”  He changes the function of the present indicative in Matthew 19:9 by changing the kind of action represented by the present tense to an aoristic present (denoting point action) from a progressive present (the ordinary use of the present tense denoting continuous action in present time).  These changes are made (one of defintion and another of grammar)  in order to make adultery a one-time act (the act of covenant breaking or divorcing).  The adultery committed is the act of putting away denoted by the realtive clause.  The result of these changes is that a person who has divorced for any reason can now remarry after repenting of the act of covenant breaking and continue in a new marriage relationship without sin.  When Edwards makes these changes, he is forced to endorse polygamy in order to be consistent.
Problems with this interpretation of Matthew 19:9.
1.  The primary meaning of the word adultery is in reference to a sexual sin not a sin of putting away or divorcing.  The primary meaning of a word is to be used in giving the sense of a passage of scripture unless there is some compelling reason to go to a secondary sense or some other definition.
2.  “Committeth adultery” is a present active indicative verb form.  The present active indicative is the common form of the present tense and refers to continuous action in present time.  Why would Jesus use a rare and uncommon form of the present tense in Matthew 19:9?  It is evident by the reaction of  His disciples that He did not because they understood what He had said as a difficult saying to receive.  Not difficult to understand, but difficult to apply.
3.  The relative clause, “whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another” describes action that is antecedent (comes before) to the action of the main verb, committeth adultery.  It is not simultaneous with the action of the main verb as Edwards makes it to be.
4.  Edwards’ manipulation of the definition of adultery, changes in the Greek grammar in Matthew 19:9,  and attempt to make the adultery a one-time event are wrong.
Any doctrine that implies a false doctrine is itself a false doctrine!  Edwards’ doctrine regarding marriage, divorce and remarriage implies that polygamy is permitted by God.  This is false and must be rejected.
The use of Edwards’ arguments concerning marriage, divorce and remarriage forces one to endorse polygamy in order to be consistent.  How many churches with their elderships have accepted Edwards’ teaching without considering that they must now endorse polygamy?

One of the notable characteristics of the world prior to the flood was violence (Gen. 6:11-13).  Here is a formula that may explain the violence of man at this time:  Godlessness leads to lawlessness which in turn leads to violence.  Violence abounds in any society where the fear of God is not present.
Violence is “the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against a person, or against a group or community, that either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, maldevelopment or deprivation” (Wikipedia).  Globally, violence takes the lives of 1.5 million people.  50% of these deaths is due to suicide, 35% is due to homicide and 12% is due to war or some other form of conflict.  In addition to deaths, there are countless hospitalizations and doctor’s visits.
Violence does not have a single cause.  It has multiple causes.  Consider the following:
1.  Biological.  The National Academy of Sciences just reviewed hundreds of studies on the relationship between biology and violence, and it came to this conclusion, “No patterns precise enough to be considered reliable biological markers for violent behavior have yet been identified.”  Violence does not appear to be biological or genetic.
2.  Sociological.  The following statistics and information indicate correlations rather than direct cause/effect relationships.
a.  Those who commit violence on the street are disproportionately poor and unemployed.
b.  90% of those arrested for crimes are men.  There is no place in the world where men make up less than 80% of those who commit violent crimes.
c.  Violence is primarily the work of younger people.  People in their late teens or early twenties are much more likely to be arrested for violent crimes than those younger or older.
d.  The arrest rate for African Americans is 6 times higher than for white Americans.
e.  The overall crime rate is drastically underestimated, particularly domestic violence.
3.  Psychological.
a.  Major mental disorders account for 3% of violence in the U.S.
b.  We know that while many aggressive children go on to be law-abiding adults, aggression at age 8 significantly predicts violent convictions well into the thirties, in every culture in which it has been studied.
c.  We know that most children who have been physically abused by their parents go on to be perfectly normal adults.  Yet, physical abuse doubles the risk that a boy will have convictions for violent crime as an adult.
d.  We know that failure of a child in school is one of the most enduring correlates of later violence.  Four out of five violent offenders in prison never finished high school.
e.  We know that stability matters.  The more changes of placement a foster child experiences while growing up, the more likely that child will later be arrested for a violent crime.
f.  We know that lack of parental supervision has been consistently related to delinquency, including violent delinquency.  One study, for example, found that 10 percent of non-delinquents were poorly supervised by their parents, one-third of one and two-time delinquents were poorly surpervised, and over three-quarters of repeat offenders were poorly supervised.  Parental involvment in the lives of children makes a difference!
g.  Finally, we know much about the relationship between illegal drugs and violence.  But it is important to remember that the connection between one legal drug–alcohol–and violence is beyond dispute.  About one-third of all violent offenders are alcoholic, and the earlier an adolescent starts to drink, the more likely that teen will be violent as an adult.  (The above information was taken from an article by John Monahan, Ph.D. professor of Law at the University of Virginia, 2/19/10).
4.  Spiritual Factors.
a.  Anger/Malice.  Cain killed his brother Abel because he was angry (Gen. 4).  This is the first murder recorded in Scripture.  God attempted to intervene with Cain and showed him another pathway where he, too, could be accepted.  Cain rejected it and in anger killed his brother.
b.  Envy.  Cain may have been motivated by jealousy and envy as well (Gen. 4).  In Matt. 27:18, Pilate correctly understood that Jesus was delivered to be crucified due to the envy of the Jews.  Envy seeks to destroy its object.
c.  Pride.  Attitudes of superiority over another person or race can produce violence.  Racism is a common motivator for violence.
d.  Lust.  James 4:1-2, James mentions lusts  of the heart as a cause for war and conflict.  Covetousness would belong to this classification.
e.  Lack of empathy and love.  Violence results when the conscience is seared (past feeling).  When a human heart lacks emotional bonding to another human being there is a coldness that can manifest itself in violence.
f.  Violence begets violence.  Rom. 12:19.  Paul warns about revenge.  One act of violence may give place to another act of violence when revenge is sought.  Paul advises that we trust God to be the great avenger.
g.  Alcohol can play a role in violence.  Proverbs 23:29-35.  Under the infuence of alcohol some lose the normal restraint of the passions and violence follows.  Fights, murders and domestic violence have been increased due to the influence of alcoholic beverages.
h.  Selfishness or Convenience.  Abortion is an act of violence against the unborn.  Those who are innocent and defenseless are most vulnerable to the selfish motives of others.  To our shame, we have made this legal in America.
The causes named above are mostly sins of the heart.  We will never solve the problem of violence until the human heart is transformed by the saving work of Jesus Christ.
The Cure for Violence.
The cure for violence is to be found in redemption.  We must turn to God and seek His mercy and commit to walk in the image of His Son–Jesus Christ.  We must trust God.  We must repent of sin including the sins of the heart.  We must commit to follow Jesus in His teaching and His example.  We must slay sins of the heart like envy, jealousy, lusts, uncontrolled anger, wrath, and malice.  The whole duty of man is to “fear God and keep his commandments” (Eccle. 12:13).  We must be immersed in water for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38).  This will give us a new beginning in Christ.   We must return to the values that Jesus taught.  These include  the Golden Rule:  Do unto others as you would have them do unto you (Matt. 7:12).  This is the law of love.  We must develop self-control as a Christian grace or virtue (II Pet. 1:5-11).  We must restore the responsibilities of parents in the home.  Parents need to be present and on the job.  They must love their children and invest their time, attention, and affection in them.  We must relinquish revenge to God.  Trust God’s justice even as Jesus did (I Pet. 2:21-25).
We will never solve the problem of violence until we change our hearts and comply with God’s Will for our lives!  We can do this.  We must do it one person at a time.  It begins with you and me.

Today, I am posting a poem by Hilma E. Willis.  The poem was published many years ago on August 23 by The Journal Leader in Caldwell, OH.  It was written for Mother’s Day.  The title:  White Carnation.
Mother’s Day with special meaning
Brought to mind the tears she shed,
Hasty words so often spoken,
Loving phrases left unsaid.
On her dress a white carnation
Pure white ribbon on its stem,
Faced the group that sat before her
As she quietly said to them–
Mothers are one-time possessions,
Not because they are few,
But because in all their numbers
Only one belongs to you.
Mothers love us, serve, and teach us
As they help our lives begin;
Nurse each illness, share each sorrow,
And rejoice if we win.
Mothers try their best to guide us
And start our steps aright,
Keeping watchful eyes upon us
As we test our wings for flight.
Mothers pray for us in secret,
Keep our names  before the Lord
And will even go on loving
If neglect is their reward.
Though they seldom speak to others
Of the family hurts that burn,
Each one longs to hear “I Love You”
From the child of her concern.
If you have a mother living
And you love her, tell her so–
Tell her now and tell her often
As the seasons come and go.
Little slights and silent absence,
Thoughtlessness upon your part,
May not change her deep devotion,
But will cause her pain at heart.
You can lessen anxious moments–
If you implement this plan–
Take the time for little visits;
In a hurry, just say “Hi”;
Give a hug and say “I Love You”;
For no reason, just stop by.
Sometimes send a simple letter
Or a postcard if you will–
Do not let her box stay empty
Or her telephone be still.
As you wear a red carnation
Love of mother to convey,
Know that thoughtful words and actions
Give her joy any day.
Life is short and passes quickly,
Sorrows happen overnight–
In a flash, a red carnation
May be changed to one of white.

Most people like salt added to their food to give it special taste.  This has been true for centuries.  Evidence indicates that Neolithic people of the Precucuteni Culture were boiling the salt-laden spring water through the process of briquetage to extract salt as far back as 6050 B.C. (Wikipedia).  Jesus said that if the salt has lost its savor (saltiness) it is good for nothing (Matt. 5:13).
Speech seasoned with salt is speech that has the positive influence of wholesomeness.  Col. 4:6, “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”  Your speech is a reference to what you say each day.  Always with grace means with graciousness or in a kindly spirit.  Seasoned with salt refers to speech as food that is duly seasoned before it is served and thus is palatable when it is served.  Salt is the wholesomeness of what we say.  That ye may know is an infinitive of result.  How ye ought to answer every man refers to using wisdom (v. 5) and clothing our speech in graciousness and giving it a wholesome taste, we shall soon get to know just how to answer every person with whom we get into a discussion so that we can make the most of all such opportunities (Lenski, Interpretation of Colossians, p. 194).
Our speech will influence others and has the power to win them to Christ.  Our speech has a soul-winning function!
Speech Reveals Character.
Your speech is a window to your heart!  (Matthew 12:34-37).  Good men bring forth good things and evil men bring forth evil things.  When Christians bring forth evil things it is hypocrisy.  Our character has the power to win others to Christ if it exhibits godliness (I Peter 3:1).
Profane Speech From Christians Reveals Hypocrisy.
Nothing defeats the Christians’ example and influence for Christ faster than hypocrisy.  Types of profane speech that should never come from the mouth of a Christian include:  taking God’s name in vain, use of cuss words and profane language, evil speaking, and lies.  James warns against the manifestation of duplicity in the use of the tongue (James 3:9-12).  Blessing and cursing should not come forth from the same fountain.  It is hypocrisy.
Profanity reveals contempt for others.  Contempt is a mixture of anger and disgust expressed from a position of superiority.  Expressions of contempt may include:  rolling the eyes, verbal put-downs, and profanity.  Profanity denigrates, devalues and dismisses others.  Ultimately, it will damn the soul.  Offenses through speech are common, but woe to that man through whom the offense cometh!
Speech is a Test of Self-Control.
Bridle your tongue is an expression that attempts to capture the essence of self-control. Self-control is a Christian virtue (II Pet. 1:5-11).   Temperance is self-control.  We must discipline our hearts and tongues in order to manifest the moral vigor that becomes the Christian life.  This is saltiness!  Peter states that if we lack these things (moral virtues) we are blind and cannot see afar off and have forgotten that we have been purged from our old sins!
Speech Should Be Used to Hallow the World Not Profane It.
Speech influences for either good or evil.  The power of life and death is in the use of the tongue.  Speech made in wisdom, full of grace and seasoned with salt will bless.  Language has the power to reflect the holiness of God to others.  “Be ye holy for I am holy saith the Lord” (I Pet. 1:16).  Be holy even in your speech!
The problem with cussing Christians is that they reveal hypocrisy, impurity, and unholiness to a lost and dying world that cannot be won to Christ through the pursuit of the profane!