MARRIAGE, DIVORCE, REMARRIAGE, CONCUBINES, POLYGYNY & JESUS; Another Look for Christians. COPYRIGHT JANUARY 14, 1995 All

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MARRIAGE, DIVORCE, REMARRIAGE, CONCUBINES, POLYGYNY & JESUS; Another Look for Christians. COPYRIGHT JANUARY 14, 1995 All rights reserved. Portions of this file/document may be posted/published as long as the paragraph of the portion, the paragraph before the portion and the paragraph after the portion are included without any additional breaks or spaces, and the source and author are included with the protion posted/published. Copyright 01/12/96; 11/10/05; 5/13/09; 11/29/10; 3/15/11 (Revised) By L. Tyler SanDiego, CA 92162-0763 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PolyPolygamyPolygnyNJesus http://groups.google.com/group/BiblicalChristianPolygamyPolygyny http://www.flickr.com/groups/christian_polygamy/ http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=6382095167 http://biblicalmarriagepolygyny.yuku.com/directory

TOPICS: FOREVER MARRIAGES CROSS CULTURALLY, FORMAL AND INFORMAL CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE, COMMON LAW MARRIAGE, CHRISTIAN DIVORCE, CHRISTIAN REMARRIAGE, CHRISTIAN CONCUBINES, CHRISTIAN POLYGYNY (POLYGAMY), RACISM, ETHNOCENTRICITY, AND THE SWEARING OF OATHS

TABLE OF CONTENTS (PLEASE USE YOUR FIND TOOL TO FIND THE CHAPTER BY THE CHAPTER ROMAN NUMERAL)

I. INTRODUCTION: PRIORITIES RECONSIDERED.

II. DIVORCE DEFINED, A Surprise

III. DIVORCE! A PLAGUE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES. IV-A. MARRIAGE AND POLYGYNY FROM GENESIS TO JUDGES

IV-B. MARRIAGE AND POLYGYNY FROM JUDGES TO JESUS

V. MARRIAGE, POLYGYNY, JESUS AND THE APOSTLES

VI. ADULTERY DEFINED: A SURPRISE! ISNT POLYGYNY ADULTERY?

VII. SO, WHAT ABOUT CONCUBINES & POLYGYNY TODAY IN MY COUNTRY?

VIII. ARE POLYGYNISTS AND CONCUBINES LIVING IN ERROR TODAY?

IX. MARRIAGE, CONCUBINES, CIVIL LAW, PERSONAL LIBERTY AND A LOVING CONSCIENCE!

X. DOES GOD FORGIVE BROKEN VOWS, DIVORCE AND ADULTERY?

XI. CAN YOU COME BACK TOGETHER & REMMARY AFTER ADULTEROUS REMARRIAGE?

XII. WHAT ABOUT THE HEALTH QUESTIONS INVOLVED IN SUCH REUNIONS?

XIII. CAN ADULTERY, DIVORCE, VOWS AND REPENTANCE RESULT IN POLYGYNY/CONCUBINAGE?

XIV. ADULTERY, DIVORCE, CONCUBINES, POLYGYNY AND THE UNSAVED.

XV. THE MARRIED MAN WHO WOULD ADD WIVES/CONCUBINES TO HIS "HAREM".

XVI. ARE POLYGYNY & CONCUBINES OPTIONS FOR THE ABANDONED MAN?

XVII. POLYGYNISTS, CONCUBINES AND THE LEADERS OF GOD'S PEOPLE.

XVIII. POLYGYNY & CONCUBINES AND THE WESTERN CHRISTIAN WOMAN.

XIX. WHAT'S WRONG WITH POLYANDRY?

XX. HUSBAND RULE OVER THE WIFE? IF SERVANT- TEACHERS RULE .

XXI. THREE CHEERS FOR MONOGAMY! THE BEST FOR MOST!

XXII. LISTEN TO THE WORD ABOUT VOWS, COVENANTS AND PROMISES

XXIII. BIBLIOGRAPHY

APPENDIX ONE: WHAT MAKES A WEDDING &/OR A MARRIAGE?

APPENDIX TWO: WHEN ONE SHOULD MARRY AND WHO NOT TO MARRY

APPENDIX THREE: THE PRACTICE OF POLYGYNY IN AN HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT

APPENDIX FOUR: BIBLICAL POLYGYNOUS WEDDING COVENANTS

APPENDIX FIVE: RACISM, INTERRACIAL &/or INTERETHNIC MARRIAGE

This work is dedicated with love and honor to Carol Lynn McIntyre (of Oceanside's Camelot), Beverly Tyler (of Tennessee}, Diane Tava Lovelady (of Santee CA), Lua Nguyen (of Vietnam), Marilyn Tyler (of Canada), Paula D. (of San Diego, CA); Meli Bunnell (of Tepic, Nyarit Mex), and Carmen Guerrero (of Mazatlan, Mex).

This document can be found at the following Yahoo web site: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PolyPolygamyPolygnyNJes us http://biblicalmarriagepolygyny.yuku.com/directory

It is also dedicated to all those who have suffered through divorce and the complexities of remarriage, and to all of the following:

1. The shattered African polygynist husbands and their families who are made to feel like second class citizens in the local church because of their polygyny, made to feel less loved by Christ and made to feel less a child of God by the local "Christians". 2. The broken hearted Chinese polygynist wives and their children in their local churches who are shunned by the "proper Christian" women and made to feel less welcome and spiritually inferior because of their polygynous families. 3. The devastated Burmese polygynist husbands who believe in and have received the Lord Jesus Christ, but who are rejected and shunned by the local "Christian" church/leader because they love their wives too much to divorce them. 4. The grieved, stumbled, offended and broken hearted born-again and Spirit sealed Indian wives and children of the born-again and Spirit sealed husband who loved his wives and children too much to renounce and repudiate them in order to be baptized and accepted by the local"Christian' church, and so now live in Christ, denied fellowship by their local congregation of "Christians". 5. The discouraged Mid-Eastern polygynist husbands who genuinely wanted to know Christ and the fellowship of the saints but who were embittered and kept from saving faith by the campaign of "Christian" leaders/churches against them and their polygyny. It would be no surprise if they were the most active in the community in resisting the Gospel and those who preach it. Talk about closing a door and making an enemy of the Gospel! 6. The troubled Liberian polygynist wives and children who genuinely wanted to know Christ and the fellowship of the saints but who were embittered and kept from saving faith by the campaign of "Christian" leaders/women against them and their polygyny. It would be no surprise if they were the most active in the community in resisting the Gospel and those who preach it. Talk about closing a door and making an enemy of the Gospel! 7. The broken hearted, stumbled, offended and grieved Kenyan polygynist wives and their children whose husbands and fathers were forced to reject and renounce them in order to be baptized and join the local "Christian" church.; especially in the case where a carnal husband used the church rule as an excuse to get rid of a wife and children he didn't want. 8. The disconsolate Pakistani polygynist husbands who are stumbled, grieved, offended and broken in their faith and love for the Lord Jesus Christ because of how badly they and their loved ones have been treated by the local "Christian" leader/church. 9. The grief stricken Bengali polygynist wives and children who are stumbled, grieved, offended and broken in their faith and love for the Lord Jesus Christ because of how badly they and their loved ones have been treated by the "Christian" women of the local church. 10. The miserable Thai polygynist husbands who, with grave doubts and troubled hearts, succumbed to "Christian" pressure to renounce and reject (Malachi 2:13-17) all of their wives except one to satisfy the demands of some misguided "Christian" leader, or association of "Christians". 11. The miserable American Christian woman, a genuine believer in Christ, who divorced her genuinely saved Christian husband for "irreconcilable differences" as her pastor recommended, married a "more godly" man, and now has realized that the Bible says she is maritally bound to her genuinely saved exhusband in the Kingdom of God as long as they both live, making her present marriage adultery - - - and she doesn't know what to do. 12. The miserable American Christian man, a genuine believer in Christ, who was divorced by his genuinely saved Christian wife for "irreconcilable differences" as her pastor recommended, who has gone on and married a "godly" Christian woman, and now has realized that the Bible says he is maritally bound to his genuinely saved exwife in the Kingdom of God as long as they both live, and he doesn't know what to do about the situation.

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I. INTRODUCTION: PRIORITIES AND PARADIGMS RECONSIDERED This study is the result of my own marital experience where I was divorced from my wife and both of us claimed sincerely and earnestly that we were born again believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. I was faced with the question, "What does a Christian do about his/her need to marry when in a divorced-from-one and wanting- to- marrry-another situation, and he believes that he/she and the Christian exmate are bound to each other maritally by the Lord until death parts them?" Or ---- "What does a Christian do in a divorced-from-one and remarried-to-another situation, and he/she believes that he/she and the Christian exmate are bound to each other maritally by the Lord until death parts them?" And the moral question: "Is it adultery or is it something else?"

As I read the papers and listen to the news many questions come to my mind. According to the census department, 40% of Black women never marry. Single parent households abound. Welfare undermines marriage by giving the mother an artificial and unearned financial independence of the father. It gives them the option of being able to have a child without having or needing a husband. It is very difficult for most man to comfortably stay with a woman who doesnt need him and often has a more sure and steady income than he has. Where are the Black men who love and desire these Black women? TV news special after news magazine articles after newspaper articles tell about so many Black men who are in serious trouble with the law. For many this reflects a economically crippling attitude towards authority, society, their families, their women and their children. This crisis for so many Black men, not wanted or needed by their women and rejected by the majority society, is devastating to the Black family. So what is the solution for sincere Black Christians dealing with the issues of divorce and remarriage in this context? I believe this document has some radical but realistic solutions.

What about the widows of Rwanda, Burundi, Somalia, Viet Nam, Cambodia, Sri Lanka and Bosnia? Are they doomed to a lifelong widowhood, never to remarry because of the scarcity of men? Is remarriage not possible where there are so many more women than men? What kind of life in those countries is a widow or a single mother doomed to when they are not able to remarry? I believe this document has some radical but realistic solutions for such people, especially if they are of the Judeo-Christian persuasion.

Our relationships with our mates and our children are second in importance and emotional intensity only to our relationship with Jesus. In San Diego's Union-Tribune several months ('95) ago they reported on a study of the effects of divorce that involved thousands and lasted over 20 years. The social scientists screened the participants so that they had two groups that basically differed as follows, one whose parents had divorced or separated and the other group whose parents did not divorce or separate. They found that the average life expectancy was five years longer for the group whose parents did not divorce. Divorce made a five year difference in the life expectancy of the two groups. Dr. Griffith Banning conducted a study of 800 Canadian children.It was reported that their parents' divorce, death or separation, resulting in the children's felt lack of love and affection, did greater damage to their growth and development than disease and all other factors combined.>a [>a Love, by Leo Buscaglia, Fawcett Crest, NY,1972,p.78

What we do with our marital relationships has a profound effect not only on us, but on our children, for a lifetime. We already know that a divorce, statistically, usually results in serious health problems ranging from ulcers and cardiovascular problems to hormonal and emotional problems. Divorce can devastate us and our loved ones. How can we afford to let our marriages, which Jesus intended to arenas filled with love and testimonies of His life changing all-sufficiency, become instead arenas of suffering, bitterness and hatred --- trophies for the enemy of our souls?

Yet look at the relationship most of us have with our loved ones and our God. Most of us live our lives devoid of the life changing power and compassionate cherishing of our living and reigning God. Most of us are falling short of compassionately cherishing our mates and children. We wonder why we dont see the power of God in our lives. Yet how can Jesus bless us miraculously and and powerfully intervene in our lives when we have let ourselves become so entangled in the cares and affairs of our daily lives that the Spirit in us is chocked and rendered fruitless. It is not just a matter of seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, which most of us fall short of by letting TV or other personal pleasures rob us of the time we could spend with Jesus. It goes even beyond that. For many of us the question is , Why is our relationship with our living and powerful God so lifeless and embarrassingly weak? Why is there such a great discrepancy between the the life changing power of God we believe in, and the disastisfying mediocrity and ineffectiveness of most of our lives? We know that if we walk in His will and do those things that are pleasing in His sight, He hears our prayers and supernaturally intervenes in our lives (1Jn3:21-24; 5:14,15), so when we fail to walk in His will and fail to do those things that are pleasing to Him we should not be surprised at the spiritually impotent lives and testimonies we have. What a tragedy to lose the battle for the souls of our children and loved ones because we stuck with bad or foolish choices.

Specifically with this study I try to discover and share what I understand to be His will for us maritally. I try to show that an adulterous marriage, an adulterous remarriage, and or an adulterous divorce can gut our walk in the power of our God, leaving us with an impotent and sterile life and testimony that is bad enough in and of itself; but when you add the chastening of our God to an impotent and sterile life, it can be enough to break your heart and spirit. But isnt that why He sends the chastening of weakness and sickness (1 Cor. 11) or the chastening of poverty, strife, diseases and animal attacks (Ezek 14) ---- to break our stiff necks and hard hearts so He, as the potter, can remake us in our confession and repentance? Are you experiencing this chastening? Do you think it might be due to an ungodly divorce or marriage? Do you wonder what you should do about it? Please read this study. This study is written as a wake up call to Christians who have fallen into marriages, divorces and remarriages that are contrary to the will of God and now want to know what they should do. A child of God wants to do the will of God (1Jn2:3,4,5).We know that our God has told us in 1 Pet. 3 that if we fail to live wisely with our wives, our prayers will be hindered. He has told us that in Isaiah 59:1,2 that he wont hear our prayers if we fall into disobedience and fail to be Ambassadors of His Love. This study is for the person who is not sure about the will of God facing a divorce, marriage or remarriage. This study is for the divorced, the married and the remarried who find themselves in a situation that neither affords them the peace nor the joy of the God who longs to fill their lives with both. Hopefully this study will be used of God to shed some light on those heartbreaking and unfulfilling situations. Please hear the Word in this study, and be brave in the Lord to do His will, no matter what the cost.

Dear reader, I exhort you to test, try, prove, examine, scrutinize and check against the Word every idea or concept in this document that seems questionable, doubtful or radical. Stay with what you understand the Word to say. What you will read is where I have arrived in the quest for His will. It is very controversial and I believe it is controversial because I came to this quest as a scholar, an anthro- pologist and a child of God who earnestly wants to know his Father's will. So "Here I stand!" ---- until further enlightenment from the Father.

This study is based on the understanding of the Word of God that a godly marriage of two godly people is for life, and that they are bound by God to each other maritally until death dissolves the marriage. It is an attempt to catch the mind of the God who hates divorce and who hates the breaking of wedding covenants. It is an attempt to understand the marital will of the God who doesnt want us to be foolish vow breaking fools in whom he has no pleasure. This document is written from a "Christian", fundamental, evangelical, dispensationalist, etc. point of view for those who understand that point of view. The followers, or disciples, of Jesus Christ are called "Christians", and for them loving obedience to their Lord and King is the paramount issue in all matters of human life. What does "Christian" mean? Who is the God of one who is called a "Christian"? Jesus is God revealed in the flesh-blood-bone body, God's only incarnate Son, physically begotten of the virgin Mary, God's Mediator of the New Covenant, Savior and Redeemer of all who obediently believe, King of Kings, Lord of all soon to return visibly, Creator of all things that have ever existed (including Michael, Lucifer, Satan, Gabriel), and Judge of all humans soon to return visibly in His resurrected flesh and bone body. What is a "Christian"? Without controversy the Word is clear that we are saved and born again Spiritually as a result of the following:

(1) His unearned compassion He had for us even before we know Him, which compassion moved Him to give His only begotten Son to bear our sins and die in our place. (2) His enlightening us about who He is, convincing us of our sins and His righteous judgment of sin, and constraining us to accept Him while we are still spiritually dead in our sins. [John 1:9,12; 16:7-11] (3) His giving us the gift of belief/faith in God (revealed as Jesus Christ, His miraculous birth, His holy life, His undeserved and substitutionary death, and His resurrection demonstrating His victory over death and sin) in spite of our spiritual blindness and death [James 1:17] (4) Our willingness >1 to accept and use His gift of belief is met with His enabling >2 us to have and exercise genuine faith in Him as our King, God and Savior in every area of our life. [>1 2 Corinth. 8.; >2 Phil. 2:13; 4:13.] (5) Since all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags there is no work or deed that we can do to earn Gods salvation. Our part is to genuinely believe in, accept and submit to His gracious gift in Jesus Christ.

Okay, so that is what a Christian is . Whats next? I believe that it is obvious that a Christian should not lean to his own understanding>3 and should not just do that which seems right to himself>4. I believe that those who are born of God are led by the Spirit of God Spiritually>5 and by the Word>6 I believe that the believer must acknowledge Christ's Lordship in every area of his/her life for Christ to be the real and actual LORD/KING of that believer>7. I agree with the Bible that a Christian's obedience is his birthmark, the vital and critical proof of having been truly born again of God>8 . Besides all of that, Jesus said that if I loved Him, I would obey Him, showing my love by my obedience>9 so of course I want to show my love for Him and show proof of my rebirth in Him by obeying Him. [Footnotes:>3 Prov. 3:5,6; >4 Prov. 16:24; >5 Romans 8:13,14.; >6 Psalm 119:9,11,24,32,72,89, 93,101, 104,105 ,166,167; >7 Prov. 3:5,6; Romans 12:1,2; 1 Cor. 6:19, 20 etc; >8 (1John 2:3,4,5; 3:10, 24; 5:2,3; Hebrews 5:8,9); >9 (John 14:15,21).] Yes, I realize that obeying Him is not necessarily obeying Christian leaders and teachers because if they teach the traditions and commandments of men>10 instead of or along with the commandments and traditions of God, they make the Way of God null, void and ineffective. Yes, I know that God can use godly men and Christian leaders/teachers to show us His Way>11 but surely it is our responsibility to be like the Bereans>12, testing-trying-examining-scrutinizing>13 all of their teachings and leadership to see if it conforms to the Word of God, holding fast to what we find to be true/good. We need to diligently search the Word to find the will of God, especially in the matter of controversial and questionable things. [Footnotes:>10 (Matthew 15:1-9; Mark 7:1-15); >11 (Hebrews 13:7; >12 of Acts 17:11.31; >13 1 John4:1-4 and 1 Thess. 5:21.]

III. DIVORCE DEFINED. <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< <<<<<<<<

Let me try to clarify the word "divorce" at this point since it has so many definitions in our current culture. The Greek word apoluo >1 used by Jesus in Mark 10:11 & 12 means TO SEND OR PUT AWAY, DISMISS (FROM ONE'S PRESENCE), RELEASE AND REPUDIATE. It could be done informally or formally and legally as divorce. [Footnote: .>III.1 See also Matt. 1:19; 5:31; 19:3,7-9.] The Greek word choridzo >2 , used in Mark 10:9 of the saved couple and in 1 Cor. 7:10 &11 of the saved wife , and in v. 15 of the unsaved mate, means TO SEPARATE ONESELF FROM ANOTHER, BE SEPARATED; LEAVE, PART OR DEPART FROM, PUT ASUNDER AND DIVIDE. It could be done informally or formally as a divorce. God allows the Christian wife to choridzo her husband as second best but still affirms that she is bound maritally to her husband as in v. 39. [III. footnotes: >III.2. See also active: Matt. 19:6; Mark 10:9; Rom. 8;35,39;---passive: 1 Cor. 7:10,11,15;Acts 1:4; 18:2]

The Greek word afeeaymee >141, used of the man in l Cor. 7:11 and 12 and of the woman in v. 13, means TO SEND AWAY, ASK TO GO AWAY OR LEAVE, TO RELEASE, AND TO LEAVE. This can be done informally or as a formal divorce. So the word divorce can mean many different things depending on one's culture, society, motivation, intent and purposes. But the bottom line is that the husband is commanded not to send his wife away, nor to ask his wife to leave, nor release her nor leave her. Even if she asks or commands him to leave, He is under the Lord's command not to leave. Even if she gets a court order, he is under God's order not to leave her voluntarily. If the marshals/officials remove him and his belongings, then he didn't leave voluntarily. He was removed, but he did not relase or leave her. Separate rooms, sleeping separately or etc. is not leaving or releasing her as long as he is obeying 1 Cor. 7:1-5 with her.l [Footnote: .^141 See also Mat. 13:36;; Mark 4:36.]

In summary we see the following:

(1) the Christian husband must not divorce/send away/release [See apoluo or afeeaymee above] his Christian wife to whom he is bound as long as they both live. 1 Cor. 5:10,11 and 2 Thess. 3:6 & 14 may require a separation that doesn't involve sending her away, asking her to go away or leave, releasing her from their marriage bond, or leaving her ---- but they are still bound for life. I experienced such a separation without leaving with the mother of my children. The last two years we were together we slept inthe same king size bed but she never let me touch her, kiss her, hold her or make love with her. Now that is separation without leaving. But for the male under 1 Cor. 5:ll and 2 Thess. 3:6,14 commands to "stand apart" from his sining wife would still be bound by the commands in 1 Cor. 7:2,3,4,5 which could require him to be maritally intimate with her, so the "separation" would have to be in other areas ---- always in the Spirit of 2 Tim. 2:24-26; Galat. 6:1,2,3; and Luke 6 ---- like not eating together, not hanging out together, not dating, not socializing together , not spending your leisure time together or etc.

(2) the saved husband must not divorce/send away/ask to leave/leave [See afeeaymee above] his unsaved wife as long as she agrees or consents or is willing to dwell/live /house with him.

(3) the Christian wife must not divorce/send away/dismiss/repudiate[See apoluo above] and should not (but may) divorce/separate from/leave/put apart [See choridzo above] her Christian husband. The saved wife must not divorce/send away/ask to leave/leave [See afeeaymee above] her unsaved husband as long as he agrees or consents or is willing to dwell/live/house with her. Because of the definition and 1 Cor. 7:11 some believe that the saved wife also can divorce/separate from/leave/put apart [choridzo] her unsaved husband in faithful separation, but still not divorce/send away/ask to leave/leave [afeeaymee] him, in the event of spousal abuse, fornication or etc. These actions find many different legal and informal forms and expressions in many different cultures and subcultures. So when you see the word divorce in your Bible, it at least means send away, release, "leave" or be separated, put asunder, divide informally or formally.

If Mark 10:8-12; 1 Corinthians 7:10,11,39 and Romans 7:1-3 are taken quite literally, a genuinely saved Elias who legally married (with no vow of exclusivity such as forsaking all others & keeping yourselves only to each other until death do you part) and was legally divorced by several genuinely saved Jane Does who just wanted to live as singles again>142 would have to deal with the question, "Are they still my wives in God's eyes?". They all divorced him exercising their scriptural option and whatever he felt or wanted would be irrelevant in terms of 1 Cor. 7:11,39. What if these genuinely saved but carnal Jane Does became engaged to others and maritally vowed to forsake all others including their Elias and to keep themselves only to their new mates until death part them? It would be adultery and their vows would be the sin because those vows would be invalidated by God's statement in Mark 10:8-12 and 1 Corinth. 7 :11,39 that they are bound to Elias as long as they both live. [Footnote: >142 (1 Cor. 7:11) ]

III. DIVORCE! A PLAGUE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES .

St. Augustine (4th Cent AD) had a powerful way of stating the permanent nature of the marriage of two who married after being born again, lovingly obedient to Jesus and fruitful in the Spirit---

"To such a degree is that marriage compact entered upon a matter of a certain sacrament, that it is not made void even by separation itself, since, so long as her husband lives, even by whom she hath been left, she commits adultery, in case she be married to another: and he who hath left her, is the cause of this evil. . . Seeing that the compact of marriage is not done away by divorce intervening; so that they continue wedded persons one to another, even after separation; and commit adultery with those, with whom they shall be joined, even after their own divorce, either the woman with a man, or the man with a woman. . . But a marriage once for all entered upon in the City of our god>14, where, even from the first union of the two, the man and the woman, marriage bears a certain sacramental character, can no way be dissolved but by the death of one of them. . . Therefore the good of marriage throughout all nations and all men stands in the occasion of begetting, and faith of chastity: but, so far as pertains unto the People of God, also in the sanctity of the sacrament, by reason of which it is unlawful for one who leaves her husband, even when she has been put away, to be married to another, so long as her husband lives, no not even for the sake of bearing children: . . . not even where that very thing, wherefore it takes place, follows not, is the marriage bond loosed, save by the death of the husband or wife.">15 [Footnotes:>14 This footnote mark etc. is not St. Augustine's or Arthur Haddan's. I insert it just in case the reader is not aware of the fact that all marriages between real saints take place "in the City of our god" not according to St. Augustine, but according the the Holy Spirit in Hebrews 11:10,13-19, where they are already seated with Christ in the Heavenlies according to Eph. 1 & 2. >15 St. Augustin: On The Trinity; pp. 402, 406, 412.]

The King's Word is "Mt. 19:5 and said, For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two shall be one’?> 6 Thus they are no longer two, but ‘one’! What therefore God has joined together, humans should not separate.” Separate? What does He mean? Strong's shows us that He means humans should not separate, divide, part, put asunder, separate or depart from the one to whom they are united.

Paul, emissary of the King, continues with the Word from the King to His followers: "1 Cor 7: 10* ¶ And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, the wife should not depart from her husband: 11 But and if she depart, she should remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and the husband should not put away his wife. . . . 39* ¶ The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord."

What part do we not understand of "humans should not separate . . . the husband should not put away his wife. . . . The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth"? The particular case in point is the situation caused by the plague that divorce is among Christians. If many of the Corinthian Christians were weak, sick and asleep in death because they shamed the poor and didn't share with the poor generously (1Cor 11:17-34), I am quite sure that there are many American Christians who are weak, sick and asleep in death because they are/were living in adultery, the adultery of legally being married to someone other than the one to whom God joined them. ***Mat 19: 6 What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.

I understand the following scriptures to indicate that genuine believers in the Lord Jesus Christ who were free to marry each other in the Lord and did marry each other are bound maritally to each other as long as both live ----

***1 CORINTH. 7:10* And to the married I command (not I, but the Lord), a woman not to be separated from [her] husband. 11* But if she is indeed separated, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to [her] husband. And a husband is not to leave [his] wife. 12 But to the rest I speak, not the Lord, If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is pleased to dwell with him, do not let him put her away. 13 And the woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is pleased to dwell with her, do not let her leave him. . . .15 But if the unbelieving one separates, let [them] be separated. A brother or a sister is not in bondage in such [cases], but God has called us in peace. 39* The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband lives, but if her husband is dead, she is at liberty to be remarried to whom she will, only in the Lord. *** ROMANS 7: 2* A wife, for instance, whose husband is living is bound to him by the Law; but if her husband dies the law that bound her to him has now no hold over her. 3 This accounts for the fact that if during her husband’s life she lives with another man, she will be stigmatized as an adulteress; but that if her husband is dead she is no longer under the old prohibition, and even though she marries again, she is not an adulteress. WEY *** MARK 10: 6 but from the beginning of the creation the rule was, <‘Male and female did God make them. 7 For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall cling to his wife, 8 and the two shall be one’;> so that they are two no longer, but <‘one.’> 9 What, therefore, God has joined together let not man separate.” . . . 11* He replied, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman, commits adultery against the first wife; 12* and if a woman puts away her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.” WEY

MARRIED TIL DEATH

I believe they state that a Spiritually reborn man and a Spiritually reborn woman who are free to marry each other in the Lord and do marry each other are bound to each other by the Word of the Lord as long as both their bodies are alive. What is the case in the Bible? ***Gen. 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and they shall be one flesh.>20. There are three acts described here: [Footnote>.(20. The Holy Scriptures According to the Masoretic Text] (1) From the following it is clear that it means leaving the parents' presence, authority and control; ***PSALM 45:10 ¶ Hearken, daughter, and see, and incline thine ear; and forget thine own people and thy father’s house: 11 And the king will desire thy beauty; for he is thy Lord, and worship thou him. . . . 13 All glorious is the king’s daughter within; her clothing is of wrought gold: 14 She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of embroidery; the virgins behind her, her companions, shall be brought in unto thee: 15 With joy and gladness shall they be brought; they shall enter into the king’s palace. 16 Instead of thy fathers shall be thy sons; princes shalt thou make them in all the earth. 17 I will make thy name to be remembered throughout all generations; therefore shall the peoples praise thee for ever and ever.

(2) Cleaving is the act of the will making marital covenants and vows that bind them maritally before God>21. ***Gen. 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and they shall be one flesh.>20 [Footnote:>21 Ezekisl 16:7,8; Malachi 2; Matt. 1:18-25 where Mary and Joseph are declared to be husband and wife even before the actual wedding and cohabitation. "Cleave" in the Hebrew means "cling or adhere; . . . abide fast, cleave (fast together), follow close (hard after), be joined (together), keep (fast), overtake, pursue hard, stick, take." (Strong''s Exhaustive Concordance.) J. Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon says it means "to glue upon, glue to" ]

(3) Becoming one flesh is the sexual act of coitis or sexual penetration and one can become one flesh with one's wife or with an adulteress or with a harlot>22. Becoming one flesh is not what makes a relationship a marriage. For the permanence of the relationship of marriage the focus is on the word "cleave" which in the Hebrew means "cling or adhere; . . . abide fast, cleave (fast together), follow close (hard after), be joined (together), keep (fast), overtake, pursue hard, stick, take.">23. Thayer says it means "to glue upon, glue to">24. If God commands the husband to conduct himself as if he were being joined together with her, clinging, adhering, cleaving and glued to her in this manner towards his wife, then he had better do it if he wants a good future with God, because to disobey would be death>25 . Being under this command would certainly bind a man to his wife as long as both lived. [Footnotes:>22 1 Cor. 6:13-20; MAT 19:1-15; >23. Strong''s Exhaustive Concordance; >24. Greek English Lexicon of the New Testament; Joseph Henry Thayer, D.D.; American Book Co., New York, 1889; >25 Rom. 6:23; 1:31,32; Malachi 2:14-17.]

Every legal>26 and moral>27 marriage of two who are morally free in Christ to marry is ordained or allowed by God and takes place under His control>b, so indeed God has joined them, based on the truth of the following: [Footnote: >26 Legal= recognized and accepted as legal by one's culture and law enforcers Rom. 13; 1 Pet. 2:13-17; >27 moral= free from all others maritally and free in the Lord's kingdom to marry according to His Word. >b Eph. 1:11; Rom. 8:28]

***Romans 8: 27 Yet he who searches all our hearts knows what the Spirit’s meaning is, because the pleadings of the Spirit for Christ’s People are in accordance with his will. 28 But we do know that God causes all things to work together for the good of those who love him-those who have received the Call in accordance with his purpose.TCNT *** ROMANS 13: 1 ¶ Let every one obey the supreme Authorities. For no Authority exists except by the will of God, and the existing Authorities have been appointed by God. 2* Therefore he who sets himself against the authorities is resisting God’s appointment, and those who resist will bring a judgement upon themselves.TCNT . ***Ephes. 1: 10 In view of that Divine Order which was to mark the completion of the ages, when he should make everything, both in Heaven and on earth, center in him. 11* In him, I say, for by our union with him we became God’s Heritage, having from the first been destined for this in the intention of him who, in all that happens, is carrying out his own fixed purpose; 12 That we should enhance his glory--we who have been the first to rest our hopes on the Christ. TCNT

The marriage/covenanting of two free to marry in Christ is an event that has been worked together for their good, exists by the appointment and authority of God, is a part of His carrying out and fulfilling His own fixed purpose. That's why we can trust God that we are to remain married to the person we are married to when we are saved. He gave Adam his Eve, and if you are His child, He worked in you to want to marry your mate>c, He lead you to marry your mate>d, and He worked all things so that you did marry you mate>e. So you can understand why 1 Cor. 7 speaks of the binding nature of marriage. [>c Phil. 2:12,13; Heb.13:20,21. >d Romans 8:9,14; Acts 16:6,7; Isa. 30:21. >e Eph. 1:11; Rom. 8:28; Mt. 10:29; Prov. 16:1,9; Isa. 46:9-13; Neh. 9:6] ***1 CORINTHIANS 7:17* ¶ In any case, a man should continue to live in the condition which the Lord has allotted to him, and in which he was when God called him. This is the rule that I lay down in every Church. . . . 20 Let every one remain in that condition of life in which he was when the Call came to him. . . . 24 Brothers, let every one remain in the condition in which he was when he was called, in close communion with God.TCNT

When I have approached Christian leaders here in my area, most of them fall back on a rationalization of scripture to defend or at least conform to the worldly norms of separation/divorce/ remarriage in contemporary society. So they accept divorces, where those put together by God are put apart by man, and remarry "believers" who have been divorced or separated from "believers". They are sincerely and earnestly concerned about stumbling the weak and are reluctant to ask of the saints what seems to the world's eyes to be impossible for many saints, to accept the Word that genuine believers are bound maritally as long as both live.

So we see that most "Christian pastors" in America today allow and accomodate the separation/divorce of two genuine believers, even though God says "What therefore God has joined together, humans should not separate.” We see that most "Christian pastors" in America today allow and accomodate the believing wife when she separates herself from her believing husband and marries another, even though the Word of God is "the wife should not depart from her husband: 11 But and if she depart, she should remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: . . . A woman is bound to her husband during the whole period that he lives; . . ." We see that most "Christian pastors" in America today allow and accomodate the believing husband when he puts his believing wife away from him by divorce, declaring that he is no longer maritally bound to her, even though the Word of God says "the husband should not put away his wife. ." What part do we, who are believers in Jesus, not understand of "humans should not separate . . . the husband should not put away his wife. . . . The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth"?

Some of America's present "Christian pastors" teach the false doctrine that when a believer's believing mate commits sex sin, that sin kills/ends the marriage, saying that since death was the penalty for adultery in the Sinai Law (Deut 22), so since they have come under the death sentence they are as good as dead and the wronged m ate is free of them. THERE IS NOT ONE SCRIPTURE IN THE WHOLE BIBLE THAT TEACHES THIS. All sin has the death penalty on it (Rom 1:17-32; 6:23). ***Rom 1:30* They were secret backbiters, open slanderers; hateful to God, insolent, haughty, boastful; inventors of new forms of sin, disobedient to parents, destitute of common sense, 31* faithless to their promises, without natural affection, without human pity. 32* In short, though knowing full well the sentence which God pronounces against actions such as theirs, that they who do such things ARE WORTHY OF DEATH, they not only practise them, but even encourage and applaud others who do them.

I hope you understand the Scriptures well enough to know that people like this and people who do such things are not to be considered dead and their marital partners freed of them. All unbelievers are "dead in trespasses and sins" (Eph 2:1), yet a believer married to an unbeliever is commanded not to leave that unbeliever until the unbeliever no longer wants to live with the believer (1Cor 7:12,13), and the believer remains maritally bound to the unbeliever until the unbeliever separates him/herself from the believer (1Cor7:15). Those unbelievers are really dead in trespasses and sins, but the believers are under God's command to recognize their marital ties to the unbelievers according to those Scriptures. So there is no way that a believer who has a mate who falls into sex sin is maritally free by "spiritual death" from such a fallen but believing mate. THERE IS NOT ONCE SCRIPTURE THAT SAYS ADULTERY ENDS AND DISSOLVES THE TRUTH THAT TWO BELIEVERS MARRIED IN JESUS TO EACH OTHER ARE MARITALLY BOUND TO EACH OTHER UNTIL DEATH PARTS THEM.

Jesus makes binding>28 the cleaving >29 and the one flesh experience that we know as marriage. Since the only terms of divorce are given in Deut 24:1-4 (which were superseded by Matt. 19:1-15 and 1 Cor. 7:10-15,39), it is clear that marriage is a life long relationship based on the covenants of the couple and on God's command not to be put asunder or put asunder the relationship. Rather than abide by this believers-married-for-life principle, most Christian churches/ pastors today are telling their divorced and divorcing communicants that they should forget the things that have happened in the past trusting God's forgiveness to cover it all and press on into the future with their new mates and lives. [Footnotes:>28 (Mt. 19:6); >29 (Mt. 19:5) ] They say it would do more harm than good to tell Christian mates that they need to leave their new mates, married in adultery, and new kids and go back to the Christian mates they divorced contrary to the Word>f. I believe that we are to live by every Word of God, and not by unscriptural traditions of men that put asunder what God said must not be put asunder, that tell couples they are loosed from each other when God says they are bound for life>30 . How dare we say "You are loosed" when God Himself says she is "bound as long as her husband lives"? [Footnotes:>f in 1 Corinth. 7; Romans 7 and Mark 10 >30 (Matt. 19:5; Rom. 7:1-5; 1 Cor. 7:10,11,39)]

What are the responsibilities of still being bound to someone when you have loosed yourself according to human law but remain bound according to the Law of Christ? Wouldn't they be responsible for parenting both their children by the mates to whom they are bound by the Lord, as well as their children by their adulterous>31 new marriage. Wouldn't they be responsible for keeping whatever promises they made and can keep in the Lord--that they made to their mates in the Lord and to their mates in adultery>32 ? They can't keep their adulterous promises of marital intimacy with their adulterous mates, but they can keep the promise to Agapé Love them, cherish them, honor and respect them, pray and fast earnestly and fervently for them, and clothe and feed them if they are destitute and in need. Jesus instructs us to do these things even to our enemies>g. There is no question that they are responsible for the parenting, provision and care of any children by their adultery, as God and man's law allow(Eph. 6; 1 Tim. 5:8; Heb. 12; 1Jn.3:16,17). [Footnotes:>31. Mark 10:11,12; >32 (Psalm 15:4; Ezek. 17:15;Eccles.5:1-7) >g Luke 6; Mt 5; Isa. 59; 1 tim. 2; James 2; 1 Peter 2,3,4]

I submit that the commandment of God in Romans 7:1-3 and the following passage below (binding the saved husband to his saved wife until death separates them) is laid aside to hold mans tradition, making of no effect the Word of God.: **** MARK 10:6 But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. 7 For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother and shall cleave to his wife. 8 And the two of them shall be one flesh. So then they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, let not man put apart. . . . 11 And He said to them, Whoever shall put away his wife and marries another commits adultery against her. 12 And if a woman shall put away her husband and marries to another, she commits adultery. **** 1 CORINTH. 7: 4 The wife does not have authority over [her] own body, but the husband. And likewise also the husband does not have power [over his] own body, but the wife. 5 Do not deprive one another, unless [it is] with consent for a time, so that you may [give yourselves to] fasting and prayer. And come together again so that Satan does not tempt you for your incontinence. . . . 7 For I would that all men were even as I myself am. But each has his proper gift from God, one according to this manner and another according to that. 8 I say therefore to the unmarried and the widows, It is good for them if they remain even as I. 9 But if they do not have self- control, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn. 10* And to the married I command (not I, but the Lord), a woman not to be separated from [her] husband. 11* But if she is indeed separated, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to [her] husband. And a husband is not to leave [his] wife. . . . 39* The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband lives, but if her husband is dead, she is at liberty to be remarried to whom she will, only in the Lord.

I submit that those passages mean exactly what they say, that the obediently believing wife is bound by law as long as her obediently believing husband lives. No qualifiers! No exemptions! Instead many Christian leaders tell the saved divorced that if they just confess the sin of the divorce to God, God will forgive them and they are no longer bound to their departed saved mate so they can go on and remarry someone new. So they set aside Gods command to keep their own tradition. Can God bless and anoint with His miraculous power a person, a couple or a church sets aside His will and Word so they can keep their own tradition (Mk 7)? Not the Jesus I know.

What does it really mean to 1Jn.1:9 confess our sins so that He will forgive us? ***1 Jn 1:9 If we keep on admiting (homologeo) our sins, [continuing to agree (homologeo) with Jesus about our sins,] He is faithful and just to forgives us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness/wickedness. ***Prv 28:13 ¶ He who keeps his sins secret will not do well; but one who agrees with [God about them], and forsakes them, will get mercy.

Confession of sin for forgiveness means agreeing with God about our sins, their sinfulness and the death penalty they deserve, coupled with the forsaking of the sin confessed. It also includes the godly sorrow of 2 Cor 7 and the repentance of Prov 28:13. What does that mean in these circumstances? ***Mark 10:11* And he says to them, Whosoever shall put away his wife and shall marry another, commits adultery against her. ***Mt19:9* And I tell you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except her unfaithfulness, and marries another woman, commits adultery.”

The believing adulterer must come to agree with God that his sin was putting away his believing wife AND marrying another. He has violated the commands: ***1 Cor 7:11. . . . a husband should not leave a wife." ***Mk 10: 9 What therefore God has joined together, humans should not separate. He must agree with God that he sinned by leaving his wife, by separating himself from his wife, by divorcing his wife. The sin that he must forsake is the sin of leaving his wife, of separating himself from his wife, of divorcing his wife. His repentance in godly sorrow is doing everything he can to clear h imself of the sin (2Cor7) by joining himself to his wife, by reuniting with his wife, and by acknowledging that he is maritally bound to her til death part them because they are both forever people in Jesus. The case of believers married to unbelievers is different according to 1 Cor 7:12-15.

What about Deut 24? There is no command to divorce here, only the description of a procedure. Yes Jesus allowed the Jews under Moses to divorce their mates (Dt. 24& Mt. 19) but it was for the hardness of their hearts and you can be sure that a just and holy God chastened the hard of heart. If I were an insurer, I sure wouldn't want to sell them any life insurance given what God did to those who act with hardened hearts (1Cor.10). ***Dt.24:1 ¶ "When a man taketh a wife, and marrieth her, it shall be if she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some unseemly [6172 `ervah {er-vaw'}; n f] thing in her, that HE SHALL WRITE HER A LETTER OF DIVORCE, and give it into her hand, and send her out of his house." 6172 `ervah stands for the genitals or human excrement, according to how the Holy Spirit used the word in Ge 9:22, 23; Ex 20:26; 28:42; Le 18:6-19; 20:11,17-21. So what is Deut 24 about?

In Deut 22:13-21 the husband went in to his wife and found no evidence of virginity, instead finding evidence of a lack of virginity, and publicly charged "her with things for scandalous talk," and caused "an evil name against her to be spread abroad," and said, "This woman have I taken, and I came in unto her, and I did not find her a virgin; . . ." If that was proven, she was to be executed. Deut 24 is different from Deut 22 in that the husband DOES NOT publicly charge "her with things for scandalous talk," and cause "an evil name against her to be spread abroad," and say, "This woman have I taken, and I came in unto her, and I did not find her a virgin; . . ." Instead, like Joseph in Mat 1, >>>>>>>"19 But Joseph her husband, being a kind- hearted man and unwilling publicly to disgrace her, had determined to release her privately from the betrothal." <<<<<<<< the man of Dt 24 privately and discretely writes her a letter of divorce, gives it into her hand, and sends her away out of his house. She may have lied to him about the fact she was a widow (Dt 25), or that she was raped by a soldier/agent of the occupying forces while betrothed to him and was afraid to tell him (Dt 22:25-27), or like Joseph he loved her so much he couldn't bring himself to shame her publicly, but didn't love her enough to accept her in her failed or damaged state. And so he divorces her with a hardened but discrete heart because she lacks virgin genitals.

In Matt. 5 & 19 Jesus made it plain divorce was permitted for the hardness of human hearts and Malachi 2 makes it plain that God hates the treacherous breaking of marital covenants that results in divorce. In Matt. 5 Jesus permits the husband to divorce his wife is she is guilty of fornication, but does not command it. There is no command to divorce one's mate for fornication, not even in Dt 24 for those under the Law, but after Acts 1 there is the command to separate (not divorce) yourself from a saved mate who is snared in sexual sin in order to bring that mate to repentance and reconciliation>16. Before Acts 1 Jesus, who hates divorce, allowed divorce for the hardness of hearts >17. [Footnotes:>16. 1 Cor. 5:9-11; 2 Thes. 3:6-14; 1 Tim. 6:1- 5; 2 Tim. 3:1-5; >17. Mat. 19:6-9]

The compassionate heart of the Spirit filled Christian would respond to a mate's fornication according to the Word>18. . The goal of such compassion for one's mate snared in sexual sin would be the Church discipline prescribed in 1 Cor. 5:3-11 and 2 Thess 3:6-14 with the goal of bringing the erring one into godly sorrow, described in the following: 2 Cor. 7 and 1 Corinthians 5:5 . . . "deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction [ruin , damage] of the flesh, so that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus." The Saviour's goal for the erring one is salvation, not destruction. So what does a disciple of Christ do if he/she discovers that his/her mate is involved in sex sin? Consider the following: [Footnotes:>>18. 1 Corinth. 5:5-11; Matthew 18:15-18; Gal. 6:1; John 8: 1-10; 1 Tim. 5:20,21; 2 Th. 3:6-14]

**** 2 CORINTHIANS 2: 5 6 This punishment by the majority [is] enough for such a one; 7 so that, on the contrary, you should rather forgive and comfort [him], lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overwhelming sorrow. 8 So I beseech you to confirm [your] love toward him. 9 For to this end I also wrote, that I might know the proof of you, whether you are obedient in all things. 10 But to whom you forgive anything, I also [forgive]. For if I forgave anything, for your sakes I forgave [it] to him in the person of Christ; 11 so that we should not be overreached by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his devices. **** 2 CORINTHIANS 7: 8 For even if I grieved you in the letter, I do not regret; if indeed I did regret; for I see that that letter grieved you for an hour. 9 Now I rejoice, not that you were grieved, but that you grieved to repentance. For you were grieved according to God, so that you might suffer loss by nothing in us. 10 For the grief according to God works repentance to salvation, not to be regretted, but the grief of the world works out death. 11 For behold this same thing (you being grieved according to God); how much it worked out earnestness in you; but [also] defense; but [also] indignation; but [also] fear; but [also] desire; but [also] zeal; but [also] vengeance! In everything you approved yourselves to be clear in the matter. 12 Then, though I wrote to you, [it was] not on account of the one who did wrong, nor on account of the one who suffered wrong, but for the sake of revealing our earnestness on your behalf, for you before God.

Even though Jesus apparently allows a genuinely believing husband to divorce his wife snared in adultery and then go ahead and remarry, I wouldn't want to stand before the judgment seat of Christ, who hates divorce, and tell the God of Love I divorced my wife for fornication because of the hardness of my heart and my failure to do 2 Tim 2:22-26; Gal 6:1; Matt. 18:15-18; 1 Cor 5; 2 Thess 3:6-14. The motivation of a hardened heart doesn't square with Eph. 4 or I Cor. 13 or Romans 15.

Even though Jesus apparently allows a genuinely believing husband to divorce his wife snared in adultery and then go ahead and remarry, I wouldn't want to stand before the judgment seat of Christ, who hates divorce, and tell the God of Love I divorced my wife for fornication because of the hardness of my heart and my failure to do 2 Tim2:22- 26;Gal 6:1; Matt. 18:15-18; 1 Cor 5; 2 Thess 3:6-14. The motivation of a hardened heart doesn't square with Eph. 4 or I Cor. 13 or Romans 15.

***WEY EPHES. 4: 15 But we shall lovingly hold to the truth, and shall in all respects grow up into union with Him who is our Head, even Christ. . . 25 For this reason, laying aside falsehood, every one of you should speak the truth to his fellow man; for we are, as it were, parts of one another. 26 If angry, beware of sinning. Let not your irritation last until the sun goes down; 27 and do not leave room for the Devil.. . . . 30 And beware of grieving the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you have been sealed in preparation for the day of Redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and all passionate feeling, all anger and loud insulting language, be unknown among you--and also every kind of malice. 32 On the contrary learn to be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ has also forgiven you. ***1 CORINTH. 13: 4 Compassionate cherishing has patience, is kind; compassionate cherishing is not envious, is not vain, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave indecently, does not seek its own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil. 6 Charity does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices in the truth, 7 quietly covers all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Compassionate cherishing never fails. ***WEY ROMANS 15: 1* ¶ As for us who are strong, our duty is to bear with the weaknesses of those who are not strong, and not seek our own pleasure. 2 Let each of us endeavour to please his fellow Christian, aiming at a blessing calculated to build him up. 3 For even the Christ did not seek His own pleasure. His principle was, <“The reproaches which they addressed to Thee have fallen on me.”> 4 For all that was written of old has been written for our instruction, so that we may always have hope through the power of endurance and the encouragement which the Scriptures afford. 5 ¶ And may God, the giver of power of endurance and of that encouragement, grant you to be in full sympathy with one another in accordance with the example of Christ Jesus, 6 so that with oneness both of heart and voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 ¶ Habitually therefore give one another a friendly reception, just as Christ also has received you, and thus promote the glory of God. 8 My meaning is that Christ has become a servant to the people of Israel in vindication of God’s truthfulness-- in showing how sure are the promises made to our forefathers--

Being forgiven by God for sins worthy of death (Rom. 1) how can we not forgive our mate if he/she falls in adultery and then repents in godly sorrow? How can we say anything besides "Go on with your life and sin no more!">19 if the Godly repentance described in the following is evident? That's the example He left for us (1Pet.2:20,21). There is no greater Love than to lay down and deny your life/will for another's good. [>19. John 8:1-10.] ***WEY2 CORINTHIANS 7: 8* For if I gave you pain by that letter, I do not regret it, though I did regret it then. I see that that letter, even though for a time it gave you pain, had a salutary effect. 9 Now I rejoice, not in your grief, but because the grief led to repentance; for you sorrowed with a godly sorrow, which prevented you from receiving injury from us in any respect. 10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, a repentance not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world finally produces death. 11 For mark the effects of this very thing--your having sorrowed with a godly sorrow--what earnestness it has called forth in you, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing affection, what jealousy, what meting out of justice! You have completely wiped away reproach from yourselves in the matter.

What do you do about your spouse who is snared in adultery, fornication, lesbianism, sodomy, bestiality, incest or etc.? Consider the following: **** JOHN 8: 4 they said to Him, Teacher, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. 5 Now Moses in the law commanded us that such should be stoned. You, then, what do you say? . . . 7 But as they continued to ask Him, He lifted Himself up and said to them, He who is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone at her. . . . 9 And hearing, and being convicted by conscience, they went out one by one, beginning at the oldest, until the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10. . . Did not one give judgment against you? 11 And she said, No one, Lord. And Jesus said to her, Neither do I give judgment. Go, and sin no more. **** 1 CORINTH. 5: 1 Everywhere [it is] reported [that there is] fornication among you, and such fornication as is not named among the nations, so as one to have [his] father's wife. . . . 3 For as being absent in body but present in spirit, I indeed have 15 already [as though I were] present [concerning] him who worked out this thing; 4 in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, with my spirit; also, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ; 5 to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. . . . MATT. 5:32* But I say to you that whoever shall put away his wife, except for the cause of fornication, causes her to commit adultery. And whoever shall marry her who is put away commits adultery. 7 Therefore purge out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, as you are unleavened. . . . 11 But now I have written to you not to associate intimately, if any man called a brother [and is] either a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one not to eat. 12 . . . Do you not judge those who are inside? 13 . . . Therefore put out from you the evil one.

These show that such a separation can be an exercise in Church discipline, delivering the Chr istian offender's body for the destruction of the flesh (chastening) to the end that the erring saint should be effectively chastened and stop sinning and in godly sorrow repent of the fornication. The sinning saint is chastened>34 into weakness, sickness or sleep (death) by the Lord. If weakness or sickness results in godly sorrow and repentance, then the repentant one is restored as in the following: [Footnote: >34 (1 Cor. 5 &/or 11; Heb.12) **** 2 CORINTHIANS 7: 8 For even if I grieved you in the letter, I do not regret; if indeed I did regret; for I see that that letter grieved you for an hour. 9 Now I rejoice, not that you were grieved, but that you grieved to repentance. For you were grieved according to God, so that you might suffer loss by nothing in us. **** 2 CORINTHIANS 2: 6 This punishment by the majority [is] enough for such a one; 7 so that, on the contrary, you should rather forgive and comfort [him], lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overwhelming sorrow. 8 So I beseech you to confirm [your] love toward him. . . 10 But to whom you forgive anything, I also [forgive]. For if I forgave anything, for your sakes I forgave [it] to him in the person of Christ; 11 so that we should not be overreached by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his devices.

**** 2 CORINTHIANS 7: 8 For even if I grieved you in the letter, I do not regret; if indeed I did regret; for I see that that letter grieved you for an hour. 9 Now I rejoice, not that you were grieved, but that you grieved to repentance. For you were grieved according to God, so that you might suffer loss by nothing in us. **** 2 CORINTHIANS 2: 6 This punishment by the majority [is] enough for such a one; 7 so that, on the contrary, you should rather forgive and comfort [him], lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overwhelming sorrow. 8 So I beseech you to confirm [your] love toward him. . . 10 But to whom you forgive anything, I also [forgive]. For if I forgave anything, for your sakes I forgave [it] to him in the person of Christ; 11 so that we should not be overreached by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his devices.

They would both still be saved and both still be bound to each other maritaly no matter who else they married or how many kids they might have had in the meantime. There is nothing in scripture that would indicate the the marital bond between two genuine Christians is broken by sexual immorality. If adultery required a marital-bond breaking divorce/separation, then Matt 5:32 would read as follows: >>But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced for any other reason than sexual immorality commits adultery.<< This would imply that it would NOT be adultery to marry a woman divorced/separated for sexual immorality. But what did Jesus say to genuine believers? He said "... whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery."(Mt 5:32). He gives no qualifier or exception except for 1 Cor. 7:12-15 in the case of the believer divorced/ desserted by the unsaved mate. No matter what the reason for the divorce except 1 Cor. 7:15, including sexual immorality, "whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery." "And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery." (Mk.10:12). It is adultery to marry a woman divorced from her legitimate husband except in the case of 1 Cor. 7:15, in which case God has loosed her from her husband. It is adultery to marry a genuinely believing woman divorced from her genuinely believing man if they were free to marry in the Lord when they married, because when they married they became maritally bound to each other until death parts them (1Cor. 7:39)

What about if two believers were married and one of them fell into sex sin? ***Mt 5:32 But *I* say unto you, that whosoever shall put away his wife, except for cause of fornication, makes her commit adultery, and whosoever marries one that is put away commits adultery. . . . . 19:9* And I tell you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except her unfaithfulness, and marries another woman, commits adultery.” What should be done? What can be done?

He never commanded a genuine believer to divorce a genuine believer. It just is not in the Word. He never commands His child to divorce His other child after He has put them together. But there is a commanded separation or standing back or break in fellowship that is required by Jesus when one's mate is snared in the sins described below ---- not a divorce, but some form of separation. Consider the following about sinners (for those married to the unsaved) and about "saints" snared in sin: ***MATTHEW 5: 32* But I say to you that whoever shall put away his wife, except for the cause of fornication, causes her to commit adultery. And whoever shall marry her who is put away commits adultery. ***Romans 16: 17. . . mark them who cause divisions and causes of offense contrary to the doctrine which you have learned, and avoid them. ***1 Timothy 6:1-5 If any man. . . . consent not to . . . . the Words of our Lord Jesus . . . withdraw yourself from such. ***2 Timothy 3:1-5: For men shall be lovers of their own selves...... avoid such. ***1 CORINTH. 5: 9 I wrote to you in the letter not to associate intimately with fornicators; 10 yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then you must go out of the world. 11 But now I have written to you not to associate intimately, if any man called a brother [and is] either a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one not to eat. ***2 THESSALONIANS 3:6 Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves from every brother who walks disorderly, and not after the teaching which he received from us. . . . 14 And if anyone does not obey our word by this letter, mark that one and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 Yet do not count [him] as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

Yes there is an avoiding or withdrawing from such spouses but we will see below how 1 Cor. 7:10-15 and Mark 10 etc. exclude the option of marital separation or divorce except under very specific conditions. He never said that they were no longer bound to each other as Christian husband and Christian wife according to the scriptures>33 . You and I know that a married couple can avoid or withdraw from each other in many ways without getting a divorce. They withdraw emotionally or socially. A saint can't join the sinning spouse in the sin, so right there is a withdrawal or avoidance. [Footnote: >33 (Matt. 19:5; Rom. 7:1-5; 1 Cor. 7:10,11,15,39)]

What should be the spouse's attitude be when married to one to whom she/he is commanded to be manifesting some form of avoidance or withdrawal? The key is in 2 Thess 3:15 above where we enjoined to "not count [him] as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother." or in 1 Pet. 3:1 where the wives are instructed to "be submissive to your own husbands so that, if any obey not the Word, they also may without a word be won by the behavior of the wives . . . . ". Consider the following: ***Luke 17:3 Take heed to yourselves. If your brother wrongs you, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. ***Galatians 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, you who are spiritual restore such a one in the Spirit of meekness . . . ***John 13:10-15 . . . . you also ought to wash each other's feet, for I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. ***Ephes. 4:15 . . . speaking the Truth in Love . . . . ***Ephes 5:6-11 . . . because of these things comes the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore don't be partakers with them. . . .And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but, rather, reprove [them]. ***1 Tim. 5:20,21 Them that sin rebuke before all, that others may fear. . ***2 Tim. 2:24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle unto all, able to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose them . . . . . ***1 Pet. 3:1 . . . be submissive to your own husbands so that, if any obey not the Word, they also may without a word be won by the behavior of the wives . . . .

What should be the spouse's attitude be when married to one to whom she/he is commanded to be manifesting some form of avoidance or withdrawal? The key is in ***2 Tim. 2:24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle unto all, able to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose them . . . . . ***1 Pet. 3:1 . . . be submissive to your own husbands so that, if any obey not the Word, they also may without a word be won by the behavior of the wives . . . .

According to 1 Cor. 5 it is a whole different ball game if the spouse is often doing, practicing, regularly or habitually doing any of the following: adultery, fornication, sexual perversion (sodomy, homosexuality, bestiality, incest), greediness or covetousness, the worship of false gods, reviling (verbal abuse), drunkeness or intoxication, robbing, swindling, and/or extorting. The saved spouse is under command NOT to associate, keep company or be intimate with a spouse who does the above and is claiming to be genuinely saved, a genuine believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, a born again child of God. This may take the form of the husband divorcing such a "believing" wife and remarrying (Matt: 19:9) or it may take the form of the wife chastely and maritally separating herself from such a "believing" spouse (1 Cor. 7:10,11). The reason for this difference in options will be discussed in the chapter dealing with adultery and its definition.

So then what is the meaning of the following passages? ***Mt 5:32 But *I* say unto you, that whosoever shall put away his wife, except for cause of fornication, makes her commit adultery, and whosoever marries one that is put away commits adultery. . . . .

The fact that it is adultery to marry the wife put away for fornication (sex sin) clearly indicates that she is still bound to him maritally, and he to her. So what is the purpose of his putting her away? The purpose of his putting her away is to obey the following Scriptures: ***1Cor 5:11* But what I meant was that you were not to associate with any one bearing the name of “brother,” if he does fornication . . . . With such a man you ought not even to eat. ***2Thes 3:14* But if any one obey not our word by the letter, mark that man, and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed of himself; 15 and do not esteem him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

The believing brother separates himself from his sinning wife because he is under command to not associate with her, not to eat with her, and not keep company with her, so that she may become ashamed of herself and repent of her sin in godly sorrow. He is still bound to her maritally, till death part them, and 1 Tim 5 makes it clear that he is still responsible to provide what she needs to live. The purpose of the separation is ultimately to achieve restoration and reconciliation, as in 2 Cor 2.

I believe the saved wife of an unsaved husband, who is involved in the sins listed above in this section, has the same chaste separation option, from the context of 1 Cor. 7:10-15. I understand this kind of separation from such sinning mates involves the cessation of sexual intimacy, until either the sinning spouse repents as in 2 Cor 2 & 7 or the Lord takes the life of the sinning spouse so as to save his spirit.

There is a parallel in the relationship of the Body of Christ to Christ. When a brother becomes part of the Bride of Christ Jesus is bound by His own Word in the relationship, not to put apart what God has put together (John 17:2, 6, 9, 10, 20, 21).So when a brother stumbles into fornication>35, instead of cutting off the relationship and disowning him, Jesus Loves him and has promised to chasten him in that Love>36. There is a break in fellowship, a separation, in that Jesus doesn't respond to his usual prayers>37 and releases his body to Satan for the destruction of his body>38 in order to save his spirit>39. He still belongs to Jesus because he shows that his spirit will be saved even if the chastening doesn't result in repentance>40. No one, neither himself nor Jesus, can take him out of Jesus hand>41. So the brother is chastened>42 and genuinely repents>43, resulting in his restoration to good standing and fellowship in the Bride of Christ and with Jesus. [Footnote: >35. 1 Cor. 5; 2 Tim. 2:24,26. >36. 1 Cor.5; Hebrews 12. >37. Isaiah; Mat. 6:16; 1 Pet. 3:7; 1 Jn. 3:22,23. >38. 1 Cor. 5:5; 11:27-32; Heb. 12. >39. 1 Cor. 5:6; 11:27- 32 >40. 1 Cor. 5:5; 11:27-32. >41. John 10:28,29. >42. 1 Cor. 5 & 2 Cor. 2. >43. 2 Cor. 2 and 7].

Another parallel is Jesus and the nation Israel. Israel became the bride of Jehovah/Jesus>44. When Israel misused their bodies/temple, Jehovah/Jesus allowed their bodies to suffer>45. He didn't end His relationship/promises with the nation Israel, even though He allowed many of them to suffer/die and allowed the temple to be destroyed. When Israel repented genuinely, He restored His fellowship and blessings to the genuinely repentant, even allowing them to rebuild the temple for full fellowship>46. Jehovah/Jesus' bond with the nation Israel was not annulled and broken by their sin nor the chastening He allowed>47. [Footnote: >44. (Ex. 20; Ezek. 16:7; 23:1-6). >45. 1Cor. 10:9,10 >46. Ezra, Nehemiah. >47. Ezekiel 16 and 23; Hosea]

In American reality, because of the wretchedly poor Bible teaching today Christians, divorce and remarry almost as much as J.Q Public. The Christian wife divorces her Christian husbandand remarries in adultery reaping the chastening of the Lord until she dies>48 or repents in reconciliation or celibacy if she is genuinely born again. The Christian man divorces his Christian wife and remarries. If he really repudiates his Christian wife for another and marries another he commits adultery>49 and reaps the Lord's chastening. At this point we need to define our terms. [Footnotes:>48. (1 Cor 5 and 11:29-32); >49 (Mark 10, Luke 16, Matt 5, 1 Cor 7)]

IV-A. MARRIAGE, POLYGYNY & CONCUBINES FROM GENESIS TO JUDGES

THE FIRST MARRIAGE ***Gen.2: 7 And the LORD God formed man [of] the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. 8 And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9 And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. . . 15 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. 18 And the LORD God said, [It is] not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. 19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought [them] unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that [was] the name thereof. 20 And Adam gave names to all the cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every animal of the field. But there was not found a suitable helper for Adam. 21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept. And He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh underneath. 22 And the LORD God made the rib (which He had taken from the man) into a woman. And He brought her to the man.

>>>>[Is this an ideal setting for the first marriage? Do we have such a face to face relationship with God? Had man been designated as her head/ruler yet? Had she been told by God yet that Adam would take the lead in their marriage? Weren't they still perfectly equal partners still? Is it realistic to take this perfect marriage-in-paradise and hold it up as the norm and standard for us today? Wasn't it God Himself that changed the marital relationship when they were expelled from the Garden? Does God anywhere in His Word say that this marriage-made-in-Paradise is to be our model and standard for Godly marriage? Where? If He didn't make it the norm and the standard, dare we make it the standard (Mark 7)?

[Is there anything in this first marriage that clearly and specifically allows only monogyny? Is there anything in this first marriage that clearly and specifically forbids polygyny? Is there anything in this passage that indicates that God set monogyny up as the model we must follow? Is there anything in this passage that clearly and specifically instructs us to follow Adam's example of monogyny?]

[The first mention of marriage in the Bible is where God miraculously provided Eve to Adam in the Garden of God. Monogamists say that if God approved of polygyny God would have given Eve, Eyvette, Eva and Evellyn to Adam. On the other hand, just like with you and I, if we have more than one good option, we dont need to exercise all of them, just the one that is best at the time. There is no quarrel with the fact that God has ordained that the male leaders of his Church are to have one wife>33 , and that even in the Old Testament the leaders were instructed not to multiply wives to themselves. To be a valid prefigure of Christ (as the first Adam) you would expect Adam to have one wife, just as Christ, the last Adam, has one wife the Church. [Footnote: >33 1 Tim. 3; Titus 1]

***Gen.2: 23 And Adam said, This [is] now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. [She] shall be called Woman because [she] was taken out of man. 24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife and they shall be one flesh. 25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife; and they were not ashamed. Does Jesus' statement The two shall become one flesh mean that only one man and one woman should become one flesh, as in monogamy>57 , as most of the "leaders" maintain? Doesn't the Spirit uses The two shall become one flesh principle in 1 Corinth. 6 to show that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her , and then uses the same one flesh principle in Eph. 5 about a husband and his wife? Jerome (340-420AD) didn't indicate any problem understanding the possibility when he wrote, "Lamech, a man of blood and a murderer, was the first who divided one flesh between two wives.">58 [Footnotes:>.57 Please see THE INSTITUTES OF BIBLICAL LAW, by R. Rushdonney, p. 363. >.58 A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church, Vol. VIII; p. 358.]

Since the harlot is one flesh with every fornicator she has sexual union with and the husband is one flesh with his wife, how can the one flesh principle be unique to marriage and how can it be an argument for monogamy or against polygyny ? Doesn't the one flesh principle in physical reality describe only the result of sexual union, whether it involve a harlot, a fornicator, a married couple or a polygamous marriage? Weren't David, Israel and Abraham one flesh with each of their wives, just as the adulteress of Prov. 6 & 7 was one flesh with each of her adulterers? Under the Law by Moses, being one flesh could have been the basis for marriage>11 but not so for us after the Sinai Law of Moses was declared voided for Gentile/nonJewish believers in Acts 15 and 21; Eph. 2 and Col. 2, especially in the case of 1 Cor. 7:9; 1 Tm. 5:11-14, right?If we do not control ourselves today, aren't we commanded to marry>12 , with who to marry not specified, only that your mate be saved>13 and godly>14? [Footnotes: >11 (Deut. 22:22-30; Ex. 22:16,17). >12 1 Cor. 7:9,36; 1 Tim 5:14; Appendix 2 of this document. >13. 2 Corinthians 6. .>14 1 Corinthians 5:9-11; 2 Thess. 3:6-14]

***Gen.3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree [was] good for food. and that it was pleasing to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make wise, she took of its fruit, and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. 7 And the eyes of both of them were opened. And they knew that they [were] naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made girdles for themselves. 8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day. And Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God in the middle of the trees of the garden. 9 And the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, Where [are] you? 10 And he said, I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I [am] naked, and I hid myself. 11 And He said, Who told you that you [were] naked? Have you eaten of the tree which I commanded you that you should not eat? 12 And the man said, The woman whom You gave [to be] with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate. 13 And the LORD God said to the woman, What [is] this you have done? And the woman said, The serpent deceived me, and I ate. 16 To the woman He said, I will greatly increase your sorrow and your conception. In pain you shall bear sons, and your desire shall be toward your husband, and he shall rule over you.17 And to Adam He said, Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree, of which I commanded you, saying, You shall not eat [of] it! The ground [is] cursed for your sake. In pain shall you eat of it all the days of your life. 18 It shall also bring forth thorns and thistles to you, and you shall eat the herb of the field. 19 In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For dust you [are], and to dust you shall return. 20 And Adam called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. 21 And for Adam and his wife the LORD God made coats of skins, and clothed them. 22 And the LORD God said, Behold, the man has become as one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever, 23 therefore the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he had been taken. 24 And He drove out the man. And He placed cherubs at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life. 4:1 And Adam knew Eve his wife. And she conceived and bore Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD. 2 And she bore again, his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

>>>>>[ Are they now in a whole new "universe", under a curse, mortal, subject to sickness and weakness and a whole new way of relating to each other as a result of their sin? Isn't there a significant change in their relationship with each other and with God? Hadn't the ideal first marriage become a very different thing because of sin? Didn't their world become like ours is today? Isn't this the beginning of the changes that would take place in human matrimony? Is there anything in this first marriage that clearly and specifically allows only monogyny? Is there anything in this first marriage that clearly and specifically forbids polygyny? Is there anything in this passage that indicates that God set monogyny up as the model we must follow? Is there anything in this passage that clearly and specifically instructs us to follow Adam's example of monogyny?] [Leaders say that one of God's purposes in creation was that the marital standard for man be monogamy>32 even though there is not one scripture, quoted or paraphrased, that says that. Yet I understand a Christian elder and most of the "leaders" to persist, apparently maintaining that there is no doubt that God's indisputable will, as seen in the Old Testament, is monogamy.>33. [Footnotes:>.32 Please see THE INSTITUTES OF BIBLICAL LAW, page 362, by R. Rushdonney.; >33. Trobisch, MY WIFE MADE ME. . . P.21]

Whether or not it is the best form of marriage for each individual depends on the gift and the leading (Rom. 8:1-14) each individual receives from God. St. Augustine (4th Century AD) had a gentler way of saying it that I feel more reflects the God of Gen. 1 and 1 Cor. 13. Consider the following: "That the good purpose of marriage, however, is better promoted by one husband with one wife, than by a husband with several wives, is shown plainly enough by the very first union of a married pair, which was made by the Divine Being Himself, with the intention of marriages taking their beginning therefrom, and of its affording to them a more honorable precedent. In the advance, however, of the human race, it came to pass that to certain good men were united a plurality of good wives, --- many to each; and from this it would seem that moderation sought rather unity on one side for dignity, while nature permitted plurality on the other side for fecundity. For on natural principles it is more feasible for one to have dominion over many, than for many to have dominion over one." [Footnote: >..34 2b A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church; Vol. V; p. 267]

Not one verse, quoted or paraphrased, says that God's purpose was that "monogamy be the standard for man" but most of our relgious leaders teach this doctrine. They say that Gen. 2:18-24 shows that "The normative marriage is clearly monogamous. First that passage says nothing about Gen 2 being normative, and no other passage in the Bible says that. None of us are commanded by God to emulate or imitate Adam. Adam had to be unique as the first Adam just as Christ had to be unique to be the last Adam>35. , and being unique it is no surprise that both Adams have one unique wife (the first Adam, Eve; the last Adam>36. Jesus, the Church). In the Old Testament Jesus portrayed Himself as a polygynist>37 in accordance with His own Law governing polygyny, and as King of Kings He did not multiply wives to Himself. In the New Testament as the Leader of the Church, He could have only one wife in accordance with His own Law governing the marital status of Church leaders>4 [Footnotes:>.35. 1 Cor. 15:45-49; Romans 5:12-21. >.36. DITTO 1 Cor. 15:45-49; Romans 5:12-21. >.37 Ezekiel 23; >.>4 Titus 1; 1 Timothy 3]

"Monogamy is implicit in the story of Adam and Eve, since God created only one wife for Adam. Yet polygyny is adopted from the time of Lamech (Gn. 4:19), and is not forbidden inScripture...... Polygamy continues to the present day among Jews in Moslem, Hindu, Buddhist, Asian, Oriental, and African countries." [Douglas New Bible Dictionary : MARRIAGE: .....p.787]

. . Elkanah, the husband of Hannah and Peninnah, is an interesting example of a man of no particular position who nevertheless had more than one wife; this may be an indication that bigamy, at least, if not polygamy, was not confined to the very wealthy and exalted. At all events, polygyny was an established and recognized institution from the earliest of times.>39 [Footnote: >39. HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE; p.259.]

Polygamy meets us as a fact: e.g. Abraham, Jacob, the Judges, David, Solomon; 1 Ch 7:4 is evidence of its prevalence in Issachar; Elkanah (1 Sam.1:1ff) is significant as belonging to the middle class; Jehoida (2 Ch 24:3) as a priest. . .Legislation . . . safeguarded the rights of various wives, slave or free; and according to the Rabbinical interpretation of Lv 21:13>40. . . .the high priest was not allowed to be a bigamist. . . The marriage figure applied to the union of God and Israel . . . implied monogamy as the ideal state. . . Being .. apparently legalized, and having the advantage of precedent, it was long before polygamy was formally forbidden in Hebrew society, though practically it fell into disuse; the feeling of the Rabbis was strongly against it. Herod had nine wives at once. . . Its possibility is implied by the technical continuance of the Levirate law, [Deut. 25:5-10] and is proved by the early interpretation of 1 Ti 3, whether correct or not. Justin reproaches the Jews of his day [A.D.] with having 'four or even five wives,' and marrying 'as they wish, or as many as they wish.' The evidence of the Talmud shows that in this case at least the reproach had some foundation. Polygamy was not definitely forbidden among the Jews till the time of R. Gershom (c. A.D. 1000), and then at first only for France and Germany. In Spain, Italy, and the East it persisted for some time longer, as it does still among the Jews in Mohammedan countries>41. [Footnote: (>.(40. Septuagint Lev. 21:13 "He shall take for a wife a virgin of his own tribe.". .>41. HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE; p.583ff.]

Eugene Nida's (American Bible Society) book Customs and Cultures>42 documents the practice of polygyny by Christians in non Western countries, and how it is still practiced in China, SE Asia, India, Africa and parts of South America. Eugene Nida points out that when polygamists become Christians they are told of their limitations in church offices and are asked not to take any additional wives because it stumbles western Christians>5 . They are not usually asked to abandon their other wives to a premature widowhood because of l Cor. 7:1-15. [Footnotes:>.42 1954, Harper & Brothers, New York; >5 (Rom 14, l Cor. 8 and 10)]

The unscriptural condemnation of polygyny/concubinage by the Western Christian community has proven to be one of the main obstacles for people in Eastern and third world countries to accept the message of Christ, especially if Moslem, Hindu, Buddhist, Asian, Oriental, or African, fulfilling Christ's Word in Mark 7:13 "making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have delivered . . ." The Western Christian tradition against polygyny hinders the spread of the Gospel of Christ in Moslem and other polygynous societies.

What about all those third world folks, especially the Moslem, Hindu, Buddhist, Asian, Oriental, and Africans, who are practicing polygyny/ concubinage and are told that they have to dump or abandon their extra wives in order to become Christians? This requirement keeps many from Christ and alienates many against Christ, being one of the biggest obstacles for the Moslem, Hindu, Buddhist, Asian, Oriental, and African communities. These "Christian" folks who feel their own tradition about monogamy and polygyny must be kept by Moslem, Hindu, Buddhist, Asian, Oriental, and Africans and other third world polygamists for them to become Christians, sound like the folks: Mat. 23:13 " But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you shut up the kingdom of the heavens before men; for *you* do not enter, nor do you suffer those that are entering to go in."

The angels are waiting to rejoice over the conversion of one polygamous Moslem, Hindu, Buddhist, Asian, Oriental, and African or third worlder. "Christian legalists and traditionalists" wont let them into their "Christian" churches unless they sin by (1) "dealing treacherously">6 with their wives by putting them away in repudiation, (2) disobeying Christ's command not to leave their wives>7 , and (3) not remaining in the marital condition in which they were called to Christ, whether it be concubinage, polygyny or in monogamy. I understand one source to make the point has been made that it would be brutal for the Christian community to force a polygamist to have to choose between (1) being saved and then baptized, and (2) having his wives in legally and sociably acceptable polygyny.>43. [Footnotes:>6 Malachi 2; >7 1 Cor. 7:11,12,13,14; ^>.^43. Trobisch, MY WIFE MADE ME. . . P.33; [Karl Barth, CHURCH DOGMATICS, III/4, p. 203].

So what is the solution? What is God's solution? At the very least the Spirit's Word in Paul tells us that if you, husband or wife, are saved in polygyny/concubinage, then remain in polygyny/concubinage and accept it as God's distribution for each person involved in particular. ***1 Cor.7: 17 However, as the Lord has divided to each, as God has called each, so let him walk; and thus I ordain in all the assemblies. . . . 20 Let each abide in that calling in which he has been called. . . . 24 Let each, wherein he is called, brethren, therein abide with God. . . . 26 I think then that this is good, on account of the present necessity, that [it is] good for a man to remain so as he is. 27 Are you bound to a wife? Seek not to be loosed; are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife. ADAM'S CREATOR, JEHOVAH, LATER PRESENTED HIMSELF AS A POLYGYNIST WITH TWO WIVES. **** EZEKIEL 23: 1 The word of the LORD came again to me, 2 Son of man, there were two women, the daughters of one mother. 3 And they fornicated in Egypt; they whored in their youth, their breasts were handled, and there their Oholibah, her sister. And they were Mine, and they bore sons and daughters . And their names: Samaria [is] Oholah, and Jerusalem [is] Oholibah. 5 And Oholah whored under Me. And she lusted after her lovers, to [her] Assyrian neighbors, . . . 18 So she uncovered her fornications and uncovered her nakedness. And My soul was alienated from her just as My soul was alienated from her sister. 36 And the LORD said to me: Son of man, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah, and declare to them their abominations, 37 that they have committed adultery , and blood [is] on their hands? And they have committed adultery with their idols and have also caused their sons whom they bore to Me to pass through the fire to them, to devour them. . . . . 45 And [as] righteous men, they shall judge them [with] the judgment of adulteresses, and the judgment of women who shed blood; because they [are] adulteresses, and blood [is] in their hands.

***EZEK 16:8 And I swore to you and entered into a covenant with you, says the Lord Jehovah. And you became Mine, and they bore sons and daughters . And their names: Samaria [is] Oholah, and Jerusalem [is] Oholibah...... 20 And you have taken your sons and your daughters, whom you have borne to Me, and you gave these to them for food. [Are] your fornications small? ...... 30 How weak is your heart, says the Lord Jehovah, since you do all these, the work of a woman, an overbearing harlot; 31 in that you build your mound at the head of every way, and make your high place in every street. Yet you have not been as a harlot, scorning wages. 32 [Like] the adulterous wife, instead of her husband, she takes strangers. 33 They give a gift to all harlots, but you give your gifts to all your lovers, and bribe them to come to you from all around, for your fornication. 34 And in you was the opposite from [those] women in your fornications, since no one whores after you, and in your giving wages, and hire is not given to you. [In] this you are opposite...... 59 For so says the Lord Jehovah: I will even deal with you as you have done, who have despised the oath in breaking the covenant. 60 But I will remember My covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish to you an everlasting covenant. 61 And you shall remember your ways and be ashamed, when you shall receive your sisters, your older and your younger. And I will give them to you for daughters, but not by [your] covenant. 62 And I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall know that I [am] the LORD; 63 so that you may remember and be ashamed; and it will not be [possible] to open [your] mouth any more because of your shame; in that I am propitiated for all that you have done, says the Lord Jehovah.

Does God ever portray Himself as a sinner commiting sin? Can polygyny be a sin if God portrays Himself as a polygynist? Is there anything in this passage that condemns or forbids polygyny? In the Old Testament Jesus, as Jehovah>34 , presents Himself as the husband of one wife remembering their wedding day and the exchange of the vows at Mt. Sinai in the desert>35 . Reflecting the reality of how Israel and Judah divided after Solomon died, Jesus (as Jehovah) presents Himself as the husband of two wives God never presents Himself as sin or sinner to us except for when holy Christ became sin for us on the cross. In Ezek. 23, the sinners were His wives and He was righteous as the husband of two wives. It was only two wives in accordance with His own Law that decreed that the ruler must not multiply wives to himself. Polygyny , even Gods polygyny , is NEVER labeled or declared to be sin or sinful in the Bible.

God portrays Himself, in the fullness of His holiness, as the polygamous husband of two wives in Ezekiel 23. I believe God was not a victim of the fall, and remains holy in a world of sin. If polygamy clearly appears as a product of the fall then why isnt there one scripture or even one verse that says that? Since there isnt, it seems to be more mens teaching. No where does polygyny appear, in the Old or the New Testaments, in any list of sins, list of fleshly works or list of abominations to God. I understand Rev. Gerhard Jasper to make the following points: (1) In Old Testament times a Jewish polygynist's marriage was fully recognized as marriage, protected by the Law and the elders; (2) the Jewish polygynist's faith in or faithfulness to God was not questioned because of his polygyny; (3) the polygyny of the Jewish polygynist did not keep him from being admitted to the congregation with full membership.>44. Moses did not forbid polygamy>8 (Dt. 21:15,16) >8 but apparently it was unusual among average people .>45. [Footnotes:>.f89 Please see p. 362, THE INTSTITUTES OF BIBLICAL LAW, by R. Rushdonney. >44. Trobisch, MY WIFE MADE ME. . . P.18; (AFRICAN THEOLOGICAL JOURNAL, Rev. Gerhard Jasper of Lutheran Theological College in Makumira, Tanzania; Februrary 1969, p. 41). >45. Please see THE INTERNATIONAL BIBLE COMMENTARY; p. 407.]

St. Augustine (4th Century AD) had a good word on this subject. Consider the following: "That the holy fathers of olden times after Abraham, and before him, to whom God gave His testimony that "they pleased Him," [Heb. 11:4-6] thus used their wives, no one who is a Christian ought to doubt, since it was permitted to certain individuals amongst them to have a plurality of wives, where the reason was for the multiplication of their offspring, not the desire of varying gratification. . .In the advance . . . of the human race, it came to pass that to certain good men were united a plurality of good wives, --- many to each; and from this it would seem that moderation sought rather unity on one side for dignity, while nature permitted plurality on the other side for fecundity. For on natural principles it is more feasible for one to have dominion over many, than for many to have dominion over one.">46 [Footnote: >46 A Select Library of the Nicene and Post- Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church Vol. V; p. 267.]

LAMECH, THE FIRST POLYGYNIST. ***Gen.4:17 And Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. And he built a city, and called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch. 18 And Irad was born to Enoch. And Irad fathered Mehujael. And Mehujael fathered Methusael. And Methusael fathered Lamech. 19 And Lamech took two wives to himself. The name of the first one [was] Adah, and the name of the other [was] Zillah.

As Jerome (340-420AD) put it, "Lamech, a man of blood and a murderer, was the first who divided one flesh between two wives." >3 Some maintain that polygamy was much less common in the Old Testament than is frequently thought to be the case, though its practice usually seemed to have a valid reason >4. [Footnotes:>39. **** GEN. 4: 19 ; A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church,Vol. VIII; p. 358. >4. Please see THE INTERNATIONAL BIBLE COMMENTARY; p.119.]

Have you considered what Saint Augustine said in the fourth century AD? "But here there is no ground for a criminal accusation: for a plurality of wives was no crime when it was the custom; and it is a crime now, because it is no longer the custom. There are sins against nature, and sins against custom, and sins against the laws. In which, then, of these senses did Jacob sin in having a plurality of wives? As regards nature, he used the women not for sensual gratification, but for the procreation of children. For custom, this was the common practice at that time in those countries. And for the laws, no prohibition existed. The only reason of its being a crime now to do this, is because custom and the laws forbid it." [Footnote: >.14 A Select Library of the Nicene and Post- Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church, Vol. iv; p. 289] THE POLYGYNOUS PATRIARCH, ABRAHAM , SARAH AND HAGAR

***GEN. 16: 2 And Sarai said to Abram, Behold now, the LORD has kept me from bearing. I pray you, go in to my slave woman. It may be that I may be built by her. And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. 3 And Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar her slave woman, the Egyptian, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife (after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan); . . . . 9 And the Angel of the LORD said to her [Hagar], Return to your mistress and submit yourself under her hands. 10 And the Angel of the LORD said to her, I will multiply your seed exceedingly, so that it shall not be numbered for multitude. 11 And the Angel of the LORD said to her, Behold, you are with child, and shall bear a son. And you shall call his name Ishmael, because the LORD has heard your affliction 12 And he will be a wild man. His hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him. And he shall live in the presence of all his brothers. 13 And she called the name of the LORD who had spoken to her, You [are] a God of vision! For she said, Even here have I looked after Him that sees me? 14 Therefore the well was called The Well of the Living One Seeing Me. Behold, [it is] between Kadesh and Bered. 15 And Hagar bore Abram a son . And Abram called his son's name, which Hagar bore, Ishmael. 16 And Abram [was] eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram. . . . 17: 1 And when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, I [am] the Almighty God! Walk before Me and be perfect. 2 And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly. 3 And Abram fell on his face. And God talked with him, saying, 4 As for Me, behold! My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. 5 Neither shall your name any more be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham. For I have made you a father of many nations. 6 And I will make you exceedingly fruitful, greatly so, and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come out of you. 7 And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your seed after you in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God to you and to your seed after you. 8 And I will give the land to you in which you are a stranger, and to your seed after you, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession. And I will be their God. 9 And God said to Abraham, And you shall keep My covenant, you and your seed after you in their generations. 10 This is My covenant, which you shall keep, between Me and you and your seed after you. Every male child among you shall be circumcised.

[If polygyny is a sin, why does God bless both Abraham and his two wives in their polygny? Is there anything in this passage that specifically and clearly shows God's disapproval of and displeasure in Abraham's polygyny?]

***GEN. 17:15 And God said to Abraham, As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but her name [shall be] Sarah. 16 And I will bless her, and give you a son also of her. Yes, I will bless her, and she shall be [a mother] of nations, kings of people shall be from her. 17 And Abraham fell upon his face and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall [a child] be born to him that is a hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear? 18 And Abraham said to God, Oh that Ishmael might live before You! 19 And God said, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son indeed. And you shall call his name Isaac. And I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. 20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall father twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. 21 But I will establish My covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this set time in the next year. 22 And He left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham.

[If polygyny is condemned by God and forbidden to man, then why does God bless Sarah who influenced Abraham to become a polygynist? If Abraham's polygyny was a sin, why did God bless the offspring of his polygyny? If Abraham's polygyny was a sin, why did God personally talk with him and bless him so richly? Where is the condemnation of Abraham's polygyny?]

***Gen 17:23 And Abraham took his son Ishmael, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his silver; every male among the men of Abraham's house; and circumcised the flesh of their foreskins in the same day, even as God said to him. 24 And Abraham [was] ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 25 And his son Ishmael [was] thirteen years old [when] he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 26 In the same day Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised. ***GEN. 21:1 And the LORD visited Sarah as He had said. And the LORD did to Sarah as He had spoken. 2 For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. 3 And Abraham called the name of his son that was born to him (whom Sarah bore to him) Isaac. 4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him.

WHERE IS THE CONDEMNATION OF ABRAHAM'S POLYGYNY? WHERE IS THE DENUNCIATION OF THE CHILDREN OF HIS POLYGYNY? ***Gen. 21: 9 And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian (whom she had borne to Abraham) mocking. 10 And she said to Abraham, Cast out this slave woman and her son. For the son of this slave woman shall not be heir with my son, with Isaac. 11 And the thing was very evil in Abraham's sight, because of his son. 12 And God said to Abraham, Let it not be grievous in your sight because of the boy and because of your slave woman. In all that Sarah has said to you, listen to her voice. For in Isaac your Seed shall be called. 13 And also, I will make a nation of the son of the slave woman, because he [is] your seed.

WAS SHE KICKED OUT BECAUSE THEY BELIEVED THEIR POLYGYNY DISPLEASED GOD? WHAT IS THE REASON SARAH GAVE FOR THE EXPULSION OF HAGAR AND ISHMAEL? DID HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THEIR POLYGYNY?

***GEN. 21: 14 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread and a bottle of water, and gave [it] to Hagar, putting [it] on her shoulder. And he gave her the boy, and sent her away. And she departed and wandered in the wilderness of Beer-sheba. 15 And the water was gone in the bottle, and she cast the boy under one of the shrubs. 16 And she went and sat down across from him, a good way off, about a bowshot. For she said, Let me not see the death of the boy. And she sat across from him, and lifted up her voice, and cried. 17 And God heard the voice of the boy, and the angel of God called to Hagar out of the heavens, and said to her, What ails you, Hagar? Do not fear, for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. 18 Rise up, lift up the boy and hold him up with your hand, for I will make him a great nation. 19 And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went and filled the bottle with water, and gave drink to the boy. 20 And God was with the boy, and he grew, and lived in the wilderness, and became an archer. 21 And he lived in the wilderness of Paran, and his mother took a wife for him out of the land of Egypt.

WHERE DOES IT SAY THAT GOD CONDEMNED OR PUNISHED HAGAR AND ISHMAEL FOR THEIR POLYGYNY? If their polygyny were a sin, why did God take such good care of them and promise them such great blessings?

***Gen.22: 20 And it happened after these things that it was told Abraham, saying, Behold Milcah! She also has borne children to your brother Nahor: 21 Huz his first-born, and Buz his brother, and Kemuel the father of Aram, 22 and Chesed, and Hazo, and Pildash, and Jidlaph, and Bethuel. 23 And Bethuel fathered Rebekah. These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham's brother. 24 And his concubine, named Reumah, she also bore Tebah, and Gaham, and Thahash, and Maachah. ***Gen. 23: 19 And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave at the field of Machpelah before Mamre, which [is] Hebron, in the land of Canaan. ***Gen. 25: 1 Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah. 2 And she bore him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah. 3 And Jokshan fathered Sheba and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim and Letushim and Leummim. 4 And the sons of Midian: Ephah and Epher and Hanoch and Abida and Eldaah. All these [were] the sons of Keturah. 5 And Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac. 6 But to the sons of the concubines which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts. And he sent them away from Isaac his son while he still lived, eastward to the east country. ****1 Chronicles 1: 32 And the sons of Keturah, Abraham's concubine : She bore Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah. And the sons of Jokshan: Sheba and Dedan. 33 And the sons of Midian: Ephah, and Epher, and Henoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these [are] the sons of Keturah.

[Where is God's denunciation of Abraham for having concubines? Where is God's denunciation of the concubines for marrying Abraham? Where is Abraham's confession of his sin, if polygyny is sinful as some say?] Have you considered the following? ". . . a man's 'house' might consist of his mother; his wives and the wives' children; his concbines and their children . . . and slaves of both sexes. Polygamy was in part the cause of the large size of the Hebrew household; in part thecause of it may be found in the insecurity of early times, when safety lay in numbers . . . Polygyny and bigamy were recognized features of the family life. From the Oriental point of view there was nothing immoral in the practice of polygamy. The female slaves were in every respect the property of their master and became his concubines; except in certain cases, when they seem to have belonged exclusively to their mistress . . . At all events, polygyny was an established and recognized institution form the earliest times">8 HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE; p.259.

Eerdmans' Douglas' New Bible Dictionary: Concubine. A secondary wife acquired by purchase or as a war captive, and allowed in polygamous society such as existed in the Middle east in biblical times....Where marriages produced no heir, wives presented a slave concubine too their husbands in order to raise an heir (Gen. 16). Handmaidens, given as a marriage gift, were often concubines (Gen. 29:24,29). Concubines were protected under Mosaic law (Exod. 21:7-11; Dt. 21:10-14), though they were distinguished from wives (Jdg. 8:31) and were more easily divorced (Gen.21:10-14)." [Footnote: >10. 1962, IVCF, Editor J.D.Douglas; W. B. Eerdmans Publishing] FUNK & WAGNALLS NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA: CONCUBINAGE, refers to the cohabitation of a man and a woman without sanction of legal marriage. Specifically, concubinage is a form of polygyny in which the primary matrimonial relationship is supplemented by one or more secondary sexual relationships. Concubinage was a legally sanctioned and socially acceptable practice in ancient cultures, including that of the Hebrews; concubines, however, were denied the protection to which a legal wife was entitled. . .. In Roman law, marriage was precisely defined as monogamous; concubinage was tolerated, but the concubine's status was inferior to that of a legal wife. Her children had certain rights, including support by the father and legitimacy in the event of the marriage of the parents [>11 1986, Funk & Wagnalls]

HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE: The relative positions of wives and concubines were determined mainly by the husband's favour. The children of the wife claimed the greater part, or the whole, of the inheritance; otherwise there does not seem to have been any inferiority in the position of the concubine as compared with that of the wife, nor was any idea of illegitimacy, in our sense of the word, connected with her children. . . . The female slaves were in every respect the property of their master, and became his concubines; except in certain cases, when they seem to have belonged exclusively to their mistress, and could not be appropriated by the man except by her suggestion or consent (Gn 16:2,3). The slave- concubines were obtained as booty in time of war (Jg 5:30), or bought from poverty-stricken parents (Ex 21:7); or, possibly, in the ordinary slave traffic with foreign nations. >12 [Footnote: >12. HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE; p.259.]

The difference between a wife and a concubine depended on the wife's higher position and birth, usually backed by relatives ready to defend her. >13 [Footnote: >13. 1989, HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE; p.585.]

For this paper a distinction is made between a mistress and a concubine. I understand a mistress to mean a human female who has sexual (breast &/or vagina) intimacy with another human with whom she has no marital covenants/vows/ commitment. So a mistress is in the same category as a whore, harlot, prostitue etc. except that she might be having sexual intimacy with only one person during a specific period. I attempt to show at length, later in the paper, that in the Bible a concubine has the status of a wife, even though it may be by informal marital covenants/vows/ commitments. And so, continuing the discussion . . . . Having one wife/concubine is said to significantly complicate ones life and distract one who is waiting on God>37 , so of course we understand that any godly man with more than one wife/concubine would be significantly more distracted from waiting on God and would have a significantly greater struggle in his spiritual life with God. In the New Testament in accordance with His law for church leaders, Jesus presents Himself to His people as having only one wife, the Church>38 because believing Jews and believing Gentiles were reconciled into one Body, the Church, to be one unified and united Bride to Christ. [Footnotes:>37 1 Cor. 7; >38 (1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1) ]

In the Bible's reality is a concubine the same as a mistress? In the following paragraphs I believe you will see that a concubine has marital status in God's eyes even though socially and culturally she doen't have as high a status as a wife who was married publicly and according to the laws of the culture. The difference between a wife and a concubine is discussed in the next paragraph. On the other hand a mistress is a female who lets "her man" relate to her sexually by means of her breasts>50 and/or genitals>51 without them making or agreeing to any marital "for life" commitments or covenants>52. So a mistress provides sex and affection to her partner without marital commitments or covenants. [Footnotes:>50 Prov. 5:19,20,21; Ezek.23:3,8,21; >51 1 Cor. 6:15,16, 17,18; >52 Prov. 2:16,17,18,19; 5:3,4,5,6; 6:24,25,26; 7; Ezek. 16; 23]

The only differences I can detect between a concubine and a wife are: "(1) that the concubine's marriage is confirmed by a solemn covenant between the husband and concubine>53 without a public wedding, (2) the concubines rights were protected by God (see below), and (3) their status as concubines spared them certain penalties">54 . The Holy Spirit by the writer of Judges 19 declared the Levite to be the concubine's "husband", declared the father of the concubine to be the Levite's "father-in-law", and declared the Levite to be the "son-in-law" of the concubine's father. This is a very strong legitimization of the husband-concubine marital status. It is the same legitimization of the relationship that the Holy Spirit used in Matthew 1, calling the espoused Mary "wife" and the espoused Joseph "husband". If God so recognizes them and describes them, then who are we to do any less. By the Holy Spirit here in Judges 19 we see that a concubine had a "husband" who was the "son-in-law" of her father, his "father-in-law". A wife has a "husband" who is the "son-in-law" of her father, her husband's "father-in-law". [Footnotes:>53 (Ezek. 16:8 and Malachi 2); >54 (Lev. 19:20 vs. Deut. 22:28,29)]

In 2 Samuel 12:11 God through His prophet declares that David's concubines are wives. In contrast in 2Sm 16:21-22; 20:3 you see people call them concubines, but in God's eyes they were wives of David (2 Samuel 12:7-11). We see that in God's Way in a godly family, concubines were wives, for after Bilhah had become Jacob's third wife (Gen 29:29; 30:4) she was still seen by others as his concubine (Gen 35:22). Even though she was Jacob's wife/concubine, she was still considered to be Rachel's maid/slave/servant (Gen 35:25). When Zilpah became Jacob's fourth wife (Gen 30:9; 37:1-3) she was still considered Leah's slave/servant/maid (Gen 29:23-25; 35:26). We see the writer of Scripture declare that Bilhah and Zilpah, Jacob's maids/slaves/servants (Gen 29:29; 30:4; 32:21-23), became Jacob's "wives" (Genesis 37:1-3)

Sarai gave her slave/maid "to her husband Abram to be his wife", not concubine, but wife (Gen 16:3) even though she was still considered to be their maid (Gen 16:6,8). After Hagar Abraham took yet another wife who was also considered his concubine, Keturah (Genesis 25:1-3). Consider the following points that appear to be made in one commentary: (1) It was Sarai's idea>* ; "(2) it was a common at the time for a wife to obligate herself to get an heir by providing a slave girl to her husband so he could have his heir by the slave girl; (3) this was legal but left a tangle of emotions due to the heartlessness of conventional law; (4) polygamous marriages cause damage of a psychological nature; (5) there is no reproof of Abram for fathering Ishmael who, in his turn, was blessed of God and became the father of an important nation.">5. By the way there is no proof or documentation given that proves that polygamous marriages cause psychological damage. *** GEN. 16: 2 And Sarai said to Abram, Behold now, the LORD has kept me from bearing. I pray you, go in to my slave woman. It may be that I may be built by her. And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. 3 And Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar her slave woman, the Egyptian, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife (after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan). . . . 25:1 Abraham took another wife, whose name was Keturah. . . . 6 6But to the sons of his concubines [Hagar and Keturah] Abraham gave gifts, and while he was still living he sent them to the east country, away from Isaac his son [of promise]. [Footnotes; >5. THE INTERNATIONAL BIBLE COMMENTARY; Editor, F.F.Bruce; pp. 126ff]

I understand the same commentary to make these points: (1) Abraham was reluctant because of the customs and the laws of his society, valid concerns about his reputation; (2) very old documentation reveals that normally it was not correct or legal to get rid of one's concubine and children in this way; (3) God intervened and instructed him so that he was assured that Ishmael's rights and his mother's prospects were ensured.>6. [Footnote: >6. THE INTERNATIONAL BIBLE COMMENTARY; Editor, F.F.Bruce; p. 129]

Yes it is obvious that Sarai apparently acted on her own and there was no divine guidance in this move, but there was also no divine condemnation. God intervened and sent Hagar back into the marital situation with Abram and Sarai>41 When God next spoke to Abraham>42 there was no condemnation of his polygyny , but instead God blessed him with an even greater blessing than before. In response to the blessing he takes his son by Hagar and circumcised him>43 . But I understand a Christian elder to maintain that there was no blessing from God on Abraham's polygamy, that the Biblical record of it is a criticism of Abraham's conduct. >7. He gives no references so look at the Word for yourselves -- "in all things the Lord had blessed Abraham" (Gen. 24:1). [Footnotes:>41 (Gen 16:9-16.); >42 (Gen. 17:1--); >43 (Gen. 17:23-25); >7. MY WIFE MADE ME. . . .p.20.]

Consider the following: ". . . a man's 'house' might consist of his mother; his wives and the wives' children; his concbines and their children . . . and slaves of both sexes. Polygamy was in part the cause of the large size of the Hebrew household; in part thecause of it may be found in the insecurity of early times, when safety lay in numbers . . . Polygyny and bigamy were recognized features of the family life. From the Oriental point of view there was nothing immoral in the practice of polygamy. The female slaves were in every respect the property of their master and became his concubines; except in certain cases, when they seem to have belonged exclusively to their mistress . . . At all events, polygyny was an established and recognized institution form the earliest times">8 HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE; p.259.

God blessed Sarah with fertility in polygyny>44 and God blessed Hagar and Ishmael even though she was cast out of Sarah's house at Sarah's confirmed request because of the question of an heir, not polygyny>45 . Abraham had another concubine after Hagar, named Keturah>46 by whom Abraham had six children without any condemnation or denunciation by God. What about a Christian elder's apparent assertion that polygamy is a breeding ground for contemptuous, jealous, quarrelsome conduct in a marriage resulting in alienation between wife and husband<9 Forgive me if I sound a little naive (I'm only in my 50's and have experienced marriage for only 24 years) but divorce court records and sociological studies of divorce indicate that those vices are quite common in monogamy in America today. Does that make monogamy evil? I think not. Contempt, jealousy, quarreling and estrangement are sinful works of the flesh and need to be dealt with Spiritually, just like any other sins involving more than one person. Sin and the flesh are the evils, not polygamy or monogamy. [Footnotes:>44 (Gen 21:1-7); >45 (Gen. 21); >46 (1 Chron.1:32) ; >9. See Gen. 16 and 21 as well as HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE;p.259]

ESAU'S POLYGYNY ***Genesis 26: 34 And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite; 35 who were a grief of spirit to Isaac and to Rebekah. ***Gen. 28: 8 and when Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan did not please Isaac his father; 9 then Esau went to Ishmael, and took Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham's son, the sister of Nebajoth, to the wives [which] he [had] for his wife . ***Gen.36: 12 And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz, Esau's son. And she bore to Eliphaz Amalek.

THE POLYGYNOUS PATRIARCH JACOB, HIS WIVES & CONCUBINES. Were these Old Testament saints less Godly than we? I think not. But what of those who say that having more than one wife in those days was a falling short of the will of God and reflected a weakness in the character of those who participated in polygyny? St. Augustine has a good word on that, as follows: "But those who have not the virtues of temperance must not be allowed to judge of the conduct of holy men, any more than those in fever of the sweetness and wholesomeness of food. . . If our critics, then, wish to attain not a spurious and affected, but a genuine and sound moral health, let them find a cure in believing the Scripture record, that the honorable name of saint is given not without reason to men who had several wives; and that the reason is this, that the mind can exercise such control over the flesh as not to allow the appetite implanted in our nature by Providence to go beyond the limits of deliberate intention. . . . the holy patriarchs in their conjugal intercourse were actuated not by the love of pleasure, but by the intelligent desire for the continuance of their family. . . .nor did the number of their wives make the patriarchs licentious. But why defend the husbands, to whose character the divine word bears the highest testimony. . . ." [Footnote: >.23 A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church, Vol. iv; p.290]

***Gen. 29: 21 And Jacob said to Laban, Give [me] my wife, for my days are fulfilled, so that I may go in to her. 22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast. 23 And it happened in the evening, he took his daughter Leah and brought her to him. And he went in to her. 24 And Laban gave Zilpah his slave woman to his daughter Leah for a handmaid. 25 And it happened in the morning, behold, it [was] Leah! And he said to Laban, What [is] this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you tricked me? 26 And Laban said, It must not be done so in our country, to give the younger before the first-born. 27 Fulfill her week, and we will give you this one also for the service which you shall serve with me still another seven years. 28 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week . And he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also. 29 And Laban gave Bilhah his slave woman to his daughter Rachel, to be her handmaid. 30 And he also went in to Rachel. He also loved Rachel more than Leah, and served with him still seven more years. 31 And when the LORD saw that Leah [was] hated, even He opened her womb. But Rachel [was] barren. 32 And Leah conceived and bore a son. ***Gen. 30:1 And when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister. And she said to Jacob, Give me sons, or else I will die. 2 And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel. And he said, Am I in God's stead, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb? 3 And she said, Behold my slave woman Bilhah; go in to her, and she shall bear upon my knees, and yea, let me be built up from her, me also. 4 And she gave him her slave woman Bilhah to wife. And Jacob went in to her. 5 And Bilhah conceived, and bore Jacob a son. . . . 9 When Leah saw that she had quit bearing, she took her slave woman Zilpah and gave her to Jacob to wife. 10 And Leah's slave woman Zilpah bore Jacob a son. . . . . 16 And Jacob came out of the field in the evening. And Leah went out to meet him, and said, You must come in to me, for I have surely hired you with my son's love-apples. And he lay with her that night. 17 And God listened to Leah, and she conceived, and bore Jacob the fifth son. . . . . 22 And God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb...... 26[And Jacob said to Laban] Give me my wives and my children, [for] whom I have served you, and let me go. For you know my service which I have done you. ***Gen.31: 3 And the LORD said to Jacob, Return to the land of your fathers, and to your kindred, and I will be with you.

[If polygyny is the sin that some say it is, why did God intervene to help Leah conceive? Why did God remember and bless Rachel when she influenced Jacob to have a third wife? Why did God listen to Leah's prayer after she influenced Jacob to have a fourth wife? If polygyny is unacceptable to God, then why did the Lord speak to Jacob and promise to bless him with His abiding presence?]

***Gen 32: 1 And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him . 2 And when Jacob saw them he said, This [is] God's camp. And he called the name of that place Refuge...... 24 And Jacob was left alone. And a Man wrestled there with him until the breaking of the day. 25 And when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the hollow of his thigh. And the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint as he wrestled with Him. 26 And He said, Let Me go, for the day breaks. And he said, I will not let You go except You bless me. 27 And He said to him, What [is] your name? And he said, Jacob. 28 And He said, Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for like a prince you have power with God and with men, and have prevailed. 29 And Jacob asked and said, I pray You, reveal Your name. And He said, Why do you ask after My name? And He blessed him there. 30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel; for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. 31 And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he limped upon his thigh. >>>>>[Why would God allow his angels to meet Jacob, since he was practicing polygyny with four wives? Why did Jesus wrestle with Jacob, and bless Him with a new and significant name, if Jacob was under God's judgment for practicing polygyny? Exactly where is God's denunciation and disapproval Jacob's polygyny expressed? Jacob marries Rachel and Leah>58 , and goes on to have children by his concubines as well>59. Sure, treachery was involved in the Rachel and Leah marriage, but it appears that the treachery stands alone as the evil since at the first mention of the polygyny option,>60 Jacob has no moral objection and nowhere does God denounce the development. Yes Lev. 18:18 shows that much later in the time of Moses, God forbade two sisters being wives to one husband at one time and makes rivalry the issue. God deliberately involved Himself in the polygyny of Jacob by blessing Leah with fertility>61. God repeated himself in this way with the mother of Samuel without denouncing her polygyny>62 . God intervened and granted fertility to Rachel in her polygyny>63 . God not only blesses Jacob with fertility but also with miraculous prosperity in his polygyny> 64 . God not only blessed Jacob in his polygyny but also delivered him from evil and harm as a polygynist>65 [Footnotes:>58 in Gen 29 & 30; >59 (Gen. 35:22; 37:2);. >60 (Gn. 29:27,29). >61 (Gn. 29:31,32; 30:17); >62 (l Sam 1:1-6); >63 (Gn. 30:22); >64 (Gn. 30:41-31:10); >65 (Gn. 31:24, 29,42)]

In spite of this Biblical record of God's blessings on Jacob, I understand a brother to write that Jacob experienced only troublesome times with Rachel and Leah, and that they were angry, envious, and hateful rivals.>15. Only troublesome times? What about all of God's miraculous provision and prospering their family experienced directly from God's intervention? What about their cooperation, their love, trust and loyalty for Jacob when he was in conflict with their father and then with Esau? Maybe their polygyny lacked the sweet bliss and loving harmony of Solomon's early polygyny >66 , but there is no passage that Rachel and Leah only had troublesome times. [Footnotes:>15. Trobisch, MY WIFE MADE ME. . ; p. 20; >66 (Song of Songs 6:4-9)]

I wish I had some of that trouble in my life! What about the rivalry? God saw the destructive potential of such sibling rigalry and made the law that a polygynist should not marry the sister of his wife >67 . He did not condemn the man for being a polygynist, He just indicated that the man as polygynist should not marry his wife's sister while she lived. What about the hatred, envy and anger? Well folks, I don't mean to be redundant, but we see those sins in monogamy, between sisters, between brothers (Cain & Abel) and between children and parents (Absalom and David) then and today. If you aren't aware of that, then I have to ask you if you were raised by Robinson Crusoe on some island. [Footnote: >67 (Lev. 18:18)]

PATRIARCHAL POLYGYNY

***1 Chronicles 2: 4 And Tamar his daughter-in-law bore him Pharez and Zerah. All the sons of Judah [were] five. 5 The sons of Pharez: Hezron and Hamul. 9 And the sons also of Hezron, who were born to him: Jerahmeel, and Ram, and Chelubai. 18 And Caleb the son of Hezron fathered [sons] of Azubah [his] wife, and of Jerioth. Her sons [are] these: Jesher, and Shobab, and Ardon. 19 And when Azubah died, Caleb took Ephrath to himself, who bore him Hur...... 46 And Ephah, Caleb's >>>concubine<<<, bore Haran, and Moza, and Gazez. And Haran fathered Gazez. 47 And the sons of Jahdai: Regem and Jotham and Geshan and Pelet and Ephah and Shaaph. 48 Maachah, Caleb's >>>concubine<<<, bore Sheber, and Tirhanah. 49 She also bore Shaaph the father of Madmannah, Sheva the father of Machbenah, and the father of Gibea. And Caleb's daughter [was] Achsah. 50 These were the sons of Caleb the son of Hur. The first-born of Ephratah [was] Shobal the father of Kirjath-jearim; 51 Salma the father of Bethlehem, Hareph the father of Beth-gader.

***1 Chronicles 4: 1 The sons of Judah [were] Pharez, Hezron, and Carmi, and Hur, and Shobal...... These [are] the sons of Hur, the first-born of Ephratah, the father of Bethlehem. 5 And Ashur the father of Tekoa had >>>>two wives<<<<<, Helah and Naarah.

***1 Chronicles 7:14 The sons of Manasseh: Ashriel, the son born to his Syrian concubine with Machir the father of Gilead, 15 and Machir took a wife for Huppim and for Shuppim; and the name of his sister [was] Maachah. And the name of the second [was] Zelophehad. And Zelophehad had daughters. 16 And Maachah the wife of Machir bore a son, and she called his name Peresh. And the name of his brother [was] Sheresh, and his sons [were] Ulam and Rakem.

***1 Chronicles 8: 8 And Shaharaim fathered [sons] in the land of Moab, after he had sent them away. Hushim and Baara [were] his wives. 9 And by his wife Hodesh, [were] Jobab, and Zibia, and Mesha, and Malcham, 10 and Jeuz, and Shachia, and Mirma. These [were] his sons, heads of the fathers. [Exactly where is God's denunciation and disapproval of the patriarchs' polygyny expressed?

Consider what Saint Augustine said in the fourth century AD. "But here there is no ground for a criminal accusation: for a plurality of wives was no crime when it was the custom; and it is a crime now, because it is no longer the custom. There are sins against nature, and sins against custom, and sins against the laws. In which, then, of these senses did Jacob sin in having a plurality of wives? As regards nature, he used the women not for sensual gratification, but for the procreation of children. For custom, this was the common practice at that time in those countries. And for the laws, no prohibition existed. The only reason of its being a crime now to do this, is because custom and the laws forbid it." [Footnote: >.14 A Select Library of the Nicene and Post- Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church, Vol. iv; p. 289]

I hope that dear brother Augustine is having a wonderful time in Heaven. I also hope that Jesus has shared with Him meaning of Prov. 5:18, 19----- a husband's sensual gratification by and with his wife's breasts, being enraptured and intoxicated with and by her lovemaking; the sensual gratification of the marital joys of the Song of Solomon; the joyful marital living of Eccles. 9:7,8,9; and the sensual gratification of the blissful exchange of intimate marital affection required in 1 Cor. 7:2,3,4,5. I don't understand how he could have missed these obvious God given instructions to blissfully and wholeheartedly love our mates in marriage. The maidservant status of Hagar and Jacob's wives is clothed in marital status>74 . It is a profound statement that in all of the explicit moral injunctions of Lev. 18, 19, &20; Deut 12 & 27 there is not one denunciation of polygyny or concubinage. Concubinage apparently, because it involved maidservants, seems to have a lower status as reflected in Ex. 21:7-9 with Lev. 19:20 in contrast to Deut. 22:23-26.]

GOD GAVE MOSES RULES ABOUT POLYGYNY *Exodus 21:7 And if a man sells his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not go out as the menservants do. 8 If she does not please her master, who has betrothed her to himself, then he shall let her be redeemed. He shall have no power to sell her to a strange nation, since he has dealt deceitfully with her. 9 And if he has betrothed her to his son, he shall deal with her as with daughters. 10 If he takes himself another [wife], her food, her clothing, and her duty of marriage shall not be lessened. 11 And if he does not do these three to her, then she shall go out free without money. [If polygyny is a sin, why doesn't God forbid the men from taking an additional wife? If polygyny is unacceptable to God, why does He instruct men what He requires of them if they take an additional wife? If polygyny is sin, where is His command that a woman not marry a man who already has a wife?]

*Leviticus 18: 17 The nakedness of a woman and her daughter shalt thou not uncover; thou shalt not take her son's daughter, nor her daughter's daughter, to uncover her nakedness: they are her near relations: it is wickedness. 18 And thou shalt not take a wife to her sister, to vex her, to uncover her nakedness beside her, during her life. [darby] And thou shalt not take a woman to her sister, to be a rival to her . . .. beside the other in her lifetime.>47 [Footnote: >.47 The Holy Scriptures, Masoretic Text] Thou shalt not take a wife in addition to her sister, as a rival . . in opposition to her, while she is yet living.>48 [Footnote: >.48 The Septuagint Version, 1972] And you shall not take to wife a sister of your wife, to distress her. . ..beside the other in her lifetime.>49 [Footnote: >.49 The Holy Bible from Ancient Eastern Manuscripts] And thou shalt not take a wife to her sister, to be a rival to her , . . ...besides the other in her lifetime.>50 [Footnote: >.50 American Standard Version 1901 & 1929] You must not marry a woman in addition to her sister, to be a rival to her. . . .when the first one is alive.>51 [Footnote: >.51 Amplified Bible, 1965, Zondervan Publishing House.] The New King James Version agrees with the meaning of those above.The New International Version agrees with the meaning of those above. >53 [Footnote: >.53 HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION.]

***Lev 18:18 A husband marrying two sisters??????? 18 You are not to take a woman to be a rival with [her] sister [and] have sexual relations with her while her sister is still alive. Stern's Complete Jewish Bible

I appreciate your concern about your husband taking your sister as another wife in light of Lev 18:18. Young's Literal Translation and Strong's Concordance/Lexicon make it clear that in the Hebrew there is no "her" in the Hebrew for "her sister", there is no "and" in "and have sexual relations", that the word "Rival" is not the only rendering of the Hebrew and is misleading, and there is no basis for "beside her."

***Lev 18: 18 And a woman unto another thou dost not take, to be an adversary, to uncover her nakedness beside her, in her life. YLT

Putting Strong's in the verse you get the following: 18 And do not take, accept, bring, buy, carry away, fetch, get, include, mingle, place, receive, reserve, seize, send for, take up, use, and/or win<3947> a woman unto a sister, being an adversary, an affliction, an oppression, a trouble, a distress, an enemy, and/or a vexation<6887>; uncovering her nakedness, in her life. YLT

So in contrast to the following translations: 18 You are not to marry a woman as a rival to [her] sister [and] have sexual intercourse with her during her [sister's] lifetime. HCSB 18 You are not to take a woman to be a rival with [her] sister [and] have sexual relations with her while her sister is still alive. Stern's Complete Jewish Bible 18And you shall not take a woman as a rival wife to [her] sister, uncovering her nakedness while her sister is still alive. ESV 18'You shall not marry a woman [in addition to her] sister as a rival while she is alive, to uncover her nakedness. NASB 18 " 'Do not take your wife's sister as a rival wife [and] have sexual relations with her while your wife is living. NIV

I understand the verse to instruct a husband that he should [1] neither take, accept, bring, buy, carry away, fetch, get, include, place, receive, reserve, seize, send for, take up, use, and/or win<3947> a woman as wife in a situation where she is the sister of anyone already in his family, and so is already/potentially an adversary, an affliction, an oppression, a trouble, a distress, an enemy, and/or a vexation to his family; [2] nor uncover the genitals of and have sexual relations with such a woman.

A sister is born for adversity and difficulty that should be avoided whenever possible. (Proverbs 17:16-18; Proverbs 18:18-20). We know how Jesus wants siblings to live together in peace and harmony: ***"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brothers to dwell together in unity!" Psa133:1-3 We know how displeasing trouble among sisters is to God it is to God to stir up trouble among brothers (Prov 6:18- 20).

Given all of the above I would strongly urge any husband not to take as an additional wife the sister of anyone who is already in his family. Rachel and Leah are the model of sisters thrown into contention when married to the same man.

If a husband doesn't accept this understanding, but goes with the more common interpretation, consciously and intentionally not taking the sister to be an adversary, an affliction, an oppression, a trouble, a distress, an enemy, and/or a vexation to her sister who is already his wife, and so thinks the passage does not apply, THEN I WOULD STRONGLY ADVISE THE HUSBAND TO TAKE THE ADVICE GIVEN IN THE FILES/DOCUMENTS SECTION OF MY POLY GROUPS - "SUCCESSFUL POLYGYNY" + "URBAN BLUE COLLAR POLYGYNY" + "A PRINCESS REMEMBERS" - - - - that each sister have her own dwelling/residence, with her own kitchen, bedroom and bathroom, NOT WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE, PREFERABLY IN A DIFFERENT TOWN/SUBURB/BARRIO (especially to avoid their children attending the same K-9 schools), and that the sisters be together with their husband only on a visitor/visiting basis for picnics, outings, special occasions etc. - - - an even then the husband being careful to spend approximately the same time at the side of each, being careful to have approximately the same eye and touch contact with each - for jealousy is an ever present threat.

[Can Lev. 18:18 be used to condemn polygyny, or does it forbid being married to two blood sisters at the same time? Is the issue here that of marrying sisters, or is the issue polygyny? I SEE A PROHIBITION OF RACHEL+LEAH MARRIAGES INVOLVING TWO SISTERS BEING MARRIED TO THE SAME HUSBAND, BUT WHERE IS THE IMPLIED PROHIBITION OF POLYGYNY? It seems to me that God is simply prohibiting a husband from marrying the sister in-the- flesh of his wife. Does it apply to sisters in the Spirit? The obediently believing Israelite women were as much sisters in the Lord as are the Christian women sisters in the Spirit and there was no prohibition against them being in polygynist marriages like King Davids. Are you willing to add to the scripture to support the tradition of men?

*De 17:15 You shall only set him king over you whom Jehovah your God will choose: from among your brethren shall you set a king over you; . . . 16 Only he shall not multiply horses to himself, . . . 17 Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, t hat his heart turn not away; neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold. [If this passage is used to make a case against polygyny, shouldn't it also be used to make a case that the king should have only one horse, only one bar of gold, and only one bar of silver?]

God's Law forbade a king from "multiplying" wives>.75 to himself without making such a command to we nonkings. It appears from later scripture about Godly and God blessed kings of Israel that God makes a distinction between MULTIPLYING wives & horses to yourself and adding wives & horses to yourself. None of us object to King David having more than one horse but many object to King David having more than one wife, yet it is the same command "he shall not multilply hoses . . . wives to himself." By 2 Samuel 5-12 God had given him seven wives plus a number of concubines. We see His implied blessing on Davids polygyny . This implied blessing of his polygyny would have to mean that David, with concubines and seven wives, had not yet violated the prohibition against a king multiplying wives and horses to himself. [Footnotes:>75 De 17:15 You shall only set him king over you whom Jehovah your God will choose: from among your brethren shall you set a king over you; . . . 16 Only he shall not multiply horses to himself, . . . 17 Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away; neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold. NO PROHIBITION FROM HAVING SOME HORSES , SOME WIVES and some gold]

*Deut. 21:15 If a man have two wives, one beloved, and one hated, and they have borne him children, [both] the beloved and the hated, and [if] the first- born son be hers that was hated; 16 then it shall be, in the day that he makes his sons to inherit [that] which he has, [that] he may not make the son of the beloved first-born before the son of the hated, who is the first-born; 17 but he shall acknowledge as first- born the son of the hated, by giving him a double portion of all that he has; for he is the firstfruits of his strength: the right of the firstborn is his.

John MacArthur, a leading conservative and orthodox Bible teacher and head of a leading evangelical seminary, in his attempt to prove that polygyny is not godly or Biblical, declares that the original Hebrew of Deut 21:15 should be translated "if a man has had two wives" but gives us no Hebrew to support his allegation. None of the reputable Bible translations today support his translation, neither does the Septuagint, nor Young's Literal Translation. Consider the evidence:

The Greek Old Testament, the Septuagint, completed 250 BC http://septuagint-interlinear-greek-bible.com/intro.htm LXX Deut 21:15 But if there be to a man two wives, one of them being loved, and one of them being detested, and they should bear with him, both the one being loved and the one being detested,

Please note that it does not say 'But if there were to a man two wives, one of them was being loved, and one of them was being detested,' or 'But if there had been to a man two wives, one of them had been loved, and one of them had been detested,'.

LXX Deut 21:15 “And if a man has two wives, the one loved and the other hated, and both the loved and the hated should have born him children, and the son of the hated should be firstborn; TRANSLATED, REVISED AND EDITED BY PAUL W. ESPOSITO http://www.apostlesbible.com/books/deuteronomy.htm

LXX Deut 21:15Now if a man has two wives, one of them loved and one of them hated, and if both the loved and the hated bear him children and the firstborn son is of the one who is hated, Melvin K. H. Peters - - http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/nets/edition/

LXX Deut 21:15 And if a man have two wives, the one loved and the other hated, and both the loved and the hated should have born him children, and the son of the hated should be first-born; http://www.ecmarsh.com/lxx/

The Complete Jewish Bible (D. H. Stern) Deut 21:15 If a man has two wives, the one loved and the other unloved . . . .

Deut 21:15"If a man has two wives, the one loved and the other unloved, and both the loved and the unloved have borne him sons, if the firstborn son belongs to the unloved, Gen 29:33 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

15 If a man has two wives, and he loves one but not the other, and both bear him sons but the firstborn is the son of the wife he does not love, New International Version (NIV)

Deut 21:15"If a man has two wives, the one loved and the other unloved, and both the loved and the unloved have borne him children, and if the firstborn son belongs to the unloved, (See Gen 29:30, 33; 1 Sam 1:4, 5) English Standard Version (ESV)

Deut 21: 15 "If a man has two wives, one loved and the other unloved, and both the loved and the unloved bear him sons, and if the unloved wife has the firstborn son, Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

Deut 21:15`When a man hath two wives, the one loved and the other hated, and they have borne to him sons (the loved one and the hated one), and the first-born son hath been to the hated one; Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

If God condemns polygyny, why does he not only allow a man to have two wives, but he actually legislates the right of one wife's child over the right of the other wife's child? If the children are children of polygyny, why would God give them any rights at all, if it is such a sin as some say?

I understand Rev. Gerhard Jasper to make the following points: (1) In Old Testament times a Jewish polygynist's marriage was fully recognized as marriage, protected by the Law and the elders; (2) the Jewish polygynist's faith in or faithfulness to God was not questioned because of his polygyny; (3) the polygyny of the Jewish polygynist did not keep him from being admitted to the congregation with full membership.>44. Moses did not forbid polygamy>8 (Dt. 21:15,16) >8 but apparently it was unusual among average people .>45. [Footnotes:>.f89 Please see p. 362, THE INTSTITUTES OF BIBLICAL LAW, by R. Rushdonney. >44. Trobisch, MY WIFE MADE ME. . . P.18; (AFRICAN THEOLOGICAL JOURNAL, Rev. Gerhard Jasper of Lutheran Theological College in Makumira, Tanzania; Februrary 1969, p. 41). >45. Please see THE INTERNATIONAL BIBLE COMMENTARY; p. 407.] It was expected that the female slave would become her master's wife or concubine, or become the wife or concubine of her master's son, and the law protected her rights if he was unwilling to do so.>16. Her owner could not sell her to foreigners because he had "trifled" with her (see LXX), "seeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her.">17. [Footnotes:>16. Please see the discussion in THE INTERNATIONAL BIBLE COMMENTARY; p.126ff & p.172ff.; >17. Ex. 21:8; The Holy Scriptures according to the Masoretic Text].

He legislated polygyny without one word or hint of condemnation. If polygyny were sin, why didn't God condemn it instead of putting the royal seal of His holy Law on it? God's designated and anointed leaders freely and openly practiced it (Abraham, Jacob, David, Jehoida the priest, and God in Ezekiel 23). Where in the Bible does he find an Old Testament writer embarrassed to report polygamy? If you know of a single passage that clearly and explicitly states that, please let me know. How can any Old Testament writer be embarrassed of something God sanctioned and legislated, and that His designated and anointed leaders freely and openly practiced with God's obvious and abundant blessing in their lives (see the next section)? The Old Testament writers untiringly and realistically show the negativity of polygamy? Abram and Sarai, Rachel and Leah had problems, as did Hannah and so did Solomon, but even with these four there is no untiring and relentless criticism of polygamy? I couldn't find it. In the next section, covering thousands of years and each major period of Jewish history there is no such relentless criticism of polygyny found in the Bible.

IV-B. MARRIAGE AND POLYGYNY FROM JUDGES TO JESUS

POLYGYNY UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF THE JUDGES ***Judges 8: 29 And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and lived in his own house. 30 And Gideon had seventy sons, begotten of his body. For he had many wives. 31 And his concubine, who was in Shechem, also bore him a son whose name he called Abimelech. 32 And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the tomb of Joash his father, in Ophrah [of] the Abiezrites.

>>>>>[If Gideon were in open sin as a polygynist, why did God choose him to lead Israel, and grant him success in his confrontation of the enemy? Where is God's explicit and specific denunciation of Gideon's polygny? Gideon had MANY WIVES, was blessed and used of God without any condemnation/denunciation from God about his polygyny>77 . A dear brother apparently states, of Gideon's (Jerubbaal's ) son Abimelech, that polygamy actually lead to murder in Judg. 9:5 >18. Excuse me! With logic like that I guess you would have to say that the monogamy of Adam and Eve led Cain to murder Abel. I think not. Jesus makes it clear that murder comes from the murderer's heart >78 or from the inner working of the evil ones>79 , but not from monogamy or polygamy. The problem is sin and the flesh, not polygamy. [Footnotes:>77 (Judges 8:29-32); >18. Trobisch; MY WIFE MADE ME>.>.>.p. 20; >78 (Matt. 15:18,19); >79 (Eph. 2:1,2; 6:12)]

***Judges 19:1 And it came to pass in those days, when [there was] no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite, . . . who took to him a concubine out of Bethlehem-Judah. 2 And his concubine played the whore against him, and went away from him to her father's house to Bethlehem-Judah, and was there four whole months. 3 And HER HUSBAND rose up and went after her, to speak friendly to her, [and] to bring her again; . . . And she brought him into her father's house; and when the father of the damsel saw him he rejoiced to meet him. 4 And his FATHER-IN-LAW, the damsel's father, retained him, and he abode with him three days; . . .5 . . . And the damsel's father said to his SON-IN-LAW , . .

[If a concubine is not a legitimate wife, then why does God call the Levite "her husband", and why does God call her father the Levite's "father-in- law"? If a concubine is a harlot in God's eyes, then why was the outrage so universal and so right in their eyes, their outrage against the sexual abuse and sexual murder of his concubine? The death of a harlot or an adulteress was expected and accepted as righteous by Israel, so why wasn't that the case in the sexual murder of the Levite's concubine? What about the Levites? These keepers of the tabernacle, did they have special rules that kept them from polygyny? Not according to the following, because when his concubine was mercilessly murdered by rape, the nation of Israel rose to vindicate him and avenge her murder.

SO A CONCUBINE IS NOT A HARLOT. Just like any other wife, she can become a harlot while married (Ezek. 16 and Hosea). HARLOTRY IS AN EVIL THAT EITHER A WIFE OR A CONCUBINE CAN PRACTICE WHILE MARRIED. Not only is a concubine not a harlot, the Holy Spirit by the writer of the book of Judges declared the Levite to be the concubine's "husband", declared the father of the concubine to be the Levite's "father-in-law", and declared the Levite to be the "son-in-law" of the concubine's father. This is a very strong legitimization of the husband- concubine marital status. It is the same legitimization of the relationship that the Holy Spirit used in Matthew 1, calling the espoused Mary "wife" and the espoused Joseph "husband". If God so recognizes them and describes them, then who are we to do any less. By the Holy Spirit here in Judges 19 we see that a concubine had a "husband" who was the "son-in-law" of her father, his "father-in-law". A wife has a "husband" who is the "son-in-law" of her father, her husband's "father-in-law". ***1 Sam. 1: 1 And there was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim from the hills of Ephraim, and his name [was] Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite. 2 And he had two wives, the name of the one [was] Hannah, and the name of the second, Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. 3 And this man went up out of his city from year to year, to worship and to sacrifice to the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the LORD, [were] there.4 And the time came that Elkanah offered, he gave portions to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters. 5 But to Hannah he gave one double portion, for he loved Hannah. But the LORD had shut up her womb. 6 And her foe also provoked her grievously, in order to make her tremble, because the LORD had shut up her womb. 7 And [as] he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the LORD, so she provoked her. And she wept and did not eat. 8 And Elkanah her husband said to her, Hannah, why do you weep? And why do you not eat? And why is your heart grieved? [Am] I not better to you than ten sons? 9 And Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh and after they had drunk. And Eli the priest sat on the seat by the side post of the temple of the LORD. 10 And she [was] in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the LORD, and wept sorely. 11 And she vowed a vow and said, O, Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look upon the affliction of Your handmaid and remember me, and not forget Your handmaid, but will give to Your handmaid a man-child, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head. 12 And it happened as she continued praying before the LORD, Eli noticed her mouth. 13 Now Hannah spoke in her heart, only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. And Eli thought she had become drunk. 14 And Eli said to her, How long will you be drunken? Put away your wine from you! 15 And Hannah answered, No, my lord, I [am] a woman of a sorrowful spirit. I have neither drunk wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD. 16 Do not count your handmaid for a daughter of wickedness, for out of the abundance of my meditation and grief I have spoken until now. 17 And Eli answered and said, Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant [to you] your petition that you have asked of Him. 18 And she said, Let your handmaid find grace in your sight. So the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer [sad]. [If her polygyny were an evil thing, why would Eli bless her and ask God to grant her request?] 19 And they rose up in the morning early, and worshiped before the LORD, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the LORD remembered her. 20 And it happened when the time had come around, Hannah conceived and bore a son and called his name Samuel, [saying], Because I have asked him of the LORD.

Why would the Lord remember her if she were in sin because of her polygyny? Why would God bless her and answer her prayer, if her polygyny were a sin and an evil in the eyes of God? Where is God's explicit and specific condemnation of this family's polygyny? Hannah, the wife of polygamous Elkanah, received the same intervention and blessing from God that Sarah, Rachel and Leah received in their polygyny>80 . Her problem with her co-wife and her own infertility is quite similar to Abraham and Sarah's experience. The co-wife had a sin problem, and it was her problem, not a polygyny problem. You find the same sinful behavior today between sisters, brothers, wives in social groups, wives socializing in church or work settings. Sin and the flesh are the problems, not polygyny. [Footnote: >80 (l Sam. 1:1-19)]

POLYGYNY UNDER THE LEAD OF THE KINGS OF ISRAEL Consider St. Augustines point in the following: ". . . no one doubts . . . who reads with careful attention what use they made of their wives, at a time when also it was allowed one man to have several, whom he had with more chastity than any now has his one wife . . . But then they married even several without any blame . ." >65 [Footnotes:>..65 St. Augustin: On The Trinity; p. 406.]

***2 Samuel 3: 7 And Saul had a concubine whose name [was] Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. And [Ishbosheth] said to Abner, Why have you gone in to my father's concubine? 8 And Abner was very angry over the words of Ishbosheth, and said, [Am] I a dog's head, who shows kindness against Judah this day to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of David? [Am] I a dog's head that you charge me today with a fault concerning this woman today?

>>>>[If a concubine is just a harlot as some say, then why all the fuss? Why is the offense give the status of being indiscreet with another's wife, if a concubine is just a harlot? If polygyny is a sin, as is consulting mediums (for which Saul was clearly condemned), then why isn't his having a concubine dealt with in the same manner as his other sins?]

DAVID'S SEVEN WIVES AND HIS TEN CONCUBINES. ****1 Samuel 18: 27 And David arose and went forth, he and his men. And [they] killed two hundred men of the Philistines. And David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full number to the king so that he might be the king's son-in-law. And Saul gave him his daughter Michal for a wife. 28 And Saul saw and knew that the LORD [was] with David, and that Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him. ****1 Samuel 25: 42 And Abigail hurried and arose, and rode on an ass, with five of her maidens who went after her. And she followed the messengers of David and became his wife. 43 David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel. And they became, both of them, his wives. 44 And Saul gave his daughter Michal, David's wife, to Phalti t he son of Laish, who [was] of Gallim. ****2 Samuel 3: 1 And there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. But David [became] stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul became weaker and weaker. 2 And sons were born to David in Hebron . And his first-born [was] Amnon, [the son of] Ahinoam of Jezreel . 3 And his second was Chileab, of Abigail of Carmel, the former wife of Nabal . And the third [was] Absalom, the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur . 4 And the fourth [was] Adonijah, the son of Haggith. And the fifth [was] Shephatiah, the son of Abital. 5 And the sixth [was] Ithream, by Eglah, David's wife . These were born to David in Hebron. ****2 Samuel 6:16 And it happened [as] the ark of the LORD came to the city of David, Michal, Saul's daughter, looked through a window and saw king David leaping and dancing before the LORD. And she despised him in her heart...... 20 And David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said, How glorious was the king of Israel today, who uncovered himself today in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovers himself! 21 And David said to Michal, [It was] before the LORD, who chose me before your father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel. And I danced before the LORD. 22 And I will be still lower than this, and will be base in my own sight. And of the handmaids of whom you have spoken, with them I shall be had in honor. 23 And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death. [If God made Michal childless because of her error, why didn't God punish David in some equally significant way, since he had at least six wives by the time of this incident? If polygyny is sinful, why didn't God punish David instead of Michal, his first wife?]

****2 SAMUEL 7:4 And that night the word of the LORD came to Nathan saying, 5 Go and tell My servant David, So says the LORD, Shall you build Me a house for My dwelling? ...... 8 And now so shall you say to My servant David, So says the LORD of hosts: I took you from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people, over Israel. 9 And I was with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies out of your sight, and have made you a great name like the name of the great ones in the earth...... Also the LORD tells you that He will make you a house. 12 And when your days [are] fulfilled, and you shall sleep with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who shall come out of your bowels. And I will make his kingdom sure. 13 He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the sons of men. 15 But My mercy shall not leave him, as I took [it] from Saul, whom I put away before you. 16 And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before you. Your throne [shall be] established forever. >>>>>[If polygyny is a sin like adultery, why did Jehovah confer such a great blessing, reward and heritage on a man with six wives and numerous concubines?]

***1 Chronicles 3: 1 THESE SONS of David were born to him in Hebron: the firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; second, Daniel (Chileab), of Abigail the Carmelitess 2 Third, Absalom the son of Maacah daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; fourth, Adonijah, of Haggith; 3 Fifth, Shephatiah, of Abital; sixth, Ithream, of his wife Eglah. 4 These six were born to David in Hebron; there he reigned seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years. 5 These were born to [David] in Jerusalem: Shimea, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon--four of Bathshua (Bathsheba) daughter of Ammiel (Eliam); 6 Then Ibhar, Elishama, Eliphelet, 7 Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, 8 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet--nine in all. 9 These were all the sons of David, besides the sons of the concubines. And Tamar was their sister.

Did Jesus-Jehovah give wives to David in his polygyny? **** 2 Sam.12: 7 And Nathan said to David, You [are] the man! So says the LORD God of Israel, I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul. 8 And I gave you your master's house and your master's wives into your bosom, and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah.

Do I have a reading problem, or did God just say that He gave wives (plural) to David? Why is this giving of wives listed by God among the blessings that He gave to David, if polygyny is the sin that some say it is?

In yet another attempt to prove that polygyny was/is ungodly and not Biblical, John MacArthur declares in his notes on 2 Sam 12:8 the fllowing: "There is no evidence that he ever married any of Saul's wives, . . . ." The following, especially the LXX translations, make it clear that David physically took Saul's widows into his "bosom", into his arms, into his embrace.

The Greek Old Testament, the Septuagint, completed 250 BC http://septuagint-interlinear-greek-bible.com/intro.htm LXX 2 Sam 12:8 And I gave to you the house of your master, and the wives of your master into your bosom http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/nets/edition/ LXX 2 Sam 12:8 I gave you the house of your master and the wives of your master into your bosom http://www.ecmarsh.com/lxx/Kings%20II/index.htm LXX 2 Sam 12:8 and I gave thee the house of thy lord, and the wives of thy lord into thy bosom,

The Complete Jewish Bible (D. H. Stern) 2 Sam 12:8 I gave you your master's house and your master's wives to embrace . . . .

NIV 2 Sam 12:8 I gave your master's house to you, and your master's wives into your arms. . .

ESV 2 Sam 12:8 And I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your arms .

HCSB 2 Sam 12:8 I gave your master's house to you and your master's wives into your arms,

Nathan in his God-inspired prophecy prophesied that his "neighbor" would sexually lie with David's "wives" (12:11). Ahithophel did not see them as "wives" but as concubines when he advised Absalom to have sex with them. Absalom followed Ahithophel's advice and "went in to" them to have sex with them before all (2 Sam 16:21,22). in 2 Sam 20:3 we are told that since Absalom had sex with David's concubines/wives, David "did not go in to them" to have marital sex, but put them in seclusion, supported them but had them live as widows, wives who had lost their husband. Obviously this was a significant change in their marital status, and their relationship with David, which clearly indicates that before Absalom "went in to them" sexually, David "went in to them" sexually, receiving them into his "bosom", his "arms" and to "embrace". So much for John MacArthur's interpretation that "There is no evidence that he ever married any of Saul's wives, . . . .".

2 Samuel 12:9 And if that [was] too little, I would have given to you such and such [things] besides. 9 Why have you despised the word of the LORD, to do evil in His sight? You have stricken Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and have taken his wife [to be] your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the sons of Ammon. 10 And therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife. 11 So says the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house, and I will take your wives before your eyes and give [them] to your neighbor. And he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. **** 2 Sam 16: 21 And Ahithophel said to Absalom, Go in to your father's concubines, that he left to keep the house. And all Israel shall hear that you are abhorred by your father. And the hands of all who [are] with you will be strong. 22 And they spread Absalom a tent on the top of the house, and Absalom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel. ****2Sam.20:3 And David came to his house at Jerusalem. And the king took the ten women, [his] concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in ward, and fed them but did not go in to them. And they were shut up till the day of their death, living in widowhood.

***1 Kings 11: 4 For it happened when Solomon was old, his wives turned away his heart after other gods. And his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as [was] the heart of David his father. . . . 6 and Solomon did evil in the sight of Jehovah, and did not [go] fully after the LORD like his father David. [Why would God say that King David went "fully after the LORD", being blessed and commended by God, even though he had fallen into adultery and had many wives and concubines? Why would God say that David's heart was perfect with the Lord his God, when the Lord knew that David was a practicing polygynist, if polygyny is a sin as some say? Where do we see God blessing evil doers in their sin? Adultery is a sin and God exacted a severe punishment on David, so why didn't God punish David for his polygyny, if it is a sinful as some say?]

***1 Chronicles 3:1 And these were the sons of David, who were born to him in Hebron. The first-born, Amnon, of Ahinoam of Jezreel. The second, Daniel, of Abigail of Carmel . 2 The third, Absalom the son of Maachah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur. The fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith. 3 The fifth, Shephatiah of Abital. The sixth was Ithream by Eglah his wife . 4 [These] six were born to him in Hebron. And there he reigned seven years and six months. And he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-three years. 5 And these were born to him in Jerusalem Shimea, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, four of Bathsheba the daughter of Ammiel 6 and Ibhar, and Elishama, and Eliphelet, 7 and Nogah, and Nepheg, and Japhia, 8 and Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphelet, nine. 9 [These were] all the sons of David, besides the sons of the concubines, and Tamar their sister.

>>>>>[ IF POLYGYNY IS THE SIN THAT SOME SAY IT IS, WHERE IS GOD'S CONDEMNATION OF THE SEVEN WIVES AND TEN CONCUBINES OF KING DAVID? WHY WOULD GOD REBUKE AND CHASTEN DAVID FOR HIS ADULTERY WITH BATHSHEBA, AND THEN TURN AND BLESS DAVID IN HIS MARRIAGE TO BATHSHEEBA AND HIS OTHER WIVES, IF POLYGYNY IS SIN AS SOME SAY? If you count his first wife, Michael, then he had eight wives when he died. \f3In these passages you see God calling and recognizing as "wives" Davids concubines. If that is the way God sees them, only a fool would treat them as less than a wife (Malachi 2). Malachi 2 makes it pretty clear how God feels about those who break their covenants with their concubines and wives.

David is a fascinating case. He marries Michal in l Sam. 18. Then, as the anointed future king of Israel, David took to himself three additional wives in l Sam 25, and one is recognized by the Spirit for her grace and wisdom. He does this at a time of God's miraculous intervention and blessing in his life. God neither denounces or condemns him or his polygyny. In the case of three or four wives you are still dealing with addition, rather than the multiplying of Deut. **** DEUT. 17:16 But he shall not multiply horses to himself. . . . 17 Nor shall he multiply wives to himself, so that his heart does not turn away. Nor shall he greatly multiply silver and gold to himself.

It is interesting that horses, silver and gold - AS WELL AS WIVES - were not to be multiplied. I can't believe this was meant to limit the king to ONE HORSE, or ONE SILVER OR GOLD BAR, even so I can't believe it limits a king to one wife. In fact in 2 Sam 6, it is Michal who is condemned and punished instead of her polygamous husband David. By the time he becomes King in Judah he has 6 wives>83 and is being blessed and prospered by God. At the time of the wonderful Covenant with David in 2 Sam. 7, God specifically blesses and covenants with polygamist David and his concubines and his seven wives, as part of his house, receive a blessing. God even said "I gave you . . . your master's wives" >84 ". And Nathan said to David, you are the man! Thus says Jehovah the God of Israel: I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul; 8 and I GAVE YOU YOUR MASTER'S HOUSE, AND YOUR MASTER'S WIVES INTO YOUR BOSOM, and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah; and if [that] had been too little, I would moreover have given unto you such and such things." [Footnotes:>83 (2 Sam. 3); >84a 2Sa 12:7]

At this time God had given him seven wives plus a number of concubines (1 Chronicles 3). God here condemns Davids adultery and murder, but implies His blessing on Davids polygyny . This implied blessing of his polygyny would have to mean that David, with concubines and seven wives, had not yet violated the prohibition against a king multiplying wives to himself. >84b to David in his polygyny. Apparently even concubines plus seven wives is not "multiplying" wives to oneself. He had about 14 wives and concubines at the end of his life>85. David the polygamist was declared to be loyal to God>86. God declares that David, the polygamist, fully followed God>87. [Footnotes:>84b 2Sa 12:7; >85 (1 Chron 3); >86 ( l King 11:4); >87 (l King 11:6)] In contrast to God's evaluation of David, we have a beloved brother's evaluation that David was adulterous, unjust, favored some over others, and his sons became killers because he didn't have the authority deal decisively with his heritage>19. Unless I'm mistaken, I believe that monogamous Adam and Eve had a similar problem with Cain and Abel, and monogamous Isaac and Rebekah certainly had their share of "favoritism and injustice. . . intrigues" in their parenting of Jacob and Esau and Jacob's obtaining the blessing instead of Esau. Again and again we see that sin and the flesh are the problems, not polygyny. [Footnote: >19. Trobisch; MY WIFE MADE ME. . . p.20.] God conferred the status of wives on David's concubines in 2 Sam. 12:11 as we see how the prophecy was played out in 2 Sam. 16:21, 22; and 20:3. Again the distinction between concubines and wives seems to be an issue on man's end, not on God's end where it seems to be the solemn vow/covenant>20 and not the wedding ceremony>21 that makes a woman a wife even if society calls her a concubine>88 . [Footnotes:>.20 See appendix #4.; >.21 See appendix #4; >88 (Ezek. 16; Malachi 2; Eccles. 5:5-9;and Matt. 1:18-20 where we see the Holy Spirit call Mary and Joseph husband and wife based on their betrothal/ espousal alone and before the actual wedding and cohabitation)]

KING SOLOMON ***1 Kings 3:1 And Solomon made an alliance by marriage with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh's daughter and brought her into the city of David until he finished building his own house, and the house of the LORD, and the wall around Jerusalem. . . . 3 And Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father. Only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places...... 5 In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night. And God said, Ask what I shall give you! 6 And Solomon said, . . . . 7 And now, O LORD my God, You have made Your servant king instead of David my father. And I [am] a little child; I do not know to go out or come in! 8 And Your servant [is] in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a numerous people who cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. 9 And give to Your servant an understanding heart, to judge Your people, to discern between good and bad. For who is able to judge this, Your great people? 10 And the word was good in the eyes of the LORD, that Solomon had asked this thing. 11 And God said to him, Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked for yourself long life, and have not asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to judge justly, 12 behold, I have done according to your words. Lo, I have given you a wise and an understanding heart, so that there was none like you before you, and after you none shall arise like you. 13 And I also have given you that which you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that there shall not be any among the kings like you all your days. 14 And if you will walk in My ways, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days. ***Ecccles 2:8 I also gathered silver and gold to myself, and the treasure of kings and of the provinces. I got men singers and women singers for myself, and the delights of the sons of men, a wife and very many wives. ***Song of Solomon 6: 8 There [are] sixty queens, and eighty concubines , and virgins without number. 9 But My dove, My undefiled is one [alone]. She [is] the [only] one of her mother. She [is] the choice of her who bore her. The daughters saw [her] and blessed her; the queens and the concubines saw her, and they praised her.

>>>>>[Isn't this a strange way to punish Solomon for having sixty queens (including Pharaoh's daughter) and eighty concubines? Why did God heap such great blessings on a practicer of polygyny on a large scale, if polygyny is the sin that some say it is? Why did God put in His Book a book about Solomon in his early polygyny, a book blessed and used mightily by God, a bold and extravagant practicer of polygyny, if polygyny is the sin some say it is?]

In fact if you accept the Song of Solomon as the story of young Solomon and his Shulamite wife in a polygamous marriage>34 , you have one of the most beautiful and positive statements of good will and love between the Shulamite and her co-wives as well as with the daughters of Jerusalem, many of whom probably also became wives to Solomon later in life when he went too far and disobeyed God by multiplying wives to himself>35 . Let's look at the record in the Word. [Footnotes:>34 (Song of Sol. 6:8-10). >35 (Deut 17:15- 17)]

***1 KINGS 11:1 And king Solomon loved many foreign women, even the daughter of Pharaoh, Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, Hittites; 2 of the nations which the LORD had said to the sons of Israel, You shall not go in to them, and they shall not go in to you; surely they will turn away your heart after their gods. Solomon clung to these in love. 3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines. And his wives turned away his heart. 4 For it happened when Solomon was old, his wives turned away his heart after other gods. And his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as [was] the heart of David his father. 5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom, the abomination of the Ammonites; 6 and Solomon did evil in the sight of Jehovah, and did not [go] fully after the LORD like like his father David. 7 Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill which [is] before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the sons of Ammon. 8 And likewise he did for all his foreign wives, and burned incense and sacrificed to their gods. 9 And the LORD [was] angry with Solomon because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice 10 and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; and he did not keep that which the LORD commanded. 11 And the LORD said to Solomon, Since this is done by you, and since you have not kept My covenant and My statutes which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you and will give it to your servant. 12 But I will not do it in your days, for David your father's sake, [but] I will tear it out of the hand of your son. 13 Only, I will not tear away all the kingdom, [but] I will give one tribe to your son for David My servant's sake, . . . . .

***Ne 13:26 Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among many nations there was no king like him, who was beloved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. But women from other lands caused even him to sin. 27 Shall we then listen to you, to do all this great evil, to sin against our God in living with foreign women?

If polygynous exceses were Solomon's damning sin, why isn't that stated here? God plainly rebukes Solomon for disobeying Him by marrying unbelieving aliens, so why doesn't God also condemn him for practicing polygyny? God plainly condemns Solomon in his latter years for disobeying Him by multiplying wives and concubines, so why did God lift, bless, anoint and exalt Solomon in his early polygyny when he had married Pharaoh's daughter and had numerous wives and concubines? Solomon's polygyny was sinful first because He disobeyed Gods command against a king multiplying wives to himself>89; and secondly because he married unbelievers with whom God had specifically forbidden marriage>90. Too many wives and forbidden wives both had the same predicted result, that they turned his heart away from God. Solomon was declared to be disloyal to God in his polygyny>91 while David the polygamist was declared to be loyal to God>92 . God even declares that polygynist David fully followed God>93 . [Footnote: >89 (Deut. 17:15-17); >90 (Nehemiah 13:23) ; >91 (1 Kings 11:1,2,6, 11); >92 ( l King 11:4); >93 (l King 11:6)]

THE POLYGYNOUS KINGS AFTER DAVID & SOLOMON ***2 Chronicles 11:17 And they made the kingdom of Judah stronger, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong for three years. For three years they walked in the way of David and Solomon. 18 And Rehoboam took Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David as a wife for himself, [and] Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse, 19 who bore him sons, Jeush, and Shamariah, and Zaham. 20 And after her he took Maachah the daughter of Absalom, who bore Abijah to him, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith. 21 And Rehoboam loved Maachah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines (for he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and had twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters)...... And he demanded many wives. 12:1 And it happened when Rehoboam had established the kingdom, and had made himself strong, he departed from the law of the LORD, and all Israel with him. 2 And it happened in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had sinned against the LORD...... 6 And the rulers of Israel and the king humbled themselves. And they said, The LORD [is] righteous. 7 And when the LORD saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah, saying, They have humbled themselves. I will not destroy them, but I will give them some deliverance. . . . . 11 And when the king entered into the house of the LORD, the guard came and carried them and brought them again into the guardroom. 12 And when he humbled himself, the wrath of the LORD turned from him so that He would not destroy [him] altogether. And also things went well in Judah. [If Rehoboam's polygyny were sin, why didn't God rebuke it and judge him for it, as God rebuked and judged him for his idolatry and his departure from the law of the Lord? Where is God's explicit and specific condemnation of Rehoboam's polygyny?] ***2 Chronicles 13: 13 But Jeroboam caused an ambush to come around behind them, so that they were in front of Judah, and the ambush [was] behind them. 14 And Judah turned, and, behold, the battle [was] before and behind. And they cried to the LORD, and the priests sounded with the trumpets. 15 And the men of Judah shouted. And it happened as the men of Judah shouted, God struck Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. 16 And the sons of Israel fled before Judah. And God delivered them into their hand...... 21 And Abijah became mighty, and married fourteen wives, and fathered twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters. 22 And the rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways, and his sayings, [are] written in the inquiry of the prophet Iddo. 1 And Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David. >>>[If polygyny is unacceptable to God, then why did God intervene to help Abijah and deliver his enemies into his hand? Does God consistently deliver his sinning people into the hands of their enemies?]

***2Ch 21:12 And a writing came to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, So says the LORD God of David your father, Because you have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat your father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah, 13 but have walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and have made Judah and the people of Jerusalem to go lusting like the fornications of the house of Ahab, and also have killed your brothers of your fathers house ([who were] better than you), 14 behold, the LORD will strike your people with a great plague, and your sons, and your wives, and all your goods. 15 And you [shall have] great sickness by disease in your bowels, until your bowels fall out because of the sickness day by day. 16 And the LORD stirred up the spirit of the Philistines against Jehoram, and of the Arabians who [were] near the Ethiopians. 17 And they came up into Judah and broke into it, and carried away all the stuff that was found in the king's house, and his sons also, and his wives , so that there was not a son left with him except Ahaziah, the youngest of his sons. >>>[Why didn't God say one of the reasons He punished this evil king was because of his polygyny, if it is the sin some say it is?]

***2Ch 24: 2 And Joash did the right in the eyes of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest. 3 And Jehoiada took two wives for him, and he fathered sons and daughters...... 20 And the Spirit of God came on Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, who stood above the people and said to them, So says God, Why do you transgress the commandments of the LORD so that you cannot be blessed? Because you have forsaken the LORD, He has also forsaken you...... 24 For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men, and the LORD delivered a very great army into their hand, because they had forsaken the God of the fathers. And they executed judgment against Joash. 25 And when they had departed from him (for they left him in great diseases), his own servants conspired against him for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and killed him on his bed, and he died. And they buried him in the city of David, but they did not bury him in the tombs of the kings. >>>[Joash's sins and the reason for his punishment are clearly stated, right? Then where is God's explicit and specific denunciation of his polygyny?]

CONCUBINE ESTHER BECOMES POLYGYNOUS QUEEN ESTHER, ENABLED BY GOD TO SAVE ISRAEL ***Esther 1: 1 And it happened in the days of Ahasuerus (this [is] the Ahasuerus who reigned from India even to Ethiopia, [over] a hundred and twenty-seven provinces). 2 in those days, when king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom in Shushan the palace, ***Es 2:5 In Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew whose name [was] Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite 6 who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captivity which had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away. 7 And he brought up Hadassah, that [is], Esther, his uncle's daughter. For she had neither father nor mother, and the young woman [was] fair and beautiful, whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter. 8 And it happened when the king's command and his order was heard, and when many young women had been gathered to Shushan the palace, into the hand of Hegai, Esther was also brought to the king's house, into the hand of Hegai, keeper of the women. 9 And the young woman pleased him, and she received kindness from him. And he quickly gave to her purifiers and her portion. And seven young women [who were] fit to be given her, out of the king's house. And he moved her and her servant women to the best place in the house of the women. 12 And when the turn of each young woman had come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after she had been purified twelve months, according to the law of the women (for so the days of their anointing were done, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odors, and with the perfumes of the women). 13 And in this way the young woman came to the king. Whatever she desired was given her to go with her out of the house of the women to the king's house. 14 She went in the evening, and on the next day she returned to the second house of the women, into the hand of Shaashgaz, the king's officer who kept the concubines. She did not come in to the king any more, unless the king delighted in her, and she was called by name. 15 And when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai who had taken her for his daughter, had come to go in to the king, she asked nothing but what was chosen by Hegai the king's officer, the keeper of the women. And Esther had favor in the sight of all who looked on her. 16 And Esther was taken to king Ahasuerus into his royal house in the tenth month, which [is] the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign. 17 And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she rose in grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins. And he set the royal crown on her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti. 18 And the king made a great feast to all his princes and his servants, Esther's feast. . . . . 20 Esther had not yet revealed her kindred nor her people, as Mordecai had commanded her. For Esther obeyed the command of Mordecai as she did when she was brought up with him. >>>[If concubines are just harlots, then why did godly Mordecai allow Esther to become one of the king's many concubines? If she were so careful to obey godly Mordecai, why did she obey him when he told her to become one of the king's concubines, if that is such an evil thing as some say?]

***Esther 4: 7 And Mordecai told him of all that had happened to him, and of the sum of the silver which Haman had promised to pay to the king's treasuries for the Jews in order to destroy them. 8 Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree which [was] given at Shushan in order to destroy them, to show [it] to Esther and to declare it to her, and to command her that she should go in to the king to make supplication to him, and to seek help for her people. 9 And Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai. 10 Again Esther spoke to Hatach, and gave him command to Mordecai. 11 And the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces know that whoever, whether man or woman, shall come to the king into the inner court, who is not called, [there is] one law of his, execution, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden scepter so that he may live. But I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days. 12 And they told Mordecai Esther's words. 13 And Mordecai commanded them to answer Esther, Do not think within yourself that you shall escape in the king's house more than all the Jews. 14 For if you are completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance shall arise to the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house shall be destroyed. And who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for a time like this? 15 And Esther said to return to Mordecai [this answer], 16 Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me, and do not eat nor drink three days, night or day. My maidservants and I will also fast in the same way. And so I will go in to the king, which [is] not according to the law. And if I perish, I perish. 17 And Mordecai passed over and did according to all that Esther had commanded him. . . . 9: 29 And Esther the queen, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew, wrote with all authority to confirm this second letter of Purim. 30 And he sent the letters to all the Jews, to the hundred and twenty-seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, [with] words of peace and truth, 31 in order to confirm these days of Purim in their [set] times, according as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had ordered them, and as they had decreed for themselves and for their seed the matters of the fastings and of their cry. 32 And the order of Esther confirmed these matters of Purim. And it was written in the book. >>>[If concubines and polygyny were such a disgusting thing to (and so unpopular with) Israelis, then why did they, and why do they, honor Esther and Mordecai so highly in the celebration of Purim?}

POLYGYNY, A MARITAL SOLUTION IN TIMES OF WAR. ***Isaiah 3: 25 Your men shall fall by the sword, and your mighty in the war. 26 And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she shall sit deserted on the ground. . . . 4:1 And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, we will eat our own bread and wear our own clothing; only let us be called by your name, to take away our shame. [Does God anywhere explicitly and specifically denounce this marital remedy for such a shortage of men?]

FOOLISH KING BELSHAZZAR ***Da 5:2 When tasting the wine, Belshazzar commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem, that the king and his rulers, his wives and his concubines , might drink from them. 3 Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God in Jerusalem. And the king, and his rulers, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them...... 23 But you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven. And they have brought the vessels of His house before you; and you, and your lords, your wives, and your concubines , have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver, and gold, or bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see, nor hear, nor know. And you have not glorified the God in whose hand [is] your breath and all your ways. >>>[In listing the sins of Belshazzar, why didn't God include his polygyny and concubines, if it is comparable sin as some say it is?]

JEHOVAH AS THE POLYGYNOUS HUSBAND OF TWO WIVES ***Ezekiel 23: 1 The word of the LORD came again to me, 2 Son of man, there were two women, the daughters of one mother. 3 And they fornicated in Egypt; they whored in their youth, their breasts were handled, and there their virgin nipples were worked. 4 And their names [were] Oholah, the oldest, and Oholibah, her sister. And they were Mine, and they bore sons and daughters. And their names: Samaria [is] Oholah, and Jerusalem [is] Oholibah. 5 And Oholah whored under Me. And she lusted after her lovers, to [her] Assyrian neighbors, ...... 35 So the Lord Jehovah says this: Because you have forgotten Me and cast Me behind your back, therefore bear also your wickedness and your adulteries. 36 And the LORD said to me: Son of man, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah, and declare to them their abominations, 37 that they have committed adultery , and blood [is] on their hands?

Never by God or His prophets is polygyny denounced, condemned or grouped with sins or carnal expressions of the flesh. God Himself portrays Himself as a monogynist in Ezekiel 16 and then as polygynist in Ezekiel 23. It appears He has no problem with the marriage styles he initiated, legislated and in which He blessed His people. So who are we to condemn as sin that which God never condemns as sin? Why would we want to do such a thing? Yes it is against the law in some countries and we know that God wants us to obey the laws of the land as long as it does not violate His Law. So we should not practice formal and public polygyny in those lands in obedience to Romans 13 etc. So why not simply say that instead of teaching as doctrine the tradition of religious men, i.e. that polygyny is sinful?

V. MARRIAGE, POLYGYNY, JESUS AND THE APOSTLES

SINCE JESUS IS JEHOVAH, HOW DID HE FEEL ABOUT THE LAW HE GAVE TO MOSES, WITH ALL ITS PROVISIONS FOR AND REGULATIONS OF POLYGYNY? ***MATT. 5:17 Do not think that I have come to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 For truly I say to you, Till the heaven and the earth pass away, not one jot or one tittle shall in any way pass from the law until all is fulfilled. 19 Therefore whoever shall break one of these commandments, the least, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of Heaven. But whoever shall do and teach [them], the same shall be called great in the kingdom of Heaven.

DO YOU MEAN THAT JEHOVAH AS JESUS OBSERVED THE LAW OF MOSES, THE LAW THAT INCLUDED POLYGYNY? **Matt. 8: 4 And Jesus said to him, See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest. And offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.; **12: 10 And behold, a man having [a] withered hand. And they asked Him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbaths? This so that they might accuse Him. 11 And He said to them, What man among you will be, who will have one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the sabbaths, will he not lay hold on it and lift [it] out? 12 How much better is a man then than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days. 13 Then He said to the man, Stretch out your hand. And he stretched [it] out, and it was restored whole like the other. **13:53 And it happened when Jesus finished these parables, He departed from there. 54 And when He had come into His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so much so that they were astonished and said, From where does this [man have] this wisdom and these mighty works? **15: 3 But He answered and said to them, Why do you also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? 4 For God commanded, saying, "Honor your father and mother"; and, "He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him die by death." 5 But you say, Whoever says to [his] father or mother, Whatever you would gain from me, [It is] a gift to God; 6 and in no way he honors his father or his mother. And you voided the commandment of God by your tradition . 7 Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, 8 "This people draws near to Me with their mouth, and honors Me with [their] lips, but their heart is far from Me. 9 But in vain they worship Me, teaching [for] doctrines [the] commandments of men."...... 22 And behold, a woman of Canaan coming out of these borders cried to Him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is grievously vexed with a demon. 23 But He did not answer her a word. And His disciples came and begged Him, saying, Send her away, for she cries after us. 24 But He answered and said, I am not sent except to the lost sheep of [the] house of Israel. 25 Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, Lord, help me! 26 But He answered and said, It is not good to take the children's bread and to throw [it] to dogs. 27 And she said, True, O Lord; but even the little dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' tables. 28 Then Jesus answered and said to her, O woman, great [is] your faith! So be it to you even as you wish. And her daughter was healed from that very hour. **19: 17 And He said to him, Why do you call Me good? [There is] none good but one, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments. 18 He said to Him, Which? Jesus said, You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, 19 honor your father and mother, and, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. ** 21:12 And Jesus went into the temple of God and cast out all those who sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money-changers, and the seats of those who sold doves. 13 And He said to them, It is written, "My house shall be called the house of prayer"; but you have made it a den of thieves. 14 And the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them. ** 22:34 But hearing that He had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees were gathered together. 35 Then one of them, a lawyer, asked, tempting Him and saying, 36 Master, which [is] the great commandment in the Law ? 37 Jesus said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second [is] like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets. ** Matt. 26: 18 And He said, Go into the city to such a man, and say to him, The Master said, My time is at hand. I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples. 19 And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them. And they made the passover ready. 20 And when evening had come, He sat down with the Twelve. . . . . 59 And the chief priests and the elders and all the sanhedrin sought false witness against Jesus , in order to put Him to death. 60 But they found none; yea, though many false witnesses came, they found none. >>>[Doesn't this mean that He had an impeccable record as a citizen of Israel, as a keeper of the Sinai Law? Wouldn't they easily have had a case against Jesus if He had been disobedient to His Sinai Law?]

WHAT DID JESUS TELL HIS JEWISH FOLLOWERS TO DO ABOUT THE LAW OF MOSES, THE LAW THAT INCLUDED POLYGYNY? ***Matthew 23: 1 Then Jesus spoke to the crowd and to His disciples, 2 saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. 3 Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, observe and do. But do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. Some might say all or most of those Old Testament passages on marriage and morality were for the nation Israel under the Law of Moses and not for Jesus' church under the Law of LOVE in Christ. Bible history indicates quite clearly that Jesus came not to destroy the Law but to fulfill it>96 . Jesus showed that He was observing all the Law of Moses as an adult when He said that whoever does the commandments and teaches others to do the Law of Moses "shall be called great in the kingdom of Heaven">~ . Over and over again in the Gospels you see Jesus obeying the Law of Moses and telling His followers to obey it>97 . Matt. 23:3, 4, and 23 are the strongest statements of this expectation that His followers were to be obeying the marriage and morality laws of Moses when He was still visibly with them, and Jesus made it soon before His death. [Footnotes:>96 (Matt. 5:17,18); >~ (Matt. 5:19); >97 (Matt. 8:4; 12:11,12; 13:54; 15:3-6, 22-26; 17:24, 27; 19:17-19; 21:12,13; 22:34-40; 23:3,4,23; 26:18,19; 26:63,64; etc.)]

IF JESUS TOLD HIS FOLLOWERS TO BOTH KEEP THE LAW OF MOSES AND THE TEACHINGS OF THEIR RELIGIOUS LEADERS, WHY DON'T WE NON- JEWS KEEP THE LAW OF MOSES TODAY, INCLUDING THOSE LAWS ABOUT POLYGYNY? ***Acts 15: 4 And arriving in Jerusalem, they were received by the church, and [by] the apostles and elders. And [they] declared all things that God had done with them. 5 But some of those from the sect of the Pharisees, having believed, rose up, saying, It was necessary to circumcise them and to command [them] to keep the law of Moses...... 7 And after much disputing, Peter rose up and said to them, Men, brothers, you recognize that from ancient days God chose among us [that] through my mouth the nations [should] hear the word of the gospel, and believe. 8 And God, who knows the hearts, bore them witness, giving them the Holy Spirit even as to us. 9 And He put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. 10 Now therefore why do you tempt God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples, a yoke which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? 11 But we believe that through the grace of [the] Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, according to which manner they also believed. . . . . 22 Then it pleased the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men from them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; Judas, whose last name was Barsabas; and Silas, chief men among the brothers. 23 And they wrote these things by their hand: The apostles and elders and brothers [send] greeting to the brothers, from [the] nations in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia. 24 Because we have heard that certain ones who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, Be circumcised and keep the law! (to whom we gave no such command); 25 it seemed [good] to us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 men who have given up their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, who will also announce [to you] the same things by word. 28 For it seemed [good] to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these necessary things: 29 that you abstain from meats offered to idols, and [from] blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication; from which, if you keep yourselves, you shall do well. Be prospered. 30 Then indeed they being let go, they came to Antioch. And gathering the multitude, [they] delivered the letter. 31 And when they had read [it], they rejoiced at the comfort.

WHY THIS DOUBLE STANDARD IN THE BOOKS OF ACTS? Consider Hebrews 8, especially the Greek of verse 13: In that he says, A new [covenant], he has made the first [covenant] old. Now that which is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. Consider The Greek of 2 Cor. 3:7,11: . . . the ministration of death, written [and] engraved in stones, was glorious . . . How shall not the ministration of the Spirit be more glorious? . . . For if what is passing away [was] glorious, much more that which is reamaining [is] glorious..

These passages show there was a period of transition (is becoming obsolete..growing old..is ready to vanish..is passing away) from the Sinai Law of Moses to the Calvary Law of LOVE in Christ. The book of Acts is full of the apostles keeping the Sinai Law of Moses after Pentecost. You see them worshipping in the Temple regularly>98 , Peter refuses to socialize with Gentiles according to the Sinai Law>99 , Peter refuses to eat the animals classified as unclean in the Sinai Law>1 , Paul circumcises Timothy, Paul keeps the Law's feasts>2 , Paul recognizes the authority of the Chief Priest, the believing Gentiles are released from the Sinai Law of Moses while the believing Jews are not released >3 . [Footnotes:>98 (Acts 4, 12, 15, 21); >99 (Acts 10, 11, Gal. 1 & 2); >1 (Acts 10 & 11); >2 (Acts 21); >3 (Galatians, Acts 15 and see Acts 10; 11:8, 23; 15:5; 16:3; 18:18, 21;21:18-25; 24:18)] DO YOU REALLY THINK THE CHURCH WAS DIVIDED IN THE BOOK OF ACTS, WITH ONLY THE BELIEVING JEWS KEEPING LAW? ***Acts 10: 9 On the next day, as these went on [the] road, and drawing near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about [the] sixth hour. 10 And he became very hungry and desired to eat. But while they made ready, an ecstasy fell on him. 11 And he saw the heaven opened and a certain vessel like a sheet coming down to him, being bound at the four corners and let down to the earth; 12 in which were all the four-footed animals of the earth, and the wild beasts, and the reptiles, and the birds of the heaven. 13 And a voice came to him, saying, Rise, Peter! Kill and eat! 14 But Peter said, Not so, Lord, for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean. 15 And the voice [spoke] to him again the second [time], What God has made clean, you do not call common. 16 This happened three [times], and the vessel was received up again into the heaven. 17 And while Peter doubted within himself what the vision which he had seen might be, even behold, the men who were sent from Cornelius had asked for Simon's house and stood on the porch. 18 And they called and asked if Simon whose last name is Peter was staying there.19 And [while] Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said to him, Behold, three men are looking for you. 20 Therefore arise and go down and go with them without doubting, for I have sent them...... 26 But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up! I also am a man myself. 27 And as he talked with him, he went in and found many who had come together. 28 And he said to them, You know that it is an unlawful thing for a man, a Jew to keep company with or to come near to one of another nation. But God has shown me not to call any man common or unclean. ***Galatians 2: 11 But when Peter came to Antioch, I opposed [him] to his face, because he was to be blamed. 12 For before some came from James, he ate with the nations/Gentiles. But when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those of the circumcision. 1 3 And the rest of the Jews also dissembled with him, so as even Barnabas was led away with their dissembling. 14 But when I saw that they did not walk uprightly with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before all, If you, being a Jew, live as a Gentile, and not as the Jews, why do you compel [the] nations/Gentile to judaize? ***Acts 16: 3 Paul wanted him to go with him, and taking [him he] circumcised him , because of the Jews who were in those places; for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4 And as they passed through the cities, they delivered to them the commandments to keep, th e ones that were ordained by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem. ***Acts 18:18 And Paul having remained many days more, taking leave of the brothers, he sailed from there into Syria. And Priscilla and Aquila were with him. And Paul had shorn his head in Cenchrea, for he had a vow. 19 And he came to Ephesus and left them there. But he himself entered into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. 20 And they asking [him] to stay a longer time with them, he did not consent 21 but took leave of them, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that is coming in Jerusalem , but I will return again to you, God willing. And he sailed from Ephesus.

***Acts 21:18 And on the next [day] Paul went with us to James. And all the elders were present. 19 And having greeted them, he related one by one what things God had done among the nations by his ministry. 20 And hearing, they glorified the Lord, and said to him, You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are who believe, and they are all zealous of the law. 21 And they are informed concerning you, that you teach all the Jews who are among the nations to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise [their] children, nor to walk after the customs. 22 What is it therefore? At all events a multitude will come together, for they will hear that you have come. 23 Therefore do this, what we say to you: We have four men who have a vow on themselves; 24 taking them, be purified with them , and be at expense for them, so that they may shave [their] heads. And all may know that what they have been told about you is nothing, but you yourself also walk orderly and keep the Law. 25 And as to the nations who believe, we joined in writing, judging them to observe no such things, except only that they keep themselves from both idol sacrifice, and blood, and a thing strangled, and [from] fornication. 26 Then taking the men on the next day, being purified with them, Paul went into the temple, declaring the fulfillment of the days of the purification, until an offering should be offered for each of them.

[ Doesn't this mean that the marriage and morality teachings of 1 Thess. 4 ; Romans 7; 1 Corinthians 5, 6 and 7, which were written before the time of Acts 21:16 while Paul and the believing Jews, including the apostles, were still obeying and teaching the marriage and morality laws of the Law of Moses, discussed at length above including polygyny ? Doesn't that mean that all of their terms and definitions were in harmony and accord with the Law of Moses, which the apostles were still keeping since they were believing Jews? Isn't it amazing that when God made up and gave all the exhaustive lists of sins, both in the Sinai Law and in the New Testament, He never included polygyny? If He made sure to condemn sodomy, pederastery, homosexuality, lesbianism, incest, adultery and fornication, then why didn't He also make sure to condemn polygyny, if it is the sin that some say it is?] So we see Paul, the Apostle of Grace to we non-Jews, purify himself with four other Christian Jews under a vow, pay the expenses of their being under the vow including the shaving of their heads, and have an offering offered for them all so that he could show the believing Jews that he walked orderly, keeping the Sinai Law and its customs and telling the believing Jews to circumcize their children and walk in Moses' customs. These customs of Moses included the laws given to Moses regulating and recognizing polygyny. So the apostles and believing Jews were still keeping the Law, not for salvation, but to obey Jesus in Mat. 23:1-3, and still they do not condemn or reject the polygyny being practiced all around them by both Jews and Romans

WHY DON'T THE BELIEVING GENTILES/NONJEWS OF TODAY STILL KEEP THE LAW OF MOSES, WITH ITS PROVISIONS FOR POLYGYNY? ***AB Acts 15:13When they had finished talking, James replied, Brethren, listen to me 14Simeon [Peter] has rehearsed how God first visited the Gentiles, to take out of them a people [to bear and honor] His name. 15And with this the predictions of the prophets agree, as it is written, 16After this I will come back, and will rebuild the house of David, which has fallen; I will rebuild its [very] ruins, and I will set it up again, 17So that the rest of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles upon whom My name has been invoked, 18Says the Lord, Who has been making these things known from the beginning of the world. 19Therefore it is my opinion that we should not put obstacles in the way of and annoy and disturb those of the Gentiles who turn to God, 20But we should send word to them in writing to abstain from and avoid anything that has been polluted by being offered to idols, and all sexual impurity, and [eating meat of animals] that have been strangled, and [tasting of] blood. 21For from ancient generations Moses has had his preachers in every town, for he is read [aloud] every Sabbath in the synagogues. 22Then the apostles and the elders, together with the whole church, resolved to select men from among their number and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, [both] leading men among the brethren, and sent them. 23With [them they sent] the following letter: The brethren, both the apostles and the elders, to the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings: 24As we have heard that some persons from our number have disturbed you with their teaching, unsettling your minds and throwing you into confusion, although we gave them no express orders or instructions [on the points in question], 25It has been resolved by us in assembly to select men and send them [as messengers] to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26Men who have hazarded their lives for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27So we have sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will bring you the same message by word of mouth. 28For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to lay upon you any greater burden than these indispensable requirements: 29That you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols and from [tasting] blood and from [eating the meat of animals] that have been strangled and from sexual impurity. If you keep yourselves from these things, you will do well. Farewell [be strong]! ...... 21:19After saluting them, Paul gave a detailed account of the things God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. 20And upon hearing it, they adored and exalted and praised and thanked God. And they said to [Paul], You see, brother, how many thousands of believers there are among the Jews, and all of them are enthusiastic upholders of the [Mosaic] Law. 21Now they have been informed about you that you continually teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn back from and forsake Moses, advising them not to circumcise their children or pay any attention to the observance of the [Mosaic] customs. 22What then [is best that] should be done? A multitude will come together, for they will surely hear that you have arrived. 23Therefore do just what we tell you. With us are four men who have taken a vow upon themselves. 24Take these men and purify yourself along with them and pay their expenses [for the temple offering], so that they may have their heads shaved. Thus everybody will know that there is no truth in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself walk in observance of the Law. 25But with regard to the Gentiles who have believed (adhered to, trusted in, and relied on Christ), we have sent them a letter with our decision that they should keep themselves free from anything that has been sacrificed to idols and from [tasting] blood and [eating the meat of animals] which have been strangled and from all impurity and sexual immorality. In fact, it is not until after Acts 22 that the Spirit has Paul confirm in writing the confirmation of this Spirit led decision of the Apostles by writing the following about the uncircumcised GENTILES, those believers who are not Jewish:

***DBY+ AB EPHES. 2: 11Therefore, remember that at one time you were GENTILES(heathens, NOT JEWS) in the flesh, called UNCIRCUMCISION by those who called themselves Circumcision, [itself a mere mark] in the flesh made by human hands. 12 [Remember] that you were at that time separated (living apart) from Christ, utterly estranged and outlawed from the rights of ISRAEL as a nation, and strangers with no share in the sacred compacts of the [Messianic] promise. And you had no hope (no promise); you were in the world without God. 13But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were [so] far away, through (by, in) the blood of Christ have been brought near.14 ¶ For *He* is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of enclosure, 15 having annulled the enmity in His flesh, the law of commandments in ordinances, that He might form the two in Himself into one new man, making peace; 16 and might reconcile both in one body to God by the cross, having by it slain the enmity; 17 and, coming, He has preached the glad tidings of peace to you who were afar off, and the glad tidings of peace to those who were nigh. ***DBY+AB COLOS. 2:11In Him also you were circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, but in a [spiritual] circumcision [performed by] Christ by stripping off the body of the flesh (the whole corrupt, carnal nature with its passions and lusts). 12[Thus even though you were uncircumcised in the flesh you were circumcised in the Spirit when] you were buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised with Him [to a new life] through [your] faith in the working of God [as displayed] when He raised Him up from the dead.13* ¶ And you, being dead in offences and IN THE UNCIRCUMCISION OF YOUR FLESH, He has quickened together with Him, having forgiven us all the offences; 14* having effaced the handwriting in ordinances which stood out against us, which was contrary to us, He has taken it also out of the way, having nailed it to the cross; 15 having spoiled principalities and authorities, He made a show of them publicly, leading them in triumph by it. 16* ¶ Let none therefore judge you in meat or in drink, or in matter of feast, or new moon, or sabbaths, 17 which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. ***DBY 2 PETER 3:14 Wherefore, beloved, as ye wait for these things, be diligent to be found of him in peace, without spot and blameless; 15 and account the longsuffering of our Lord to be salvation; according as our beloved brother Paul also has written to you according to the wisdom given to him, 16* as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; among which some things are hard to be understood, which the untaught and ill-established wrest, as also the other scriptures, to their own destruction.

SO WHAT PLACE DID POLYGYNY HAVE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH?

Christian elders agree that during Jesus' physical and visible walk on earth, the Jews practiced polygamy>24. [Footnote: >24. Trobisch; MY WIFE MADE ME..P. 23. ; "Polygamy was not definitely forbidden among the Jews till the time of R. Gershom (c. A.d. 1000), and then at first only for France and Germany. In Spain, Italy,m and the East it persisted for some time longer, as it does still among the Jews in Mohammedan counties". HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE, p.584. ; A Select Library of the Nicene and Post- Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church, Vol. V, p. 267.; A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church, Vol. iv, p.290.; A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church, Vol. VIII, p. 258. ; St. Augustin: On The Trinity, p. 402.; HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE, p.259, 583ff.]

Let's look at the following evidence: DOUGLAS NEW BIBLE DICTIONARY : MARRIAGE: ."Monogamy is implicit in the story of Adam and Eve, since God created only one wife for Adam. Yet polygyny is adopted from the time of Lamech (Gn. 4:19), and is not forbidden in Scripture . . ..It is difficult toknow how far polygamy was practised, but on economic grounds it is probable that it was found more among the well-to-do than among the ordinary people. Polygamy continues to the present day among Jews in Moslem, Hindu, Buddhist, Asian, Oriental, and African countries." >25 [>25 IVCF, Editor J.D.Douglas; 1962,W. B. Eerdmans Publishing, p.787]

FUNK & WAGNALLS NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA: CONCUBINAGE, Refers to the cohabitation of a man and a woman without sanction of legal marriage. Specifically, concubinage is a form of polygyny in which the primary matrimonial relationship is supplemented by one or more secondary sexual relationships. Concubinage was a legally sanctioned and socially acceptable practice in ancient cultures, including that of the Hebrews; concubines, however, were denied the protection to which a legal wife was entitled. In Roman law, marriage was precisely defined as monogamous; concubinage was tolerated, but the concubine's status was inferior to that of a legal wife. Her children had certain rights, including support by the father and legitimacy in the event of the marriage of the parents. [Footnote: >27 1986, Funk & Wagnalls NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA.]

In HASTING'S DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE we read "Being .. apparently legalized, and having the advantage of precedent, it was long before polygamy was formally forbidden in Hebrew society, though practically it fell into disuse; the feeling of the Rabbis was strongly against it. Herod had nine wives at once. . . Its possibility is implied by the technical continuance of the Levirate law," [Deut. 25:5-10] "and is proved by the early interpretation of 1 Ti 3, whether correct or not. Justin reproaches the Jews of his day" [A.D.] " with having 'four or even five wives,' and marrying 'as they wish, or as many as they wish.' The evidence of the Talmud shows that in this case at least the reproach had some foundation. Polygamy was not definitely forbidden among the Jews till the time of R. Gershom (c. A.D. 1000), and then at first only for France and Germany. In Spain, Italy, and the East it persisted for some time longer, as it does still among the Jews in Mohammedan countries." [Footnote: >28. HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE; p.583ff.]

In a 1988 book entitled "Cultural Anthropology - a Christian Perspective" by Pastor Grunlan (of Wheaton & Luther Seminary) and Mayers Ph.D. (of BIOLA), and recommended by Professor D. N Larson of Bethel College, by Professor C. H. Kraft of Fuller Theological Seminary, by Eugene A Nida, author of "Customs and Cultures" (a BIOLA textbook) and of the American Bible Society; we read the following: "It is interesting that the Old Testament never condemned the practice of polygyny but only regulated it (Exod 21:1- 11; Lev18:17,18; Deut. 21:15-17). In fact, the law of levirate marriage may even have required polygyny in some instances . . . (Deut 25:5010)."

Eugene Nida's (American Bible Society) book Customs and Cultures>.29 . . documents the current practice of polygyny by Christians in non Western countries, and how it is still practiced in China, SE Asia, India, Africa and parts of South America. Eugene Nida points out that when polygamists become Christians they are told of their limitations in church offices and are asked not to take any additional wives because it stumbles western Christians (Rom 14, l Cor. 8 and 10). They are not usually asked to abandon their other wives to a premature widowhood because of l Cor>. 7:1-15. [Footnote: >.29 1954, Harper & Brothers, New York]

Tacitus, who died in 117 A.D., was a Roman historian who provided us with one of the earliest detailed descriptions of the Germans and their Germanic tribes, which later migrated into western Europe and included the English and the French. >30 These Germans of his time were unique. They strictly observed the marital tie and were generally content with one wife for each husband, in marked contrast to most of the "barbarians" of the time who often practiced polygyny. The few exceptions to this Germanic monogyny was when they were sought for a polygynous marriage because of their high birth>31 [Footnotes:>30 Source: Tr. Maurice Hutton, in Tacitus: Dialogus, Agricola, Germania, Loeb Classical Library (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1914). WOMEN'S LIVES IN MEDIEVAL EUROPE - A SOURCEBOOK; p. 36.;>31 WOMEN'S LIVES IN MEDIEVAL EUROPE - A SOURCEBOOK; p. 37.]

1 Cor 10 and Romans 14 appear to have been given to enable the freed-from-having-to-observe-the-Law Gentiles/nonJews/Nations to be in fellowship with the Sinai Law observing Jewish disciples of Christ. Remember the instructions the Spirit gave Peter, James and the elders about the Gentiles: ***"Acts 21:24 [Paul,] take these men and purify yourself along with them and pay their expenses [for the temple offering], so that they may have their heads shaved. Thus everybody will know that there is no truth in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself walk in observance of the Law. 25 But with regard to the Gentiles who have believed (adhered to, trusted in, and relied on Christ), we have sent them a letter with our decision that they should keep themselves free from anything that has been sacrificed to idols and from [tasting] blood and [eating the meat of animals] which have been strangled and from all impurity and sexual immorality." See also Acts 15.

1 Cor 8:8-13 does not apply to the practice of polygyny among the believers because it deals with a person being in a place where sin is being practiced, and appearing to do someting the Bible declares to be sin. Polygyny is something in which sin is being practiced and it is never declared to be sin in the Bible.

***Romans 14:1 Accept and welcome anyone who is weak in faith, but don't argue about or pass judgment on doubtful and disputable issues, opinions and reasonings . . . 13 Then we should no more criticize and blame and pass judgment on one another, but rather decide and endeavor never to put a stumbling block [that causes one to fall into sinful behavior] or an obstacle or a hindrance in the way of a brother [that gets in the way of their godly walk with and edification in Jesus]. 14 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that [polygyny] is not unclean in itself, but [polygyny] is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. 15 For if your brother is being grieved, pained or his feelings hurt or if he is being injured by [your polygyny you] are no longer walking in [godly] Love. By what you [do], do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. 16 So do not let [the polygyny] you regard as good be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of [monogyny or polygyny] but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. 19 We should therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food [or polygyny]. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble; [and similarly marriage is holy, but it is wrong for one to be polygynous in such a way that causes someone to stumble into sin] 21 It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, or [be polygynous] by which your brother stumbles [into sin]. 22 Your personal convictions [on polygyny based on the Word of God]--exercise [them] as in God's presence, keeping them to yourself [privately and discretely with likeminded people as in Rom 15:4-6; 2 Corinthians 13:10-12; Philippians 2:1-3]. Blessed (happy, to be envied) is he who has no reason to judge himself for what he approves [as to polygyny]. 23 But the man who has doubts (misgivings, an uneasy conscience) about eating [or being polygynous], and then eats [or is polygynous], stands condemned [before God], because he is not true to his convictions and he does not act from faith [based on the Word of God]. For whatever does not originate and proceed from faith [based on the Word of God] is sin. 15:1 Now we who are strong [in our liberty in Christ] have an obligation to bear the weaknesses of those without strength [in their faith], and not to please ourselves. 2 Each one of us must please his neighbor for his good, in order to build him up. 3 For even the Messiah did not please Himself. . . . From the AmpBible & etc

A Word regulating the practice of polygyny is 1 Cor 10, again paraphrased with the polygyny application in [brackets]: '23 "All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. 24 No one should seek his own benefit, but the benefit of his neighbor. 25 [Practice any legal form of marriage you wish] without raising any question on the ground of conscience. . . . 27 If one of the unbelievers invites you to [a public and official polygynous wedding] and you are disposed to go, [partake in the event] without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 28 But if someone says to you, “[The public and official practice of polygyny is illegal here],” then do not [attend] it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience — 29 I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else’s conscience? 30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks? 31 So, whether you [practice monogyny or polygyny], or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, 33 just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.'

MARRIAGE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH

**** 1 CORINTH. 7: 7 For I would that all men were even as I myself am. But each has his proper gift from God, one according to this manner and another according to that. 8 I say therefore to the unmarried and the widows, It is good for them if they remain even as I. 9 But if they do not have self-control, they should marry; for it is better to marry than to burn. 10 I command the married —not I, but the Lord—a [believing] wife is notto leave, depart or separate from [Strong's 5563] her [believing] husband. 11 But if she does leave, depart, and/or separate [Strong's 5563], she must remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband—and a [believing] husband/man should not forsake, lay aside, leave, put (send) away and/or divorce [Strongs 863] his wife/woman. 12 But to the rest I, not the Lord, say: If any brother has an unbelieving wife/woman, and she is willing [consents, would like] to [maritally] continue on occupying a house, reside , cohabiting^ and/or dwelling [3611]> with him, he must not forsake, lay aside, leave, put (send) away, and/or remit [Strongs 863] her. 13 Also, if any woman has an unbelieving husband/man, and he is willing [consents, would like] to keep on [maritally] occupying a house, residing , cohabiting^ and/or dwelling [3611] with her, she must not forsake, lay aside, leave, put (send) away, and/or remit [Strongs 863] her husband/man [But if she does leave, depart, and/or separate [Strong's 5563], she must remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband, v.11]. . . .15 But if the unbeliever leaves, departs and/or separates himself [Strong's 5563], he should go away/depart/separate/leave, [he should separate, make the separation]. A brother or a sister is not [legally, morally, maritally] bound in such cases [in the Kingdom of God]. God has called you to peace. . . . . 17 But as God has distributed to each one, as the Lord has called each one, so let him walk. And so I ordain in all churches.18 [Was] any called having been circumcised? Do not be uncircumcised. Was anyone called in uncircumcision? Do not be circumcised. . . . 20 Let each one remain in the calling in which he was called. 21 Were you called as a slave? It does not matter to you, but if you are able to become free, use [it] rather. . . . 24 Each in whatever way he was called, brothers, in this remain with God. [Doesn't this principle extend to include being called in polygyny? Wouldn't it be like this? ' But as God has distributed to each one, as the Lord has called each one, so let him walk. And so I ordain in all churches.18 [Was] any called in polygyny/concubinage? Do not become monogynous...... 20 Let each one remain in the calling in which he was called. . . . 24 Brethren, each one is to remain with God in that condition in which he was called [by God]...... 27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed. Are you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife. . . . 39 A [believing] wife is bound to her [believing] husband by [God's] Law as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to anyone she wants—only in the Lord. Consider the following: "That the good purpose of marriage, however, is better promoted by one husband with one wife, than by a husband with several wives, is shown plainly enough by the very first union of a married pair, which was made by the Divine Being Himself, with the intention of marriages taking their beginning therefrom, and of its affording to them a more honorable precedent. In the advance, however, of the human race, it came to pass that to certain good men were united a plurality of good wives, --- many to each; and from this it would seem that moderation sought rather unity on one side for dignity, while nature permitted plurality on the other side for fecundity. For on natural principles it is more feasible for one to have dominion over many, than for many to have dominion over one." [Footnote: >..34 2b A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church; Vol. V; Augustine p. 267]

Ephesians 2:14-18 and Colossians 2:11-17, confirmed by 2 Peter 3:15, show us that Jesus reveals and instructs us that nonJews-Gentiles were freed from having to observe the Law of Moses; while the believing Jews continue to obey the Law of Moses (Mat. 23:1-3; Acts 21:17-27; Acts 15; not for salvation but as the good works they were foreordained to walk orderly in Eph 2:10). Then not many years later causes the Jerusalem Temple to be destroyed so that it would be impossible for any Jew to keep all the Law and try to be saved by his/her good works.This means that the marriage and morality teachings of 1 Thess. 4 ; Romans 7; 1 Corinthians 5, 6 and 7 were written before the time of Acts 21:17-27 while Paul and the believing Jews, including the apostles, were still obeying and teaching the marriage and morality laws of the Law of Moses, discussed at length above including polygyny .

The change of significance was not that polygyny was condemned or forbidden but that monogamy was made a prerequisite for holding an official position of leadership in the local church (1 Tim 3; Titus 1). The polygyny of the Jewish, Greek and Roman world was not attacked, but the leadership of the local churches was transformed by the monogamy restriction, probably to prevent polygamous leaders from getting involved in church service that would result in the neglect of time with their own children and/or wives. What was the actual status of polygamy in New Testament time, the First Century AD? Christian elders agree that during Jesus' physical and visible walk on earth, the Jews practiced polygamy>24. [Footnote: >24. Trobisch; MY WIFE MADE ME..P. 23. ; "Polygamy was not definitely forbidden among the Jews till the time of R. Gershom (c. A.d. 1000), and then at first only for France and Germany. In Spain, Italy,m and the East it persisted for some time longer, as it does still among the Jews in Mohammedan counties". HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE, p.584. ; A Select Library of the Nicene and Post- Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church, Vol. V, p. 267.; A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church, Vol. iv, p.290.; A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church, Vol. VIII, p. 258. ; St. Augustin: On The Trinity, p. 402.; HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE, p.259, 583ff.] It is not just the translators of the KJV who support "husband of one wife": ##The Latin Vulgate was written around the 4th Cent AD and its take is "married only once" [http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/1timothy/1timothy3.htm #v1] which still indicates "one wife." ##"the husband of but one wife, " NIV, New International Version - UK (NIVUK) ##"the husband of one wife" NASB, Amp Bible, ESV, Darby, Holman Christian Standard Bible, Wycliffe NT, ##"of one wife a husband" Young's Literal ##"marido de una sola mujer" Castillan, La Biblia de las Américas (LBLA) ##"eines Weibes Mann" Luther's 1545 Bible ##Calvin: "I pass over the fact that Paul in many passages wishes a bishop to be a man of one wife [ <540302> 1 Timothy 3:2; <560106> Titus 1:6]." [http://www.peacemakers.net/peace/instb4c12.htm]

##Wikipedia: "In 1 Timothy 3:2 the emphasis is on Church leaders: " A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;" Something similar is repeated in the first chapter of the Epistle of Titus . . ." [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polygamy] ##Augustine (4th Cent AD) "Augustine, On the Good of Marriage 18. 21 (MPL 40. 387; tr. NPNF III. 408). RSV, 1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:6: "married only once." [http://www.peacemakers.net/peace/instb4c12.htm]

A sure sign of a cult or sect is that they come up with a doctrine or translation that has been hidden or unknown for the last 1700 years. The JW's have their "a god" translation of John 1 etc etc etc. One does not need to change one word of history or of Bible translations current on every continent of the world to see Biblical Christian polygyny, but one has to ignore history and all those Bible translations to come up with the "first wife". To me it is clearly an attempt by The untaught and unstable [to] twist [Paul's epistles] to their own destruction, as they also do with the rest of the Scriptures. [2 Ptr 3:15,16]

WHAT THEN DOES THE NEW TESTAMENT ACTUALLY SAY ABOUT POLYGYNY FOR BELIEVERS TODAY?

***"Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her." Mark 10:11 Pretty clear, right? But did you note that nowhere in the Bible does He say "Whoever remains married to his wife and marries another woman in polygyny commits adultery against her." Why? When Jesus walked on earth didn't He Himself command the apostles and His disciples to observe and obey all of the Law of Moses>a., including the Laws about polygyny cited in the following, and that the apostles and Jewish believers kept and observed all the Laws given to Moses (including those about polygyny) through the entire book of Acts>b period up until God released the apostles and believing Jews from the Law of Moses in Ephesians 2 and Colosians 2? What about the following facts: (1) Immediately after God gave Moses the ten commandments He gave Moses instructions for men who have more than one wife>14. . (2) Later He gave Moses instructions (Dt.12:1ff) for a husband who has two wives>15. . (3) He gave Moses specific instructions for the brother-in- laws of a widow and did not exempt any brother who was already married>16. and Jesus introduced no such exemption when He spoke of this passage>17. (4) God Himself told polygynist King David (he had ten +/- wives and concubines at the time>18. ) that He had been with him wherever he had gone, that He would make a great name for him, that his descendant would be the Messiah>19. , and that He Himself had given David more than one wife>20. (5) God, who cannot sin and never portrays Himself as sinning, portrayed Himself as the polygynist husband of two wives in Ezekiel 23. [Footnotes: >a. Matthew 23:1-3 >b. In Matthew 23:1-3 Jesus commands obedience to the Laws give n to Moses. In Acts 15 the believing non-Jews, not the believing Jews, were released from the Laws given to Moses. In Acts 21:15-25 we see the Jewish apostle Paul and the surviving apostles still obeying the Law of Moses in obedience to Christ in Matt. 23:1-3. >14. Exodus 21:7-11 (See Hosea 3:2; Deut. 25:5-10; Lev. 19:20) >15. Deut. 21:15-17 (See 2 Chron. 24:3; Gen. 29:33; 1 Chron.5:2; 26:10; 2 Kings 2:9) >16. Deut. 25:5-10 >17. Matt. 22:23-25; Mark 12:18-20; Luke 20:27-29 >18. 2 Samuel 5:13; 6:12-23 >19. 2 Samuel 7:8-17 >20. 2 Samuel 12:8 ; that this did not mean platonic care is evident from 1 Kings 1:1-3; 2:13-25.]

Does Jesus' statement The two shall become one flesh mean that only one man and one woman should become one flesh, as in monogamy>57 , as most of the "leaders" maintain? Doesn't the Spirit uses The two shall become one flesh principle in 1 Corinth. 6 to show that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her , and then uses the same one flesh principle in Eph. 5 about a husband and his wife? Do you recall the discussion of this issue in the section on Adam and Eve?

***1Cor.7:2's . . . ..each [man] is commanded to be having his own wife, and each [woman] is commanded to be having her own husband . How can this be an argument for monogamy as most Christian leaders maintain>62? Whenever Abraham had Sarah, he had his own wife; and whenever Abraham had Hagar, he had his own wife, not someone else's wife,right? When David had Ahinoam, didn't he have his own wife? When David had Abigail, didn't he have his own wife? When David had Maacah, didn't he have his own wife? When David had Haggith, didn't he have his own wife, instead of having another's wife? When David had Abital, didn't he have his own wife? When he had Eglah, didn't he have his own wife, not someone else's wife? Each time Jacob, Joash or Gideon had one of their own wives in polygny, wasn't he having his own wife/concubine? Wasn't each wife/concubine of these polygamists having her own polygamous husband? Isn 't this also true of a man and his concubine with whom he has maritally covenanted>22 honorably before God? Doesn't each polygynist have his own wife, and have each one of them intimately and each one is his own wife? Doesn't each of the polygynist's wives have her own husband and have him intimately in their marriage. How does the passage above rebuke, demean or condemn polygyny? Doesn't the passage address marital faithfulness and exclude adultery, which involves a husband having anothers wife and a wife having one who is not her own husband? Doesn't it restrict sexual having to marriage with ones own mate in monogyny or polygyny? [Footnotes:>22 Ezek. 16:8; Malachi 2:10-17; Neh. 9:38 with 1 Sam. 20:3-17; As in Matt. 1:18-24 and Luke 1 & 2, she was his "wife" by their covenant even before their actual formal wedding.]

. . . .."let each man have his own wife, and let each wife have her own husband" is not an argument for monogamy as most Christian leaders maintain>62 . Whenever Abraham, David, Jacob, Joash or Gideon had one of their own wives, he was having his own wife/concubine; and each wife/concubine of these polygamists had her own polygamous husband. This is also true of a man and his concubine with whom he has maritally covenanted>22 honorably before God. David had his own Abigail and Abigail had her own David. David had his own Abigail and Bathsheeba, and Bathsheeba and Abigail both had their own David. The polygynist has his own wife, and has each one of them intimately and each one is his own wife. Each of the polygynist's wives has her own husband and has him intimately in their marriage. This passage does not rebuke, demean or condemn polygyny. The passage addresses marital faithfulness and excludes adultery, which involves a husband having anothers wife and a wife having one who is not her own husband. It restricts sexual having to marriage with ones own mate. [Footnotes:>.62 Please see THE INSTITUTES OF BIBLICAL LAW, by R. Rushdonney, p. 363.]

***1 TIimothy 3: 1* Faithful [is] the word: If anyone reaches out to overseership, he desires a good work. 2* Then it behooves the overseer to be without reproach, husband of one wife , temperate, sensible, well-ordered, hospitable, apt at teaching, 3 not a drinker, not quarrelsome, not greedy of ill gain, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous, 4 ruling his own house well, having children in subjection with all honor. 5 (For if a man does not know to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) 6 not a novice, lest being puffed up he may fall into the condemnation of the Devil. 7 But he must also have a good report from those on the outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the Devil.8 Likewise the deacons [are to be] reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of ill gain, 9 having the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. 10 And let these also first be tested, then let them [use the office of a deacon], being blameless. 11 Even so [their] wives are to [be] reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. 12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling [their] children and households well. ***Titus 1: 6 if anyone is blameless, husband of one wife , having believing children, not accused of loose behavior, or disobedient. 7 For an overseer must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not full of passion, not given to wine, not quarrelsome, not greedy for ill gain; 8 but hospitable, a lover of good, discreet, just, holy, temperate 9 holding fast the faithful word according to the doctrine, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and to convict the gainsayers. [Are these requirements only for elders,overseers and deacons, or are they for all of us in Christ? Aren't we all supposed to be without reproach, temperate, sensible, well-ordered, not drinkers, not quarrelsome, not greedy of ill gain, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous, reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, having the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience, being blameless, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. having a good report from those on the outside?

But doesn't 1 Corinth. 12 and Ephes. 4 make it plain that we all have different gifts so that some [but not all] are hospitable, some [but not all] are able to teach, some [but not all] rule their own house well, some [but not all] have their children in subjection with all honor, (For if one does not know to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)? Since novices are not expected to be able or qualified to be an elder, overseer or deacon, doesn't that also mean that they are therefore not expected to be mongynous? Since all believers are not required to have the gift of hospitality, of teaching, of ruling well and effectively their children, and since all believers are novices at one point in their spiritual lives, then isn't it obvious that not all believers have the gift (1 Cor. 7) of monogyny? If these standards (especially monogyny) are to be required of all believers, then what about those believers Paul encourages to never marry at all so that they can wait on God without distraction in times of persecution? Isn't it clear that these requirements are required only of those who seek to qualify for such positions? Husband of one wife: Yes! Definitely!

An elder/overseer/bishop/superintendent of a church must be the husband of only one wife. Are we all elders/overseers/bishops/ superintendents? Clearly not. The unmarried are not. The married who have unruly children are not. Husbands with disrespectful, uncooperative and defiant wives are not. The married and unmarried who are unable to teach are not. All novices are not. Those with a bad reputation, earned or unearned, among the unsaved through slander or misunderstandings are not. Those who dont want a church leadership position are not. That includes most of us, and most of us are not covered by the injunction to be the husband of only one wife.

There is the problem of the polygamous mentality. A man who has learned to love passionately and maritally more than one wife at one time would be more vulnerable to sexual temptation in church ministry than a man who has learned to love passionately and maritally only one wife at a time. A ministering polygamist in a leadership position would be more likely to be tempted to accept the advances/ propositions of an unmarried sister in the church who falls in love with him and he with her. This could result in sex outside of marriage (fornication) or yet another addition to his polygamous "harem". This would stumble the saints and would be a reproach to the unsaved. It would appear that a godly polygamist would have to have a very low profile (no leadership position) in the church, as the scripture requires.]

Douglas New Bible Dictionary : MARRIAGE: ....."Monogamy is implicit in the story of Adam and Eve, since God created only one wife for Adam. Yet polygyny is adopted from the time of Lamech (Gn. 4:19), and is not forbidden inScripture...... Polygamy continues to the present day among Jews in Moslem, Hindu, Buddhist, Asian, Oriental, and African countries." HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE: . . . Elkanah, the husband of Hannah and Peninnah, is an interesting example of a man of no particular position who nevertheless had more than one wife; this may be an indication that bigamy, at least, if not polygamy, was not confined to the very wealthy and exalted. At all events, polygyny was an established and recognized institution from the earliest of times.>39 [Footnote: >39. HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE; p.259.]

Pretty serious stuff, laying aside God's commands so you can keep your own traditions and making God's Word ineffective through your traditions. It wont look good for those folks at the judgment seat of Christ. What about all those third world folks, especially the Moslem, Hindu, Buddhist, Asian, Oriental, and Africans, who are practicing polygyny and are told that they have to dump and abandon their extra wives &/or concubines in order to become Christians, the biggest obstacle for the Moslem, Hindu, Buddhist, Asian, Oriental, and African community? These "Christian" folks who feel their own tradition about monogamy and polygyny must be kept by Moslem, Hindu, Buddhist, Asian, Oriental, and Africans and other third world polygamists for them to become Christians sound like these folks: Mat.23:13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you shut up the kingdom of the heavens before men; for *you* do not enter, nor do you suffer those that are entering to go in.

I understand that Rev. Joseph Conrad Wold>*, a Lutheran missionary in Liberia, maintains the following points: 1. Some missionaries have become like the Pharisees, knit picking legalists; 2. For unbelievers it is more of a question of who is or is not a polygamist rather than who is and who isn't a Christian; 3. Rejecting polygamy has become the rejecting of polygamists; 4. If Cornelious>45 could be born again without circumcision, then surely polygamists should be able to be born again without cutting away their wives, breaking their solemn promises and forcing their beloved and faithful wives into adultery for survival; 5 Let the polygamist be lost because he refused to love and obey Jesus, rather than because he loved his wives too much to cause them to suffer, or was too virtuous to be a hypocrite.>70 He makes such an impassioned case I hope you take the time to read the original. Truly the commandments of men, condemning as sin and forbidding polygamy, make of no effect the commandments of God for so many. [Footnote: >*GOD'S IMPATIENCE IN LIBERIA, Rev. Joseph Conrad Wold, pp. 179ff. >45 (Acts 10 & 11). @>.@70 Trobisch, MY WIFE MADE ME. . . Pp.16 & 17;].

What about those who practice polygyny/concubinage where most of the people on earth live, in China, India, SE Asia, Africa and in parts of South America where it is legal and a part of mans tradition? If the condemnation of polygyny/concubinasge is only the commandment and tradition of men, dare we impose as Doctrine the commandment and tradition of men about polygyny/concubinage as if it were the Word of God? If our teaching against polygyny is only the tradition and commandment of men, will we not again make of no effect the Word of God in the lives of these people who live where most of the people on earth live ?

The angels are waiting to rejoice over the conversion of one polygamous Moslem, Hindu, Buddhist, Asian, Oriental, and African or third worlder and "Christian legalists and traditionalists" wont let them in unless they sin by "dealing treacherously">46 with their wives &/or concubines by putting them away in repudiation, and sin by disobeying Christ's command not to leave their wives>47 , and sin by not remaining in the marital condition in which they were called to Christ. According to the New York Times News Service, there were 200,000 polygynists in Paris France alone. Can we turn away such a mission field? [Footnote: >46 (Malachi 2). >47 (1 Cor. 7:11)] 1 Cor.7: 17 However, as the Lord has divided to each, as God has called each, so let him walk; and thus I ordain in all the assemblies. . . 20 Let each abide in that calling in which he has been called. . . . 24 Let each, wherein he is called, brethren, therein abide with God. . . . 26 I think then that this is good, on account of the present necessity, that [it is] good for a man to remain so as he is. 27 Are you bound to a wife? Seek not to be loosed; Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife. Yes, that means if they were called in polygyny, they remain in polygyny unless their polygyny violates the law>48 of the land they are called in. If the law of the land prohibits their polygyny, they cannot dump their wives since they are bound by God to them in marriage since Gods Laws take precedence over the laws of man>49 , so they must change their formal polygyny to informal concubinage to live without offense>50 . [Footnote: >48 Romans13. >49 (Moses & Pharaoh, Daniel and the lions, Shedrach and the fiery furnace, Acts 4). >50 Romans 13 & 14.]

Yes, that means that if they were called in concubinage, they remain in concubinage unless (1) their informal concubinage should become formal polygyny so as not to offend or stumble the Church >51 , or (2) their open and public concubinage must become personal, private, discrete and secretive>52 so as not to stumble or offend the saints. [Footnote: >51 Romans 14 & 15. >52 Romans 14 & 15, 1 Cor. 8 & 10]

So polygyny in and of itself is not a sin and was tolerated in the Bible>71, unless practiced in violation of mens laws>53 , or unless its practice is abused by offensive selfishness and sinfulness>54. The polygyny of concubinage is not illegal in modern society, but is bound by the principles of Liberated Love in Romans 14, 1 Cor 8 and 10. [Footnote: >.71 Please see THE INSTITUTES OF BIBLICAL LAW, by R. Rushdonney, p. 364. HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE; 1989, p.259; p.583ff. >53 (Rom 13). >54 (Rom. 14) ] The New York Times News Service reported in Jan. '96 that there were 200,000 individuals involved in polygamous marriages in Paris France alone. These polygamous individuals were reported to be mostly immigrants from SE Asia, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Africa. This is significant since England and Germany also have similar immigrant populations with similar marriages. This is an awesome mission field right in middle of Western Europe, involving our NATO allies. Are we going to exclude them from the Gospel message because of their polygamy? Are we going to tell the husbands to disobey the Jesus who condemns the breaking of marital covenants (Mal.2; Rom. 1) by abandonning/divorcing all their wives but one. Are we going to disobey the Jesus who tells new converts to stay in the calling in which they were called (1 Cor.7:25-35) and tell the husbands not to abide in the polygamous calling in which they were called, but to dump and abandon their "extra" wives, condemning them to widowhood, poverty and prostitution?

It is incredible to think that Jesus and the apostles would say nothing about such a widespread contemporary practice as polygyny if it were indeed sinful, less than God's best, carnal and reprobate to good works. God never said such a thing in Old Testament times and He obviously never said such a thing in New Testament times. When you consider how specific God was in Lev. chaps. 18-22; Deut. chaps. 22-24; Romans 1; 1 Cor. 6; 2 Cor. 6; Gal. 5 and etc., I can not believe that God would "forget" to include polygyny if it is as bad as most Christian leaders say it is. Let's take a look at what most Christian leaders say about polygyny and concubines in the next section.

Being one flesh, as Eph. 5:22-33 shows, is one of the best motives for the husband being good and godly to his wife. A Christian elder apparently maintains that godly equality is possible only in a monogamous marriage, and that polygamy increases women's subordination.>59 He apparently believes that the harmony and unity of Gen. 2:24 is unable to develop in a polygamous marriage, and that monogamy best reflects Christ's love to the Church>60. How did I miss that? Was it the blissful and enraptured love the Shulamite had for her Solomon who loved and adored her in their polygynous marriage>15? Was it Abigail who gave up her wealthy independence as Nabal's widow in order to be David's wife in a polygynous marriage? [Footnotes:>59. Trobisch; MY WIFE MADE ME A POLYGAMIST; p21ff. >60. Trobisch; MY WIFE MADE ME. . . . P. 25. >15 (Song of Sol. 6)]

No, but I think a Christian elder missed the point that a tragic number husbands around the world have neglected, been unloving to, abused and subordinated their wives in monogamy. The women's movement for the right to vote, the heart breaking of spousal abuse and neglect, the right to have equal pay for equal tasks done by men, and the whole affirmative action program for women shows that monogamy proves to be a pretty effective context in which women can be subordinated and treated quite unlovingly. The problem, again, is that sin and the flesh are the problem, not monogamy or polygyny. There is no question that monogamy best reflects Christ's love to the Church, that is why He chose it and modeled it for all the Church leaders>16 of whom He is the Chief leader. The real situation is that we are all not Church leaders and we all have our "best", our different "gifts" from God>17 . [Footnotes:>16 (1 Tm. 3 & Ti. 1). >17 (1 Cor. 7:6,7,17- 28)]

I understand a Christian elder to state that in monogamy both leave and both cleave, becoming one flesh, and this is only possible for two marital partners, therefore polygamy is excluded by the Biblical idea of equality>61. He gives no scripture reference for this position, and I don't believe he would be able to do so. Statistics show that most Christian monogamous marriages fail to maintain this harmonious equality, and again because of sin and the flesh. There is no claim that in polygyny three "become one", but indeed the husband does become one flesh with each of his wives>18 and the fornicator becomes one flesh with each harlot with whom he fornicates>19 . There is no reason why a polygynist and his wives/concubines could not attain to the level of the saints in the early church where they shared all that they had, and had all things in common>20 in a sweet and loving harmony. In the Lord any family, even a polygynous family, can achieve that unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace>21 . [Footnotes:>61. Trobisch; MY WIFE MADE ME. . . >. P. 49ff. >18 (Matt. 19). >19 (1 Cor. 6:12-20). >20 Acts 4. >21 (Phil. 4:13;Eph. 4:1-5; Psalm 133 and Acts 3 & 4)]

Are polygyny and concubinage a form of female abuse? Without even discussing cases like that of OJ Simpson's, there is a very well documented serious and growing problem of spousal abuse in monogamous America. There is still an internationally known serious and abiding problem of males killing their wives either to free them so they can get the dowry of a new wife, or just because they don't love their wives, in India where open polygyny has been illegal for some time. You will find spousal abuse in every form of marriage known to and practiced by humans because their sinful nature>3 or because of the involvement of evil spiritual beings>4. The problem is not the social form of the marriage. The problem is in the humans who exercise that social form of marriage. Mates will abuse mates whether it be polygyny or monogyny. [Footnote: >3 Rom 3:23. >4 Eph. 2:1,2; 6:12.]

Does it denote inferiority on the part of the woman? There is nothing in the Bible that says women are inferior to men. "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.">5 What does it mean to be in Christ Jesus? "But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great Love with which he Loved us, even when we were dead in sins, has made us alive together with Christ . . . and has raised [us] up together, and made [us] sit together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus . . . for through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father." >6 In terms of what is real, spiritually right now we who are His children have a presence in His very presence right now where sex is totally irrelevant and inconsequential. "Therefore, from now on, we know no one according to the flesh. . .">7 Our sexuallity is not a legitimate basis for knowing each other or relating to each other. Our sexuality is like a temporary "uniform" we wear during a short period of our eternal life with God, or like an instrument we temporarily play in God's orchestra. [Footnote: >5 Gal 3:28. >6 Ephes. 2:1-18. >7 2 Cor. 5:16]

Our Father decided>8 which of us would wear female "uniforms" and which would wear male "uniforms", which of us would play female insturments and which of us would play male instruments during our pilgrimage on earth. As the Grand Conductor of his orchestra, He decides where we should be and when we should play our "instrument" or wear our "uniform". All are uniformed musicians in God's orchestra and all are musicians with an instrument to play. There are varying degrees of skill and varying degrees of importance in His orchestra>9 We know that everyone in the orchestra must be harmonious and unified in their effort because it takes only one musician to make one sour note to mess up the performance, so clearly all are important and are all under the command of the Conductor. [Footnote: >8 Eph. 1:11; Rom. 8:28. >9 Rom. 12; 1 Cor. 12.]

For some of us life means we are males, for some of us life means we are females, all under the same Conductor. His males and His females must be harmonious and unified in their effort because it only take one member to be grieved for the whole Body of Christ to be hurting>10 . The females' part in the symphony of life is spelled out in Bible passages>11 and the males' part in the symphony of life is spelled out in Bible passages>12. They are not the same parts, but under the grand Conductor the parts can and should be harmonious and unified, blending to produce a wonderful work for the benefit of all. [Footnote: >10 Rom. 12:5; 1 Cor. 12:26,27. >11 Gen. 2; 1 Cor. 11:1-16; 14:34,35,36; Ephes. 5; 1 Tim. 2 & 5 and Titus 2. >12 Gen. 2; 1 Cor. 11:1-16; Eph. 5; 1 Tim 3 & 5; Titus 1 & 2.]

If that means the Conductor wants the male to play the lead violin and the female to play the lead viola in a duet (marriage), then He knows best and can draw out of us in that relationship beautiful harmonies for the delight and benefit of all. The female is not inferior to the male, but while they are male and female, He has laid down some rules how we are to relate in His Church when we assemble in one place, and He has laid down some rules when we come together in marriage/sex. If we Love Him, we will obey His rules in those settings>13 . If we love Him, we will compassionately cherish each other, male and female, in obedience to Him. Sacrificial and self-denying compassionate cherishing results in no victims, not tyrants, no dictators, no slaves and no abuse. It means seeking the best for the object of such Love and cooperating with them to achieve that best. [Footnote: >13 John 14:15, 21; 1 John 2:1-5; Heb. 5:8,9]

Do polygyny and concubinage unfairly or unjustly give a male the advantage over his women? The husband is still commanded to live wisely and respectfully>14 with his wife and we know that the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord resulting in obedience to the Lord>15 . The husband is still commanded to compassionately cherish his wife as Christ compassionately cherishes the Church. The advantage over women? It sounds more like the male is given additional and solemn responsibilities for the loving of his woman. [Footnote: >14 1 Peter 3:7. >15 Psalm 19:9; Prov. 1:7; Hebrews 5:6,7,8,9; Prov. 4:20-22]

I submit to you that, as most Christian messengers have said, monogyny is the ideal and preferable form of marriage for most people. Most of us do not live in an ideal and preferred world. Most of us do not have first class tickets for the trip of life. Most of the Christian leaders told us that our ancestors were wrong in their practice of polygyny, so most of us stopped practicing it. In this document I submit that, for us who find ourselves in such a less than perfect world, we need to know our options and know them better. I try to show in this paper, that polygyny and concubinage are options available to followers of Christ today, that polygyny and concubinage are neither sinful nor displeasing to God, that polygyny or concubinage may be God's ideal/best for you, and that there is a way for the godly in Christ Jesus to live in polygyny or concubinage that today is acceptable to God and allowed by society. As with any controversial thing>16 in life, one must search out the will of God in the matter and, with His wisdom and enabling, walk in it as He leads and provides. Hopefully this paper will help you move in that direction, if it is His will. [Footnote: >16 Romans 14] VI. ADULTERY DEFINED, A SURPRISE! ISNT POLYGYNY ADULTERY?

Some say The same laws apply to both male and female. This is an issue of nature, not role. Therefore all are equal: male and female. Some Bible interpreters are more zealous for unisex doctrines and practices than the bleeding heart liberals who encourage unisex restroom and coed dorms. God made males and females very different for a reason, and we miss the mark when we fail to recognize the differences He made and instituted. Mary leave/divorces Elias. Some say that this forsaken Elias commits adultery when he marries Sally but the Biblical definition of adultery>143 in Matt. 5:32 and 19:6-9; Mark 10:1-11; Luke 16:18; 1 Thess. 4:4-6 and Romans 7:1-3>143 plainly states the double standard in the definition of adultery. There really are different scriptural laws for men than for women governing marriage and remarriage, and there are different scriptural laws for men than for women defining adultery.

Adultery for the woman: 1. "Whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery">144. The reason being that she is still bound to him as wife.>145. [Footnote: >144 Mat. 5:32; 19:9; Luke 16:18; except in the cases of 1 Cor. 7:12-15,39; 1 Tim. 5:14. >145. 1 Cor. 7:10, 11, 39; Romans 7:1-3. ]

2. The husband "causes her to commit adultery" when he divorces her for any reason other than sexual immorality>146. The reason being that she is still bound to him as wife.>147 In 1 Corinth. 7:5 we see that her husband "causes her to commit adultery" because her husband is failing to meet her marital needs and the enemy of her soul tempts in her burning need. (On the other hand: The wife is not said to cause her husband to commit adultery when she divorces him for any other reason than sexual immorality, probably because he is free to be a polygynist.) [Footnote: >146. Matt. 5:32; 19:9. >147 1 Cor. 7:10, 11, 39; Romans 7:1-3.]

3. "And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.">148. The adultery consists of both divorce AND remarriage. The reason being that she is still bound to him as wife.>149. [Footnotes:>148. Mark 10:12. >149. 1 Cor. 7:10, 11, 39; Romans 7:1-3.]

4. "if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man.">150 [Footnote: >150. Romans 7:3.]

Adultery for the man: 1. "Whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery", obviously because she still is bound to the husband from whom she is divorced. [>.^151. Mat. 5:32; 19:9; except in the cases of 1 Cor. 7:12-15,39; 1 Tim. 5:14.] 2. "Whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery." The adultery consists of divorcing his wife for something else besides sexual immorality AND then remarrying. If he stayed married to his wife and married another, he became a polygynist. On the other hand, it is implied here that if he divorces his wife for sexual immorality and marries another, he does not commit adultery. His divorcing her does not cause her to commit adultery because she is already immorally sexually involved with someone else. His refusal to meet her sexual needs (1 Cor 7:2-5) does not cause her to be immoral because she is already being immoral. He is commanded not to be intimate with her (1Cor.5:11) but his lack of her intimacy will cause him to be tempted (1 Cor.7:5). If the temptations overcome him and he is faling to control himself, burning with marital desire, he comes under command to marry (1Cor.7:9) and so remarries in the Lord. [Footnote: >152. Matt 19: 9: Mark 10:11; Luke 16:18.152.]

3. "You shall not covet your neighbor's wife.">153. "You shall not lie carnally with your neighbor's wife>154. "For this is the will of God. . . ..that no one should take advantage of and defraud/cheat his brother in this matter.>155. A genuine Christian wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives and she becomes an adulteress when she marries another while he still lives. [Footnotes:>153. Exod. 20:17. >154. Leviticus18:20. >155. 1 Thess. 4:3-6.]

Adultery for the female is sexual intimacy with anyone else besides her own husband/mate. Adultery for the male is when (1) he is married to a new wife and had left/rejected/divorced his former wife in order to marry this new wife>99 . ; or (2) is sexually intimate with some one elses wife. It is this double standard that allowed Abraham, Jacob, David and Joash to be godly polygamists, but declared a woman to be an adulteress if she was intimate with anyone but her own mate. It is a double standard for the man and the woman, just like polygyny was/is a double standard for the man and the woman. The same sin is defined differently for the woman and differently for the man. See more on this below. [Footnotes:>99 It is the combination of divorcing one's mate in order to marry another and then marrying that other. If he both dutifully keeps his own wife and then marries another woman, it is polygyny and not adultery. If the wife dutifully keeps her own husband and marries another it is adultery (Romans 7:3) The double standard is clearly laid out in Matt. 5:32 and 19:6-9; Mark 10:1-11; Luke 16:18; 1 Thess. 4:4-6 and Romans 7:1-3; 1 Corinth. 7:39]

It is this double standard that results from the man being the designated the head of the family (Gen 2; 1Cor. 11), that results in what appears to be another inequity. In Mt. 5:32 Jesus apparently allows the genuinely believing husband to divorce his wife because she is snared in sexual immorality. Not only is he allowed to divorce her, he is allowed to remarry. If she is genuinely saved, she is still bound maritlly to him as wife before the Lord, even though she is snared in sex sin and Jesus hasn't finished his Mat. 18;15-18 & 1 Cor. 5:5-11 work with her yet. He remarries with a free-in-the-Lord-to- marry genuinely believing woman and is now bound before the Lord to two wives. If the one involved in sex sin survives 1 Cor . 5 and repents according to 2 Cor. 2 & 7, he must accept her back as his wife along with his new wife, being bound to both as long as he and they all live.

What about the genuinely saved wife whose "believing" husband is involved in sex sin so she is commanded to separate from and not be intimate with him. Such a wife separates from him according to 1 Cor. 7:10,11 but after a while she finds herself being tempted according to 1 Cor.7:5. Then she falls to the temptation and is afraid she might fall to it again, finds herself maritally burning and under command be married and have marital sex (1Cor.7:5,9). Hopefully Jesus has finished his 1 Cor. 5:4,5- 11 work and the guy has either died and his spirit is with the Lord, if he were really saved, or he has repented according to 2 Cor 2 & 7 and is ready to be reconciled to her. Or in the case of Matt. 18:15-18 she has learned that she is to relate to him as an unsaved person, an unsaved person who no longer wants to live with her, no longer wants her as his wife(1Cor7:13,15), so she is free from him and free to obey the Lord and get married in the Lord.

Will God intervene in behalf of His fasting and praying but maritally burning and sorely tempted daughter, who as wife is separated from her husband because of his 1 Cor. 5 sin, and because of that separation is burning with marital desire and sorely tempted? If He took out the rich and unloving believers in 1 Cor. 11 for the shabby way they stumbled and offended their poorer brethren in the celebration of the Lord's supper, don't you think He will give her a 1 Cor. 10:13 out or make a quick end the husband causing her the grief? The God who promised 1 Cor. 10:13 and Phil. 4:6,7,13,18,19 will not break those promises.

Let's look at some hypothetical examples. Elias was divorced/ rejected/abandoned by Jane (with his never repudiating or rejecting Jane as wife) his new marriage to free-to-marry Sally may violate no scripture, may not be what the Bible calls adultery and may seem to put him in the Old Testament position of having and being bound to more than one wife. I understand he would still be bound by the Lord to the saved wife who left him. But the way is narrow. If saved Jane leaves/divorces her saved Elias and marries Harry, it is adultery as long as both Jane and Harry are married and Elias lives. If saved Elias leaves/divorces saved Jane for Sally and marries saved Sally, it is adultery as long as Jane lives and Elias and Sally are married and repudiating Jane. If Elias's wife Sally is sexually intimate with someone else it is adultery. If Elias is sexually intimate with Pete's lawful wife, it is adultery. If married Elias is sexually intimate with single/ unmarried Susie who is playing the harlot (having sex without being married), it is fornication>156 If American and legally married-to-Jane Elias also legally marries free- to-marry Betty, it is a sin because Elias is under command>157 to obey the laws of the government authorities which forbids official/legal bigamy and polygyny and he would have to live with the legal consequences. [Footnotes:>156 (Ezekiel 16 and 23 and 1 Corinth. 6. >157 Romans 13; 1 Peter 2:12-14]

Mark 10 ; 1 Cor 7:10,11, 12, 13-15,39; and Rom 7 seem to state rather clearly that a Christian marriage lasts and is binding on both as long as both live. That being the case I often wondered why God gave the Christian wife the second best option of departing and remaining unmarried and possibly being reconciled with her saved husband later. The husband is given no such second best option. He must not leave his wife, period! Because of spousal abuse I can understand why God would allow a wife to separate herself while still bound to the abuser in marriage in order to allow the exercise of church discipline>158 to have an effect. But what about that poor turkey of a husband who is warned by God>159 that being deprived of his wife will result in Satanic temptations to immorality and that he is explicitly forbidden to leave her, send her away or ask her to leave>160. No qualifications or exceptions. Why the double standard? See below. [Footnotes:>158 (Matt 18 and l Cor 5). >159 (1 Cor. 7:1- 5). >160 (Greek of l Cor. 7:11,12 and Mark 10)]

The scriptures above make it plain that if Jane Dovany exercised her 1 Cor 7:11 repentance option, having left/divorced Elias, and then Elias repudiated/ rejected Jane in order to marry Sally, Elias's rejection/repudia-tion of Jane coupled with his marriage to Sally constitutes Biblical adultery. It would be adultery if saved Jane divorced/ rejected saved Elias and married Harry because Biblical adultery in the scriptures above is saved Jane divorcing/ rejecting saved Elias and marrying some one else. According to all of those scriptures, adultery for the male is either (1) the act of marrying or being intimate with someone else's wife, (2) or the act of leaving one wife and taking another wife. Adultery for the wife is having sexual intimacy with anyone else except her husband to whom she is married for life. If you very carefully examine those scriptures you will see that the Bible does not say it is adultery for Elias to recognize AS WIFE his self-separated Jane and at the same time take as wife another saved and free-to-marry (unbound/ unmarried) sister. See the discussion on polygyny.

Yes, thats right, there is a double standard going all the way back to Genesis. It was not adultery for a married man to marry another woman free- to-marry under the laws of God throughout the whole Old Testament. It was legal and divinely permitted polygyny , if the scriptures are understood correctly. Under the same Word of God, a woman who was sexually intimate with another besides her own husband was an adulteress. The double standard started in Genesis 3:16, restated in 1 Corinth. 11 and 1 Timothy 2 appear to allow a godly man to be a polygamist but does not allow a godly woman to be a polyandrist.

The woman's repentance option explains the double standard and apparent inequity of 1 Corinthians 7:10,11 where it appears that the woman who has left her husband has the repentance option of remaining single but the man must never leave his wife. If a wife left her husband according to 1 Cor. 7:11, he would immediately be put in the hazardous position of 1 Corinth 7:1-5, being tempted to sin because his wife will not give him the marital sexual outlet since she is gone. It seemed to me to be quite unfair that she could leave him and live unmarried, and he, knowing he is still bound to her for life, has to struggle with the burning temptations predicted in 1 Corinth. 7:1-5, 9 with no legitimate sexual outlet.

Then I realized that 1 Corinth. 7:1-5 predicted his need of marital intimacy, how Satan would use the wife's absence to tempt him, how marital intimacy is the prescription to avoid Satan's temptations, and then the command in verse 9 plainly commands the one to marry who is failing to have successful self-control>100 . Then I realized that the polygyny option balanced the equation. The wife could leave her husband and remain single and the husband who was still bound to such a departed wife seems to have had a Biblical option of polygyny / concubinage, (depending on the laws of his land) if he found himself tempted and burning as in 1 Cor. 7:5, 9,12. She could leave and he could remarry becoming a polygamist and the inequity was gone. She could separate and remain single, and he could remarry as long as he recognized that he was still bound to his separated wife. [Footnote: >100 See Appendix 2.]

Now consider the case where the wife, claiming to be a Christian, refuses for years to obey 1 Cor. 7:1-5 with her saved husband and then finally leaves, abandons, rejects ,separates herself , and dismisses him from her presence. She doesn't care about getting a formal divorce but feels free to date and get involved with another man. Her abandoned husband is faced with the question, "Is she saved and is it a case of 1 Cor. 7:11 & 39 or is she unsaved and is he free according to l Cor. 7:12 & 15?" Her abandoned husband wants to do Matt. 18:15-17 to clarify the situation and get an answer to his question but can find no Christian body willing to do the following: **** **** 1 CORINTH. 5: . . . I indeed have judged already [as though I were] present [concerning] him who worked out this thing; 4 in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, with my spirit; also, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ; 5 to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. . . . 11 But now I have written to you not to associate intimately, if any man called a brother [and is] either a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one not to eat. 12 . . . Do you not judge those who are inside? 13 . . . Therefore put out from you the evil one. **** MATTHEW 5:32* But I say to you that whoever shall put away his wife, except for the cause of fornication, causes her to commit adultery. And whoever shall marry her who is put away commits adultery. . . . 18 Truly I say to you, Whatever you shall bind on earth shall occur, having been bound in Heaven; and whatever you shall loose on earth shall occur, having been loosed in Heaven. MATTHEW 18: 15 But if your brother shall trespass against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he will not hear [you], take one or two more with you, so that in [the] mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell [it] to the church. But if he neglects to hear the church, let him be to you as a heathen and a tax-collector.

This means he is unable to clarify the status of both himself and his departed wife. He is unable to determine if she is unsaved and he is free to remarry>161, , or if she is saved and he is bound maritally to her for life>162 So without sending her away, dismissing , repudiating, leaving, releasing or separating himself from her, he gets a legal divorce (on the grounds of irreconcilable differences) for state and federal tax and inheritance purposes but reaffirms in writing to her what he believes may be the binding nature of their relationship>163 . [Footnotes>161 1 Cor. 7:12,13,14,15. >162 1 Cor. 7:10,11, 39; Mark 10; Rom. 7:1-5. >163 (1 Cor. 7:39)]

So the divorce is only a legal recognition of the wife's departure and unwillingness to be reconciled, while he still publicly recognizes the binding nature of their relationship. Then he remarries another Christian because his burning and his 1 Cor. 7:5 predicted failures to control himself bring him under the command to marry in l Cor. 7:9,36 (NIV & Amplified "they should marry"), 1 Cor. 7:36 (NIV "They should get married); 1 Tim 5:14 (NIV "So I counsel younger widows to marry.." Amplified "So I would have younger [widows] marry..") and 1 Thess 4:3-8 (NIV "that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable . . ..") >101 [Footnote>101 Please see Appendix 2; NIV , NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. ]

He has entered the realm of American polygyny . Legally divorced and remarried but openly acknowledging his marital ties to two "sisters-in- Christ", he is an American polygamist. The departed wife could remarry in adultery or remain single the rest of her life while he continues in his new marriage. If she repents and opts for reconciliation after he has married again, all of her rights and privileges as in 1 Cor. 7:1-5 & 39 are in force and the husband faces the complex dilemma described next. How do you have two wives in America where it is illegal to officially and "legally" have more than one wife of official public record with tax and inheritance rights granted and protected by the government? Please see the discussion of polygyny in chapter 4. I understand a Christian elder to state that it is inadequate to prescribe polygamy as a treatment for the problem of adultery, because polygamy facilitates stepping into adultery. Apparently he maintains that polygamous wives are often driven to adultery by the sinful neglect)>23 of their husbands, and may have to bribe their husbands away from their other wives, resulting in very unsatisfying sexual relations for the wives.>63. First of all, God is the only real antidote against adultery, because He tells us that even in monogyny spousal neglect can result in temptations to adultery>24 . Secondly, whether it be the "inclusive sex-partnership" of polygyny or the exclusive sex-partnership of monogyny, the step to adultery depends entirely on the individual's relationship to Jesus, obedience to Jesus and level of commitment to both Jesus and the marriage. Surveys show that monogamous America today steps easily and frequently to adultery. Lastly, if the polygynist husband was obeying Jesus by having his own wives >25 , defrauding none of them>26 , loving them and laying down his life for them>27 , showing no favoritism or partiality in his behavior towards them>28 , by simply walking in the Spirit his family would be very unlikely to experience the problem described above by a Christian elder. [Footnotes:>23 (1 Cor. 7:2-5. {>63. Trobisch; MY WIFE MADE ME. . .. P. 31ff. >24 (1 Cor. 7:1-5). >25 (1Cor.7:1-4). >26 (1Cor.7:5). >27 (Eph. 5). >28 (1Tim5:20,21)]

VII. SO, WHAT ABOUT CONCUBINES & POLYGYNY TODAY ?

The aim of this document is to show that both monogyny and polygyny or concubinage may be acceptable options for the followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, God revealed in a human body and Savior of the world. It is written from a Christian, orthodox, fundamenta-list, dispensationalist, charismatic and evangelistic point of view for any who are interested in a minority view of what the Bible says about monogyny, polygyny, concubinage, divorce and remarriage. The writer believes that monogyny is the best for most, but that for those who are called in or called to polygyny or concubinage in this mortal life -- their calling may be exercised in a manner acceptable to God and tolerated by their fellow man if they walk in the Spirit and in Christ's law of Love.

Polygamy and polygyny are currently illegal in most of the world, the Third World's and the Orient's token sacrifice to enter the world of the "West", the lifestyle of America, and the captialism and technology of the 20th century. Few educated and succesful Orientals, Asians or Third Worlders would want to appear to be primitive and barbaric by having more than one wife, especially when his peers will instead admire him if he has concubines or mistresses on the side. Two thirds of the world's population live in societies where concubines and mistresses are officially sanctioned and the other third lives in societies where mistresses and common law wives are officially sanctioned. The plight of most wives, concubines and mistresses are worse now than when polygamy were legal because then at least they had some security and commitment from their mates even if they took additional wives, while now they are dumped (divorced etc.) when the man takes a new wife, mistress or concubine.

Are polygyny and concubinage only for the benefit of males? It is 1995 and the women live in Somalia or Rawanda and Burundi, Africa. Almost 50% of them are widows and almost 50% of the marriagable men in their tribe/nation have been killed or have been missing for months. It is a patriarchal society and the women do not want to be lesbians. They can live as single widows suffering mind and heart breaking hardships in a war ravaged poverty stricken land with no protection against sexual attack by roving homeless males; or they can become the polygynous wives or concubines of one of the few surviving stable and working males, coming under their societies patriarchal umbrella, becoming part of a working family unit with all its support and having protection against the vulnerability of living alone. It is 1995 and the women living in Bosnia, Rawanda, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Cambodia and in Black inner city ghettos are facing the same critical shortage of marriagable males in a patriarchal society where they want no part of lesbianism. In 1990, it was found that 33% of all black males aged 20 - 29 were either incarcerated, on parole, or on probation.>1a. I got more information from a local newspaper>1b. 1.) Approximately 1 out of every 25 black males is in prison; 2.) Between prison and death, there are significantly more Black females available for marriage than Black males; 3.) The vast majority of the Black males in prison range in age from 20 - 40, with most in the 25-35 age group; 4.) Most of the imprisoned Black males will return to prison. Just this week (12/1/95) it was on national TV news and in the local paper that 6.8% of all Black males are in prison. This means a very significant number of Black males are unavailable for marriage or parenting their children during the normally most productive years (20-40) due to imprisonment or death. Perhaps that is why only 30% of married Black femaleshave their spouse present in their homes, half the Caucasian/white rate (57%); while 9% of the married Black females have spouses that are absent from the home (four times the Caucasian/White 2% rate); and 39% of the Black females never married >1c. [Footnote: >1a The San Diego Union-Tribune, 10/5/'95, page A-5, quoting from The Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice in San Francisco. >1b Parade 8/13/'95; Parade Publications, 711 Third Ave., NY NY 10017. >1c Census Bureau/World Almanac. ]

One out of every thousand Black people is dying of AIDS>1c making it the number one killer of Blacks in America. That means approximately 30,000 Blacks will be dying each year from HIV/AIDS, a horrendous slaughter! Condoms fail 33% of the time [see Doctor Lorraine Day, MD], and then on stationary artificial genitals according to federal test results, so they give very little protection. But when you add crack or speed or other mind altering drugs to the equation, so the users cant even think straight to appraise their risk or use them carefully and correctly, then condoms cant even give their miserable little 66% protection. And the AIDS rolls on through the urban Black communities like the plague.

The second major killer of Blacks in America, especially the males, is Black-on-Black homicide. The third major killer of blacks in America today is abortion, where more Black babies are being killed/aborted than are being born. According to Beverly LaHaye of Concerned Women for America, the original founder of Planned Parenthood had as her original purpose the use of government funded abortion to keep the minority populations small, especially the Black population.

The Black population in America has increased very little in the last twenty years, one % in twenty years, to the delight of the bigots. Tragically all of the facts cited above (AIDS, Gangs, drugs, abortion) mean that Blacks are killing more Blacks per year now than the number of Blacks killed by Caucasian bigots and the KKK during any one year from 1800 to 1940, to the delight of the bigots. In 1880, according to the census bureau, Blacks accounted for 13.1% of the total population, whereas today Blacks account only for 12.5% of the total population. One hundred ten years later and the Black community has not yet recovered from the 1880s 13.1% (of the total USA pop.) drop to the 1895s 9.5% (of the total USA pop.) that lynchings, Jim Crow, and Western-Canadian-Mexican migrations caused in the Black community. More than a fourth of the Black population just dropped off the census charts during that time and the Black community has never made it back up to 13.1% of the total USA population. Not much chance give the present circumstances. [Footnote: >.1c San Diego Union Tribune, ll/25/'95 page A-8, quoting the US Center Disease for Control and Prevention.]

This means a very significant number of Black males are unavailable for marriage or parenting their children during the normally most productive years (20-40) due to imprisonment or death. This results in significantly more Black females than males being available for marriage and parenting children, many of whom are single parentsraising a family without a present or stable father figure. According to the Census Bureau and Focus on the Family radio program, 39% of Black women never marry, and 46% of Black men never marry>.1d On 11/26/'95, Michelle said that the Essence magazine gave the figure of 40%>.1d. We still live in a racist society 20 years after the death of M.L.King. Black females are not sought for as wives by a significant number of non-Black males in America.

This leaves a significant number of marriagable Black females with no suitable male to marry and help raise their children. Normal young, Black females with affectionate and passionate needs do not have enough suitable males for monogynous marriages so that leaves neurotic frustration, promiscuity, lesbianism or bisexuality. In America, bigamy and polygyny are illegal. Why shouldn't ethically moral and Biblically acceptable Christian concubinage be a viable option for such a population (30 million Blacks in l990, 12.1% of the total USA pop.) with an obvious shortage of stable and successful males, even in America?

It is 1995 and the women living in and around San Francisco who want no part of lesbianism face the same critical shortage of marriagable men. It is 1995 and there seems to be a genuine shortage of godly, spirit-filled and born- again men for the godly, spirit-filled and born-again women who want to marry, especially for those who are burning and are under God's command to marry>2 . [Footnote: >.2 See appendix 2 .]

Patriarchies are not the problem. They are a social institution that has usually worked for the protection of women and children in most societies of the world, for most of the history of the world. Yes there have been many instances of abuse, but every social institution on earth has a history of abuses because of the nature of humans>1 and the involvement of evil spiritual powers>2. God's solution for widows in Deut. 25 included the possibility of polygyny since being married did not exempt a brother from the command to marry his brother's widow. Given the shortage of males in poor, rural, and primitive or war-ravaged lands, patriarchal polygyny seems to be a realistic option for widows and women facing a real shortage of males. I intend by this document to show that polygyny or concubinage should be viable options for society in general and born- again and Spirit-filled Christians in particular. [Footnote: >1 Rom. 3:23. >2 Eph. 2:1,2; 6:12.]

Any child of God who feels led to consider polygyny or concubinage for his/her life and/or loved ones needs to determine what kind of relationship he/she has with Jesus. Whatever we believe about marriage, divorce, remarriage, monogyny, concubinage or polygyny, our relationship with Jesus Christ is the paramount issue. God's laws about polygyny and concubinage in the Old Testament were brought by Jesus into the New Testament without being changed or nullified. During the transition period (transition from the Law of Moses to the Royal Law of Christ) we saw the following: ***Mat. 5:17 Think not that I am come to make void the law or the prophets; I am not come to make void, but to fulfil. 18 For verily I say unto you, Until the heaven and the earth pass away, one iota or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all come to pass. 19 Whosoever then shall do away with one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of the heavens; but whosoever shall practise and teach [them], *he* shall be called great in the kingdom of the heavens. ***Matt. 23:1 Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 saying, The scribes and the Pharisees have set themselves down in Moses' seat: 3 all things therefore, whatever they may tell you, do and keep. But do not after their works, for they say and do not, . . . Heb. 8:8* For finding fault, he says to them, Behold, days come, says the Lord, and I will consummate a new covenant as regards the house of Israel, and as regards the house of ***Juda; 9 not according to the covenant which I made to their fathers in [the] day of my taking their hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; . . .13* In that he says New, he has made the first old; but that which grows old and aged [is] near disappearing.

Hebrews 8, especially the Greek of verse 13...... In that he says, A new [covenant], he has made the first [covenant] old. Now that which is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. .. . .and the Greek of 2 Cor. 3:7,11 ...... the ministration of death, written [and] engraved in stones, was glorious . . . How shall not the ministration of the Spirit be more glorious? . . . For if what is passing away [was] glorious, much more that which is remaining [is] glorious"...... show there was a period of transition (is becoming obsolete..growing old..is ready to vanish..is passing away) from the Sinai Law of Moses to the Calvary Law of LOVE in Christ. The book of Acts is full of the apostles keeping the Sinai Law of Moses after Pentecost. You see them worshipping in the Temple regularly>1 , Peter refuses to socialize with Gentiles according to the Sinai Law>2 , Peter refuses to eat the animals classified as unclean in the Sinai Law>3 , Paul circumcises Timothy >4, Paul keeps the Law's feasts>5 , Paul recognizes the authority given to the elders and Chief Priests under Moses' Sinai Law>6, the believing Gentiles were released from the Sinai Law of Moses while the believing Jews were not released ,>.68 , before the Law of Moses was abolished after the Book of Acts was finished>. 69 , in Acts 15 and 21 we see the believing Jews (including the apostles) keeping the law of Moses as Christians, and part of that law was God's laws regulating and allowing polygyny and concubinage. [Footnote:>1 Acts 3 & 4. >2 Acts 10; Galat. 2. >3 Acts 10. >4 Acts 16:1-5. >5 Acts 21 >6. Acts 4:1-22; 23:1-5 >68 Acts 15 & 21 >.69 Eph. 2:14 For *He* is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of enclosure, 15 having annulled the enmity in his flesh, the law of commandments in ordinances, that He might form the two in Himself into one new man, making peace; 16 and might reconcile both in one body to God by the cross, having by it slain the enmity; . . . Colos. 2: 9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily . . . 13 and you . . . He has made alive together with Him . . . 14. Blotting out the handwriting of decrees that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross . . ]

Galatians is no problem, given a date of writing of Acts 14+/-. The Jewish believers were not keeping the law to be saved or made righteous with God because they were just obeying Jesus in Matthew 23:1,2,3 just like all believers obey Jesus in John 14:15 and Matt. 28:19,20----- not for salvation but as a RESULT salvation (1 John 2:2,3,4,5; Heb. 5:8,9; Phil 2:12,13). The Legalists who were seducing Peter and the other Galatian backsliders to require circumcision for salvationl and righteousnes before God and fellowship with the apostles, were the object of Pauls wrath in Galatians. So we have Paul and the apostles observing the Law of Moses, including the laws on polygyny and concubinage, as Christians and the only thing they wrote about polygyny was that the elders/bishops/ deacons/overseers and church superintendents should have only one wife at a time. NEVER IN THE WORD OF GOD IS polygyny OR CONCUBINAGE LABELED SIN, CALLED SIN, DENOUNCED AS SIN, PROHIBITED FOR ALL SAINTS, CALLED A WORK OF THE FLESH, CALLED A CARNAL ACT OR CALLED A SIGN OF SPIRITUAL WEAKNESS.

Yes Romans 13 make it crystal clear an American Christian may not openly and officially practice polygyny in America because we have to obey the laws of the land if they do not violate the Word of God. But concubinage is neither against the laws of God nor is it against the laws of the vast majority of the United States of America. In fact the courts have validated its legality in its palimony rulings.

You may ask, Pray tell, what commandment of men do most of Americas religious leaders teach as doctrine>36 ? I submit that most of Americas religious leaders teach as doctrine mans commandment that monogamy is the only marital way for the godly, and that polygyny/concubinage is evil and sinful for all people and cultures on the earth presently. God Himself enacted laws regulating polygyny/ concubinage>.37 . God Himself gave wives in polygyny to King David>38 Which commandment of God is laid aside to hold their tradition, making the Word of God of no effect? [Footnote: >36 Mark 7:6-13. >37 Exodus 21:7-11; Leviticus 18:18; Deut. 17:15-17; Deut. 21:15-17. >38 2 Sam 12:7,8.]

I am attempting to show that most of todays religious leaders of the Christian community are laying aside Gods Old Testament Sinai Law commands>39 about polygyny, commands that Christ, as seen above in the Gospels, commanded His followers to keep>40 while He was on Earth. The apostles commanded the believing Jews to keep>41 in the first century church until they, like the believing Gentiles>42 were released from keeping the Sinai Law by God's Word>43 Jesus and the apostles commanded the believing Jews to keep the Sinai laws governing polygyny through the book of Acts period>44 . I propose to show that most Christian religious leaders lay this fact aside for their tradition of condemning polygyny/ concubinage as sin. [Footnote: >39 Exodus 21:7-11; Leviticus 18:18; Deut. 17:15-17; Deut. 21:15-17. >40 Matt. 5:17-19; 23:1-3; Acts 21:18-26. >41 Acts 15 & 21:18-26.>42 Acts 15. >43 in Eph. 2 and Col. 2. >44 Exodus 21:7-11; Leviticus 18:18; Deut. 17:15-17; Deut. 21:15-17; Matt. 5:17-19; 23:1-3; Acts 21:18-26. ]

So what are you doing if you are condemning polygyny in general as sin?Mark 7:8 [For], leaving the commandment of God, you hold what is delivered by men [to keep] -- washings of vessels and cups, and many other such like things you do. 9 And he said to them, Well do you set aside the commandment of God, that you may observe what is delivered by yourselves [to keep]. . . . 13 making void the word of God by your traditional teaching which you have delivered; and many such like things you do. Pretty serious stuff, laying aside God's commands so you can keep your own traditions and making God's Word ineffective through your traditions. It wont look good for those folks at the judgment seat of Christ. What about all those third world folks, especially the Moslem, Hindu, Buddhist, Asian, Oriental, and Africans, who are practicing polygyny and are told that they have to dump and abandon their extra wives &/or concubines in order to become Christians, the biggest obstacle for the Moslem, Hindu, Buddhist, Asian, Oriental, and African community? These "Christian" folks who feel their own tradition about monogamy and polygyny must be kept by Moslem, Hindu, Buddhist, Asian, Oriental, and Africans and other third world polygamists for them to become Christians sound like these folks: *****Mat.23:13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you shut up the kingdom of the heavens before men; for *you* do not enter, nor do you suffer those that are entering to go in.

I understand that Rev. Joseph Conrad Wold>*, a Lutheran missionary in Liberia, maintains the following points: 1. Some missionaries have become like the Pharisees, knit picking legalists; 2. For unbelievers it is more of a question of who is or is not a polygamist rather than who is and who isn't a Christian; 3. Rejecting polygamy has become the rejecting of polygamists; 4. If Cornelious>45 could be born again without circumcision, then surely polygamists should be able to be born again without cutting away their wives, breaking their solemn promises and forcing their beloved and faithful wives into adultery for survival; 5 Let the polygamist be lost because he refused to love and obey Jesus, rather than because he loved his wives too much to cause them to suffer, or was to virtuous to be a hypocrite.>70 He makes such an impassioned case I hope you take the time to read the original. Truly the commandments of men, condemning as sin and forbidding polygamy, make of no effect the commandments of God for so many. [Footnote: >*GOD'S IMPATIENCE IN LIBERIA, Rev. Joseph Conrad Wold, pp. 179ff. >45 (Acts 10 & 11). >.@70 Trobisch, MY WIFE MADE ME. . . Pp.16 & 17;].

What about those who practice polygyny/concubinage where most of the people on earth live, in China, India, SE Asia, Africa and in parts of South America where it is legal and a part of mans tradition? If the condemnation of polygyny/concubinasge is only the commandment and tradition of men, dare we impose as Doctrine the commandment and tradition of men about polygyny/concubinage as if it were the Word of God? If our teaching against polygyny is only the tradition and commandment of men, will we not again make of no effect the Word of God in the lives of the people who live where most of the people on earth live ?

1 Cor.7: 17 However, as the Lord has divided to each, as God has called each, so let him walk; and thus I ordain in all the assemblies. . . 20 Let each abide in that calling in which he has been called. . . . 24 Let each, wherein he is called, brethren, therein abide with God. . . . 26 I think then that this is good, on account of the present necessity, that [it is] good for a man to remain so as he is. 27 Are you bound to a wife? Seek not to be loosed; Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife.

Yes, that means if they were called in polygyny, they remain in polygyny unless their polygyny violates the law>48 of the land they are called in. If the law of the land prohibits their polygyny, they cannot dump their wives since they are bound by God to them in marriage since Gods Laws take precedence over the laws of man>49 , so they must change their formal polygyny to informal concubinage to live without offense>50 .[Footnote: >48 Romans13. >49 (Moses & Pharaoh, Daniel and the lions, Shedrach and the fiery furnace, Acts 4). >50 Romans 13 & 14.]

VIII. . ARE POLYGYNISTS AND CONCUBINES LIVING IN ERROR TODAY? The Mormon church so shocked America that they passed laws against polygyny in almost all of the states. The Christian community takes positions on polygyny ranging from a flat out condemnation of it as sin to the position that it lies in the area of God's permissive or second best will and it is not a sin, though quite socially undesirable. Most agree it is not God's best for marriage and that a polygamist should at least be excluded from church offices/positions>55. Most missionaries no longer demand a converted polygamist to divorce/ abandon all of his wives except for the first wife, recognizing the binding nature of the wedding vows/ covenants and the plight of the abandoned/divorced women. They usually at least instruct him to take no new wives and be content with what he has>56. [Footnote: >55 (1 Tim. 3 & Titus 1). >56 (1 Tim. 6).]

We know polygyny/concubinage is still practiced today in parts of Utah, China, India, SE Asia, Africa, in all Moslem nations, and among the Indians of Latin America. There are the 200,000 + polygynyist immigrants in France, mentioned above. Communism greatly discouraged polygyny in China among the working class but concubinage flourishes among the powerful and the affluent. So roughly half of the people of the world live in a society where some form polygyny or concubinage is practiced and accepted. That makes this issue a burning issue for missionary outreach in these areas. I understand that Eugene A Nida, of the American Bible Society in his book Customs and Cultures discusses how polygyny is not a sin in and of itself, but that at the very least I Timothy 3 and Titus 1 disqualify any polygamist from being an elder, bishop, overseer, deacon or official leader in the Christian church. An elder , or etc. , would be like the apostles in Acts 6:1-7 and should not be tied up with the daily service to many wives which would prevent him from being in the Word of God enough to lead and feed the flock he has been placed over. The polygamist would have his hands full leading, feeding and serving his wives and children, essentially his family-church.

Please consider the points of view of influential and significant leaders from the early church: "That the holy fathers of olden times after Abraham, and before him, to whom God gave His testimony that 'they pleased Him,' [Heb. 11:4-6] thus used their wives, no one who is a Christian ought to doubt, since it was permitted to certain individuals amongst them to have a plurality of wives, where the reason was for the multiplication of their offspring, not the desire of varying gratification. . . . In the advance, however, of the human race, it came to pass that to certain good men were united a plurality of good wives, --- many to each; and from this it would seem that moderation sought rather unity on one side for dignity, while nature permitted plurality on the other side for fecundity. For on natural principles it is more feasible for one to have dominion over many, than for many to have dominion over one.">72 [Footnote: >..72 A Select Library of the Nicene and Post- Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church, Vol. V; p. 267]

So for St. Augustine (4th century AD) ". . . good men were united [to] a plurality of good wives. . ." in a "feasible" form of polygyny that involved "moderation", "dignity" and "fecundity". Clearly he didn't label it sin and he didn't say that the practice of polygyny made these "good" people sinners. This is the position of St. Augustine, a significant post-Pentecost leader in the 4th Century AD church, speaking in the era of the Church in which we live today. Hear him again, in the following: "But those who have not the virtues of temperance must not be allowed to judge of the conduct of holy men, any more than those in fever of the sweetness and wholesomeness of food. . . If our critics, then, wish to attain not a spurious and affected, but a genuine and sound moral health, let them find a cure in believing the Scripture record, that the honorable name of saint is given not without reason to men who had several wives; and that the reason is this, that the mind can exercise such control over the flesh as not to allow the appetite implanted in our nature by Providence to go beyond the limits of deliberate intention>. . . .the holy patriarchs in their conjugal intercourse were actuated not by the love of pleasure, but by the intelligent desire for the continuance of their family. . . .nor did the number of their wives make the patriarchs licentious. But why defend the husbands, to whose character the divine word bears the highest testimony. . . ." >73 [Footnote: >.73 A Select Library of the Nicene and Post- Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church, Vol. iv; p.290] Here we see St. Augustine describing most of the Bible's polygynists as "holy patriarchs" who deserved the "honorable name of saint" because their "character .. bears the highest testimony", the Word of God. It sure doesn't sound like they are a back slidden lot of fleshly saints! Quite to the contrary! Any "elder" today would do well to be so spoken of as these polygynous patriarchs.

Is polygyny with wives and concubines a sin today? St. Basil (4th Century AD) wrote that "On polygamy the Fathers are silent, as being brutish and altogether inhuman. The sins seems to me worse than fornication.">74 "Herard of Tours, A.D. 858, declares any greater number of wives than two to be unlawful. . . Leo the Wise, Emperor of Constantinople, was allowed to marry three wives without public remonstrance, but was suspended from communion by the patriarch Nicholas when he married a fourth.">75 St. Augustine (4th Cent. AD) indicates that the Roman Catholic Church was the power behind the move to not allow polygyny or concubinage among the church members of his time..>76 So even in the early church we find a wide diversity of reactions to the polygyny and concubinage of the Bible. This, in its own way, bears witness to the fact that there is no clear scriptural teaching against polygyny and concubinage. They obviously fall in the category of things discussed in Rom. 14, 1 Cor. 8 and 1 Cor 10. [Footnote: >.74 A Select Library of the Nicene and Post- Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church, Vol. VIII; p. 258. >.75 A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church, Vol. V; p. 267. >76 St. Augustin: On The Trinity; p. 402.]

MARRIAGE: ."Monogamy is implicit in the story of Adam and Eve, since God created only one wife for Adam. Yet polygyny is adopted from the time of Lamech (Gn. 4:19), and is not forbidden in Scripture . . ...Polygamy continues to the present day among Jews in Moslem, Hindu, Buddhist, Asian, Oriental, and African countries." [Footnote: >.77 Douglas New Bible Dictionary, 1962; W. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, Mich]

NOW CHECK THAT OUT! " . . . POLYGYNY . . . IS NOT FORBIDDEN IN SCRIPTURE". SHALL WE ADD TO GOD'S WORD AND FORBID IT? At all events, polygyny was an established and recognized institution from the earliest of times.>78. Justin reproaches the Jews of his day [A.D.] with having 'four or even five wives,' and marrying 'as they wish, or as many as they wish.' The evidence of the Talmud shows that in this case at least the reproach had some foundation. Polygamy was not definitely forbidden among the Jews till the time of R. Gershom (c. A.D. 1000), and then at first only for France and Germany. In Spain, Italy, and the East it persisted for some time longer, as it does still among the Jews in Mohammedan countries.>79. "POLYGAMY WAS NOT DEFINITELY FORBIDDEN AMONG THE JEWS" DURING MOST OF THE POST PENTECOST CHURCH ERA. SINCE JESUS COMMANDED HIS APOSTLES TO OBEY THE JEWS (MT. 23:1-3) IN THEIR LAWS GOVERNING POLYGYNY, WHO ARE WE TO SAY THAT THEY WERE CARNAL AND MISLED IN OBSERVING POLYGYNY AND CONCUBINAGE ACCORDING TO THE LAW OF MOSES? [Footnote: >78. HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE; p.259. <79. HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE;p.583ff.]

What does St. Augustine (4th Century AD) say about the practice of polygyny and concubinage? Consider the following: "The only reason of its being a crime now to do this, is because custom and the laws forbid it. Whoever despises these restraints, even though he uses his wives only to get children, still commits sin, and does an injury to human society itself, for the sake of which it is that the procreation of children is required. In the present altered state of customs and laws, men can have no pleasure in a plurality of wives, except from an excess of lust; and so the mistake arises of supposing that no one could ever have had many wives but from sensuality and the vehemence of sinful desires. Unable to form an idea of men whose force of mind is beyond their conception, they compare themselves with themselves, as the apostle says [2 Cor. x. 12], and so make mistakes. Conscious that, in their intercourse though with one wife only, they are often influenced by mere animal passion instead of an intelligent motive, they think it an obvious inference that, if the limits of moderation are not observed where there is only one wife, the infirmity must be aggravated where there are more than one.">.80 [Footnote: >80 A Select Library of the Nicene and Post- Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church, Vol. iv; pp.289ff.]

"But here there is no ground for a criminal accusation: for a plurality of wives was no crime when it was the custom; and it is a crime now, because it is no longer the custom. There are sins against nature, and sins against custom, and sins against the laws. As regards nature, [Jacob] used the women not for sensual gratification, but for the procreation of children. For custom, this was the common practice at that time in those countries. And for the laws, no prohibition existed. The only reason of its being a crime now to do this, is because custom and the laws forbid it.">.81 [Footnote: >81 A Select Library of the Nicene and Post- Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church, Vol. iv; p.289.] Whose laws forbid it? A "a plurality of wives was no crime when it was the custom". "NO PROHIBITION EXISTED." NOW IT IS A CRIME ONLY BECAUSE OF Man's laws, not God's laws! Mark 7 and Matt.13 give us a very good insight into how godly man's laws are when they are made in the Name of God. On the other hand it is living in error to live in polygyny or concubinage where man's customs and laws forbid it because we are to obey the laws of the land>57 if at all possible>58 . It is NOT living in error to live in polygamy or concubinage where man's customs and law permit it. The vast majority of the world lives under laws that permit concubinage. Some countries, mostly Moslem or Asian or Oriental, still permit official and legal polygamy. [Footnote: >57 Romans 13. >58 (Rom. 12:18; Acts 4:18- 20; Deut. 1:13-18; 17:8-13)]

Unofficial, discreet, private and personal>59 contractual concubinage is legal in almost all countries, even in the United States. American courts have given a positive legal status to monogynous concubinage in the forms of palimony and common law marriages, even in cases of serial polygynous concubinage. They have not yet given such a positive legal status to polygynous concubinage, but that doesn't stop its widespread practice. Most American concubines are only mistresses where there are no long term commitments or relationships. Without marital commitments a concubine is only a harlot or whore>60 . We have already seen how God recognizes as wives concubines who have covenanted/ contracted as wives with their husbands before God and there is a significant number of such honorable concubines even in America today, especially in states where common law marriages are recognized. The Word for living polygynously where it is illegal to practice it with benefit of law is found in Romans 14: "22 Your personal convictions [on polygyny based on the Word of God]--exercise [them] as in God's presence, keeping them to yourself [privately and discretely with likeminded people as in Rom 15:4-6; 2 Corinthians 13:10- 12; Philippians 2:1-3]. Blessed (happy, to be envied) is he who has no reason to judge himself for what he approves [as to polygyny]. 23 But the man who has doubts (misgivings, an uneasy conscience) about eating [or being polygynous], and then eats [or is polygynous], stands condemned [before God], because he is not true to his convictions and he does not act from faith [based on the Word of God]. For whatever does not originate and proceed from faith [based on the Word of God] is sin. 15:1 Now we who are strong [in our liberty in Christ] have an obligation to bear the weaknesses of those without strength [in their faith], and not to please ourselves. 2 Each one of us must please his neighbor for his good, in order to build him up. 3 For even the Messiah did not please Himself." . . . From the AmpBible & etc [Footnote: >59 (Romans 14:13-23). >60 1 Cor. 6; Prov. 5 & 6; Ezek. 16 & 23]

One reason for polygyny is the common belief held by many that a breast feeding mother in primitive and rural settings would refrain from intimacy until her baby is weaned for fear that if she would become pregnant her milk flow would stop and she would be unable to feed her baby and so lose it. Believing this, the father also would not want his breast- feeding wife to become pregnant and lose the nursing child for lack of her milk. Knowing his own passion for vaginal sex with her and the chance that in the heat of passion his reason might not prevail over his desire for vaginal insertion, he would not risk being intimate with her even for the satisfying of her sexual needs by breast &/or clitoral stimulation. His wife would self-stimulate herself to satisfy her sexual needs rather than risk losing her milk for her nursing child.

Knowing that he would be subject to Satan's sexual temptations by abstaining from sex with his breast-feeding wife>40, for sexual fulfillment he turns to his other wife/concubine who was not breast feeding. The sexual needs of the husband and both of the wives could be met in this way. So polygyny allows them to save and feed their children and also meet their sexual needs in marriage. Modern birth control techniques could make such an arrangement unnecessary for some, but many people living at or below the poverty level in underdeveloped nations still face these problems without modern aids. [Footnote: >40 1 Corint. 7:4,5] IX. MARRIAGE, CONCUBINES, CIVIL LAW, PERSONAL LIBERTY AND A LOVING CONSCIENCE!

Surely Romans 13 and related passages apply. And certainly the principles of Romans 14 and l Cor 10 apply. The following is a brief summary of those principles: 1. Receive the weak in faith (their faith allows them very little personal liberty) but not to dispute doubtful things/points>61 . Doubtful things are things that the Bible is not explicitly clear about leaving a gray area for individuals to exercise their own judgment (e.g. eating meat vs. vegetarianism, length of dress, courtship and engagement, television, movies, computer use etc.) 2. Don't despise or condemn your brother/sister in Christ if (1) they feel free to do doubtful things or (2) they don't feel free to do doubtful things>62 3. Don't put a stumbling block, an occasion to take offense, put an obstacle in the way>82 , give someone an opportunity for sinning>63 4. Don't make your brethren uneasy>83 or hurt, injure or damage others' feelings>84. 5. Don't destroy your brethren's faith with your personal liberty>64 6. Let not the personal liberty your faith allows be evil spoken of>65 7. Do that which builds and helps the faith of your brethren>66 . 8. Don't put a temptation to sin in someone's way>.85 , or do that which leads another to sin>.86 . 9. Have your faith from the Word that allows you your personal liberty privately, discretely and personally before God and be happy in it>67 10. Don't do anything you have doubts about, doubts about whether or not it is God's will for you to do, be or have)>68 11. If your faith is strong allowing you a great deal of personal liberty, you should bear the weaknesses of those whose faith allows little personal liberty, not pleasing ourselves. Seek to please your brethren for their good, growth and development in the Lord and Word>69 . [Footnote: [>61 (Rm.14:1) >62 . (Rm. 14:3,4) >.82 Please see Arndt & Gingrich's Lexicon. >83 Please see Thayer's Lexicon. >63 . (Rm. 14:13). >.84 Please see Arndt & Gingrich's Lexicon. >64 . (Rm 14:15). >65 (Rm. 14:16,17). >66 (Rm. 14:18,19). >.85 (Rm. 14:13)Please see Arndt & Gingrich's Lexicon. >.86 Please see Thayer's Lexicon. >67 (Rm.14:22). >68 . (Rm. 14:23). >69 . (Rm. 15:1-3)]

But how do these principles apply? Obviously polygyny or concubinage is a felony to officially marry (by man's laws) more than one woman in terms of the government's law, public records, inheritance laws and divorce laws in most Western or industrial nations. Obviously it is socially acceptable, legal and not a felony in most Asian nations, the Mid East, Africa and Indian tribes in the Americas. That is as clear as black and white. But there is a great big gray area. Many Western states recognize informal marriage (concubinage) as common law marriages but as soon as they become official they come under the monogamy laws. But they can live for years in the morally acceptable informal and unofficial common law status without any illegality.

Under Administrative Law in California, County Welfare officials set up semi-official marriages with people who live together without being married where one or both parties could still be legally married to others. Administrative Welfare law recognizes them as a semi-married couple and will grant them AFDC aid and even help them get divorces so they can eventually marry IF THEY WISH. With the state's approval they live together as a family sometimes for years, but they have no IRS rights, or inheritance rights or marital tax status from the state as a married couple. It is legal and approved of by state law.

California's courts have also established palimony rights where they protect the covenant/contractual rights of people living in unofficial marriage or concubinage. While they have no official tax status or inheritance rights the courts have established that a marital relationship and the members of that relationship have protection under the law in terms of their covenants, contracts, vows, espousal or betrothal. The courts have awarded "palimony", property and child custody rights in and from these relationships. The new no-discrimination-against-one's-sexual-orientation laws protect those who practice informal contractual polygyny or concubinage. Since God prescribes no "wedding ceremony", ritual, vows or rite>87 to make two people married, leaving it to the local churches to have their own redeemed local and indigenous marital customs>88 . The vows, covenants, betrothals and prenuptial contracts seem to be covered by God's standards in the following: [Footnote: >87 See appendix #4 . >.88 See appendix #4 .] **** EZEKIEL 16: 3 And say, So says the Lord Jehovah to Jerusalem, . . . 8 And I passed by you and looked on you, and, behold, your time [was] the time of love. And I spread my skirt over you and covered your nakedness. And I swore to you and entered into a covenant with you, says the Lord Jehovah. And you became Mine. **** MALACHI 2:14 Yet you say, Why? Because the LORD has been witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously; yet she [is] your companion and your covenant wife. 15 And did He not make [you] one? Yet the vestige of the Spirit [is in] him. And what [of] the one? He was seeking a godly seed. Then guard your spirit, and do not act treacherously with the wife of your youth. 16 The LORD, the God of Israel, says He hates sending away; and to cover [with] violence on his garment, says the LORD of hosts. Then guard your spirit, and do not act treacherously. Here "act treacherously" means " break covenant" or "fail to honor your covenant/commitment". **** ECCLES. 5:4 When you vow a vow to God, do not wait to pay it. For He has no pleasure in fools. Pay that which you have vowed. 5 [it is] better that you should not vow, than that you should vow and not pay. 6 Do not allow your mouth to cause your flesh to sin; do not say before the angel that it [was] an error. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands? **** PSALM 15:1 A Psalm of David. LORD, who shall dwell in Your tabernacle? . . . 2 He who walks uprightly, and works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart; . . . [he] has sworn to his hurt, and does not change it; 5. . . He who does these [things] shall not be moved forever. **** ROMANS 1:28 And even as they did not think fit to have God in [their] knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do the things not right, 29 being filled with all unrighteousness . . . 31 . . . covenantbreakers. . . 32 who, knowing the righteous order of God, that those practicing such things are worthy of death, not only do them, but have pleasure in those practicing [them].

It is the treachery of breaking marital covenants that God condemns in these passages and that which he hates. "Yes, I swore an oath to you and entered into covenant with you, and you became Mine," says the Lord God>70 . We become a part of the bride of Christ in the same way. The Spirit considered Mary and Joseph as husband and wife on the basis of their espousal/betrothal/ covenants even before the wedding and the coming together>71. [Footnote: >70 (Ezek. 16:8). >71 (Mat. 1:18-25 ;Deut. 22:23-27)]

So why can't two Christians exchange espousal/betrothal covenants and become each other's marital partners without a formal marriage which would be illegal? Of course they can since common law marriages are legally acceptable in most of Americas states and in most of the countries of the world. But should they? We are bound by our covenants and God makes it clear He has no pleasure in the fools who break them >72 . We enter into the gray zone of the liberty we have in Christ>73 that is limited by the cords of Agape love. Yes two Christians could exchange their vows/ covenants without a formal/legal wedding day but if they became involved in intimacy and that intimacy became an offense or stumbling block to another saint it would be sin and could destroy the work of Christ in another or embolden a weak one to be intimate contrary to his/her conscience>74 . So is such intimacy a sin between two Christians who have solemnly and formally covenanted before God that they are maritally one flesh as long as they both live? It is neither illegal nor sinful but it becomes sin if it stumbles, offends, grieves another in Christ> 75 . [Footnote: >72 (Eccles. 5:5; Psalm 15). >73 (Rom 14). >74 (l Cor. 8 & 10). >75 (Rom. 14; 1 Cor. 8 & 10).]

But what about the command in Romans 14 that states that if you have a solid controversial conviction from the Word, have it to yourself before God? Happy is the one who does not condemn himself in what he approves>76 . But woe to him if he does it with doubts or offense to another in Christ. So it seems to be with post covenant but pre- wedding day intimacy. It seems to be the same case with polygyny / concubinage. Do you practice/believe in polygyny /concubinage? Have it and do so privately and very discreetly before God. Happy is the one who does not condemn one's self in what he approves in the liberty of Christ. But she who practices/believes in polygyny /concubinage with doubts is condemned if she indulges because she does not practice it out of conviction from the Spirit and the Word. polygyny/ concubinage is indeed pure, but it is evil to practice it if it stumble, offends, grieves or weakens your brethren in Christ>77 . [Footnote: >76 (Rom 14:22,23). >77 (Rom. 14; 1 Cor. 8 & 10)] Foreign Christian polygynists visiting Western monogamous societies encounter a special challenge. Spiritual and Godly Christians would be able to handle it well and in the Lord, but the unsaved, the carnal, the Spiritual milk drinkers, the legalists, the ignorant, and those weak of conscience would all have varying problems with a Christian polygynist and his wives visiting their Western/Occidental church>78 . The visiting Christian polygynist should do all within his power to not let his liberty hinder the effectiveness of his testimony and witness to these people, if they would be willing to receive it. [Footnote: >78 (1 Cor. 8 & 10; Rom. 14 & 15)]

Hopefully mercy and compassion would move the Christian polygynist to not flaunt his polygyny in the face of such "Christians" even though they are so unlike Christ. Mercy would move the polygynist to not lay a heavier burden on the weak than they can bear, not wanting their liberty to cause their weak brethren to fall into sin. Compassion would move the polygynists to be sensitive to the weakness and doubts of the weak saints. Obviously the polygynist would not be an official leader in the church and would not be visiting local churches as a leader/elder/deacon/ bishop/ overseer/etc.>79 . Ideally the local saints would be bearing the fruits of the Spirit and receive such foreign visitors with mercy and compassion. If they agreed and were able>80 for a short while to be separated, the polygynist could visit the Western church bringing one or none of his wives so as to reduce the controversy. The same would be true of a polygynist wife visiting the West without her husband, under the rule of 1 Cor. 7:4,5. [Footnote: >79 (1 Tim. 3 and Ti. 1). >80 (**** 1 CORINTH. 7: 4 The wife does not have authority over [her] own body, but the husband. And likewise also the husband does not have power [over his] own body, but the wife. 5 Do not deprive one another, unless [it is] with consent for a time, so that you may [give yourselves to] fasting and prayer. And come together again so that Satan does not tempt you for your incontinence.]

X. DOES GOD FORGIVE BROKEN VOWS, DIVORCE AND ADULTERY?

The issue here is does God forgive born again Christians when they fall into divorce and adultery? The cornerstone of this issue is "What is a born again Christian?" Genuinely born again Christians would be characterized by the following: (1) They have believed and received Jesus Christ, God revealed in the flesh, as the Master of their daily lives and as their Savior from the penalties and power of sin in their lives; (2) They have a consistent public testimony by word and deed of their salvation; (3) They live in obedience to the Word at home and away from home; (4) They are compassionately and effectively involved in nurturing and shepherding Christian fellowship; (5) They are characterized by the fruits of the Spirit instead of the works of the flesh; (6) They are faithfully in the Word in a life building way; and (7) They are faithfully in prayer on a regular basis. If any of these is missing, you should not feel comfortable about their status with the Lord and it would be a mistake to assume that they are really saved.

We don't have to decide if someone is saved, all we have to do is decide if their life lines up with the Word, and if it doesn't, then we are to do the following: **** 1 TIMOTHY 5:19 Do not receive an accusation against an elder except before two or three witnesses. 20 Those who sin, rebuke before all, so that the rest also may fear. 21 I charge [you] before God and [the] Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that you guard these things without prejudice, doing nothing by partiality. **** GALA. 6: 1 Brothers, if a man is overtaken in a fault, you the spiritual ones restore such a one in the spirit of meekness, considering yourself, lest you also be tempted. 2 Bear one another's burdens, and so you will fulfill the law of Christ. ***DBY MATT. 18:15 But if thy brother sin against thee, go, reprove him between thee and him alone. If he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. 16 But if he do not hear [thee], take with thee one or two besides, that every matter may stand upon the word of two witnesses or of three. 17 But if he will not listen to them, tell it to the assembly; and if also he will not listen to the assembly, let him be to thee as one of the nations and a tax- gatherer. ***DBY 1 CORINTH.5:3 For *I*, [as] absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged as present, 4 [to deliver,] in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (ye and my spirit being gathered together, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ), him that has so wrought this: 5 to deliver him, [I say,] [being] such, to Satan for destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. ***DBY 2 THESS. 3: 6 Now we enjoin you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw from every brother walking disorderly and not according to the instruction which he received from us. . . .14 But if any one obey not our word by the letter, mark that man, and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed of himself; 15 and do not esteem him as an enemy, but admonish [him] as a brother.

If they fail the Matt. 18:15-18 procedure, then God tells us to treat and relate to them as if they were unsaved. This would be very important for a Christian married to someone of whose salvation he/she is not sure. This uncertainty should be resolved so the Christian could know if his/her instructions are those of 1 Cor. 7:10,11,39 or 1 Cor. 7:12- 15. So we are talking about real, sincere and genuine children of God who become involved in divorce etc. and need to know God's will for them.

Can a Christian divorce a Christian mate, ask God to forgive them, and then go on and marry another Christian with God's blessing? In Matt. 5:23,24 Jesus says you must not only ask forgiveness but you must attempt to right the wrong for which you seek forgiveness. Zaccheus received Jesus salvation because he not only confessed his sin but also righted his wrongs against others. In Mark 10:11, 12 Jesus did not say, Whoever divorces his wife, asks forgiveness for divorcing his wife and then marries another may be blessed. Not at all, and quite to the contrary. ****Mark 10:7 For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife, 8 and the two shall be one flesh; so then they are no longer two but one flesh. 9 What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate. . . . 11 And he says to them, Whosoever shall put away his wife and shall marry another, commits adultery against her. 12 And if a woman shall put away her husband and shall marry another, she commits adultery.

The adultery is not just that he married her in a wedding ceremony, a single event, rather the adultery is that he continues to be married to her and keeps on being married to her. It's not a matter of asking God to forgive you for the wedding ceremony that resulted in you being married. It is a matter of asking God to forgive you for continuing and keeping on being married to your new adulterous mate. The Greek verb is present tense indicative which indicates an on going and continuing condition. The one who put away the other and marries yet another keeps on and continues committing adultery against the one put away as long as the one put away remains put away.

So He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another keeps on and continues committing adultery against her. And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she keeps on and continues committing adultery." Matt. 21:28-32 reveals it is the one who regrets the wrong and rights the wrong that does the will of his father. In the context of faithfulness, trustworthiness and covenant keeping >164 Jesus says that it is adultery to repudiate (reject, dismiss, send away, abandon, etc.) and marry another and whoever marries the repudiated wife commits adultery. The wrongs are repudiation with remarriage. He who confesses and covers repudiation with remarriage will not prosper, but whoever agrees with God about repudiation and remarriage and forsakes the repudiation and remarriage will have mercy from God>165 . [Footnotes:>164(Luke 16:1-18). >165 (Prov 28:13)]

The omolego confession of 1 John 1:9 means the one who AGREES WITH GOD ABOUT HIS SIN receives His faithful and just forgiveness. To agree with God about the sin of repudiation-with-remarriage adultery means to forsake the repudiation-with- remarriage adultery. It doesn't mean saying "OOPS! I'm so sorry!" and expecting God to forgive you for repudiating/ leaving your mate now that you have married another. The sin to be forsaken is the sin of repudiating/leaving/ putting away the mate to whom you are bound for life in the Lord---and marrying another mate. Just because you confess that you repudiated (or etc.) your saved wife doesn't change the following scriptures ---- **** MALACHI 2: 14 Yet you say, Why? Because the LORD has been witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously; yet she [is] your companion and your covenant wife. 15 And did He not make [you] one? Yet the vestige of the Spirit [is in] him. And what [of] the one? He was seeking a godly seed. Then guard your spirit, and do not act treacherously with the wife of your youth. 16 The LORD, the God of Israel, says He hates sending away; and to cover [with] violence on his garment, says the LORD of hosts. Then guard your spirit, and do not act treacherously *****LUKE 16: 15 And He said to them, You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God. . . .18 Everyone putting away his wife and marrying another commits adultery; and everyone marrying her who is put away from [her] husband commits adultery. ***DBY MARK 10: 6 but from [the] beginning of [the] creation God made them male and female. 7 For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be united to his wife, 8 and the two shall be one flesh: so that they are no longer two but one flesh. 9 What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate. . . . 11 And he says to them, Whosoever shall put away his wife and shall marry another, commits adultery against her. 12 And if a woman put away her husband and shall marry another, she commits adultery. ***DBY ROMANS 7:1 Are ye ignorant, brethren, (for I speak to those knowing law,) that law rules over a man as long as he lives? 2* For the married woman is bound by law to her husband so long as he is alive; but if the husband should die, she is clear from the law of the husband: 3* so then, the husband being alive, she shall be called an adulteress if she be to another man; but if the husband should die, she is free from the law, so as not to be an adulteress, though she be to another man. ***DBY 1 CORINTH. 7: 4 The wife has not authority over her own body, but the husband: in like manner also the husband has not authority over his own body, but the wife. 5 Defraud not one another, unless, it may be, by consent for a time, that ye may devote yourselves to prayer, and again be together, that Satan tempt you not because of your incontinency. . . . 10* But to the married I enjoin, not *I*, but the Lord, Let not wife be separated from husband; 11* (but if also she shall have been separated, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband;) and let not husband leave wife. . . . 39* A wife is bound for whatever time her husband lives; but if the husband be fallen asleep, she is free to be married to whom she will, only in [the] Lord.

These plainly state that you are bound to born-again mate as long as you both live. When God forgives us he washes us and accepts us while at the same time condemning and denouncing the wrong that we did. The confession with forgiveness doesn't undo the sinful deed, but rights the sinner and frees him from the eternal consequences of his sin. In like manner we are told to submit to judgment the sinning saint in his sin >166 and when he renounces and forsakes the sin we forgive and reconcile with him>167 . [Footnontes: >166 (1 Cor. 5:1-11). >167 (2 Cor.2)]

2 Cor 7 makes it plain that worldly sorrow which results in no or inadequate repentance brings judgment while godly sorrow that works genuine repentance from the wrong and sinful act/deed/ thought results in deliverance. We are to diligently, zealously, angrily, earnestly vindicate ourselves by clearing ourselves of the wrong and/or sinful matter (adulterous repudiation-with-remarriage). We are to clear ourselves of the repudiation- with-remarriage that is the adultery. There is no way we can run to the God of the following passages and expect Him to favor and bless the one who breaks his engagement and/or wedding vows, covenants, oaths and promises. **** PSALM 15: 1 A Psalm of David. LORD, who shall dwell in Your tabernacle? . . .2 He who walks uprightly, and works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart; . . . [he] has sworn to his hurt, and does not change it; 5 . . . He who does these [things] shall not be moved forever. **** ECCLES. 5:4 When you vow a vow to God, do not wait to pay it. For He has no pleasure in fools. Pay that which you have vowed. 5 [it is] better that you should not vow, than that you should vow and not pay. 6 Do not allow your mouth to cause your flesh to sin; do not say before the angel that it [was] an error. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands? ***DBY MALACHI 2:14 Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because Jehovah hath been a witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt unfaithfully: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant. 15 And did not one make [them]? and the remnant of the Spirit was his. And wherefore the one? He sought a seed of God. Take heed then to your spirit, and let none deal unfaithfully against the wife of his youth, 16 (for I hate putting away, saith Jehovah the God of Israel;) and he covereth with violence his garment, saith Jehovah of hosts: take heed then to your spirit, that ye deal not unfaithfully. **** ROMANS 1:28 And even as they did not think fit to have God in [their] knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do the things not right, 29 . . .[becoming] . . ., haters of God, insolent, covenantbreakers, . . . 32 who, knowing the righteous order of God, that those practicing such things are worthy of death, not only do them, but have pleasure in those practicing [them].

You cant run to this God of integrity and honor and say, "OOPS! I'm so sorry I repudiated (or etc.) my wife, Carlita, for Sonia and went on and married Sonia. I know you'll forgive me for divorcing my Carlita and breaking my vows and promises to her so I can be blessed by You with my Sonia!" Romans 13:7-14 and l Cor.11:27-33 shows that God holds us responsible to do His right things with those with whom we have to do, and woe to us if we don't.

The fouth century's St. Augustine states the seriousness of this situation powerfully in the following: "To such a degree is that marriage compact entered upon a matter of a certain sacrament, that it is not made void even by separation itself, since, so long as her husband lives, even by whom she hath been left, she commits adultery, in case she be married to another: and he who hath left her, is the cause of this evil. . . Seeing that the compact of marriage is not done away by divorce intervening; so that they continue wedded persons one to another, even after separation; and commit adultery with those, with whom they shall be joined, even after their own divorce, either the woman with a man, or the man with a woman. . . But a marriage once for all entered upon in the City of our God, where, even from the first union of the two, the man and the woman, marriage bears a certain sacramental character, can no way be dissolved but by the death of one of them. For the bond of marriage remains, although a family [i.e. children], for the sake of which it was entered upon, do not follow through manifest barrenness; so that, when now married persons know that they shall not have children, yet it is not lawful for them to separate even for the very sake of children, and to join themselves unto others. And if they shall so do, they commit adultery with those unto whom they join themselves, but themselves remain husbands and wives [to each other] . . Therefore the good of marriage throughout all nations and all men stands in the occasion of begetting, and faith of chastity: but, so far as pertains unto the People of God, also in the sanctity of the sacrament, by reason of which it is unlawful for one who leaves her husband, even when she has been put away, to be married to another, so long as her husband lives, no not even for the sake of bearing children: . . . not even where that very thing, wherefore it takes place, follows not, is the marriage bond loosed, save by the death of the husband or wife." [Footnote: >. n102 St. Augustin: On The Trinity; pp. 402, 406, 412]

The aim of repentance is reconciliation with people and with God. St. Jerome (340-420 A.D.) stated that "a wife who has been put away, may not, so long as her husband lives, be married to another, or at all events that her duty is to be reconciled to her husband.">103 God is Love and forgiveness, and most people arent. Matt. 5:23,24 and 18:15-18 tell about repentances reconciliation and how to do it, but when dealing with so- called sinning brothers/sister>168 and the snared/dead/blind/foolish/ manipulated unsaved>169 reconciliation may not be possible just like fellowship, communion, accord, and agreement>170 are not usually possible or sometimes not even desired with such folks. You repent and right the wrong if possible for your sake and the name of God whether or not reconciliation ever takes place. Your repentance does not depend on the cooperation, or lack of it, of the victim/witness. If they wont cooperate, then you are responsible to do the right you know to do, and you are not responsible to do the right you are unable to do if it requires the cooperation of someone who is unwilling to cooperate. [Footnotes:>.n103 A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church,Vol. VIII; p.353. >168 (1 Cor. 5:9-12; 2 Thess. 3:6-14). >169 (2 Tim. 2:25,26; Ephes. 2:1,2; Psalm 1 and 14). >170 (2Cor. 6:14,15).]

Before God you must render that which is due >171 by covenant with your rejected wife. If a Christian brother remarried in adultery, it seems that any vows/ covenants he made with his new wife of adultery, if she were indeed free to marry him, would still be as binding as those he made with any creditor, employer or neighbor. Remarried to his rejected wife in godly sorrow and repentance, any lawful and right covenants he made with the wife of his adultery (and his children by her) that dont involve the adultery would still be binding on him and in honor he would be bound by his nonadulterous covenants with her and theirs. Situations like these demand of our leaders the wisdom of Solomon and bold and authoritative teaching from the Word of God about these issues. [Footnote: >171 (Rom. 13:7-10; 1 Cor. 7:1-5)]

What about conflicting vows and/or covenants? We are not our own and we are bought with a price >172 so we have no authority to vow or covenant to do something contrary to the will of God. Even in the Old Testament the husband could void any vow made by his wife that was unacceptable to him as her husband, and the father of a daughter could void any vow made by his daughter>173 . As a member of the Bride of Christ, as His bond slave, as His child, He can and surely does void any vow or covenant that we might make that is contrary to His will. [Footnotes:>172 (1 Cor. 6). >173 Numbers 30:1-16]

What if the vows or covenants do not involve sin, but they contradict each other? Wouldn't the vow or covenant made first take priority over any contradictory vow or covenant made later---all other things being equal? What if a person made a set of vows/covenants and later found that some of that set of vows/covenants were sinful, contrary to the will of God or voided by another vow/covenant made earlier? Wouldn't only those few vows/ covenants that were wrong be voided by God, leaving standing the rest of the vows/covenants made? When it comes to vows and covenants we need to be very careful to obey James 5:12A>.Ap#7 If we do stick our necks out in a vow/covenant not according to James 4:15, then we need to know that God has no pleasure in fools so we need to keep our word>174 [Footnotes: >.Ap#7 See the vows Appendix #4 and James 4:13-17A. >174 (Eccles. 5:2-7; Psalm 116:14;; 66:13,14; 15:4; Ezek 17:15-20; Rom. 1:31)]

But Gorki may say, "What about my new mate, Lara, and the children we have had since I repudiated (or etc.) Slavania and married Lara?" God's grace and love is big enough for the whole world, as well as his legal but new mate-in-sin Lara and his new children-in- adultery. Gorki is still under God's command of Eph. 6 (etc.) to parent, love and provide for them. But what about Lara?" You know this happens with professing Christians divorcing and remarrying professing Christians in America today! Well, what about Lara? If she is bound by God for life to Stanislavski, then just like King David's Michal (who was "legally" divorced and remarried), she has to return to her Christian husband, Stanislavski, to whom she is bound for life. Gorki may still love Lara and he may have to parent his own children, but Lara is bound to Stanislavski as long as they both live>175 . See the discussion "Can you go home again". [Footnote: >175 (1 Cor. 7; Rom 7)]

Ezekiel 16:59 For thus says the Lord Jehovah: I will even deal with you as you have done, WHO HAVE DESPISED THE OATH, AND BROKEN THE COVENANT. . . . 17: 15 But he rebelled against him . . . Shall he prosper? shall he escape that does such things? SHALL HE BREAK THE COVENANT, AND YET ESCAPE? . . . 16 [As] I live, says the Lord Jehovah, verily in the place of the king that made him king, WHOSE OATH HE DESPISED, AND WHOSE COVENANT HE BROKE, even with him, in the midst of Babylon, shall he die. . . .18 HE DESPISED THE OATH, AND BROKE THE COVENANT; and behold, he had given his hand, yet has he done all these things: he shall not escape. 19 Therefore thus says the Lord Jehovah: [As] I live, verily, MINE OATH WHICH HE HAS DESPISED, AND MY COVENANT WHICH HE HAS BROKEN, EVEN IT WILL I RECOMPENSE UPON HIS HEAD. 20 AND I WILL SPREAD MY NET UPON HIM, AND HE SHALL BE TAKEN IN MY SNARE; . . .

XI. CAN YOU COME BACK TOGETHER AND REMARRY AFTER ADULTEROUS REMARRIAGES?

***Ezekiel 16: 3 . . . Thus says the Lord Jehovah unto Jerusalem: Your birth and Your nativity is of the land of the Canaanite: your father was an Amorite, and your mother a Hittite. 8 And I passed by you, and looked upon you, and behold, your time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over you, and covered your nakedness; and I SWORE UNTO YOU, AND ENTERED INTO A COVENANT WITH YOU says the Lord Jehovah, and you became mine. . . . 15 But you did confide in your beauty, and played the harlot because of your renown, and poured out your whoredoms on every one that passed by: his it was. . . . . 32 O adulterous wife, that takes strangers instead of her husband. 59 For thus says the Lord Jehovah: I will even deal with you as you have done, WHO HAVE DESPISED THE OATH, AND BROKEN THE COVENANT. 60 Nevertheless I will remember MY COVENANT with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish unto you an everlasting covenant. 61 And you shall remember your ways, and be confounded, . . . I will give them unto you for daughters, but not by virtue of YOUR COVENANT. 62 And I will establish MY COVENANT WITH YOU, and you shall know that I [am] Jehovah; 63 that you may remember, and be ashamed, and no more open your mouth because of your confusion, when I forgive you all that you have done, says the Lord Jehovah.

Should I go back to my godly mate from whom I, a born again believer, was divorced while we were both in the Lord? What does the Word say? Consider God's example, the model he sets for us. ***Hosea 9: 1 Rejoice not, Israel, exultingly, as the peoples; for you have gone a whoring from your God, you have loved harlot's hire upon every corn-floor. 11: 7 Yea, my people are bent upon backsliding from me: though they call them to the Most High, none at all exalts [him]. 8 How shall I give you over, Ephraim? [how] shall I deliver you up, Israel? how shall I make you as Admah? [how] shall I set you as Zeboim? My heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together. 9 I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger . . . 14:1 O Israel, return unto Jehovah your God; for you have fallen by your iniquity. 2 Take with you words, and turn to Jehovah; say unto him, Forgive all iniquity, and receive [us] graciously; so will we render the calves of our lips. . . . neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, [You are] our God; because in you the fatherless finds mercy. 4 I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely; for mine anger is turned away from him. 5 I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall blossom as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon. . . . 7 They shall return and sit under his shadow; they shall revive [as] corn, and blossom as the vine: . . . 9 Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? intelligent, and he shall know them? For the ways of Jehovah are right, and the just shall walk in them; but the transgressors shall fall therein.

***Gen. 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife; and they shall be one flesh.>104. For the permanence of the relationship the focus is on the word "cleave" which in the Hebrew means "cling or adhere; . . . abide fast, cleave (fast together), follow close (hard after), be joined (together), keep (fast), overtake, pursue hard, stick, take.">105. Thayer says it means "to glue upon, glue to">106. If God commands the husband to conduct himself in this manner towards his wife, then he had better do it if he wants a good future with God, because to disobey would be death>176 . Being under this command would certainly bind a man to his wife as long as both lived. [Footnotes>104. King James Version. The Holy Scriptures According to the Masoretic Text agrees with the meaning. >105. Strong''s Exhaustive Concordance. >106. Greek English Lexicon of the New Testament; Joseph Henry Thayer, D.D.; American Book Co., New York, 1889 . >176 Rom. 1:28-32; 1 Cor. 5:5-11; 11:30,31,32.]

The Jewish Septuagint (third century B.C.) for Gen. 2:24 uses the same word for "cleave" that Jesus uses in Matt. 19:5. The word used for cleave in the LXX's Gen. 2:24 and Jesus' Matt. 19:5 means the following: 1. According to Thayer --- "to join one's self to closely, cleave to, stick to"; and 2. According to Arndt & Gingrich ---"adhere closely to, be faithfully devoted to, join tini someone">107 . The Greek tense in both is future indicative passive which means that this is what they shall have themselves doing in the future on a regular basis. You say that it is not a command? Jesus seems to differ with you both in Malachi 2, where He says the husband who breaks his marital agreement with his wife is under His wrath, and in Matt 19:6 where Jesus says "So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, man must not separate." Based on the truth of Ephes. 1:11 (He "works all things according to the counsel of His own will") and Rom. 13:1- 3 ("For there is no power but of God; the authorities that be are ordained by God"), every legal and moral marriage is ordained or allowed by God and takes place under His control, so indeed God has joined them. That's why we can trust God with 1 Cor. 7:17-28, that we are to remain married to the person we are married to when we are saved. So in this case, even 1 Cor. 7 speaks of the binding nature of marriage. So Jesus makes binding >177 the cleaving>178 and the one flesh experience that we know as marriage. [Footnotes:{>.{n107 A GREEK-ENGLISH LEXICON OF THE NEW TESTAMENT and Other Early Christian Literature ; By W.F.Arndt & F. W. Gingric. >177 (Mt. 19:6). >178 (Mt. 19:5).]

What do the experts say? There is no controversy that marriages, divorces, and remarriages that happened before one was saved are not binding on the new convert to Christ. The case of the one who is saved while married to an unsaved person has some controversy>179 . But what is the Word for those Christians who have married, divorced and remarried all since they were genuinely and fruitfully saved and walking in loving obedience to the Savior? [Footnote: >179 1 Corinth. 7:12,13,14,15] Consider the following: "In the present modern tangle of marriage, divorce, and remarriage the Christian Church, in dealing with converts and repentant members, is often compelled to accept the situation as it is.">108 [Footnote: >..n108 The New Bible Dictionary, J.D. Douglas Ph.D. p..790.]

In the NT divorce seems to be forbidden absolutely. . . Our Lord teaches that the OT permission was a concession to a low moral standard, and was opposed to the ideal of marriage as an inseparable union of body and soul. . . But remarriage also closes the door to reconciliation, which on Christian principles ought always to be possible; cf. the teaching of Hosea and Jer. 3; Hermas [2nd Cent. AD] (Mand. iv.1) allows no re-marriage, and lays great stress on the taking back of a repentant wife.>109 [Footnote: >..n109 HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE; p. 586.]

To such a degree is that marriage compact entered upon a matter of a certain sacrament, that it is not made void even by separation itself, since, so long as her husband lives, even by whom she hath been left, she commits adultery, in case she be married to another: and he who hath left her, is the cause of this evil. . . Seeing that the compact of marriage is not done away by divorce intervening; so that they continue wedded persons one to another, even after separation; and commit adultery with those, with whom they shall be joined, even after their own divorce, either the woman with a man, or the man with a woman. . . But a marriage once for all entered upon in the City of our god, where, even from the first union of the two, the man and the woman, marriage bears a certain sacramental character, can no way be dissolved but by the death of one of them. . . Therefore the good of marriage throughout all nations and all men stands in the occasion of begetting, and faith of chastity: but, so far as pertains unto the People of God, also in the sanctity of the sacrament, by reason of which it is unlawful for one who leaves here husband, even when she has been put away, to be married to another, so long as her husband lives, no not even for the sake of bearing children: . . . not even where that very thing, wherefore it takes place, follows not, is the marriage bond loosed, save by the death of the husband or wife.>75 [Footnote: >. 75 St. Augustin: On The Trinity; pp. 402, 406, 412. ]

Since the only terms of divorce are given in Deut 24:1-4 which was superseded by Matt. 19:1-15 and 1 Cor. 7:10-15,39, it is clear that marriage is a life long relationship based on the covenants of the couple and on God's command not to be put asunder or put asunder the relationship. What about ***Deut. 24:1-5? Does it set some kind of precedent or establish some kind of principle that would loose a godly couple from the binding nature of their relationship before God? ***Deut. 23:13 = and you shall have a trowel on your girdle; and it shall come to pass when you would relieve yourself abroad, that you shall dig with it, and shall bring back the earth and cover your {nuisance}. 14 Because the Lord your God walks in your camp to deliver you . . . and your camp shall be holy, and there shall not appear in you A {DISGRACEFUL THING}>111. , and so he shall turn away from you. . . [Footnote: >111. {caps mine}; same Hebrew words in both Dt. 23:14 as in Dt 24:3 in LXX.] ***Deut. 24:3= And if any one should take a wife, and should dwell with her, then it shall come to pass if she should not have found favour before him, because he has found some {UNBECOMING THING} >111. in her, that he shall write for her a bill of divorcement and give it into her hands, and he shall send her away out of his house. 4. And if she should go away and be married to another man; 5. and the last husband should hate her, and write for her a bill of divorcement; and should give it into her hands, and send her away out of his house, and the last husband should die, who took here to himself for a wife; 6. the former husband who sent her away shall not be able to return and take her to himself for a wife, after she has been defiled; because it is an abomination before the Lord your God, and you shall not defile the land which the Lord thy God gives you to inherit.>112. [Old English updated] [Footnote: *>111. ditto: caps mine; same Hebrew words in both Dt. 23:14 as in Dt 24:3 in LXX. >112. Please see The Septuagint Version; 1972; Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Mich.] Deut. 23:15. . . that He see no {UNSEEMLY THING}>113. in thee, and turn away from thee. Deut. 24:1-4 . . . because he hath found some {UNSEEMLY>114. THING}>115. in her, . . .>116. Deut. 23:14 . . . He must not see anything {INDECENT}>117. among you lest He turn away from you. . . Deut. 24:1-4 . . . he has found some {INDECENCY}>118. in her. . >119. [Footnotes: (>113. caps mine; same Hebrew word in Deut 23:15 as in Deut 24:1. >114. "unseemly thing" = American Standard Version; Thomas Nelson; 1901. >115. {caps mine}; same Hebrew word in Deut 23:15 as in Deut 24:1. >116. The Holy Scriptures According to the Masoretic Text >117. {caps}mine; same Hebrew word in Deut 23:14 as in Deut 24:1. >118. ditto:{caps}mine; same Hebrew word in Deut 23:14 as in Deut 24:1. . . >119. Holy Bible New American Standard; 1977.]

Thank God for the originals so that we can see that the Hebrew word used in Deut 23 is the same as used in Deut. 24, and that it apparently means anything deemed or decreed by God to be unholy, a sin or an abomination. In Deut 23 that includes human feces and excrement which God made know by law to His people that it was unclean and defiling in His eyes. Using the Word the way the Spirit used the Word would enable us to understand that whatever the husband found in the wife that was "unseemly" or "indecent", was something expressly and explicitly declared by God to be unholy and defiling in His Word. This included any of the bodily ailments that resulted in an unnatural excretion or flow of bodily fluids, things like leprosy, running sores, and figurative things that made you unholy like idolatry and breaking the commandments of God through Moses.

The word rendered "indecency" in the phrase "he has found some indecency" means something expressly and explicitly declared by God to be unholy and defiling in His Word, including any of the bodily ailments that resulted in an unnatural excretion or flow of bodily fluids, things like leprosy, running sores, and figurative things that made you unholy like idolatry and breaking the commandments of God through Moses. The word rendered "defiled" in the phrase " not allowed to take her again to be his wife, since she has been defiled" is used by God of sexual defilement>180 , spiritual defilement >181 defilement by death or bodily emissions>182 . [Footnote: >180 (Gen. 34:5,13; Lev. 18:24; Num. 5:13- 29). >181 (Lev. 19:31; Ezek. 22:4; 23:7). >182 (Lev. 15:32; 21:1-3).]

This means that the "indecency" or "unseemliness" that led Benhadad to divorce Lohana could be the same "defilement" that makes the situation so that he cannot remarry her. Specifically, Lohana could either have been an unbelieving Jewess or a Jewess with an abnormal external flow of bodily fluids, both of which were unseemly, unholy and indecent according to the Sinai Law of Moses. If Lohana was divorced by Benhadad for this unholy indecency, remarried Abdullah while still unholy and indecent and then divorced again or widowed by Abdullah-----still all the while an unbelieving Jewess or a Jewess with the abnormal external flow of bodily fluids. The problem that led Benhadad to divorce Lohana is still her problem after the remarriage and the divorce, a problem that makes her and marriage to her unholy, unseemly and/or indecent according to the Law of Moses.

For him to remarry her would be the fulfillment of Prov. 26:11 and 2 Pt. 2:22 where " . . . 'A dog returns to his own vomit', and, 'a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.'". This is not and would not be acceptable to God. This fits well with the after- Moses OT precedents found in Ezra and Nehemiah where God commanded that the people divorce those whom they disobeyed Him to marry, who were idolaters and lived in disobedience to His Word, people with whom God had forbidden marriage. For a Jew to have remarried one of these wives would have been the unholiness of flagrant disobedience. That the disqualifying thing in these wives was their spiritual heritage rather than their race is obvious by the fact that God did not forbid marriage to believing Egyptians (Joseph), Philistines (Samson), Syrians, Assyrians or Ethiopian Cushites (Moses), etc.

The same principles work in the Church of today. We know that it is unholy and therefore unacceptable to marry a "saint" living in sin>183 , or to marry an unbeliever>184 . Now if I married someone who called herself a believer, but because of problems that surfaced after the wedding we had to do Matt. 18:15-17-20 and she turned out to be a "heathen", I would have had grounds to divorce her in OT times according to Deut 24, but now under the Law of Christ in 1 Cor. 7: 12- 15 I am not free to divorce her unless she is unwilling to live with me or has left me. If she became unwilling to live with me and then left me, I would be free from her maritally and free to remarry. For me to remarry her still in her "heathen" unholiness/defilement would be a sin in violation of the Scriptures >120 , and an abomination to God. [Footnote: >183 1 Cor. 5; 2 Thess. 3:6-14; 2 Tim. 3:5; 1 Tim.6:5. >184 (2 Cor. 6:14-7:1). >120 Please see Appendix 2.]

If you can accept the preceding understanding of Deut. 23 & 24, a woman divorced for unholiness is not to be taken back by her husband in her unholiness, then there is no problem from these passages for a godly brother to remarry his godly wife who, in ignorance or in a snare by the enemy >185, divorced him or was divorced by him and had gone on and married someone else. [Footnote: >185 2 Tim. 2:24-26; Gal. 6:1; 1 Cor. 5:5-11 + 2 Cor 2).]

If you understand the unholy indecency of the woman in Deut. 24 to be some specific violation of God's Law of Moses, an unholy indecency which caused her to be divorced and forbids her former husband from remarrying her because such a remarriage would violate some specific Law of Moses ----- then there is no application of this passage to two born again and godly saints today who, in ignorance or in a snare by the enemy>186 , were divorced and had gone on and remarried others, but now, acknowledging the Word of God that they are bound as husband and wife for life (1 Cor. 7 & Rm. 7), want to remarry in repentance. [Footnote: >186 2 Tim. 2:24-26; Gal. 6:1; 1 Cor. 5:5-11 + 2 Cor 2)]

Some Christians say you cannot go back, once youve remarried>187 . They cite Deuteronomy 24:1-4 as their proof text. First of all, we know that we are not under that command according to Ephesians 2:14,15,16; Colossians 2:13-17 and Acts 15. Secondly, it cannot be argued that it is a "higher-than-the-law-of- Moses" principle of defilement and uncleanness. Yes God did keep the king from defiling Abraham's Sarah. But the same God blessed the marriage of the very defiled harlot Rahab so that she became a direct ancestor of both King David and Jesus. His Word in Deut. 24:1-4 is followed by his Word in Deut. 25:5-10 that the defiled-by-former-husbands widows were to be married to their brother- in-laws etc>. Ruth, a defiled-by-former-husband widow, was blessed in her marriage with Boaz so that she also became a direct ancestor of King David and Jesus. Jesus commands the church defiled-by-former-husband widows to remarry in the Lord in 1 Timothy 5. [Footnote: >187 Deut. 24:1-4; Matt. 5:17-20; Luke 16:17. ]

No where in the Word of God does it say that your remarriage in adultery looses you from Gods binding Christian-you to your Christian mate for life>188. Jesus plainly states that Deut. 24:1-4 was given because of the hardness of their hearts>189 not because it was the best thing to do. Christians have been given new hearts and were released from Deut. 24:1-4 by the Lord in Ephes. 2:14,15 and Colos.2:13,14. So what do Christian-you do about the Christian mate that Christian-you divorced and you married another in adultery>190 , or about your Christian mate who divorced Christian-you and then married another in adultery>191 ? [Footnote: >188. Romans 7:1-5; 1 Corinth. 7:3-11,39. >189 (Matt. 19:8). >190 Mark 10:11,12; Luke 16:18; 1 Cor. 7:10,11. >191 Mark 10:11,12; Luke 16:18; 1 Cor. 7:10,11.]

While still being bound to your Christian mate, you may have to separate from, or perhaps even divorce, your Christian mate as part of the Churchs discipline of your Christian mate who is living in sin>192 Since the purpose of Church discipline is to result in repentance and reconcilia-tion>193 , the separation/divorce should be seen as a temporary measure, unless the Lord puts the sinning saint to sleep in death>194 , or turns out to be an unbeliever>195 If there is repentance by your adulterous and remarried Christian mate, should you be reconciled to your repentant mate? Since you two are bound maritally for life by the Lord, I would hope so. What does God say? Because of John 8 and Eph. 2 and Colos. 2 we dont stone to death adulterers and adulteresses. Because of 1 Corinth 7:10-15,39; and Romans 7:1-5 we dont just walk away and disown our mates. In the Church's Ecumenical Council, the African Code of A.D. 419 stated that "It seemed good that according to evangelical and apostolical discipline a man who had been put away from his wife, and a woman put away from her husband should not be married to another, but so should remain, or else be reconciled the one to the other. . .">121 [Footnote: >192 Romans 16:17;1 Corint. 5:9-11; Eph. 5:11; 2 Thess. 3:6-14;1Tim. 6:3-5; 2 Tim. 3:1-5; Matt. 18:15-20. >193 (2 Corinth 2 and 7). >194 1 Corinth. 5:4-8; 11:28-32. >195 Matthew 18:15-18. >.n121 A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church,Vol. XIV; p. 493.]

King David took his wife Michal back after she had been given in marriage to another, with Gods blessing>.196. Some might say that he took her back but wasn't intimate with her, as he did with the wives/concubines that his son raped>197. That doesn't seem to be the case with Michal because the Holy Spirit made a point of the fact that He caused her to be barren AFTER she had returned to David from her other husband-in-adultery>.198 If he brought Michal back but was not intimate with her there would have been no point to God making her barren. So apparently David was being intimate with Michal after her adultery but God made sure she was barren after her sin. [Footnote: >.196. 1 Sam. 25:44; 2 Sam. 3:13-16. >197. 2 Sam 16:21,22; 19:5; 20:3. >.198. 1 Sam 25; 2 Sam 6:16-23.]

Hosea the prophet was told by God to marry an unfaithful woman and then to take her back as wife after she had been unfaithful to him. In Ezekiel 16 and 23 God presents Himself as a husband who takes back his unfaithful wife. So there is a place for reconciliation and reunion of two obedient believers who are bound for life but who sinned by divorcing and remarrying. There are grounds for leaving an adulterous marriage and going back to the Christian mate to whom you are bound for life.

So why the Word in Deut. 24:1-4 about not taking back your ex-wife after she has remarried? Jesus tells us that Deut. 24:1-4 was given because of the hardness>199. of their hearts, not because it was God's best for them. Jesus overruled Deut. 24 and restored His Law that made divorce itself just as much an abomination>200 as the "abomination" of taking back your ex-wife after she had been married to somebody else. Perhaps Deut. 24 and it hardness-of-heart rule was a temporary attempt by God to discourage divorce, at least frivolous divorce. Deut 24 deals with a woman who has what the Law calls an "uncleanness", something expressly and explicitly declared by God to be unholy and defiling, an "uncleanness" that she had when she was married to the husband that sent her away, and the same "uncleanness" she had after her subsequent husband sent her away. Whatever the reason, it wasn't just a defilement issue of sexual union, because the Deut. 25:5-10; Rahab & Ruth 4; David & Michal, Hosea passages make it clear that there is and was no sin or defilement in marrying a woman who had been "defiled" by her former husband (David and Abigail, Ruth and Boaz) or some other man (Rahab the harlot) before the current marriage. [Footnote: >199. Matthew 19:1-19. ^>.^200. Malachi 2.]

The Holy Spirit did not restate or reinstate the hardness- of-heart rule in the cases of 1 Tim. 5:10-14, or 1 Cor. 7:10-15, 39 or Romans 7:1-5. The only restrictions on remarriage were that they be "in the Lord", which at least means within the Lord's explicit will and marrying someone who is in the Lord. Everything in John 8; Gal. 6:1; Mat. 18:15-18; 2 Cor. ch. 2 and ch. 7; Hosea, Ezekiel etc. all indicate that is okay for accepting back the repentant and believing mate who fell in adultery and has heard Jesus say, "Go and sin no more!" Of course the believing wife has the right to exercise her celibate separation option as long as her believing husband lives, the option given in 1 Cor 7:10,11,39. For the saved woman married to the unsaved husband, if she exercises her separation option, she is maritally bound to him as long as he wants to maritally house with her even if they are separated.

Should I Take Back The Wife Who Left And Remarried? Yet another #3 Tyler Question Seeking Answers -

By L. Tyler - COPYRIGHT © 03/15/11 http://www.scribd.com/doc/47832647/Racism-Interracial-Marriage-Bible http://biblicalmaturity.yuku.com/forums/66  http://www.shtyle.fm/community.do?cid=60612 All rights reserved.This file, in its entirety, may be posted on or copied off of computer networks like Internet or WWW by anyone so inclined as long as it is not changed.

The mother of my children gave me 30 day notice and left me the day after Christmas, after 15 years. BD went on and lived with another man, claiming to be a genuine Christian and continued in Christian fellowship. BD and her roommate mate didn't last. BD went back to Georgia and married another man, claiming to be a genuine Christian in fellowship with other Christians. After 15 year BD left her Georgia man six years ago and returned to my city. >>>Should I take BD back maritally if she wants to? >>>Am I still maritally bound by God to keep the marital covenant I made with BD in the 1970s? >>>Am I still maritally bound to BD as long as we both live?

WHAT DO YOU THINK? WHAT SCRIPTURE SUPPORTS YOUR UNDERSTANDING?

Another scenario: Abner went ahead and divorced Daisy for her adultery and married Safronia. Daisy went on and married Pluto, but then after a few months realized she was living in adultery, realizing that she was maritally bound to Abner by the Word of God as long as they both live.

Should Abner take Daisy back as wife, who became genuinely sorrowful in with godly repentance? Read on and see what you think.

What should Abner do now about Safronia and Daisy? Ask me and let's talk about it.

Please understand that I am trying to learn what God's Word says about a genuinely saved wife who seeks to return to, be reunited and reconciled with, the husband-A from whom she was maritally separated. She has realized that it was adultery for her to marry husband-B, to come to belong to husband-B, after being married to her husband-A, and she seeks in godly sorrow to repent, forsake her adultery, and be restored to an unhindered and wholesome relationship with Jesus and her husband-A. Background: The wife and husband-A were both genuinely saved by faith in Jesus and free to marry in the Lord according to the Scriptures.

Please share your thoughts with me at [email protected];

GIVEN - ***Deut 24:3 . . . if the latter husband die, who took her to be his wife; 4 her former husband, who sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled [by sexual intercouse with her second husband] . . for that is abomination{LXXG0946 + H8441+Leviticus 18:22} before Jehovah: . and you shall not cause the land to sin. ***Jeremiah 3:1God says, "If a husband divorces his wife And she goes from him And belongs to another man, Will he still return to her? Will not that land be completely polluted{H2610+LXXG}? . . ." {H2610} ãnej; — chaneph, khaw-nafe'; to soil, especially in a moral sense: — corrupt, defile, X greatly, pollute, profane. {LXXG3392} miainom¢enh mianq¢hsetai; to sully or taint, i.e. contaminate (ceremonial or morally): — defile. ***Acts 15:22Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men out of their company, and send them to Antioch . . : 23 and they wrote thus by them, The apostles and the elders, brethren, unto the brethren who are of the Gentiles . . ., greeting: . . . 28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: 29 that ye abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from sexual immorality; from which if ye keep yourselves, it shall be well with you. Fare well. ***1Cor 7: 10 I command the married —not I, but the Lord—a [believing] wife is not to leave, depart or separate from [Strong's 5563] her [believing] husband. 11 But if she does leave, depart, and/or separate [Strong's 5563], she must remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband—and a [believing] husband/man should not forsake, lay aside, leave, put (send) away and/or divorce [Strongs 863] his wife/woman. . . 39 A [believing] wife is bound to her [believing] husband by [God's] Law as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to anyone she wants—only in the Lord. ***Rom 7:1 Or are you all ignorant, brethren (for I speak to men who know the law), that the Law has dominion over a man for so long time as he lives? 2 For the woman that has a husband is bound by Law to the husband while he lives; but if the husband die, she is discharged from the law of the husband. 3 So then if, while the husband lives, she be joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if the husband die, she is free from the Law, so that she is no adulteress, though she be joined to another man. FROM ASB

GIVEN THAT - It is understood that by Acts 15:22-29; 21; Galatians, Ephesians 2 and Colossians 2 the Gentile-nonJew believers are not required by Jesus- Jehovah to obey the Laws given to Israel on Sinai through Moses. The issue being that the DEFINITIONS of "fornication" and/or "sexual immorality" are carried over to the Gentile believers by the Word in Acts 15:29 and 21:25. Definitions show us which sins are to be avoided, abstained from. So now the Leviticus 18 and 20 Laws governing sexual immorality become for Gentiles-nonJews definitions and principles, that do not require Gentiles to kill them (Lev 18:29;20:10-18) as the Law requires, but the statements of Law become definitions of behavior that should be avoided to avoid God's judgment.

SINCE - Deut 24:4 and Jeremiah 3:1 are not statements of Laws to be obeyed but are statements of principle based on the Word's definitions of "abomination{LXXG0946 + H8441}" and "polluted{H2610}". These words, abomination and polluted, are used to describe the act of a wife being maritally reunited with her husband-A after she was married to husband-B while living under the Sinai Law. These are not "Law" words that describe behavior from which one is required by the Law to abstain. These are "morality" words that describe behavior that is unacceptable to Jesus-Jehovah, behavior that is sexually immoral and from which believing Gentiles-nonJews are instructed to abstain.

THEREFORE: I believe it appears to indicate that the wife should not reunite in marital sexual union with her husband-A, the wife who was maritally separated from husband-A, who went on in her life to marry husband-B (come to belong to husband-B by covenant), and then in godly sorrow and repentance, sought to forsake her adultery and be restored to unhindered fellowship with Jesus and His people. I believe that the wife and husband-A are still bound by the marital covenants(Malachi 2; Psalm 15; Rom 1), and that like David did (2 Samuel 16:21-23;20:2-4), the husband should continue to provide her with food, clothing, shelter, protection and etc (Exodus 21:10).

I still do not understand why Deut 25 indicates that it is okay to marry a widow but in Deut 24:1-4 husband-A should not marry his former wife after her husband-B dies, making her a widow.

WHAT DO YOU THINK? WHAT SCRIPTURE SUPPORTS YOUR UNDERSTANDING? Please share your thoughts with me at [email protected]

I'm still plagued with the question, "Where is the 'go back' word or example of a wife reuniting with her husband after marrying or having sexual relations with some other man, to whom she maritally bound by the Word of God as long as they both live?" I can't find a clear and specific Scripture other than Deut 24; Jer 3:1; 1 Cor 7:10,11,39; Romans 7:2,3. It seems that the believing sister who was separated/divorced from her husband and who married someone other than her own husband is NOT allowed by God to remarry the husband from whom she was separated/divorced. This seems to be contrary to the principles of 1 Cor 5; 2 Cor 7 and 2 where we see the genuinely repentant saint, who had been snared in sin, restored to, reconciled with and reunited with the "Church."

David took Michal back as wife after Saul had taken her away from David and forced her to marry another (2 Samuel 3:12-16). David's example with his wives who were raped by Absalom indicates the "no go back" principle because after Absalom raped his wives/concubines, David was not intimate with them anymore but continued to provide for them as his wives (2 Samuel 16:21-23;20:2- 4;Exodus 21:10,11). This would reflect the principle that the believer is still bound by his marital covenants to provide for his wife, covenants made with his "believing but snared" wife, even though she sins and gets snared sexually, involved with some other man in adultery, and therefore should not resume marital relations with her former husband.

Rahab's example seems to indicate that the 1 Cor 7:15 principle applied then because even though she had been a prostitute, after she became a believer she married into Christ's ancestry (Mat 1).

???Therefore does - - - - ***1Cor 7: 10 I command the married —not I, but the Lord—a [believing] wife is not to leave, depart or separate from [Strong's 5563] her [believing] husband. 11 But if she does leave, depart, and/or separate [Strong's 5563], she must remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband—and a [believing] husband/man should not forsake, lay aside, leave, put (send) away and/or divorce [Strongs 863] his wife/woman. . . . 39 A [believing] wife is bound to her [believing] husband by [God's] Law as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to anyone she wants—only in the Lord. - - - - BECOME a [believing] wife is not to leave, depart or separate from her [believing] husband. But if she does leave, depart, separate &/or divorce, she must remain unmarried in repentance especially if she had sexual relations/marriage with another man= or be reconciled to her husband [if she didn't marry or have sex with another man — and a [believing] husband/man should not forsake, lay aside, leave, put (send) away and/or divorce his wife/woman; and he may marry another wife , especially if he divorced his wife for her adultery. . . . A believing wife is bound to her husband by God's Law as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to anyone she wants—only in the Lord. WHAT DO YOU THINK? WHAT SCRIPTURE SUPPORTS YOUR UNDERSTANDING? Please share your thoughts with me at [email protected]

I understand that all this may mean Naharya is not to leave, depart or separate from her [believing] husband Ramlo. But if she does leave, depart, separate &/or divorce Ramlo, she must remain unmarried [in repentance especially if she had sexual relations/marriage with another man]= or be reconciled to Ramlo [if she didn't marry or have sex with another man]—and Ramlo should not forsake, lay aside, leave, put (send) away and/or divorce Naharya; and he may marry another wife [especially if he sinned^ by divorcing Naharya for adultery]. . . . {Believing] Naharya is bound to her [believing] Ramlo by [God's] Law as long as he lives. But if her Ramlo dies, she is free to be married to anyone she wants—only [someone] in the Lord. ^Matt 19:6; 1 Cor 7:11b = The husband is never commanded in Scripture to divorce his wife, even if she falls in adultery. On the other hand the Scriptures command the husband to never forsake, lay aside, leave, put (send) away, divorce &/or separate himself from his wife. The command is ***Matt 19:6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, MANKIND MUST NOT SEPARATE. . . ***1 Cor 7:11b a [believing] husband/man should not forsake, lay aside, leave, put (send) away and/or divorce his wife/woman. He must not break his marital covenants with his wife (Malachi 2; Psalm 15; Romans 1:31,32 He must not break his marital covenants with his wife- - - ***Nu 30:2 If a man vows a vow to the LORD, or swears an oath to bind his soul with a bond, HE SHALL NOT BREAK HIS WORD. He shall do according to all that comes out of his mouth. ***Psalm 15:1 LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? 2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. . . . [HE THAT] SWEARETH [PROMISES, CONTRACTS] TO [HIS OWN] HURT [LOSS, DISADVANTAGE], AND CHANGETH NOT [KEEPS HIS WORD/PROMISE]. . . . ***Malachi 2:13 . . . the Lord does not regard your offering any more or accept it with favor at your hand. 14Yet you say, Why? Because the LORD has been witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have left and dealt treacherously . Yet she is your companion and the wife of your COVENANT. 15And did not God make [you and your wife] one [flesh]? Did not One make you and preserve your spirit alive? And why [did God make you two into] one? Because He sought a godly offspring [from your union]. Therefore take heed to yourselves, and let no one deal treacherously with and desert the wife of his youth. 16For the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I hate divorce and marital separation and him who covers his garment [his wife] with violence. Therefore keep a watch upon your spirit [that it may be controlled by My Spirit], that you deal not treacherously leave. 17 You have wearied the Lord with your words. Yet you say, In what way have we wearied Him? [You do it when by your actions] you say, Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord and He delights in them. Or [by asking], Where is the God of justice?

figuratively, to act covertly; — deal deceitfully (treacherously, unfaithfully), offend, transgress ejgkatalei>pw, — eng-kat-al-i'-po; from (1722) (ejn) and (2641) (katalei>pw); to leave behind in some place, i.e. (in a good sense) let remain over, or (in a bad one) to desert: — forsake, leave. kh, — dee-ath-ay'-kay; properly a disposition, i.e. (special) a contract : — covenant, testament. a compact (because made by passing between pieces of flesh): — confederacy, covenant, league.

***Rom 1:29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, . . They are . . . 31 foolish, undiscerning, faithless, untrustworthy COVENANT- BREAKERS, heartless, ruthless. 32Though they know God's decree and just sentence that those who commit, purpose, perform and work such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to and applaud those who commit, purpose, perform and work them. [ESV, HCSB,STRONG'S and THAYER'S, YLT]

WHAT DO YOU THINK? WHAT SCRIPTURE SUPPORTS YOUR UNDERSTANDING? Please share your thoughts with me at [email protected]

This really shows the double standard in the Bible for men and women. [1] Neither the husband nor the wife should separate from each other (Mat 19:6; 1 Corinth 7:11b), BUT [2] the wife should submit herself to her husband and his (Romans 13; 1 Cor 11:1-10) authority over her, refraining from bossing, teaching or dominating her husband (1 Tim 2); has permission to the second best option of separating herself from her husband but she must either remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband (1 Cor 7:10,11); [3] husband/man should not forsake, lay aside, leave, put (send) away and/or divorce [Strongs 863] his wife/woman [4] The wife is bound to her husband as long as both live and becomes an adulteress if she becomes the wife of another as long as her husband lives - one living husband at a time; [5] The husband has permission to divorce his wife for adultery and marry another. [6] The following Scriptures imply that it is not adultery if a man keeps his wife and marries another, as in Exodus 21:7-11. ***MATT 19:9 And I tell you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another [woman], commits adultery." ABSGNT+NASB+ESV+CJB+HCSB ***Mark 10:11 And He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her." CJB+ESV+HCSB ***Lk 16:18 "Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, . . . ESV, CJB, HCSB [7] Husbands and wives are bound before God to keep the marital covenants they made to each other, covenants that were witnessed by Jesus. Hopefully the couple obeyed James 4:15 when they made their marital covenants, saying "If the Lord wills, we will live and do" all that was covenanted. Forgiveness does not release one from having to keep marital vows, covenants and/or promises. Forgiveness is obtained when the sin of breaking the marital vows, covenants and/or promises is forsaken and in repentance the marital vows, covenants and/or promises are being kept and observed, if humanly possible. ***Prov 28:13Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy. ESV ***James 4: 15 Instead, you should say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that." 16 But as it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 17 So, for the person who knows to do good and doesn't do it, it is a sin. . . . 5:12 Now above all, my brothers, do not swear<3660>, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. Your "yes" must be "yes," and your "no" must be "no," so that you won't fall under judgment. STRONG'S <3660> swear, promise, affirm with an oath. The oath is that which ensures consequences if the swearing, promises, covenants, vows or affirmations are broken. An oath is making the swearings, promises, covenants, vows or affirmations while witnessed by God and/or people, who will impose consequences if they are broken.

Background: When the wife and husband-A married they were both genuinely saved in Jesus and free to marry according to the Scriptures. Mystery: The wife and husband-A become maritally separated/divorced contrary to Matt 19:6 and 1 Cor 7:10,11. I still do not understand what the ex-wife of husband-A is supposed to do if she comes under the 1 Cor 7:1,2,9 command to marry (to avoid sex sin) after husband-B has divorced her or died and it is an "abomination" before God for her to maritally reunite with husband-A. Apparently she cannot be maritally reconciled to husband-A even though she is maritally bound to him as long as both live. But following David's example, if it was me and I was still maritally bound to her in the Kingdom of God, then I believe that I still must care for and provide for her, food, clothing, shelter and a marital intimacy that does not include or involve me being exposed to the fluids of her body. That would include massaging her skin, massaging her intimately wearing surgical gloves, the fluids of my body being on her body etc.

XII. WHAT ABOUT THE HEALTH QUESTIONS INVOLVED IN SUCH REUNIONS?

What if the saved mates want to reunite, acknowledging their bound-for-life status before God, after they have sinfully separated, been adulterous, divorced or remarried? With so many sexually transmitted diseases (STD) out and about today, it is a pressing question. What if the couple who wish to reunite still have small or dependent children so that they must make sure that at least one of them lives to care for them?

If one of the two has acquired genital warts, it's only annoying for the husband but the wife would have to deal with the fact that reunion with full marital intimacy could expose her to cervical cancer, a leading killer of women. There are diseases that only affect fertility but if the couple has had no children yet, then that is a major decision for them to make with possible remedies like artificial insemination or etc>. What if one of them has genital herpes? For some people, usually the woman, that results in great discomfort periodically, sometimes even temporarily disabling. Would the reuniting mate be willing to be exposed to that if the other mate had it? What about HIV and AIDS? It's a death sentence with a heart break, and an ugly painful death at that. What do you do if saved you and your saved mate wish to acknowledge the reality of your bound-for-life status before God but you are staring an STD right in the face as a possible consequence?

Some would run right back to Deut. 24 and say that reconciliation is out since one or both have been "defiled". But defilement under the law included everything from nocturnal seminal emissions, running sores, blood, touching a dead body, eating the wrong food, touching or associating with gentiles (non Jews) or a woman's menstrual flow. The patriarch married Rahab the harlot of Jericho, who certainly had been defiled, and became an ancestor of Mary and Jesus. Under Deut. 25, every brother who married his brother's widow married a woman who had been defiled by another man (the dead brother). I don't think that is the issue.

What does being bound-for-life-maritally-in-the-Lord mean when one or both have STD's? When one or both have STD's that could end or severely handicap life? I have some idea of what this means because I was engaged to a dear saint whose deceased husband of 20 years had been repeatedly unfaithful to her, exposing her to whatever his whores had, and then after their divorce she backslid in depression and was seduced by a felonious excon, and we know of the homosexual diseases to which excons are exposed. A brother I know became engaged to a church going "Christian" lady and then found out that before they met she had been a prostitute with over 100 other men, some in refugee camps in utter poverty where her pay was food for her and her children. He worried about what he had exposed himself to just by kissing her.

Again, what does being bound-for-life-maritally-in-the- Lord mean when one or both have STD's? If we really believe that the "wife is bound by the law [of God] as long as her husband lives">201 , then we must also believe the commands and truths of Prov. 5:18,19; and 1 Cor. 7:2,3,4,5 where your marital partner's rights and responsibilities are described. Are you ready and willing to repent of wrongfully leaving or divorcing your saved mate and marrying another (or just being intimate with another)? Are you, the abandoned/ divorced/rejected mate, ready to grant 2 Cor. 2 forgiveness to your mate has demonstrated 2 Cor. 7 godly repentance for his or her 1 Cor. 5 offense against you and God? The blessing is on those who hear and obey. The sin lies at the door of the one who knows to do right and does not do it. [Footnote: >201 (1 Cor. 7:39).]

But what about STD's? Do you expect me to resume full marital intimacy with my saved and repentant mate who now has genital herpes and/or penicillin resistant gonorrhea? Yes these are very inconvenient and genuine concerns and the Old Testament Law would have forbidden you to touch people with such issues. But according to Acts 15, Eph. 2 and Colos. 2 we are not bound by the Mt. Sinai Law given to Moses now. That infected and repentant mate, bound to you by God as long as you both live, still has 1 Cor. 7:2-5 authority over your body and you still are under 1 Cor. 7:4,5 authority to meet her needs in marital intimacy so that mate wont be dangerously tempted by the enemy of your souls. The physical peril is greater than the spiritual peril. You have what your mate needs>202 in marital intimacy, the precedents>203 show that it is your responsibility to meet those needs that only you can meet. You are not being asked to lay down your life for your mate>204 . You may land up bearing the burden>205 of the ailment with your mate but that is godly and rewarded/blessed in the Lord. The one who seeks to save his life is the one who looses it before the Lord, whereas the one who lays down his life for another is the one who receives it again anew forever from the Lord. [Footnote: >202 (1 Jn. 3:17). >203 Luke 3:11; Acts 20:36; 1 Tim. 6:17-19; Eph. 4:28; 2 Cor 8 & 9; James 2:14-17; Deut. 15;7;Prov. 3:27,28; 21:13; Job 31:16-23. >204.(1 Jn. 3:16; Jn. 15:13; Rom. 16:4; Mk. 8:35). >205 (Ga. 6:2; Rom. 15:1-6).]

Creativity is not a sin. The two may mutually decide that their needs in marital sex could be met by mutual petting to orgasm, or erotic massage, erotic bathing, or etc. so that there is no genital to genital contact, no exchange of infectious fluids. Condoms are little or no protection with even the best of them failing to protect 22% of the time in federal tests that involved no motion on an artificial penis>#. Dr. Askew of the County Health Department told me (4/'96) the latest research he is aware of indicates as 17% User Failure Rate (the condoms failed the users who used them)>*. The latex gloves that surgeons use offer some protection because they are so much thicker than condoms. They both can pray for wisdom and receive it from God on how to wisely meet their marital sex responsibilities to each other in a godly and loving manner without infecting the other. But the bottom line is that the love of God constrains them both to meet each other's marital sex needs in order to obey God and deliver their partner from life threatening temptations>206 . [Footnote: ># Dr. Loraine Day, surgeon. ; >* He also indicated that the HIV/AIDS blood tests are 90% accurate three months after exposure, 99% accurate after six monthsl of exposure; >206 (1 Cor. 7:2-5; Prov. 5:18,19,20)]

What if my repentant and returning mate has HIV or AIDS? If you have dependent children to raise, you have some hard planning and decision making ahead of you. I can only offer my untried opinions. You must seek the Lord in fasting and prayer in this. The thought that comes to my mind is that of St. Francis of Assisi ministering to the lepers to the risk of himself and his beloved brethren. I think again of the beloved saint in Hawaii who ministered to the lepers in his leper colony and finally contracted it and died himself as a leper. And I think of Christ who fleshed Himself in this world of leprous sin, lived with we spiritually leprous sinners, and then voluntarily died, taking all our leprous sin into His own pure and sinless body. Isn't He our Master? Isn't that His way? Aren't we called to follow in His footsteps>207 ? Did He dodge and forego the suffering He was called to for us? Can we do any less as His Ambassadors? Isn't He the same Christ who indwells us and lives in us, our very life, and would He shrink from laying down His life in you for your mate who has AIDS but needs your marital sex according to 1 Cor. 7:2,3,4; and Prov. 5:18,19,20 in order to avoid the deadly temptations>208 that will come if you don't meet you mate's needs? They knew Him by the nail prints in His hands. Would it be too much for Him to ask you to be known by the AIDS of your needy mate in whom He also dwells? Is not His grace sufficient in every need and crisis? Can't you depend on Him to keep His Word to not let you be tried in this life more than you are able to bear>209 ? Read your Bible, Amy Carmichael's Rose from Briar, Amy's Gold Cord, Corrie Ten Boom's writings! Our God is able and we are a people called to take up our cross daily, laying down our lives for our brethren. I believe the same scriptures that compelled Peter Elliot to risk his life and be martyred in Ecuador - compel the saved mate to respond according to 1 Cor. 7:2,3,4,5 to the genuine marital sex needs of their saved, repentant and returning mate. [Footnote: >207 (1 Peter 2:21,22,23,24). >208 (1Cor. 7:5). >209 (1 Cor. 10:13)] Of course if the infected wife had the gift of continence, having no need of marital sex and was free from temptation, and so was able to deny herself her right so that her beloved mate need not be exposed, that would be the way to go for them. Sometimes something as easy as asking and endocrinologist to help a Christian male medically lower his testosterone level to the lowest safe level can so lessen the intensity of the aching needs and appetites that they cease to be a problem. But he would need to do it with the doctor monitoring him since we now know that hormonal imbalances can result in tumors and cancers. But we each have our gift>210, and even AIDS doesn't change those marital gifts which physically and mentally express themselves powerfully as aching needs and compelling appetites, as 1 Cor. 7:9 & 1 Tim. 5:11-14 and the practicers of Prov. 5:18,19,20 can tell you. [Footnote: >210 (1 Cor. 7)]

XIII. CAN ADULTERY, DIVORCE , VOWS AND REPENTANCE RESULT IN POLYGYNY OR CONCUBINAGE?

We are called to speak Truth to each other (Eph.4) by the God Who is the Truth. We are called to serve the God who cannot lie. Our God calls us to be a people whose mouths reflect His Light and Truth. The passages below show us that He expects us to be honorable and honest in the agrteements, understanding and contracts we have and make with each other. If we want His blessing, we will provide honest things in the sight of all so as not to give the adversaries an opportunity to blaspheme God or God's work in your life. Consider these: **** PSALM 116:13 I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of the LORD. 14 I will pay my vows to the LORD now in the presence of all His people. **** PSALM 66:13 I will go into Your house with burnt offerings; I will pay You my vows,14 [those] which my lips have uttered and my mouth has spoken in my trouble. DBY PSALM 15: Jehovah, who shall sojourn in your tent? . . . 2 He that walks uprightly . . .who, if he have sworn to his own hurt, changes it not; . . YLT ECCLES 5:4 When thou vowest a vow to God, delay not to complete it, for there is no pleasure in fools; that which thou vowest--complete. 5 Better that thou do not vow, than that thou dost vow and dost not complete. 6 Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin, nor say before the messenger, that `it [is] an error,' why is God wroth because of thy voice, and hath destroyed the work of thy hands? **** EZEKIEL 17:13 And he has taken of the king's seed and has made a covenant with him, and has taken an oath from him. He has also taken the mighty of the land, 14 so that the kingdom might be low, that it might not lift itself up, [but] that by keeping his covenant it might stand. 15 But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, to give him horses and many people. Shall he be blessed? Shall he who does such [things] escape? Or SHALL HE BREAK THE COVENANT AND BE DELIVERED? 16 [As] I live, says the Lord Jehovah, surely in the place of the king who made him king, WHOSE OATH HE DESPISED AND WHOSE COVENANT HE BROKE, even with him in the midst of Babylon he shall die. . . . 18 And HE HAS DESPISED THE OATH BY BREAKING THE COVENANT. And, behold, HE HAD GIVEN HIS HAND, AND HAS DONE ALL THESE, HE SHALL NOT ESCAPE. 19 Therefore so says the Lord Jehovah: [As] I live, surely MY OATH THAT HE HAS DESPISED, AND MY COVENANT THAT HE HAS BROKEN, I WILL EVEN REPAY IT ON HIS OWN HEAD. . . . I WILL JUDGE HIM THERE WITH HIS SIN WHICH HE HAS SINNED AGAINST ME. ****** ROMANS 1:28 . . . God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; . . . covenantbreakers, . . . 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

If American and legally married John legally marries free- to-marry Betty, it is a sin because John is under command>211 to obey the laws of the government authorities which forbids official/legal bigamy and polygyny and he would have to live with the legal consequences but I don't believe that would nullify the covenants he made with Betty. The covenants that are not covenants-to-sin could still be binding for the two in the Lord. So bigamy is illegal, Christians divorce Christians who are bound by the Lord to each other as long as both live, and Christians go on and marry others while still bound by the Lord to their exs under the banner of forgiveness. This combination has very complicated outcomes, consequences and effects which may include marriage, separation, polygyny , concubinage, adultery and/or fornication. Please read on. [Footnote: >211 (Romans 13; 1 Peter 2:12-14)]

What about this saved but separated and chaste wife? It seemed to me to be quite unfair that she could leave him and live unmarried, and we have seen that he, knowing he is still bound to her for life, has to struggle with the burning temptations predicted in 1 Corinth. 7:1-5, 9 with no legitimate sexual outlet. The double standard of male polygyny seems to favor the male, while the double standard of the wifes ability to separate (remaining chaste while the male may not separate) seems to favor the female.

St. Augustine (4th Cent AD) had a powerful way of stating the permanent nature of the marriage of two who married after being born again, lovingly obedient to Jesus and fruitful in the Spirit--- "To such a degree is that marriage compact entered upon a matter of a certain sacrament, that it is not made void even by separation itself, since, so long as her husband lives, even by whom she hath been left, she commits adultery, in case she be married to another: and he who hath left her, is the cause of this evil. . . Seeing that the compact of marriage is not done away by divorce intervening; so that they continue wedded persons one to another, even after separation; and commit adultery with those, with whom they shall be joined, even after their own divorce, either the woman with a man, or the man with a woman. . . But a marriage once for all entered upon in the City of our god>122, where, even from the first union of the two, the man and the woman, marriage bears a certain sacramental character, can no way be dissolved but by the death of one of them. . . Therefore the good of marriage throughout all nations and all men stands in the occasion of begetting, and faith of chastity: but, so far as pertains unto the People of God, also in the sanctity of the sacrament, by reason of which it is unlawful for one who leaves here husband, even when she has been put away, to be married to another, so long as her husband lives, no not even for the sake of bearing children: . . . not even where that very thing, wherefore it takes place, follows not, is the marriage bond loosed, save by the death of the husband or wife.">123 [Footnotes:>122 This footnote mark etc. is not St. Augustine's or Arthur Haddan's. I insert it just in case the reader is not aware of the fact that all marriages between real saints take place "in the City of our god" not according to St. Augustine, but according the the Holy Spirit in Hebrews 11:10,13-19, where they are already seated with Christ in the Heavenlies according to Eph. 1 & 2. >123 St. Augustin: On The Trinity; pp. 402, 406, 412.]

If she divorces him so she can live alone>212 , and he remarries a sister without rejecting/ repudiating/denying/ forsaking her who divorced him (so there is no adultery, see Mark 10:9-11), then yes it is legal in America and both she who wants to be alone and she who married him are both bound to him as long as he lives. She who divorces him to be alone is bound by Law as long as he lives, and she who married this rejected and abandoned man is bound both Gods Law and the law of man to him>. Under Gods Law the two are bound to him as long as he lives. There is nothing in scripture that contradicts this. We have seen that polygyny is not a sin and an evil. It is against the law and tradition of America and a saint must obey the laws of America>213 as long as they dont require us to disobey God. That is mans tradition, not Gods. [Footnote: >212 (1 Cor. 7:11.39). >213 (Rom. 13).]

In the Old Testament and New Testament times (4000 B.C. to 100 AD) polygyny and concubinage were practiced by Israel, Egypt, Babylon, Greece and Rome according to Jewish historians like Josephus. Yes, officially being married to two women in America is illegal by man's laws and those laws have to be obeyed if possible, but an informal/private covenant relationship between a married man and another woman besides his wife is concubinage, a practice as old as Jacob, Lea and Rachel in Genesis 22 (Lea's and Rachel's handmaidens/ concubines with whom Jacob fathered the heads of the 12 tribes) and is not illegal in America and is practiced on every continent on earth. A "mistress" is not a concubine in Biblical terms because a concubine is maritally bound to her husband by covenants and by the same scriptures as bind a wife to her husband, while a mistress is what the Bible calls a harlot in Ezekiel 16 and 23. Please see the full polygyny discussion enclosed.

Keeping one's marital vows/covenants can indeed result in polygyny, especially if done in repentance to a sinful divorce or an adulterous remarriage on the part of one or both of the saved marital partners who abide by God's Word, that they are bound by God maritally as long as both of them live. The foundation for believing that you or your mate is saved would be the following fruits of the Spirit, produced in the believer by the empowering of Christ: (1) They were legally and honorably married, before the divorce etc.; (2) They both had consistent public testimony of their salvation; (3) Their lives were consistent with the Word at home and away from home; (4) They both were compassionately and effectively involved in nurturing and shepherding Christian fellowship; (5) They were both characterized by the fruits of the Spirit instead of the works of the flesh; (6) They were faithfully in the Word in a life changing way; and (7) They were faithfully in prayer on a regular basis. If any of the above are missing, you have good cause to question the salvation of the person in question, which should move you to intercessory prayer and Matt. 18: 15-18. One of the best ways to resolve the question of a persons salvation is to exercise the Mat. 18:15-18 procedure in the manner of 2 Tim. 2:24-26. It would clarify the situation by showing you if your case was that of 1 Cor. 7:10,11,39 or that of 1 Cor. 7:12-15.

How can vows result in polygyny for genuinely the genuinely saved?What if Saphronia disobeyed God, left her husband, Eli, and married Raj? Since she is bound to Eli as long as he lives, she has committed adultery>216 . She makes the same vows to Raj as to Eli, in her adultery. After experiencing God's promised chastening>217 she repents, forsaking her adulterous relations with Raj and either returns to marital relations with Eli or chastely lives alone. Raj and Serena would have to do the sin of adultery to keep their vow to have and live with each other as husband and wife, so that vow is nullified (Numbers 30; we are the purchased bride of Christ = 1 Cor. 6:19,20 --so He nullifies our sinful vows, our vows to sin.). Their vows to cherish each other in all honor, love, duty, service, faith and tenderness are not sinful and therefore are not nullified but would have to be exercised chastely and free of any adulterous elements, at least in fervent intercessory prayer for each other. The same would hold true for Eli if he married Poona, Sukkur's lawful wife, in adultery and then repented of it, forsaking the adultery of his marital relations with Poona. Their vows to cherish each other in all honor, love, duty, service, faith and tenderness are not sinful and therefore are not nullified but would have to be exercised chastely and free of any adulterous elements, at least expressed in fervent intercessory prayer. [Footnote: >216 (Mark 10:11,12; Luke 16:18; Rom.7:1-5). >217 (1 Cor. 11; Heb. 12).]

What if Kure and Toegu Ohtani, a genuinely saved couple, had made the wedding vow that they would forsake all others, to keep themselves only to each other as long as both live? Dear little Toegu is overwhelmed by the strains of married life, sins by separating herself from Kure but repents by living chastely and unmarried>218 . Kure comes under the tormenting temptation predicted in 1 Cor. 7:5 & 9, and so finding himself burning and or failing to control himself, he obeys God's command to marry>125 and marries genuinely saved Kasai, who accepts Kure even though he, Kasai and Toegu know that he is still bound before the Lord to Toegu as her husband. [Footnote: >218 (1 Cor. 7:10, 11). >.n125 See Appendix #2.]

But what about his vow to forsake all others, keeping himself only to Toegu? He finds himself under God's command to keep his word>219 , and he also finds himself under God's command to marry>220 . Toegu refuses to be wife to him so he could beat the predicted temptations caused by her not obeying 1 Cor. 7:2-5 with him. He's bound by their vow but, as predicted, he is being taken advantage of by the Enemy, burning and sometimes failing to control himself. I believe that Kure, who is not his own but the purchased bond slave and member of the Bride of Christ, is released by his Spiritual Lord and Husband from his "forsaking all others" vow and released>221 to obey God's Word>222 to let the loving comfort of marital intimacy drown his burning. [Footnote: >219 (Eccles. 5:1-5; Psa. 15). >220 (1 Cor. 7:5,9,36). >221 (Numbers 30). >222 (1 Cor. 7:4,5,9.])

Any vow to sin is nullified for the believer according to Numbers 30 and 1 Cor. 6:19,20. You are not your own so you have no authority to promise yourself to anything except your Master's will. You would not allow your five year old son to keep his foolish promise to rob a bank. Your boss, hopefully, would not let you use his luxury car to rob the bank you promised to rob using his car. It would be sin on sin to keep sinful vows (Rom.6:1-5). It would not be sin to keep a vow that is in agreement with the Word of God. You have no authority to yield your self to keeping a vow to sin even if your good intention is to keep your word, especially when keeping your word in and of itself would be sin, because what you vowed to do is sin.

The best plan is to obey Jesus in Deut. 23:22; Eccles. 5:2,5; Matt. 5:33-37 and James 5:12A>#7 . Instead of vows/promises/covenants/ swearings/oaths, we should obey Jesus in James 4:13-17 and Matt. 5:33-37, making solemn declarations and affirmations of marital intentions, aspirations and hopes instead of making presumptuously arrogant and boastful marital vows about what we are going to do and not do in the future, which belongs to God and not to us. Please see the appendices 6 & 7 for a sample of such marital declarations and affirmations. [Footnote: >7 See Appendix #4]

For Kure to reject, repudiate and forsake his marital bond to Toegu in order to marry Kasai would make him an adulterer and his marriage to Kasai, adultery>223 . Acknowledging his marital bond with both Toegu and Kasai he becomes a polygynist, not an adulterer, even if Toeguy can only be his informal and unofficial contracted concubine because of the laws of the land. He keeps all righteous vows to both. [Footnote: >223 (Mark 10:11,12; Luke 16:18).]

If the saved husband, Ndola, has divorced his saved wife, Lusaka, and married another saved wife, Serowe, his repentance for the adultery of both divorcing his wife Lusaka and marrying Serowe -- should at least result in his seriously trying be to reconciled to the Lusaka he left>224 . Then he would have to deal with the question of his vows/covenants>225 he made with his new saved wife, Serowe. He would have to decide whether or not his covenants, if any, were binding and whether or not that results in him being a polygynist with two wives before the Lord (two wives, or a wife and a concubine before his community). [Footnote: >224 (Prov. 28:13; 1 Cor. 7:11,39). >225 (Psa. 15:4; Prov. 20:25;Ezek. 17:15; Malachi 2:13-17; Rom. 1:31).]

The situation could come to pass another way. If Lusaka has gone through a divorce from her saved husband Ndola, and she has married Ankora, her repentance should at least result in her leaving Ankora to either be reconciled to Ndola or live in celibate separation from him>226 . If Lusaka exercised her second best option and gets a divorce separating herself from Ndola in celibacy>227, subjecting Ndola to the temptations of 1 Cor. 7:5 so that his burnings and failures to control himself>228 bring Ndola under God's command to marry>126 and so he marries Serowe and is now bound before God to two saved wives as long as they both live>229. If Lusaka divorced and separated herself and later chooses to be reconciled to Ndola, to whom she is bound by the Lord but who has already remarried Serowe, then they have to decide if they resume their marital relationship with Lusaka being an unofficially contracted concubine in Western monogamous societies, or as either a concubine or a second wife in non-Western polygynous societies. So indeed, adultery, divorce and repentance can result in polygyny and/or concubinage. [Footnote: >226 (1 Cor.7:10,11,39). >227 (1 Cor. 7:11). >228 of 1 Cor. 7:9,36 (1 Th. 4:3,4,5). >126 See Appendix 2. >229 (1 Cor. 7:39; Rom. 7:1-3).]

XIV. ADULTERY, DIVORCE, POLYGYNY, CONCUBINES AND THE UNSAVED

Okay, I know that God doesn't want saved/believing me to marry one who is unsaved/unbelieving>5 , but what if I am/was married to an unsaved person? There is no question in scripture about the permanence of the marriage of two Christians, but what if you are a Christian and your mate is not a Christian, or at least you are not sure if your mate is a Christian because, even though the mate professes to be born-again, the mate's behavior is so sinful you doubt your mate's salvation. The book of First John 2:3-7 makes it clear that a mate's open and unrepentant continual disobedience to clear and explicit commands in the Word of God shows that he doesn't know God. The book of First John 2:19 shows that a mate who professed to be saved and then rejected Christ and Christians never was really saved in the first place. If you still aren't sure if your mate is saved, then Matt. 18:15-19 tells you what to do and if you do it you will know whether or not your mate is truly saved and then may proceeded according to 1 Corinth. 7:10,11,12,13,14, & 15. [Footnote: >5 See Appendix #2.]

So what if you have a mate who is plainly unsaved or one who has been found to be unsaved by the Matt. 18:15-18 procedure? The scriptures in 1 Corinth. 7:12,13,14,15 plainly state that as long as the unsaved mate wants to live and/or house with you, you should not leave the unsaved mate. It appears that the saved wife with the unsaved husband probably has the same 1 Corinth 7:10,11 repentance option of separation without remarriage that the saved wife has with her saved husband. The l Corinth. 7:12-15 passages make it clear that (1) if the unsaved no longer wants to live/dwell/ cohabit>127 with the saved, the saved mate may leave the unsaved mate but not be free to remarry since the saved one is free to remarry only if the unsaved departs; and (2) if the unsaved leaves/abandons/ divorces the saved mate, the saved mate may leave/divorce the unsaved mate and be free to remarry. [Footnote: >.n127 Greek Lexicons: Berry's Intelinear and Thayer's: " dwell"; Harpers and Brothers Analytical: "to dwell, cohabit"; Arnndt and Gingrich's: "dwell, have one's habitation".]

What if the believer sinned>230 and left/ divorced the unsaved mate who wanted to live with and remain married to the believer? 2 Corinthians 7 and Prov. 28:13 would seem to say that the believer's repentance of the sin ( a believer leaving the unsaved mate who still wants to live with the believer ) would be to forsake and clear his/herself of leaving/divorcing the unbeliever and return to the unbeliever. If the believer left/divorced the unbeliever while he/she still wanted to live/house with the believer and the believer remarried it would seem to be adultery since the believer wasn't freed according to 1 Cor. 7. What if the unsaved mate was abusive and cruel to the believer so the believer left/divorced the unsaved to live as chastely unmarried? Would the believer still be morally bound to this abusive unbeliever who sincerely still wants to live/house with the believer? I don't know but it would appear to be the same as the case as in 1 Cor. 7:11. Intense believing prayer and fasting>231 can be a big part of the solution for a saved but separated sister whose unsaved husband is both abusive and desirous of living with her. The saints should stand with her in this travail of prayer. [Footnote: >230 (1 Corinthians 7:12-15). >231 Mat. 17:21; Luke 5:33,34; Acts 10:30;13:3; Ephes. 6:12; 2 Cor. 10:3-7]

Because of Prov. 28:13 and 2 Corinth. 7 and Philemon I can't believe that she can just say to God, "I goofed and I'm sorry and I know You give the option of separation without marriage to anothe>232 but I don't want to be involved with my abusive unsaved husband anymore so I want you to forgive me for my disobience to Your will (leaving my unsaved husband who still wants to live/house with me) so I can marry somebody else". [Footnote: >232 (1 Cor. 7:11)]

There is no scripture that I know of that plainly and explicitly says that a believer who leaves an unbeliever who still wants to live/house with the believer (and the unbeliever has not left the believer) is still morally bound to the unbeliever and not free to remarry. I'm not aware of any scriptural basis for the believer who left the unbeliever to marry someone else if the unsaved mate still wants to live/ house with the believer and has not left/abandoned the believer. If I were in that situation I would take the safest course possible in the absence of any clear scripture and consider myself morally and maritally bound to my unsaved mate as long as my unsaved mate sincerely wants to live/house with me and has not left/abandoned me. As soon as the unbeliever leaves/ abandons/divorces me, no longer sincerely wanting to live/house with me, then I am no longer bound to that unbeliever and am free to remarry as I understand 1 Corinth. 7:12- 15. XV. THE MARRIED MAN WHO WOULD ADD WIVES TO HIS "HAREM."

What about the married character who says that since polygyny/concubinage is not a sin he will just go ahead and add a couple of new wives to his "harem"? It is understood here that the common man does not have a "harem", and his wives/concubines may not even live in the same place with him. So I admit that I use the idea of "harem" in the sense of the place or places where the wives of one man live.

Well, such a man who would take on additional wives/ mates won't get off the ground in America unless he is rolling in money and/or has found some financially independent and like-minded women. Even then they can't formally or legally marry in most modern nations. He could only legally marry one as wife and contract/covenant unofficially, privately and discreetly with the others as concubines.

Granted it is possible for a man to unselfishly and compassionately cherish in Love, in holy marital passion, his wife so well that she feels so secure in his love and in their marriage that she is willing to share him with another unselfish, compassionate, cherishing, generous and passionate woman (Song of Solomon 6). This is the exception and not the rule.

What about the married "brother" who knows a "sister" who knows she can't marry him because of the bigamy laws but they want to be married so bad that she is willing to be his "concubine" (wife by private and discrete contract/covenant/pact)in polygyny, even though she knows his wife objects or doesn't even know?

The Spiritual fruit of contentment should prevail. A person should be content with the mate they have. Selfishness is a work of the flesh and anyone who wants a mate, or another mate, or an additional mate, out of selfish reasons is out of the will of God and snared in sin. ***YLT=1 Tim. 6:5 "wranglings of men wholly corrupted in mind, and destitute of the truth, supposing the piety to be gain; depart from such; 6 ÿ but it is great gain--the piety with contentment; . . . 8 but having food and raiment--with these we shall suffice ourselves; 9 and those wishing to be rich [having more than they need], do fall into temptation and a snare, and many desires, foolish and hurtful, that sink men into ruin and destruction, . . ." [Young's Literal Translation] ***1Cor. 7:17 ÿ "However, as the Lord has divided to each, as God has called each, so let him walk; and thus I ordain in all the assemblies." [Darby]

If his present wife objects to his taking a concubine (wife by private and discrete contract/covenant/pact) for himself, can't she exercise her second best option>81 and separate herself from him and remain separate or be reconciled to him at some later date? [Footnote: >81 (1 Cor. 7:10,11,39)]

If his present wife objects to his taking a concubine (wife by private and discrete contract/covenant/pact) for himself, how can he say to Jesus that he is being kind to her, that he is not selfishly seeking his own by taking a concubine? God has promised to chasten>82 those saints who deliberately sin, and if he unkindly and selfishly takes on a concubine, then isn't he going to be chastened? [Footnote: >82 (1 Cor. 11:30 weakness, sickness, death; Ezekiel 14 famine, hurtful beasts, war or personal violence, disease and pestilence)]

If his wife is innocently and sincerely grieved, stumbled and offended by his desire to have a concubine, experiencing a genuine sense of loss or betrayal, then he has broken all the principles of Love in Romans 14, 1 Cor. 8 & 10 by using his liberty (to have a concubine) to the hurt of his "sister" in the Body of Christ and chastening>83 is certain. Certainly his prayers will be hindered>84. [Footnote: >83 (Malachi 2;1 Cor. 11:30 Heb 12). >84 (1 Peter 3:7;Isa 59:1,2)]

What if before he took another wife without her knowledge she had been loving, generous, kind, caring, sympathetic, compassionate; and then after she finds out he has taken another wife her objections to his taking a concubine are selfish, hateful, mean spirited, unkind and spiteful? These are all works of the flesh. If his taking a concubine stumbled her into these vices, caused her to fall into these vices, then he is destroying one for whom Christ died and for whom Christ is the Avenger (Rom. 14)] .

What if she normally and naturally is selfish, hateful, mean, unkind and selfish? What if her objections to his taking a concubine are selfish, hateful, mean spirited, unkind and spiteful? These are all works of the flesh. If she was this way by her choice before the concubine became an issue between them, she has chosen to walk in the flesh, her salvation is questionable at best, and he is at least in a 1 Cor. 7:12,13 situation: ****1 CORINTH. 7:12 But to the rest I speak, not the Lord, If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is pleased to dwell with him, do not let him put her away. 13 And the woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is pleased to dwell with her, do not let her leave him. 14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; else your children would be unclean, but now they are holy. 15 But if the unbelieving one separates, let [them] be separated. A brother or a sister is not in bondage in such [cases], but God has called us in peace.

He is bound to her as long as she wishes to house/dwell with him. With this kind of wife, wouldn't a godly concubine be his "corner on the roof," his sanctuary from the strife of her spirit and her tongue?

What if she doesn't know about his taking on a "sister" as a concubine (but the world would call her a mistress because they don't believe in marital commitment)? Well, the following scriptures indicate that there could be a problem involving honesty: ***Luke 8:15 "But that in the good ground, these are they who in an honest and good heart, having heard the word keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience." ***Rom. 12:17* "recompensing to no one evil for evil: providing things honest before all men: . . ." . ***Eph. 4:25 "Wherefore, having put off falsehood, speak truth every one with his neighbor, . . . 29 Let no corrupt word go out of your mouth, but if [there be] any good one for needful edification, that it may give grace to those that hear [it]." ***2 Cor. 8:21 "for we provide for things honest, not only before [the] Lord, but also before men."

There would have to be no communications or there would have to be false communications between a man and his wife if the man had a secret concubine on the side. As his wife exercised her authority over his body for affection and sex>86 he probably would, at some point because of the secret concubine, resist her sexual authority>87 over his body and be chastened of God, or he would get into a situation where he would have to lie to get out of it, and be chastened of God. If he keeps that up, couldn't she land up a widow and get to marry again in the Lord since He liberated her from her Judas? [Footnote: >86 (1 Cor.7:3-5). >87 (Romans 13:1- 5)]

What if it is a situation of real need and crisis? What if she decided to exercise her option to separate>95 herself from her husband, but not by divorce but by separate beds or separate bedrooms and allowed him no more access to her body for his sexual needs? He is under God's command to not leave or divorce her>96 . She is wife in name only and he has no sexual partner. Hasn't she sinfully set him up for Satan>97 and burning>98 which will compel him to marry or be an adulterer. If it is to marry, wouldn't it have to be with a concubine, since bigamy is illegal in the USA? [Footnote: >95 (1 Cor. 7:10,11). >96 (1 Cor. 7:10,11; Mark 10:9-11). >97 (1 Cor.7:5). >98 (1 Cor. 7:9; 1 Th.4:4,5; Appendix 2).]

What if Theo is a devoted, loving and caring husband but Safronia is uninterested in sex with him, passively tolerating sex with him while making him feel, without a word, that he is imposing on her and being burdensome to her in the matter? She refuses the help available from counseling and support groups. Well she obviously is not doing 1 Cor 7:2,3,4,5 as unto the Lord. *** 1 CORINTH. 7: 2 "But, [to avoid] fornication, let each have his [own] wife, and let each have her own husband. 3 Let the husband give to the wife proper kindness, and likewise the wife also to the husband. 4 The wife does not have authority over [her] own body, but the husband. And likewise also the husband does not have power [over his] own body, but the wife. 5 Do not deprive one another, unless [it is] with consent for a time, so that you may [give yourselves to] fasting and prayer. And come together again so that Satan does not tempt you for your incontinence." ~ Seeing her brother-husband in need, she shuts up her feelings of compassion>88 . But in the meantime she has killed his affections for her by her words and deeds and his affection goes unanchored now. She refuses to welcome his affectionate and intimate touch in disobedience to the Word>89 . As predicted, Theo is being sexually tempted by Satan and Theo finds himself burning and sometimes failing >90 to control himself when exposed to things like pornography. Tempted, burning and sometimes failing to control himself, Theo finds himself under the command to marry (be having his own wife)>n89. [Footnote: >88 (1 John 3:14-18). >89 (1 Cor. 7:2,3,4,5). >.n89 See Appendix 2. >90 (1 Cor. 7:9, see Appendix 2). ]

Safronia refuses to help him meet his needs, and he can't divorce her because she claims to be saved >91 . Since she cares not for affection with him, he might have to exercise his liberty to have a concubine in the manner of Romans 14, privately and discretely instead of publicly and openly. If his faith allows him to have a concubine but having a concubine would grieve, offend and/or stumble someone, perhaps even his Arctic wife, then wouldn't he have to exercise his faith's personal liberty by having his concubine privately and discretely between himself, her and God so as not to let his liberty offend the Body of Christ. [Footnote: >91 (1 Cor.7:10,11,39; Mark 10:1-12).]

What kind of sister would be concubine to such a brother? Perhaps one who saw his need>92 and was moved with compassion and, having what he needs she lays down her life for him to minister as wife-concubine to him>93 . Perhaps she feels called to be his good Samaritan concubine in his wounded and neglected need. She would have to be of one mind and one faith with him to be his concubine privately and discreetly so as not to offend the Body of Christ. They would have to agree to deny themselves the free and open exercise of 1 Cor. 7:2-5 and exercise those rights and needs within the limitations of privacy and discretion before God and the Body of Christ>94 . Wouldn't they have to agree not to lie or deceive while on the other hand they would have to agree to obey Rom. 14:28ff in not breaking their commitment to privacy and discretion, even if they have to say nothing when asked? Wouldn't it be a marriage fraught with self denial, self sacrifice and self control? [Footnote: >92 (1 Cor. 7:2-5). >93 (1 John 3:14- 18). >94 (Rom14:28-).]

Anyone who did this would have to selflessly and unselfishly seek to provide protection and well being even for his cold and indifferent wife. He would have to do everything possible to make sure that any concubine he would have would not bring harmful sexually transmitted diseases (including HIV) into the germ pool of their polygyny . That would mean genital cultures, blood tests and abstaining from marital intimacy/ commitment and waiting several months for repeated tests since HIV might not show up for several months. Since STDs, including HIV, can be transmitted by bloody saliva in kissing, wouldn't they have to abstain even from kissing until all tests came back okay?

What if there were a widow or abandonned wife who had come under command to marry>*, and there is no one found who will marry such a woman. The woman has a legitimate need to marry in order to obey God but she can find no way to do so. What if a godly married man sees her need to marry, her inability to find anyone to marry in obedience to God, and he is moved with compassion for her, deciding to meet her need by taking her as his concubine (wife by private and discrete contract/covenant/pact)>** ? What if he communicates to his wife his desire to help this needy woman and his wife understands the need and the plight of the woman but hardens and steels her heart against the need of the woman and her husband's desire to help her, and exercises her sexual authority over his body>***, stating that he does not have her permission to help the woman by marrying her as his concubine (wife by private and discrete contract/covenant/ pact)? [Footnotes: >*. according to 1Cor7:1,2,8,9 and 1Tm5:14; >** Jas 2:16; 1Jn3:16,17; Isa 58; >*** 1Cor7:2,3,4,5]

The Palestinian Rahab of Jericho saw the need of the Israeli spies for safety and protection. Her ruler exercised his legal right and demanded her to turn them over to him. She did not obey her legitimate ruler, but disobeyed him in order to meet the needs of the Israeli spies. God and Israel saved her life and the life of her family for this, blessed her, and one of the Israelis married her. Rahab was an ancestor of Jesus Christ (Mat 1).

King Saul's son, Jonathon, saw the need of the David for safety and protection from Saul's intention to murder him. His father exercised his legal right, as king and father, and demanded that Johathon not assist David and turn David over to him for execution. Johnathon did not obey his father and legitimate ruler, but disobeyed him in order to meet the survival needs of David. God and Johnathon saved David's life, and God and David blessed Johnathon. David was an ancestor of Jesus Christ.

Jesus' good Samaritan Palestinian saw the need of the severely wounded and helpless traveler, who was ethnically of the people and society that belittled and discriminated against him and his Samaritan people. He saw his social enemy's need for safety and protection in order to recover from the wounds inflicted on him by the violent robbers, his need to continue to live. He could have exercised his legal right, as a freeman and subject of the local rulers, as a Samaritan whose people were consistently wronged by the social group of the wounded man, and joined the others in legally not helping the wounded man, leaving him to die. The Palestinian Samaritan went beyond the requirements of the land and against the will of his own people in order to meet the survival needs of the wounded and helpless man and generously saved the life of his severely wounded social enemy. Jesus blessed and lifted up this Palestinian of Samaria as His example of unselfishly and compassionately cherishing in Love one's neighbor, the needy known to one in one's life.

The godly and capable husband saw the need of the widow (or abandonned wife) for safety and protection in marriage in obedience to God's command. His hard and steel hearted wife exercised her legal right, as his wife having sexual authority over the sexual use of his body, and told her husband that he did not have her authority to marry the needy woman under God's command to marry, that he would have to answer to God for what he does about the woman. The compassionate and capable husband saw that he had what the needy woman needed to obey God, the ability to be her husband, and he was constrained by compassion and mercy to meet the legitimate need of the woman, so in order to obey King Jesus, he disobeyed his wife who exercised her legitimate authority over the sexual use of his body>~. He disobeyed her in order to compassionately obey God by meeting the survival needs of the woman, which compassionate act he was able to meet without reducing his care and provision for his hard heated wife>95. [Footnote: >~ Jas 2:16; 1Jn3:16,17; Isa 58; 1Cor7:2,3, 4,5; Rom. 13:1-7. >95 Exodus 21:7-11; Deut 21:15,16; Jas 2:16; 1Jn3:16,17; Isa 58.]

Clearly God instructs us in many places inthe Bible to obey and be subject to those He has allowed to be in authority over us, as long as those in authority do not violate or contradict His Laws in His Word in the Kingdom of God. Heb 11 etc. declare that we believers have dual citizenship, USA by natural birth, Heaven and the New Jerusalem by rebirth in Jesus. The Kingdom of God is for eternity and the kingdom of man is temporary, so the Laws of the Kingdom of God take precedence when man's authority and rules contradict/violate God's laws, as Shedrach and Co. showed when they refused to obey their king and his laws that required them to bow to and worship a false god; as Daniel showed when he disobeyed the law of the land and continued praying to God; as Moses showed in disobeying Pharaoh; As Johnathon did in disobeying the King to save David's life; as Michal did when she saved David's life; as David disobeyed Saul as a fugitive from "justice"; as Rahab did when she saved the Israeli spies; as Esther did when she save the Israelis; as Joseph did when refused to have sex with his owner; as Samson did when he disobeyed the Philistine occupation forces; as Peter did when he disobeyed the authorities in order to obey Jesus; as Dr. ML King did when he integrated nonviolently churches, buses, stores etc which were segregated legally, exposing and confronting the sins of bias, prejudice, partiality and injustice; as Jesus did when He disobeyed the rulers of Israel by healing on the Sabbath, gleaning and eating the gleanings on the Sabbath, and by publically exposing the bias, prejudice, partiality and injustice, and sins of the rulers of Israel contrary to their law.]

XVI. ARE POLYGYNY & CONCUBINES OPTIONS FOR THE ABANDONED MAN?

What about the divorced Christian husband? Could he just go out and take another wife while his prior Christian wife chooses to remain chastely separated? Would that be selfish? Those who are born of the Spirit of God are led by the Spirit of God, acknowledge Him as Lord in all their ways and love Him by obeying Him. Any act not led by the Spirit or any act that is contrary to the Word of God is sin. Exodus 21:10 states, "If he takes another, he shall not diminish her food, her clothing, and her marriage rights." It didnt depend on her wanting or demanding them. He had to be ready to give to her whether she wanted it or not. In l Corinth. 7:1- 4,10,11,39 the separated wife has authority over his body in her right to sexual intimacy with him any time she chooses reconciliation.

Brother Sam's vows, subsequent separation and divorce could lead to his polygyny. He marries Sophia, both genuinely saved and free to marry in the Lord, and they vowed/ covenanted to have each other to be husband and wife to each other, pledging their troth in all honor, love, duty, service, faith and tenderness, to cherish and live with each other according to the ordinance of God, honoring and keeping each other in the holy bond of marriage. Before God and other witnesses they promised and covenanted to be each others comforting, loving and faithful mate; in plenty and in lack, in joy and grief; in infirmity and health; as long as they both live.

Then Sophia decides to exercise the sin/repentance option of leaving him and living chastely separated from him>214 as long as he lives. He comes under the tormenting temptation predicted in 1 Cor. 7:5 & 9 (see the discussion of this burning beginning in the appendix "When Must We Marry"). Sophia refuses his authority over her body, refuses to be wife to him subjecting him to Satan's tempting as he burns (1Cor.7:9) with sexual desire generated from his high testosterone level. Finding himself burning and or failing to control himself (1Cor.7:5,9), he obeys God's command to marry (1Cor.7:9) and marries genuinely saved Serena. Serena accepts him even though he and Serena both know that he is still bound before the Lord to Sophia as husband. For him to reject, repudiate and forsake his marital bond to Sophia in order to marry Serena would make him an adulterer and his marriage to Serena, adultery>215 . Acknowledging his marital bond with both Sophia and Serena he becomes a polygynist, not an adulterer. Sophia has a change of heart and wants to be married to him again, but in the USA he can legally be married to only one wife, so he has to accept her back as his concubine, fully honoring his vows both Serena and Sophia. If Serena doesn't want to be married to an active polygynist, she can sin by leaving him and repent by remaining chastely single as long as he lives. In thought, word and deed he must love each according to his vows, since separation or polygyny do not release him from his vows>124 . [Footnote: >214 1 Cor. 7:11,39. >215 (Mark 10:11,12; Luke 16:18). >124 See Appendices 4 and 7; (see the pages and scriptures just before the Bibliography).]

What a shame most women have no idea of what the average male's testosterone sex drive does to him. I believe it is almost impossible for the average woman to understand the 1 Cor.7:9 burning that a middle to high testosterone blood level male experiences due to his testosterone. Granted about half of males have low mid- range to low testosterone levels as well as nocturnal emission, so they have little or no problem turning off or on their sex lives. The low testosterone level males may have a great deal of difficulty turning on their sex lives.

Women have no idea that the sex drive in that half of the male who have mid to high testosterone levels in their blood is as strong and compelling as the hunger drive when the stomach is growling and cramping for lack of food; or as the thirst drive when the tongue, throat and mouth are so dry it is even difficult to talk; as the rest drive when it is impossible to keep the eyes open or the body erect due to utter exhaustion. These same women would not normally ignore such hunger/thirst signs, nor say that they would take cold showers and exercise to overcome such hunger/thirst signs. If they chose to fast, go without food and drink, by the second day they would be too weak to do their daily work and chores, and by the third day they would be too weak walk far or stand for long periods of time. As one who has fasted and prayed three days without food or drink, I know.

Yet they fault the mid to high testosterone blood level male for not being able to ignore his compelling sex drive and do without. When the men who are not blessed with natural nocturnal emission (wet dreams) have gone without sexual release for several days, the prostrate becomes so congested that it begins to squeeze shut the urethra so they cannot urinate normally and the effect on the brain is that those males are so distracted and distractible, especially by anything female, that quite literally their minds could be said to be weakened in that it is very difficult to concentrate or focus on necessary tasks. If women could think of their nasal sinuses being so congested that they cannot breath, or of the problems with urination that a woman has with urination when 8 or 9 months pregnant, then maybe they could understand the problems prostrate congestion can cause. Without release, ejaculation, they could become so distracted and distractible by anything that, as with too much alcohol, their judgment and thinking is impaired and foolish (risky), dangerous (AIDS,HIV) or irrational behavior results.

To help his wife or daughter understand the effect of testosterone on a male in relationship with his woman whom he loves and desires passionately, a man might do the following. (1) Take his lady out to eat her favorite meal. Order the meal, talking it up to maximize her anticipation and desire for it (2). When the meal is served, ask her take a minute to look carefully at each item (how it is arranged, how it appears). Ask her to smell each item. Ask her to take one fork/spoon serving of each item and eat it, one at a time. Ask her if she is pleased and still wants it (3). If she replies that she is ready and eager to eat and wants no more delay, then gently, sweetly, carefully ask/beg/entreat her to trust you in what you are about to do and that she go along with what you are about to do. If she will cooperate, ask the waiter/waitress to doggy bag the meal(4). She will probably need a lot of reassurance at this point, so tell her that if she will go along with you it will significantly improve her marriage. Hopefully she will believe you, reluctantly. Ask her to carry the bagged food in the car on her lap, or on the floor at her feet. Turn on the heater of your car with a little floor heat so the smell of the food will rise to her face(5). When you get home, ask her to carry it and put it in the refrigerator (6). She will probably need more encouragement to do this. Ask/beg/entreat her to trust you and cooperate. Ask her if she likes the way that the evening has gone so far. Ask her how she feels about her favorite meal, cooling off in the refrigerator. Sit her down and gently, compassionately and wisely explain to her what follows next.

The favorite meal to him is HER (1). He approaches, anticipates, and awaits her with eager expectation(2). Tell her that everytime he sees, smells, hears, touches and/or tastes her lips/skin, it is what she felt above (3). Explain that the bagging of the food in front of her (4) is what he feels when she says to him Honey! Not tonight., I have a headache and I just dont feel like it right now., All you think of is sex! Chill out baby! Not tonight!, What have you done lately to deserve it, baby?. Explain to her that the carrying of the pleasantly aromatic food home on her lap in the car is like when he is near her but cant feast on her, cant fully enjoy her(5). Explain that her putting the nice warm and delicious food in the refrigerator is what he experiences when he has to go to bed or part from her without having had the honor, the privilege, the delightful pleasure, the soul fulfilling experience of feasting on her and her many delectables (6). Explain patiently and gently and that for him his sexual drive is an appetite, and his appetite is for her - his favorite feast. Explain that to be near her is like ordering and receiving his favorite meal, her. Explain that when he is denied his compelling hunger and thirst for her, it is painful and hard to bear. Explain that it is a soul wrenching experience. Explain that he NEEDS he even more than he WANTS her. Appeal to her experience with the deferred meal to understand how frustrating and emotionally troubling it is to be denied her. If nothing else, lay the Word on her----how it is the will of God for her to feed the hungry, and seeing his need and her ability to meet it -- pray that she will be moved with compassion and meet his need. And explain that his responsibility is to receive the wonderful and gracious gift that she is and has, is to gently and kindly and thoughtfully enjoy her--- seeking to give her as much pleasure as possible. If he doesnt do that, then he is the swine that had pearls thrown before him, the fool who has no idea of the value of his precious possession and hides it away from all, even from himself.

As a male with mid to high testosterone and no nocturnal emission when I was in high school, my Urologist (Vital Haynes,MD), told me I had a few options to prevent my recurring prostrate congestion. He said that I, at age 17, could either get married and be intimate frequently, be promiscuous frequently, self- stimulate quite frequently, become homosexual (the penis in the anus squeezes the seminal fluid out of the prostrate), or come into his office two to three times a week for him to massage/press the seminal fluid out of my prostrate (too expensive and embarassing). Cold showers, exercise and being spiritual just did not empty the prostrate so I could urinate normally and have my mind clear of testosterone distractions. For the mid to high testosterone male, sexual release is just as much as physical need as food, drink, and sleep.

The question such men have to deal with is, "How can I have the testosterone release I need so I can take care of daily business and be acceptable to Jesus since my wife left me and refuses reconciliation and intimacy with me?" The obvious answer is marriage (1 Cor. 7:1,2,5,9 monogynous or polygynous) with a wife or concubine who understands his sexual needs and is committed to ministering to him in his need in Christ, and as unto Christ (Matt. 25:34,35,36), so that his physical need of the release/ejaculation can be met and they can get on with their lives. The closest the female comes to this experience is in her PMS where her mind is bombarded with hormones etc. making many to be quite distracted and temporarily not their normal selves. It is extremely difficult for a woman to understand that testosterone can make a godly man REALLY NEED (not just want) the physical marital love making of a godly wife. It is not just a matter of the will and the mind, just like the physical needs for food, drink and sleep.

It is possible that he could know a Christian widow or sister who was burning>99 and under command to marry>100 who had no marital prospects except a Christian man divorced from a chastely separated Christian sister, no other brother wanting to marry her. The divorced Christian man who would like to marry her could be moved as in the following: [Footnote: >99 (1 Cor. 7:9). >100 (1 Tim 5:11-14).]

**** 1 JOHN 3:16 By this we have known the love [of God], because He laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down [our] lives for the brothers. 17 But whoever has this world's goods and sees his brother having need, and shuts up his bowels from him, how does the love of God dwell in him? 18 My children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 19 And in this we shall know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. He could be moved by her plight and pray for an unencumbered husband for her. But if God doesnt provide another and the sister is burning, having great trouble with and almost succumbing to temptations, his continued prayer alone would be empty piety like in the following: **** JAMES 2: 14 My brothers, what profit [is it] if a man says he has faith and does not have works? Can faith save him?15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and if one of you says to them, Go in peace, be warmed and filled, but you do not give them those things which are needful to the body, what good [is it]? 17 Even so, if it does not have works, faith is dead, being by itself. He would seem to be compelled to intervene, offering himself in marriage to her as he desires anyway, to enable her to obey Gods solution for her problem>101 . This could even be the case if his chastely separated and divorced "Christian" wife was carnal and too selfish/rebellious to be moved by her plight and 1 John 3:17 to approve of her divorced Christian mans plan to marry her. You dont let the saint who seeks Gods solution be destroyed because of a carnal saint who resists or refuses compassion and Gods solutions. [Footnote: >101 (1 Cor. 7:1,2,3,9; see Appendix 2).]

Jesus went ahead and pleased His Father to die for us while his friends and apostles either resisted or could not comprehend the idea. Peter risked the scorn of his fellow apostles when he went to Corneliuss house in Acts 10 & 11. Paul rebuked Peter before all and took his stand with the Lord and righteousness when Peter fell into public sin in Galatians 2. If a man is led by the Spirit in conformity with the Word of God to remarry after Christian divorce (let a man examine himself>102 ) then he had better make sure to not forget that his divorced and chastely separated wife is bound to him as wife as long as they both live>103 . He would have to recognize her authority over his body for marital intimacy with her if she ever sought reconciliation. To act contrary to her authority would be the resisting of God's authority in the following: [Footnote: >102 , his motives, his desires, his obligations and make sure they are of 1 John 3:17. >103 1 Cor. 7:11,39; Rom. 7:1-5; Mark 10; Malachi 2.]

***ROMANS 13: 1 Let every soul be subject to the higher authorities. For there is no authority but of God; the authorities that exist are ordained by God. 2 So that the one resisting the authority resists the ordinance of God; and the ones who resist will receive judgment to themselves. 3 For the rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the bad. And do you desire to be not afraid of the authority? Do the good, and you shall have praise from it. 4* For it is a servant of God to you for good. For if you practice evil, be afraid, for it does not bear the sword in vain; for it is a servant of God, a revenger for wrath on him who does evil. 5 Therefore [you] must be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience' sake.

Most of the godliest men who had the closest and most blessed relationship with God in the Old Testament were polygynists at some point in their lives. A Godly polygynist is not an oxymoron. A Godly polygynist could be and could have been God's man for that moment in history since polygyny never excluded anyone from God's miraculous blessing and intervention. I believe St. Augustine (4th Century AD) had a good word here for such a man.

"But those who have not the virtues of temperance must not be allowed to judge of the conduct of holy men, any more than those in fever of the sweetness and wholesomeness of food. . . If our critics, then, wish to attain not a spurious and affected, but a genuine and sound moral health, let them find a cure in believing the Scripture record, that THE HONORABLE NAME OF SAINT IS GIVEN NOT WITHOUT REASON TO MEN WHO HAD SEVERAL WIVES; and that the reason is this, that the mind can exercise such control over the flesh as not to allow the appetite implanted in our nature by Providence to go beyond the limits of deliberate intention. . . .the holy patriarchs in their conjugal intercourse were actuated not by the love of pleasure, but by the intelligent desire for the continuance of their family. . . .NOR DID THE NUMBER OF THEIR WIVES MAKE THE PATRIARCHS LICENTIOUS. But why defend the husbands, to whose character the divine word bears the highest testimony. . . .">.n90 [Footnote: >n90 The CAPS are Tyler's. A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church, Vol. iv; p.290. Yes it is understood that some of the patriarchs, in their conjugal intercourse, might have actually been motivated by the conjugal pleasure of Prov. 5:18,19; Song of Solomon; Eccles. 9:9------actually obeying God's command.]

XVII. POLYGYNY, CONCUBINES AND THE LEADERS OF GOD'S PEOPLE.

Husband of one wife: Yes! Definitely! An elder/overseer/bishop/superintendent of a church must be the husband of only one wife. Are we all elders/overseers/bishops/ superintendents? Clearly not. The unmarried are not. The married who have unruly children are not. Husbands with disrespectful, uncooperative and defiant wives are not. The married and unmarried who are unable to teach are not. All novices are not. Those with a bad reputation, earned or unearned, among the unsaved through slander or misunderstandings are not. Those who don't want a church leadership position are not. That includes most of us, and most of us are not covered by the injunction to be the husband of only one wife. 1 Cor. 7:33 and 34 with Eph. 5:22-32 show why an elder can have only one wife: *** 1 CORINTH. 7:33"But the [one] who is married cares for the things of the world, how to please [his]wife. 34 The wife and the virgin [are] different. The unmarried woman cares for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she who is married cares for the things of the world, how she may please [her] husband." *** EPHES. 5:22 "Wives, submit yourselves to [your]own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ [is] the head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. 24Therefore as the church is subject to Christ, so [let] the wives [be] to their own husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for it . . . 28 So men ought to love their wives as their [own] bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no man ever yet hated his [own] flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, even as the Lord loves the church. . . . 33 But also let everyone of you in particular so love his wife even as himself, and the wife that she behaves herself respectfully to her husband."

With one wife would he have the time to invest in theneeds of the local church under his care? The local church would be the equivalent of a second wife for him due to the time and energy he would have to invest to do the work well. There are only so many hours in the day and we all have only so much strength and energy. Beyond that the work must fall to some one else. A polygynist church elder would fall short of Matt. 6:33 due to time pressures, - - - - *** MATT. 6:33 "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you."------fall into disobedience of the following with his wives, - - - - *** 1 CORINTH. 7: 4 "The wife does not have authority over [her] own body, but the husband. And likewise also the husband does not have power [overhis] own body, but the wife. 5 Do not deprive one another, unless [it is] with consent for a time, so that you may [give yourselves to] fasting and prayer. And come together again so that Satan does not tempt you for your incontinence."- - - - his prayers would be hindered according to the following ***DARBY 1 PETER 3: 7 "[Ye] husbands likewise, dwell with [them] according to knowledge, as with a weaker, [even] the female, vessel, giving [them] honour, as also fellow-heirs of[the] grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered."------and the church would be poorly served due to his lack of time and energy. There is the problem of the polygamous mentality. A man who has learned to love passionately and maritally more than one wife at one time would be more vulnerable to sexual temptation in church ministry than a man who has learned to love passionately and maritally only one wife at a time. A ministering polygamist in a leadership position would be more likely to be tempted to accept the advances/ propositions of an unmarried sister in the church who falls in love with him and he with her. This could result in sex outside of marriage (fornication) or yet another addition to his polygamous "harem". This would stumble the saints and would be a reproach to the unsaved. It would appear that a godly polygamist would have to have a very low profile (no leadership position) in the church.

The Qualifications of official church LEADERS, each the husband of one wife.

What is an overseer, a bishop, a pastor etc, and what does it mean to "be" one? ****1 Tim. 3:2 A bishop<1> then must<2> be<3> blameless, the husband of one wife,

<1>From Strong's Lexicon: "A bishop" 1) an overseer 1a) a man charged with the duty of seeing that things to be done by others are done rightly, any curator, guardian or superintendent 1b) the superintendent, elder, or overseer of a Christian church >54 [Footnote: >.54 Strong's Lexicon, Open Bible Online]

****1 Tim. 3:2 An overseer, elder, bishop or pastor then must<2>------

<2>"must" = dei, G1163, vi Pres im-Act 3 Sg, it-IS- BINDING, must [http://www.scripture4all.org/OnlineInterlinear/NTpdf/1ti3. pdf] The Greek "mood" here is "imperative": IMPERATIVE = The imperative mood is a command or instruction given to the hearer, charging the hearer to carry out or perform a certain action. [http://www.ntgreek.org/learn_nt_greek/verbs1.htm]

****1 Tim. 3:2 An overseer, elder, bishop or pastor then is being commanded and instructed to presently be<3>- - - - -

<3>"be" = einai. G1511, vn Pres vxx, TO-BE [http://www.scripture4all.org/OnlineInterlinear/NTpdf/1ti3. pdf] The Greek present tense:"The present tense usually denotes continuous kind of action. It shows 'action in progress' or 'a state of persistence.' When used in the indicative mood, the present tense denotes action taking place or going on in the present time." The Greek "mood" here is "Indicative" INDICATIVE = "The indicative mood is a statement of fact or an actual occurrence from the writer's or speaker's perspective" [http://www.ntgreek.org/learn_nt_greek/verbs1.htm#INDI CATIVE]

****1 Tim. 3:2 An overseer, elder, bishop or pastor then in fact and in present ongoing and continuing time is being commanded and instructed to presently be the husband of one wife - -

The Greek is "husband of one wife". ##Even if you accept Stern's translation in his Complete Jewish Bible, "he must be faithful to his wife", the "wife" is still singular.

It is not just the translators of the KJV who support "husband of one wife." Consider the following: ##"the husband of but one wife, " NIV, New International Version - UK (NIVUK) ##"the husband of one wife" NASB, Amp Bible, ESV, Darby, Holman Christian Standard Bible, Wycliffe NT, Dr. John W. Etheridge's English Peshitta translation and Dr. James Murdock's English Peshitta translation [http://dukhrana.com/peshitta/; http://www.lamsabible.com/Lamsa/15_1Timothy/1Timothy 3.htm] ##"of one wife a husband" Young's Literal ##"marido de una sola mujer" Castillan, La Biblia de las Américas (LBLA) ##"eines Weibes Mann" Luther's 1545 Bible ##Calvin: "I pass over the fact that Paul in many passages wishes a bishop to be a man of one wife [ <540302> 1 Timothy 3:2; <560106> Titus 1:6]." [http://www.peacemakers.net/peace/instb4c12.htm] ##Wikipedia: "In 1 Timothy 3:2 the emphasis is on Church leaders: " A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;" Something similar is repeated in the first chapter of the Epistle of Titus . . ." [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polygamy] ##The Latin Vulgate was written around the 4th Cent AD and its take is "married only once" which still indicates "one wife." [http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/1timothy/1timothy3.htm #v1] ##Augustine (4th Cent AD) "Augustine, On the Good of Marriage 18. 21 (MPL 40. 387; tr. NPNF III. 408). RSV, 1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:6: "married only once." [http://www.peacemakers.net/peace/instb4c12.htm]

As to the interpretation that the bishop/elder "should be a married man" fails to recognize the presence of "mi>a, — mee’-ah" which must be translated as "one." In 2000 years of translating 1 Tim 3:2 on four continents there is absolutely no evidence of the crazy and illogical translation ""the husband of first wife". I doubt very much that our description of the President's wife as the "First Lady" can be transferred to the church so that the head pastor's wife would be called "the first lady" of all the ladies in the church, or "the first wife" of all the wives in the assembly.

In all of Paul's epistles when he used "first" with a person, the Spirit had him use "protos." Paul did not use "protos" with wives in 1 Tim 3 or Titus 1. first + person (4413) prw~tov, — pro’-tos; contracted superlative of (4253) (pro>); foremost (in time, place, order or importance): — before, beginning, best, chief (-est), first (of all), former. 1 Corinthians 14:30 "the first <4413> hold his peace"(4413) prw~tov, — pro’-tos; 15:45 "the first man<4413>", (4413) prw~tov, — pro’- tos; 15: 47"the first man<4413>", (4413) prw~tov, — pro’- tos;

In all of Paul's epistles when he used "first" with a thing the Spirit had him use "proton" or "protos." first + thing 1 Corinthians 11:18 = "For first of all <4412>," (4412) prw~ton, — pro’-ton; neuter of (4413) (prw~tov) as adverb (with or without (3588) (oJ)); firstly (in time, place, order, or importance): — before, at the beginning, chiefly, (at, at the) first (of all).

First + thing (4413) prw~tov, — pro’-tos; contracted superlative of (4253) (pro>); foremost (in time, place, order or importance): — before, beginning, best, chief (-est), first (of all), former. 1 Corinthians 15:3 = "I delivered unto you first of all <1722> <4413>" 1 Corinthians 16:2 = "the first <3391> [day] of the week" Ephesians 6:2 = "the first <4413> commandment" Philippians 1:5 = "the first <4413> day" 1 Timothy 5:12 = "their first <4413> faith" 2 Timothy 4:16 = "my first <4413> answer"

Greek has no need for a word for "a" so 'the husband of "a" wife' is not a possibility here. Notice that when "a" appears in the translation below, there is no Greek word for "a" in the Greek text. See http://www.scripture4all.org/OnlineInterlinear/NTpdf/1ti2. pdf

1 Timothy 2: 6who did give himself A ransom ***No Greek word for the "A" http://www.scripture4all.org/OnlineInterlinear/NTpdf/1ti2. pdf

7in regard to which I was set A preacher ***No Greek word for the "A"

11Let A woman in quietness learn ***No Greek word for the "A"

12and A woman I do not suffer to teach ***No Greek word for the "A"

1 Timothy 3:1. "If anyone aspires to be AN overseer ***No Greek word for "an" http://www.scripture4all.org/OnlineInterlinear/NTpdf/1ti3. pdf

2 AN overseer, then, must be above reproach No Greek word for "an"

5(but if A man does not know No Greek word for the "A" 6 Not A novice, No Greek word for "A"

7And he must have A good reputation No Greek word for the "A"

***1 Tim 3:2 Then it behooves the overseer/bishop/pastor/superintendent/elder to be without reproach, husband of and faithful to one wife, able to abstain [from evil], sensible, respectable, well- ordered, hospitable, and able to teach [well]; 3 not addicted to wine, not a bully or fighter, but gentle and kind, not quarrelsome, not greedy; — 4 one who presides over and manages<4291> his own family and house competently, having his children under control, who obey him with all dignity and proper respect. 5 For if a man does not know how to preside over and manage<4291> his own house and family, how is he to take care of the church of God? 6 He must not be a new convert, or he might become conceited and fall into the condemnation of the Devil. 7 Furthermore, he must have a good reputation among outsiders, so that he does not fall into disgrace and the Devil's trap. . . . 12 The deacons should be the husbands of one wife, presiding over and managing<4291> [their] children, family and house well. [KJV, Amp Bible, HCSB, CJB, Drby, Peshitta, CJB, Strong's] >>>>Titus 1: 6 ¶ if anyone is blameless, husband of one wife, having believing children, not accused of loose behavior, excess, unruliness or disobedience. 7 For an overseer must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed or head strong, not quickly or easily angered , not disorderly by wine, not quarrelsome or a hitter, not greedy for ill gain or seeking gain in evil ways; 8 but hospitable, a lover of goodness, discreet, just, consecrated exclusively [to God], able to abstain [from evil] 9 holding fast the faithful Word according to the [Apostles'] Message, that he may be able, by sound teaching, both to exhort, encourage, convict and refute those who contradict it. [KJV, Amp Bible, HCSB, CJB, Drby, Peshitta, CJB]

IF A BELIEVER DOES NOT MEET THESE GOD GIVEN STANDARDS, THAT BELIEVER SHOULD NOT BE RECOGNIZED, BY THE LOCAL ASSEMBLY OF BELIEVERS, AS ONE OF THE CHURCH'S OVERSEERS, BISHOPS, PASTORS, SUPERINTENDENTS OR ELDERS.

>>> 1 Tim 3:8 ¶ Likewise the deacons/ministers/servants/teachers/pastors<1249> [are to be] reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of ill gain, 9 having the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. 10 And these should also first be tested, then let them [use the office of a deacon], being blameless. 11 Even so [their] wives are to [be] reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. 12 The deacons should be the husbands of one wife, ruling [their] children and households well. [Amp Bible, HCSB, CJB, Drby, Peshitta] Strong's <1249> = an attendant, i.e. (genitive) a waiter (at table or in other menial duties); specially a Christian teacher and pastor (technically a deacon or deaconess): — deacon, minister, servant.

IF A BELIEVER DOES NOT MEET THESE GOD GIVEN STANDARDS, THAT BELIEVER SHOULD NOT BE RECOGNIZED, BY THE LOCAL ASSEMBLY OF BELIEVERS, AS ONE OF THE CHURCH'S TEACHERS, PASTORS, DEACONS, OR MINISTERS. ======

Why such a difference between the marriage standards in the Old Testament and the New Testament for the leaders of Jesus' disciples? The OT Law forbade kings to multiply horses, wives, silver and gold to themselves, but Jehovah-Jesus let them "add" horses, wives, silver and gold to themselves. ***Deut 17:16 But he shall not multiply horses for himself, . . . 17 Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, . . . ; nor shall he greatly multiply silver and gold for himself.

Why didn't Jesus let kings multiply wives to themselves? He knew that if a man had many wives his heart would go astray and turn away from following Jesus with all of his heart. A man's heart is too easily distracted from seeking first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness in Jesus Christ. ***Deut 17:17 Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away or or else his heart will turn away or that his [mind and] heart turn not away or so that his heart won't go astray ***1 Kings 11: 1 But King Solomon loved many foreign women, . . . and his wives turned away his heart. 4 For it was so, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned his heart after other gods; and his heart was not loyal to the LORD his God, as was the heart of his father David.

It is no surprise that the Word to a church that is not a national or political entity, that is not characterized by great wealth and social power, to have as its requirements that official leaders of a church should have only one wife, since most Christian officials in this world cannot afford more that one wife like Abraham, Israel, and the Kings of Israel. The OT Law described in detail the eligibility requirements of the priests of one nation, Israel, so it is no surprise the Word for Christ's church would give new details for the official church leaders who are living in all the nations of the world.

XVIII. POLYGYNY, CONCUBINES AND THE MODERN OR

WESTERN CHRISTIAN WOMAN. Why would a Western/Occidental woman ever consider polygyny/concubinage? It is clearly a sin to marry an unsaved person> 104 . She knows she must not marry an unsaved man>105 or a snared-in-sin "saint">106. If a Christian woman in a Western church finds the usual shortage of godly brothers, yet earnestly desires marriage or is commanded to marry>91 she may consider marrying a Christian brother (1) whose "Christian" wife has divorced him exercising her option>107 to be separate and chaste, or (2) who sinfully divorced his "Christian" wife who now will not forgive him or be reconciled to him, exercising her option to be separate and chaste.[Footnote: >104 (2 Cor. 6 & 7 etc.). >105 (2 Cor.6:14-7:2). >106 See Appendix 2. >91 SeeAppendix 2. >107 1 Cor 7:10.]

If this Western Christian sister is burning with passion and not successfully controlling her passions and/or imagination consistently, she must marry>92. If she finds herself in repeated defeat morally and spiritually and the only Christian brother who is available or interested is the one who is legally divorced from a Christian wife who wants chaste separation without reconciliation, the choice to marry in Biblical polygyny would be more acceptable than continued burning and moral defeats. It is clearly a sin to marry an unsaved>#5 or backslidden Christian>108 . It is not a sin to exercise personal liberty in Christ in covenanted polygyny .Yes, the polygyny of being married to a divorced Christian man who is bound for life to his former wife who left/ divorced him and refuses to be reconciled to him, exercising her option of chaste separation.[Footnote: >92See Appendix 2. >#5 See Appendix #2 >108 (l Cor. 5:11; 2 Thess 3:6,14).]

Would born-again Thusnelda be willing to take the chance of having to share her preciously rare godly husband with a sister-in-Christ Felicia who had previously been married to Thusnelda's husband and who now wants reconciliation, even if it had to be informal, discreet and private? Can l John3:17 mean that Thusnelda, who has a godly husband and sees her sister Felicia in marital need now, should not shut up her own heart from Felicia, according to the Love of God abiding in her? Sarai had a need and asked Abraham to become a polygamist. Rachel had a need and asked polygamist Jacob to take her maids as additional wives. Then Leah did the same and the world got the twelve tribes of Israel. A godly wife should not be selfish, seek her own, but should seek the benefit of others>109 and she who is strong should bear the burden of the weak one>110 as theSpirit and peace of God lead. Consider St. Augustine's thought:[Footnote: >109 (1 Cor l3). >110 (Rom 15).]

"Clearly with the good will of the wife to take another woman, that from her may be born sons common to both, by the sexual intercourse and seed of the one, but by the right and power of the other, was lawful among the ancient fathers: whether it be lawful now also, I would not hastily pronounce....">n93 [Footnote: >n93 St. Augustin: On The Trinity; p. 406.]

Does the principle of the good Samaritan enter here? Would godly wife "A" share her godly husband with the needy godly sister "B", essentially laying down her own life and denying herself for the other? It is definitely not natural or carnal. The only precedents I'm aware of are like the one that involved Ruth, where the widow's need for a husband's care and intimacy to carry on the blood line was taken up by God and he mandated that the brother, married or not, had to marry her and meet her needs>111 The only similar New Testament passages I know of are the following. [Footnote: >111 (Gen. 38: 9,10,11; Deut.25:5-10; Ruth4:1-11; Matt 22:24ff; Mark 12: 19ff;Lk. 20:28ff).]

***1 CORINTH. 7: 8 "I say therefore to the unmarried and the widows, It is good for them if they remain even as I. 9 But if they do not have self-control, they should marry; for it is better to marry than to burn. . . . 36 But if anyone thinks [it] behaving himself indecently toward his virginity (if he is past[his] prime, and so it ought to be) let him do what he will; he does not sin; they should marry. 37 But [he] who stands steadfast in his heart, having no necessity, but who has authority over [his] own will (and has sojudged in his heart that he will keep his virginity) he does well. 38 So then he who gives in marriage does well. But he who does not give in marriage doesbetter. 39* The wife is bound by the law as long a sher husband lives, but if her husband is dead, she is at liberty to be remarried to whom she will, only in the Lord. *** 1 TIM. 5: 11 But refuse younger widows, for whenever they grow lustful against Christ, they desire to marry . . . 14 Therefore I want the younger ones to marry, bear children, guide the house, giving no occasion to the adversary because of reproach."

Here the widow is told to remarry in the Lord but she isn't told who to marry in the Lord. 1 John 3:16,17 could apply here with a Christian brother seeing her marital need and marrying her to minister and serve her as husband (like Ruth & Boaz). Are saints today capable of such mental and Spiritual "self-control" and self denial? A Spirit filled and Spirit led saint could rise to such a level>112 . [Footnote: >112(Gal. 5 and Phil. 2:13 + 4:13).]

The women described above would be comparable to St. Augustine's man of the following: "But those who have not the virtues of temperance must not be allowed to judge of the conduct of holy men, any more than those in fever of the sweetness and wholesomeness of food. . . If our critics, then, wish to attainnot a spurious and affected, but a genuine and sound moral health, let them find a cure in believing the Scripture record, that THE HONORABLE NAME OF SAINT IS GIVEN NOT WITHOUT REASON TO MEN WHO HAD SEVERAL WIVES; and that the reason is this, that the mind can exercise such control over the flesh as not to allow the appetite implanted in our nature by Providence to go beyond the limits of deliberate intention. . . .the holy patriarchs in their conjugal intercourse were actuated not by the love of pleasure, but by the intelligent desire for the continuance of their family. . . .nor did the number of their wives make the patriarchs licentious. BUT WHY DEFEND THE HUSBANDS, TO WHOSE CHARACTER THE DIVINE WORD BEARS THE HIGHEST TESTIMONY, WHEN IT APPEARS THAT THE WIVES THEMSELVES . . . WHEN THEY FOUND THEMSELVES BARREN, THEY GAVE THEIR HANDMAIDS TO THEIR HUSBANDS; SO THAT WHILE THE HANDMAIDS HAD THE FLESHLY MOTHERHOOD,THE WIVES WERE MOTHERS IN INTENTION .">.n94[Footnote: >n94 The CAPS are Tyler's. A SelectLibrary of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of TheChristian Church, Vol. iv; p.290.]

What if he and his wife know a widow or a "sister" abandoned by her unsaved husband who has come under the commands to marry >113 ? They and she cannot find a "brother" for her and she is failing and burning and under the command to marry. Does it become a 1 Jn 3:16,17 situation: [paraphrased] >>>He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has a godly husband and sees her sister in need, shuts up her heart from her refusing to share her husband with her in polygyny , how does the Love of God abide in her?' See the following and note that the"brother" is not exempted or excused from this law if he is already married: [Footnote: >113 1 Cor. 7:9; 1 Th. 4:3,4,5 and 1 Tim.5:11- 14] ***DEUT. 25: 5 "If brothers live together, and oneof them dies and has no child, the wife of the deadshall not marry outside to a stranger. Her husband's [married or unmarried] brother shall go in to her and take her as a wife for himself, and perform the duty of a husband's brother to her. . .

Like the movie, SUBSTITUTE WIFE (Farrah Fawcett), where the wife was dying and knew her husband wouldn't remarry without her intervention, leaving her baby and children motherless, she went out and found a concubine for him and brought her home to him before she died. He married and loved the "substitute wife" after his wife's death at her request. An American, a normal woman, could only do such a thing by the grace and enabling of God.

XIX. WHAT'S WRONG WITH POLYANDRY?

Why can't a Christian woman have more thanone husband? Because God has made it crystal clearin the following: ***GENESIS 1: 26 "And God said, Let Us makeman in Our image, after our likeness. . . . 27 And Godcreated man in His image; in the image of God Hecreated him. He created them male and female. 28And God blessed them. And God said to them, Befruitful, and multiply and fill the earth, and subdue it.. . "*** GENESIS 2: 20 "And Adam gave names to all thecattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every animalof the field. But there was not found a suitable helperfor Adam. 21 And the LORD God caused a deepsleep to fall on Adam, and he slept. And He took oneof his ribs, and closed up the flesh underneath. 22And the LORD God made the rib (which He had takenfrom the man) into a woman. And He brought her tothe man. 23 And Adam said, This [is] now bone of mybones and flesh of my flesh. [She] shall be calledWoman because [she] was taken out of man. 24Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother,and shall cleave to his wife and they shall be oneflesh." ***GEN. 3:16 "To the woman He said, I willgreatly increase your sorrow and your conception. Inpain you shall bear sons, and your desire shall betoward your husband, and he shall rule over you." ***1 CORINTH. 11: 1 "Be imitators of me, even asI also [am] of Christ. 2 But I praise you, brothers, thatyou remember me in all things, and you keep thedoctrines as I delivered [them] to you. 3 But I wouldhave you know that the head of every man is Christ;and the head of the woman [is] the man; and the headof Christ [is] God. 4 Every man praying or prophesyingwith [his] head covered dishonors his Head. . . . 7 Fora man indeed ought not to have [his] head covered,because he is the image and glory of God. But thewoman is [the] glory of [the] man. 8 For the man isnot of the woman, but the woman of the man. 9 Norwas the man created for the woman, but the womanfor the man. . . . 11 But neither is the man without thewoman, nor the woman without the man, in the Lord.12 For as the woman [is] of the man, even so the man[is] also by the woman; but all things ofGod. "

Those passages make it very clear that the wife is under the authority of the man even though he is no better no godlier than her. If she joins herself to another while he lives >114 it is adultery, even if she has a perfectly legal divorce decree from the government since God's laws are the final word. So why then does God allow men to have more than one wife but allow a wife to have only one husband? Why the three double standards (e.g>. 1. the male canbe polygamous, but not the female; 2. the wife canseparate herself chastely from her husband, but hemay not separate himself from his wife at all; 3. Thewife may not rule over the husband, but the husbandmust take the lead as her servant and she must makethe choice whether or not to follow him)?[Footnote: >114 (l Cor. 7:39 and Romans 7:1-5; Mark10:1-20).] This does not mean that women are second class citizens in the Kingdom of God, because the Word is clear>115, that even now inthe spiritual realm - seated with Christ now in the heavens- there is nodifference between males and females in their rights, privileges andresponsibilities. In terms of the spiritual warfare and influence seen in Daniel 10 and Ephesians 6:10-20, females and males have equal opportunities to be used of God mightily and effectively.[Footnote: >115 in Galatians 3:26,27,28; Ephesians 2:6,19-22 and Matthew 19:10-12 and 1 Peter 3:7.]

So there is now no difference between the sexes in spirit in Christ in theheavens. But our spirits are also now in our bodies on earth in the realm of Satan, the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the sons of disobedience. Our reborn spirits, the Holy Spirit, now lives in our flesh and blood bodies, which flesh and blood bodies cannot receive our inherit the Kingdom of God and are at war >116 with the Spirit in us. When our bodies are transformed by Jesus they will not have blood and they will obviously have transformed flesh no longer under theinfluence of hormones, germs etc.[Footnote: >116 (Romans 7:13- 8:11; Galatians 5:16-26).]

So being in the body now has its problems and limitations. Being in the body on earth is a real handicap in terms of the Spirit because we daily have to practice Romans 6:1-14, crucifying the flesh daily>117 The woman's bodywas designed and created to help/assist man>118 .Adam needed no spiritual companion because he hadspiritual communion with Jesus daily in the garden. His body needed a female body and the female bodyneeded a compatible spirit to be the kind of flesh- spirit helper Jesus designed her to be. They werecompletely equal in the garden, like we will be in thespiritual realm of the heavens with Christ, especiallywhen we reign on earth with Him for a thousandyears after the tribulation. But they failed to obey inthe garden and ruined that wonderful arrangement sotemporarily we have the "double standards".[Footnote: >117 (Colos. 3:5). >118 (Gen.2:18; l Cor.11:1-10).]

Genesis 3 and l Corinthians 11 show the tragic consequences of their sin. Yes, their sin. I really like the radio preacher's ideathat Adam knew that she would die for eating that fruit, so being compelled by his love and need for her he decided to die with her rather than to lose her and so he also ate the fruit. His fear of God was still greater than his love for her, yet not great enough to keep him from eating the fruit, so he blamed her when he wasconfronted by Christ. Maybe that is why Jesus madesuch a big deal in Luke 14 etc. that we must love Himmore than we love our loved ones. See St.Augustine>.n95 who makes the same points. [Footnote: >.n95 A Select Library of the Nicene andPost- Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church, Vol. V;W.B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., pp. 267ff.]

Yes there are some cultures in the world today wherethey practice polyandry in matriarchal systems, butthat doesn't make it moral or right, no more than thetemple prostitutes of India's classical Hinduism makesprostitution right or moral. Pornographers in Americapresent the spectacle of three men havingsimultaneous intercourse with one woman where thenumber of the woman's lovers is only limited by thenumber of orifices in her body that allow penetration. I don't think anyone, especially any godly woman,would argue that this is justification for a woman tohave more than one husband at a time. Polyandrymay be a way that seems right to some, but the endsthereof are the ways of death and alienation from theGod who created the wonder of woman. The malewas the rough draft, the female is the masterpiece----to be handled with tender loving care andthanksgiving to God.

XX. HUSBAND RULE OVER THE WIFE? IF SERVANT- TEACHERS RULE . . .?

The husband who is said to "rule" over his wife, is the same husband who is commanded over and over again in Eph. 5 to compassionately cherish her. A ruler-husband who compassionately cherishes his wife? Big words, but what do they mean? They mean that when he "rules over" his wife he------1. Meekly (Spiritually controlling his superior strength so as to be gentle) chersihes her without envy or jealousy. 2. Patiently bears ill treatment from her. 3. Is kind and gentle to her. 4. Mellows that which would be harsh or austere for her. 5. Does not brag or show off with her. He is not haughty to her. 6. Does not act unbecomingly with her, free of arrogance or bad manners. 7. Is unselfish and selfless with her, not insisting on his own rights or way. 8. Does not become touchy, resentful, irritated, provoked, exasperated, angry with her. 9. Does not take into account any evil she may do to him, holding no grudges. 10. Does not take pleasure or delight in evil with her. 11. Rejoices with her in the truth. 12. Endures all her things. 13. Optimistically believes her and in her. 14. Hopes the best for and in her. 15. Courageously bears up under all her trying ways. 16. Is committed to let Christ's Love in him for her never fail. 17. Intelligently and wisely conducts his home life with her. 18. Holds her in particular honor, considerately showing all due respect. 19. Renders to her what Christ says is due her, recognizing her sexual authority over his body, not denying her intimate marital affection. [Footnote: See Wuest's Expanded New Testament and the Amplified Bible for 1 Cor.7, 13; Ephes. 5; Luke 22:25,26,27 and 1 Peter3:7] THIS MAKES A GREAT CHECK LIST FOR SELF EVALUATION.

Such a ruler would be welcome in any sane and god- fearing realm, with great enthusiasm by the subjects. If the husband is like this to the wife, then the wife would be encourage to behave similarly to her children, and then the children would be encouraged to behave similarly to each other ------and the world would be a better place. Of course any saint knowledgable in the Word knows that it is impossible for us to generate this behavior on our own. As we reckon our selves indeed to be dead to sin/evil, we yield our minds and bodies to Him and trust Him to work His will in us by His Holy Spirit, inspiring and enabling us to yield ourselves to Him so He can rule and live that way in us (Romans 6; Phil.2:12,13; 4:13; Heb. 13:290,21).

The husband "rule" over the wife?!?! "How primitive and barbaric!" But didn't God say to the woman " your desire shall be to your husband, and he shall rule over you"? "That's just the Old Testament! It's irrelevant and out of date, besides being primitive and barbaric!" ------Well what does God say about people who feel that way? **** 1 CORINTH. 14:37 If anyone thinks to be a prophet, or a spiritual one, let him recognize the things I write to you, that they are a commandment of the Lord. 38 But if any is ignorant, let him be ignorant. **** 1 THESS. 4: 8 Therefore he who despises does not despise man, but God, who also has given us His Holy Spirit. **** ACTS 7:51 O stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers [did], so you do. **** ROMANS 9: 19 You will then say to me, Why does He yet find fault? For who has resisted His will? 20 No, but, O man, who are you who replies against God? Shall the thing formed say to Him who formed [it], Why have you made me this way? 21 Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel to honor and another to dishonor? **** 2 TIMOTHY 3: 8 But as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so these also resist the truth, men of corrupt mind, reprobate concerning the faith. 9 But they shall proceed no further. For their foolishness shall be plain to all, as theirs also became.

The husband should not lord it over (exercise lordship) or tyrannize/ suppress the wife, according to the following: **** 1 PETER 5: 5 Likewise, younger ones, be subject to older ones, and all being subject to one another. Put on humility. For God resists proud ones, but He gives grace to the humble. 6 Therefore be humbled under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you in due time . . . **** LUKE 22: 25 And He said to them, The kings of the nations exercise lordship over them. And they who exercise authority on them are called benefactors. 26 But you [shall] not [be] so: but the greater among you, let him be as the lesser, and he who governs, as [one] who serves. ***1 TIM. 2: 9 In the same way also, I desire that wives adorn themselves in decent clothing, with modesty and sensibleness, not [adorned] with braiding, or gold, or pearls, or costly clothing, 10* but with good works, which becomes wives professing godliness. 11* Let the wife learn in silence with all subjection. 12* But I do not allow a wife to teach, or to exercise authority [over] a husband, but to be in silence. ***AND 1 CORINTH. 14:34 Have your wives keep silence >a in the churches, for it is not permitted to them to speak >b , but [they are commanded]to be subjecting >c themselves , as also says the Law. 35. And if they will learn anything, have them ask their husbands at home, for it is a shame for wives to speak in the church. [Footnote: See the Greek for this interpretation: wife and woman is the same Greek word, man and husband is the same Greek word, it is the context that shows what the word means. >a See l Cor. 14:28,30; Acts 12:17; 15:12 for the Greek usage. >b See 1 Cor. 14:27,28,29; Eph. 5:19; Acts 26:26; John 8:44; 9:21. >c See Arndt & Gingrich and Thayer Lexicons]

A wife should not obey her husband if and when he tells her to do something that is contrary to the explicit, plain and uncontested Word of God. By "explicit, plain, and uncontested" I mean that the majority of fundamental, orthodox, evangelical and traditional Christian Bible teachers/preachers/ authors agree on the meaning of that portion of scripture, e.g. "Honor your parents!". I don't mean those portions of scripture that are characterized by parables, allegories or symbolism where you find so much disagreement. I mean that if her husband tells her to steal, lie, fornicate or blaspheme, she knows that such conduct is contrary to the will of God for her so she doesn't obey him. On what grounds? Throughout the Bible God makes it plain that we are to obey our parents and the social/civil authorities over us>^. God makes it very plain that if our parents or the social/civil authorities over us tell us to disobey the clear and explicit will of God, we must disobey>* them in order to obey God. This is true of the state over the citizen, parents over children, and husbands over wives. If the one occupying your culture's place of authority over you tells you to do that which is contrary to the clear, explicit and plain Word of God, then you must disobey the one in authority in order to obey God. So the husband who tells his wife not to go to church, pray or read her Bible-----that husband has to be disobeyed, with all due respect, humility, grace and amiability and without preaching, teaching or lecturing>``. [Footnote: >^=(Romans 13; Heb. 13:7,21 etc.). >*Ezek. 20:17,18; Daniel 3:13-18; 5:21; 6:7-11; Deut. 1:13-18; 17:8-13; Acts 4:15-21; 5:20,29,40,42; 23:5. >`` (Luke 6:27-36; Galat. 6:1; 2Tim.2:24-26 and 1 Peter 3:1-6).]

The husband exercises his authority as "head" of the wife by humbly teaching>119 her what she should do/say and by being a good example of how she should act/speak >120 . THE HUSBAND HAS NO RIGHT TO MAKE HIS WIFE DO WHAT HE WANTS HER TO DO AND HE HAS NO SCRIPTURAL RIGHT TO BOSS OR ORDER HER ABOUT>121 . If his wife resists his lead and authority, or just rebels outright, he can compassionately but firmly admonish and rebuke her humbly and gently according to the following: [Footnote: >119 2 Tim. 2:24-26. >120 (Hebrews 13:7, 17,). >121 (Luke 22:25,26;1 Peter 5:5).] **** GALATIANs 6: 1 Brothers, if a man is overtaken in a fault, you the spiritual ones restore such a one in the spirit of meekness, considering yourself, lest you also be tempted. 2 Bear one another's burdens, and so you will fulfill the law of Christ. **** 2 TIMOTHY 2:24 But the servant of [the] Lord must not strive, but to be gentle to all, apt to teach, patient, 25 in meekness instructing those who oppose, if perhaps God will give them repentance to the acknowledging of [the] truth, 26 and [that] they awake out of the snare of the Devil, having been taken captive by him, so as to do the will of that one. **** LUKE 17: 3 Take heed to yourselves. If your brother trespasses against you, rebuke him. And if he repents, forgive him. 4 And if he trespasses against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turns again to you, saying, I repent, you shall forgive him. **** MATTHEW 18: 15 But if your brother shall trespass against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he will not hear [you], take one or two more with you, so that in [the] mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell [it] to the church. But if he neglects to hear the church, let him be to you as a heathen and a tax-collector. **** 1 CORINTH. 5: 3 For as being absent in body but present in spirit, I indeed have judged already [as though I were] present [concerning] him who worked out this thing; 4 in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, with my spirit; also, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ; 5 to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. 8 Therefore let us keep [the] feast; not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened [bread] of sincerity and truth. . . 11 But now I have written to you not to associate intimately, if any man called a brother [and is] either . . . or an idolater, or a reviler, . . . with such a one not to eat.

After having done all of the above, when his wife is uncooperative or rebellious, he has to leave the results to the Lord/Spirit even if she is difficult and defiant. THE HUSBAND HAS NO RIGHT OR AUTHORITY FROM GOD TO FORCE, COERCE OR INTIMIDATE HIS WIFE IN ORDER TO MAKE HER GIVE IN UNWILLINGLY AND DO WHAT HE WANTS HER TO DO>122 His business and duty is to compassionately cherish her. [Footnote: >122 (Luke 22:25,26;1 Peter 5:5; Eph. 6:9; Col. 4:1)]

XXI. THREE CHEERS FOR MONOGAMY!! THE BEST FOR MOST!! That the good purpose of marriage, however, is better promoted by one husband with one wife, than by a husband with several wives, is shown plainly enough by the very first union of a married pair, which was made by the Divine Being Himself, with the intention of marriages taking their beginning therefrom, and of its affording to them a more honorable precedent. >n128 [Footnote: >.n128 A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church,Vol. V; p. 267.]

Monogamy is not monotony, no matter what the world may say. Those that maintain that monogamy is monotony seem to have no idea of loving one's wife wisely or as Christ loves the Church. If one's love for one's wife is limited to the physical, the sexual and only a superficial understanding of her personality, then monogamy could be monotonous. That monotony is an indictment of an uninspired and unloving lover. If you studied your mate, learned her learning style, mastered her personality type, determined her spiritual gifts and their possible applications, studied her body's erogenous zones, mastered personal body massage where she likes it best, perfected your skills in bringing her to climax, with creativity explored the perfumes and scented massage oils that delight her, meditated on her goals and needs and helped her in quest to meet them, diligently listened and questioned her so as to be able to more effectively pray and intercede for her, fasted and prayed for her where she is experiencing serious problems or personal defeat, and zealously sought how the two of you can more effectively deal with the household chores, then I doubt seriously that your monogamy will be monotonous.

But that brings up another advantage of monogyny, because we have only so much time and only so much energy and only so much mental ability. If it is such a formidable challenge to love one wife well and in a manner well pleasing to Christ, not many would have the ability to love more than one wife well and in a manner well pleasing to Christ. If you had a choice, a realistic and hard working parent would prefer monogamy simply for the reduced needs and demands. The Christian male who thinks of women, and specifically his own wife, only in terms of sex and erotic pleasures is probably not going to have much of a prayer life since God wont be answering his prayers>233 , is probably not going to live long since God going to be faithful to chasten her with weakness, sickness or death for his insensitive and unwise conduct towards her>234 [Footnote: >233 (1Pet.3:7;1 Jn 3:22). >234 (1 Cor. 11:27- 32).]

Look at the energy expended by Solomon and the Shulamite in the Song of Solomon! Right out of the honey moon manual, but only the leisurely rich and famous could have the time to maintain that on an ongoing basis. Most wives would be delighted to be loved in this manner, and once they've experienced it there remains an appetite for it. Your average Elias might be able to pull it off for a while, with more than one wife even, but even if it is only with one wife that peak activity will decline, if from nothing else but fatigue, and then there will be disappointment felt by the wife, and possible frustration and a sense of inadequacy for the husband. These negative emotions don't make for a happy marriage. If a godly man finds himself in a polygamous situation, I'm sure that the 2 Cor. 8 & 9 principle of being accepted based on one's willingness instead of on one's possessions would hold here, and hopefully his wives would be spiritual enough to understand and allow for it, giving him credit for doing the best he can do. The command that you should have no other gods before Jehovah seems to be one reason from Deut. 17:17 where it is stated that too many wives will cause the heart of such a lover of many wives to turn away from following Jehovah with his whole heart. This ties in with 1 Cor. 7:32-35 which shows that wives distract one from serving the Lord and too many wives distract the husband too much for the family's spiritual good. A man who is covetous of having many wives could be guilty of idolatry, loving polygyny more than Jesus>235 . We should be content with what we have maritally>236 . [Footnote: >235 (Eph. 5:5,6). >236 (1 Tim. 6:5-9 and 1 Cor. 7:9,26-35).]

The bottom line for the child, being led by the Spirit who works in him to will and do His good pleasure>237 , is that celibacy, marriage or polygamy is not really up to him if he acknowledges Jesus as Lord. The Lord is the Lord and He gives the gifts. Celibacy, marriage, or polygamy are gifts from the Lord and the obedient and loving child of God waits on his Father and Lord to give His servant the appropriate gift>238 . If he is called to marriage, God will also call one of His daughters to marry the blessed bloke, also giving her the gift of marriage. If he is called to polygyny, if that is his gift from his Father and Lord, then his wives will also be called to polygyny. God's grace will be sufficient if he is called/saved in monogyny or in polygyny. He doesn't give us impossible callings, since nothing is impossible for Him as He works out His will in us. [Footnote: >237 (Rm.8:14; Ph 2:13). >238 (1 Cor. 7:7,8,9,17-27).]

Since godly polygyny really requires the Spiritual fruits of unity>239 and sharing>240 even more so than monogyny, the Spiritual challenge of walking in the Spirit would be even greater requiring a close walk with the Lord. If it weren't His gift and calling for each member of the polygynist family, it would be completely impossible to maintain on a voluntary basis. With His gift and calling, they can do all things in Christ>241 . There is no dispute that marital harmony, sharing and unity would be much easier in monogamy. It's easy to see why God ordained that elders, deacons, bishops, church overseers, deacons etc. had to be monogynists, since they have to deal with all the people and issues in their care in the Church. Polygynists have their hands full with the people and the issues of the church in their home. [Footnote: >239 (Ep. 4:1-5). >240 (Acts 4:32-37; 2 Cor. 8 & 9). >241 (Ph. 4:13).]

"If a man desires the position of a bishop/overseer, he desires a good work">242 . Part of that "good work" is a monogamous marriage. We are to follow/imitate their faith>243 and part of their faith is that they believe they were called to be a Church leader and as such, called to have a monogamous marriage. We are to support and imitate their walk of faith, their walk in their calling, and their trust in His leading. [Footnote: >242 (1 Tm 3:1). >243 (Heb. 13:7).]

So each one of us needs to wait on our Lord for his leading>244 , His gifts>245 , and His enabling>246 . Our church leaders are monogamous. Christ presents Himself as the Church's Overseer as the monogamous husband of one wife. In the Old Testament He portrayed Himself as both monogamous >247 and polygamous >248 as husband to Israel. He knows what He can do in us, and being the God of 1 Cor. 10:13 and Ph. 4:13, He knows how much we can handle so He gives the gifts and leadings accordingly. [Footnote: >244 (Rom. 8:14). >245 (1 Cor.7:7,8,9 etc.). >246 (Ph.2:13;4:13).>247 (Ezek. 16) . >248 (Ezek. 23).]

Our responsibility is obedience and contentment. For His blessing to be upon us, we must walk in obedience to His calling and leading>249 . For us to be blessed by Him in our walk, we must be content with what He gives and how He leads>250 . To go beyond and get more than His will is to trespass and He is faithful to chasten. To know to do right and then not do it is sin, and He is faithful to chasten. Strait is the way and narrow. Few there be that find it. [Footnote: >249 (Heb. 5:8,9; Jn. 14:15). >250 (1 Tm. 6:3- 19).]

Noah, Isaac, and Joseph had only one wife, and domestic happiness in the Bible is always connected with monogamy>.n129 (2 K 4, Ps 128, Pr 31, Sir 25,,,). The marriage figure applied to the union of God and Israel. . . .. implied monogamy as the ideal state. Polygamy is, in fact, always an unnatural development from the point of view both to religion and of anthropology; 'monogamy is by far the most common form of human marriage; it was so also amongst the ancient peoples of whom we have any direct knowledge' (Westermarck, Hum. Marr. p. 459). Being, however, apparently legalized, and having the advantage of precedent, it was long before polygamy was formally forbidden in Hebrew society >n130 , though practically it fell into disuse; the feeling of the Rabbis was strongly against it.>n131 [Footnotes:>.n129 Always? What about the divorce statistics in our modern and monogamous America? Also, Solomon and the Shulamite seemed to have a great deal of domestic happiness in their polygamy according to the Song of Solomon 6. >.n130 "Polygamy was not definitely forbidden among the Jews till the time of R. Gershom (c. A.d. 1000), and then at first only for France and Germany. In Spain, Italy,m and the East it persisted for some time longer, as it does still among the Jews in Mohammedan counties". HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE; p.584. >..n131 HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE; pp. 583-587.]

Monogamy is implicit in the story of Adam and Eve, since God created only one wife for Adam. Yet polygamy is adopted from the time of Lamech (Gn. iv. 19), and is not forbidden in Scripture. It would seem that God left it to man to discover by experience that His original institution of monogamy was the proper relationship. . . >n132 [Footnote: >..n132 The New Bible Dictionary, J.D. Douglas Ph.D ; p.787.] The gradual evolution in the OT of monogamy as the ideal is therefore of the highest interest. The earliest codes attempt in various ways to regulate the custom of polygyny. The Deut. code in particular actually forbids kings to multiply wives (Dt 17.17); this is the fruit, apparently of the experience of Solomon's reign.>n133 [Footnote: >.n133 HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE; p.259..]

***Romans 8:12-15 Therefore, brothers, we are not debtors to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh, you shall die. But if you through [the] Spirit mortify the deeds of the body, you shall live. For as many as are led by [the] Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption by which we cry, Abba, Father! The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. ***1 Corinthians 7: 7ff For I would that all men were even as I myself am. But each has his proper gift from God, one according to this manner and another according to that. I say therefore to the unmarried and the widows, It is good for them if they remain even as I. But if they do not have self-control, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn. . . . . But as God has distributed to each one, as the Lord has called each one, so let him walk. And so I ordain in all churches. [Was] any called having been circumcised? Do not be uncircumcised. Was anyone called in uncircumcision? Do not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God. [Was any called in monogyny? Do not become unmarried. Were you called in polygyny? Do not become a monogynist. Monogyny is nothing, and polygyny is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.]

***1 Corinthians 7:20ff Let each one remain in the calling in which he was called. Were you called as a slave? It does not matter to you, but if you are able to become free, use [it] rather. For he who is called a slave in [the] Lord is a freed man of [the] Lord. And likewise, he who is called a free man is a slave of Christ. You are bought with a price, do not be the slaves of men. Each in whatever way he was called, brothers, in this remain with God. [****]

XXII. LISTEN TO THE WORD ABOUT VOWS, COVENANTS AND PROMISES

***James 4:13 Go to now, you who say, To-day or tomorrow will we go into such a city and spend a year there, and traffic and make gain, 14 you who do not know what will be on the morrow, ([for] what [is] your life? It is even a vapor, appearing for a little while, and then disappearing,) 15 instead of your saying, If the Lord should [so] will and we should live, we will also do this or that. 16 But now you glory in your vauntings: all such glorying is evil. 17 To him therefore who knows how to do good, and does it not, to him it is sin.

He would have us make marital affirmations and marital declarations of intentions, all qualified with "If the Lord will". Vows and covenants are inherently boastings about one's future performance, something we have no right to do.

***James 5:12 ∫ But before all things, my brethren, swear [solemnly promise/vow/covenant See Appendix #4] not, neither by heaven, nor by the earth, nor by any other oath; but let your yea be yea, and your nay, nay, that you do not fall under judgment.

Here and in Matt.5 God makes it real clear we have no business making solemn promises, vows or covenants without the "If the Lord will". But what if we observe the tradition of men and have the traditional wedding vows and covenants?

***Psalm 15:1 ∫ Jehovah, who shall sojourn in your tent? who shall dwell in the hill of your holiness? 2 He that walks uprightly, and works righteousness, and speaks the truth from his heart. . . . 4 . . .who, if he have sworn [solemnly promised/covenanted/vowed] to his own hurt, changes it not; . .

If you solemnly promised, vowed or covenanted to do something that is not contrary to the will of God as expressed in the Bible, better stick to it and keep it because each time you don't, there is sin on your head.

***Eccles. 5:2 Be not rash with your mouth, and let not your heart be hasty to utter anything before God: for God is in the heavens, and you upon earth; therefore let your words be few. 3 . . .and a fool's voice through a multitude of words. 4 ∫ When you vow a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he has no pleasure in fools: pay that which you have vowed. 5 Better is it that you should not vow, than that you should vow and not pay. 6 Suffer not your mouth to cause your flesh to sin; neither say you before the angel, that it was an inadvertence. Wherefore should God be wroth at your voice, and destroy the work of your hands?

No need for comment. The Word speaks for itself, and it certainly does include wedding vows that are not contrary to the will of God in the Bible. SEE Eccles. 5: 5-7; Malachi 2:7; Prov. 20:25; Acts 5:4; Psalms 50:14; 76:11; 66:13,14.

***Ezekiel 16:59 For thus says the Lord Jehovah: I will even deal with thee as thou have done, who has despised the oath, and broken the covenant. . . . 17: 15 But he rebelled against him . . . Shall he prosper? shall he escape that does such things? shall he break the covenant, and yet escape? . . . 16 [As] I live, says the Lord Jehovah, verily in the place of the king that made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he broke, even with him, in the midst of Babylon, shall he die. . . .18 He despised the oath, and broke the covenant; and behold, he had given his hand, yet hath he done all these things: he shall not escape. 19 Therefore thus says the Lord Jehovah: [As] I live, verily, mine oath which he hath despised, and my covenant which he hath broken, even it will I recompense upon his head. 20 And I will spread my net upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare; . . .

***Malachi 2:14 Yet you say, Wherefore? Because Jehovah has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt unfaithfully: yet is she your companion, and the wife of your covenant. 15 And did not one make [them]? and the remnant of the Spirit was his. And wherefore the one? He sought a seed of God. Take heed then to your spirit, and let none deal unfaithfully against the wife of his youth, 16 (for I hate putting away, says Jehovah the God of Israel;) and he covers with violence his garment, says Jehovah of hosts: take heed then to your spirit, that you deal not unfaithfully.

The unfaithfulness here is the unfaithfulness to the wedding vows/ covenants which takes the form of putting away (divorcing) one's mate.

***Romans 1:28 And according as they did not think good to have God in [their] knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate mind to practiceunseemly things; . . . 31 void of understanding, faithless [covenant breaking, undutiful], without natural affection, unmerciful; 32 who knowing the righteous judgment of God, that they who do such things are worthy of death, not only practice them, but have fellow delight in those who do [them]. Romans 2:5 . . . God, 6 who shall render to each according to his works: 7 to them who, in patient continuance of good works, seek for glory and honor and incorruptibility, life eternal. 8 But to those that are contentious, and are disobedient to the truth, but obey unrighteousness, [there shall be] wrath and indignation, . . .

Is there any question about what will happen to the mate who breaks or disregards the marital affirmations/covenants/vows? In case you missed it, they were death, wrath and God's personal indignation. It is in your own self interest to abide by you marital affirmations/covenants/vows. Why be a fool and get burned for it?

XXIII. BIBLIOGRAPHY

>1. A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church, Vol. IV; edited by Philip Schaff (D.d., LL.D.); W.B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids Mich; 1956 >2. A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church, Vol. V; edited by Philip Schaff (D.d., LL.D.); ; W.B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids Mich; 1956; p. 267 >3. A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church, Vol. VIII; edited by Philip Schaff (D.d., LL.D.) and Henry Wace (D.D.) ; W.B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids Mich; 1956 >4. A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church, Vol. XIV; edited by Philip Schaff (D.D., LL.D.) and Henry Wace (D.D.) ; W.B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids Mich; 1956 >5. Amplified Bible, The; 1965, Zondervan Publishing House >6. ANALYTICAL GREEK LEXICON, THE: Harper & Brothers, New York >7. Arndt & Gingrich: A GREEK-ENGLISH LEXICON OF THE NEW TESTAMENT and Other Early Christian Literature ; By W.F.Arndt & F. W. Gingrich; The Univ. of Chicago Press, Chicago, Ill.; Cambridge at the Univ. Press.; 1957 >8. ASV: The Holy Bible, American Standard Version 1901 & 1929; Thomas Nelson & Sons, New York >9. Gold Cord, by Amy Carmichael, Christian Literature Crusade, Fort Worthington, Penna.; London's Society for the Promotion of Christian Knowledge, Holy Trinity Church, Marylebone Rd., N.W. (N.Y. The Macmillan Company). >10. CUSTOMS AND CULTURES, Anthropology for Christian Missions, by Eugene A. Nida1954, Harper & Brothers, New York >11. Darby's 1890 translation: Most of the scriptures quoted in this work, if not otherwise indicated, are from the a modernized version of J. N. Darby's translation, the OnLine Bible computer program of "Online Bible f ", Ken Hammil 1-908-741-4298; [E- Mail: [email protected]]. >12. DIVORCE, John Murray, Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co. \ >13. G. Duty's book on divorce and remarriage , Downers Grove, Ill. >14. HASTING'S DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE; 1989, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., Peabody, Mass;, Editor James Hastings, DD., >15. I LOVED A GIRL; Walter Trobisch, Inter-Varsity Press, Downers Grove, Ill. >16. INTERNATIONAL BIBLE COMMENTARY, THE; Editor, F.F.Bruce; 1979; Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids Michigan. >17. Jay Adam's book on divorce and remarriage >18. JEWISH: The Holy Scriptures according to the Masoretic Text, 1955, The Jewish Publication Society. >19. KINSHIP & MARRIAGE, Robin Fox, 1967, Penguin Books, Inc., USA & England >20. LAMSA: The Holy Bible from Ancient Eastern Manuscripts, 1940, Holman Co., by G. Lamsa. >21. MARRIAGE EAST AND WEST; David & Vera Mace, 1960, Dolphin Books, Double Day & Co., Inc. Garden City, NY >22.MARRYING AGAIN; David Hocking, 1977, Fleming H. Revell Co. >23. ****: MODERN KING JAMES VERSION, 1993, by Jay P. Green Sr., in Online Bible 2.5.1; the OnLine Bible computer program of "Online Bible f ", Ken Hammil 1- 908-741-4298; [E-Mail: [email protected]]. >24. MY WIFE MADE ME A POLYGAMIST; Walter Trobisch, 1971, Inter-Varsity Press, >25. NASB: Holy Bible New American Standard; Broadman & Holman Publishers, Nashville Tenn.; The Lockman Foundation, 1977 >26. NEB: NEW ENGLISH BIBLE, 1970; Oxford/Cambridge University Press >27. NEW BIBLE DICTIONARY, THE; Editor J.D.Douglas Ph.D; 1962; W. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, Mich. >28. NEW TESTAMENT GREEK FOR BEGINNERS, By, J. Gresham Machen, D.D, Litt. D.,1959 >29. NIV: "Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright @ 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society." Used as required by Zondervan Bible Publishers. >30. NKJV: New King James Version, 1984, Thomas Nelson, Inc. >31. OnLine Bible computer program of "Online Bible f ", Ken Hammil 1-908-741-4298; [E-Mail: [email protected]]. >32. PLEASE HELP ME! PLEASE LOVE ME!; Walter Trobisch, Inter-Varsity Press, >33. St. Augustin: On The Trinity; translated by Arthur West Haddan, B.D.; W.B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids Mich; 1956 >34. Strongs Lexicon, Open Bible "Online Bible f", Ken Hammil 1-908-741-4298. Also Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, Mich. >35. Thayer: Greek English Lexicon of the New Testament; Joseph Henry Thayer, D.D.; American Book Co., New York, 1889 >36. The Septuagint of the Old Testament and Apocrypha With an English Translation; Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan; 1972; Samuel Bagster & Sons, Ltd. London >37. WOMEN'S LIVES IN MEDIEVAL EUROPE - A SOURCEBOOK; Edited by Emile Amt; Routledge, Chapman, Hall; NY, NY; 1993 >38. Wuest's THE NEW TESTAMENT, An Expanded Translation, Kenneth S. Wuest, 1961 >39. YLT; Young's Literal Translation, 1898: OnLine Bible computer program of "Online Bible f ", Ken Hammil 1-908-741-4298; [E-Mail: [email protected]]. APPENDIX ONE: What makes a wedding &/or a marriage?

From many passages in the Bible (including Ezekiel 16:8, Exodus chapters 19 & 20, and Malachi 2:14,15) it appears clear to me that marriage of a couple is based on their covenant/solemn agreement to be husband and wife to each other in a relationship of marital/ sexual intimacy, - - whether or not they do it legally or officially. Adam and Eve had no formal or official wedding and exchanged no formal vows but they accepted each other as husband and wife and lived accordingly. There is no wedding formula in the Bible and there is no wedding ceremony prescribed in the Bible. When you study how they married in the Old Testament you see that the basis was either their covenant to be husband and wife to each other, or they accepted their parents covenant for them to be married. The strongest statement I know of is the one in Matthew 1:18,19,20 where, based on their covenant/betrothal (v.18), the Holy Spirit callED Joseph her husband (v.19) and the angel called Mary his wife (v.20) before (Luke 1:26,34) their official wedding and cohabitation (v.24). God and His messengers call Mary and Joseph wife and husband before their wedding and solely on the basis of their covenants to be husband and wife to each other. This agrees with the great weight God gives our solemn word in such passages as DBY ***PSALM 15: Jehovah, who shall sojourn in thy tent? . . . 2 He that walketh uprightly, . . .who, if he have sworn to his own hurt, changeth it not; . . . ***YLT ECCLES 5:4 When thou vowest a vow to God, delay not to complete it, for there is no pleasure in fools; that which thou vowest--complete. 5 Better that thou do not vow, than that thou dost vow and dost not complete. 6 Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin, nor say before the messenger, that `it [is] an error,' why is God wroth because of thy voice, and hath destroyed the work of thy hands?

All of this is to say that if you and your mate have agreed seriously to be faithful to each other in and for marital/sexual intimacy as husband and wife, then I believe that makes you husband and wife. Even if you havent used the magic words husband, wife, marriage, if you two have agreed to be faithful marital/sexual partners to each other, to me thats the same thing as Ezekiel 16:14 where God shows that marriage is by covenant. In Malachi 2 God shows again that a woman becomes a wife by covenant, and to break that covenant is to deal treacherously with you mate. Sexual intimacy>m with anyone else besides your mate is fornication, sexual sin. If you are maritally committed to each other and then you yourself --- but not your mate----- genuinely received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Ruler to be obeyed and as Savior to deliver you from the penalty of your sins- - but your guy hasn't, then I believe you find yourself in the situation described in 1 Corinthians 7:12,13,14,15, the saved mate of an unsaved person. [>.m see footnotes on breast pressing, petting,caressing and/or genital contact (Ezekiel 23:3,8,21; Prov. 5.)]

Creativity is not a sin. The two may mutually decide that their needs in marital sex could be met by mutual petting to orgasm, or erotic massage, erotic bathing, or etc. so that there is no genital to genital contact, no exchange of infectious fluids. Condoms are little or no protection with even the best of them failing to protect 22% of the time in federal tests that involved no motion on an artificial penis>#. Dr. Askew of the County Health Department told me (4/'96) the latest research he is aware of indicates as 17% User Failure Rate (the condoms failed the users who used them)>207. The latex gloves that surgeons use offer some protection because they are so much thicker than condoms. They both can pray for wisdom and receive it from God on how to wisely meet their marital sex responsibilities to each other in a godly and loving manner without infecting the other. But the bottom line is that the love of God constrains them both to meet each other's marital sex needs in order to obey God and deliver their partner from life threatening temptations>206 . [Footnote: ># Dr. Loraine Day, surgeon. >206 (1 Cor. 7:2-5; Prov. 5:18,19,20); >207 He also indicated that the HIV/AIDS blood tests are 90% accurate three months after exposure, 99% accurate after six monthsl of exposure]

APPENDIX TWO: WHEN ONE SHOULD MARRY AND WHO NOT TO MARRY

Dear ###, Thanks for taking the time to think about the subject and address it thoughtfully. This is a major issue in my understanding of 1 Corinth 7:9,36 so I really want to get it right. So if you have the time, please go down this trail a little further with me. If I'm wrong, I want to be right. Some people actually read my stuff and take it seriously, and so I don't want to mislead anyone or confuse or complicate the issue for anyone trying to understand God's Word. If you can, please hear me out.

You wrote: The Command is to let them marry. In other words, all believers are commanded to allow marriage and not to stand in the way of marriage or erect false barriers to it.

So the command is, as I understand you, "(You, the believers) are commanded to allow them to marry", or briefly "(You, the believers) allow them to marry". Your usage of "let" in 1 Cor. 7:9,36 would have to require the presence of a Greek word that is translated "let" or "permit" or "allow", e.g. (You) let them marry." Such a translation would have to be based on one verb for "(You) let" and there would have to be a second verb for " them marry". Go to your interlinear, your Strongs or Youngs and you will find that there is no separate verb/word for "let" in 1 Corinth. 7:9,36. Why?????

In the Bible there are Greek words that are translated as let, permit or allow.

***Luke 9: 61 And another also said , Lord , I will follow thee ; but LET <2010> (5657) me first go bid them farewell , which are at home at my house . Strong's 2010 epitrepo {ep-ee-trep'-o}

1. to turn to, transfer, commit, instruct 2. to permit, allow, give leave Strong's 5657

Tense - Aorist See 5777 Voice - Active See 5784 Mood - Imperative See 5794

***So ###, there would be your "permit, allow" or "(You) let them marry" if there were a Greek word for "let" in 1 Corinth. 7:9,36

***Acts 5: 38 And now I say unto you , Refrain from these men , and LET <1439> (0) them alone Strong's 1439 eao {eh-ah'-o}

1. to allow, permit, let 2. to allow one to do as he wishes, not to restrain, to let alone

***Again, ###, there would be your "permit, allow" or "(You) let them marry" if there were a Greek word for "let" in 1 Corinth. 7:9,36

Mark 1: 24 Saying , Let [us] alone <1436>; Luke 4: 34 Saying , Let [us] alone <1436>; Strong's 1436 ea {eh'-ah} apparent imperative of 1439 and expresses indignations mixed with fear or wonder mixed with fear. Strong's 1439 eao {eh-ah'-o}

1. to allow, permit, let 2. to allow one to do as he wishes, not to restrain, to let alone

***Ditto

But ###, look at 1 Corinth. 7:9 and 36 and you will see that there is no Greek word or basis for our English "let" 1 Corinthians 7:9 But if they cannot contain , let them marry <1060> (5657): Strong's 1060 gameo {gam-eh'-o} 1. to lead in marriage, take to wife 1a) to get married, to marry 1b) to give one's self in marriage

Strong's 5657 Tense - Aorist See 5777

Voice - Active See 5784 Mood - Imperative See 5794

***### do you see that there is no separate Greek word (2010, 1436, 1439) for "let". If there were it would read like this 1 Corinthians 7:9 But if they cannot contain , let <2010/1436/1439>them marry <1060> (5657): So there is no Greek verb/word to translate as "let". Instead the word "let" is the imperative indicator for 1060 gameo. Why do we use "let" to indicate the third person imperative? Remember G. Machen's

The active voice represents the subject as the doer or performer of the action. E.g., in the sentence, "The boy hit the ball," the boy performs theaction. Mood - Imperative The imperative mood corresponds to the English imperative, and expresses a command to the hearer to perform a certain action by the order and authority of the one commanding. Thus, Jesus' phrase, "Repent ye, and believe the gospel" (Mk.1:15)is not at all an "invitation," but an absolute command requiring full obedience on the part of all hearers. Does "let them marry" mean "You let/permit/allow them to marry"? Is You the hearer to perform the action of marrying in this passage, so that the meaning is really "they are commanded to marry" , or "they should marry"?

J. Gresham Machen, D.D., Litt.D; in his Macmillan Co. Greek manual, states the following:"The imperative mood is used in commands....It will be observed that the English language has, properly speaking, no imperative of the third person. Hence in translating the Greek imperative of the third person WE HAVE TO USE THE HELPING VERB LET, so that the noun or pronoun that is the subject of the imperative in Greek becomes the object of the helping verb in English.

English is handicapped by not being able to literally translate the first (us) and third (him/her/it/them) persons. The only way we can do it is briefly is to use "let" to indicate that us/him/her/them are the ones commanded to do whatever is commanded. It is like the Genesis 1 "Let there be light". God wasn't speaking to the angels and demons saying, "You angels and demons allow/permit there to be light". No. He commanded there to be light, not needing anyone else to allow or permit there to be light. Essentially He said, "Light, be!" So in if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry. it means that the...pronoun (them) that is the subject (third person plural:they) of the imperative (marry) in the Greek becomes the object (them) of the helping verb (let) in English.

So a literal translation of let them marry would be they are commanded to perform a certain action (marry) by the order and authority of the one commanding (The Holy Spirit in Paul); or simply, they should marry. Who is commanded to marry? Those who dont exercise self-control.

And that is how you see the following translations render it NIV they should marry.... NEB they should marry. AB they should marry.

***KJV 1 Corinth. 7: 8 I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I. 9 But if they are not continent, they should marry: for it is better to marry than to burn. What about 9 BUT IF THEY CANNOT? ------3756 ou {oo}... a primary word, the absolute negative [cf 3361] adverb; particle

So we see there is no Greek basis for the word "CAN". It was supplied by the translators. When the KJV translators translated the very same word, without the negative not, in 1 Cor. 9:25 (And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate <1467> (5736) in all things. ) they use is temperate, not can be temperate, to translate <1467> so even they are inconsistent.

CONTAIN [Strongs<1467> (5736)],

Strongs1467 egkrateuomai {eng-krat-yoo'-om-ahee} middle voice from 1468

1. to be self-controlled, continent 1a) to exhibit self-government, conduct, one's self temperately 1b) in a figure drawn from athletes, who in preparing themselves for the games abstained from unwholesome food, wine, and sexual indulgence

5736 Tense - Present; Voice - Middle or Passive Deponent; Mood Indicative

LET THEM MARRY [Strongs <1060> (5657)]: Strongs 1060: gameo {gam-eh'-o}from 1062.....

1. to lead in marriage, take to wife 1a) to get married, to marry 1b) to give one's self in marriage

Strongs 5657 Tense - Aorist; Voice - Active------

Jesus' phrase, "Repent ye, and believe the gospel" (Mk.1:15)is not at all an "invitation," but an absolute command requiring full obedience on the part of all hearers.

1 CORINTHIANS 7:9A NIV12 But if they cannot control themselves, DBY13 But if they have not control over themselves, NEB14 but if they cannot control themselves, YLT15 and if they have not continence-- NKJV16 but if they cannot exercise self-control, ****17 But if they do not have self-control, ASV18 But if they have not continency, LP19 But if they cannot endure it, AB20 But if they have not self-control (restraint of their passions), WNT21 But assuming that they are not able to exercise self- control in the realm of the continent life,

1 CORINTHIANS 7:9B NIV they should marry.... DBY let them marry; ------So also ****, LP NEB they should marry. YLT --let them marry, NKJV let them marry. ASV let them marry... AB they should marry. WNT let them marry,.....

1 CORINTHIANS 7:9C NIV for it is better to marry than to burn with passion. DBY for it is better to marry than to burn. So also ****, ASV NEB Better be married than burn with vain desire. YLT for it is better to marry than to burn; NKJV For it is better to marry than to burn with passion. LP for it is better to marry than to burn with passion. AB For it is better to marry thanto be aflame (with passion and tortured continually with ungratified desire). WNT for it is more advantageous to marry than to continue to burn [with the heat of sexual passion}

The next passage is seen in two ways, has two possible translations, both of which apply and pertain to believers in the world today. The first is that it applies to a brother and his own virginity. The second has two possibilities, one that applies to a father and his virgin daughter, or that it applies to a fiance and his fiancee (engaged but not married).

****24 1 Cor. 7;36ff 36 But if anyone thinks [it] behaving himself indecently toward his virginity (if he is past [his] prime, and so it ought to be) let him do what he will; he does not sin; let them marry. 37 But [he] who stands steadfast in his heart, having no necessity, but who has authority over [his] own will (and has so judged in his heart that he will keep his virginity) he does well. 38 So then he who gives in marriage does well. But he who does not give in marriage does better.

KJV25 1 Cor. 7: 36 But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of [her] age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry. 37 Nevertheless he that standeth stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will, and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth well. 38 So then he that giveth [her] in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth [her] not in marriage doeth better.

So there are two parts to the solution for a believers struggle with sex sin; 1. First do 1Jn1:9 with 2 Cor. 7; 2. Secondly marry a Spirit filled believer walking in the Spirit. A third very controversial option, for those who are uable to marry at the time of need, is presented after the following marriage discussion.

>>>>>>1 Cor 7:36<<<<<<<

1 Corinthians 7: 36 But <1161> if any man <1536> think <3543> (5719) that he behaveth himself uncomely <807> (5721) toward <1909> his <848> virgin <3933>, if <1437> she pass the flower of [her] age <5230> <5600> (5753), and <2532> need <3784> (5719) so <3779> require <1096> (5738), let him do <4160> (5720) what <3739> he will <2309> (5719), he sinneth <264> (5719) not <3756>: LET THEM MARRY <1060> (5720). Strong's Strong's 1060 gameo {gam-eh'-o} 1. to lead in marriage, take to wife 1a) to get married, to marry 1b) to give one's self in marriage Strong's 5720 Tense - Present See 5774

Voice - Active See 5784 Mood - Imperative See 5794

***Sam do you see that there is no separate Greek word (2010, 1436, 1439) for "let" but instead the word "let" is the imperative indicator for 1060 gameo. Why do we use "let" to indicate the third person imperative? Remember G. Machen's above.

>>>>>>>1 Tim 5<<<<<<<<<<

***1 timothy 5: 14 I will <1014> (5736) therefore that the younger women marry <1060> (5721), Strong's 1014 boulomai {boo'-lom-ahee} 1. to will deliberately, have a purpose, be minded Strong's 5736 Tense - Present See 5774

Voice - Middle or Passive Deponent See 5790 Mood - Indicative See 5791 Strong's 1060 gameo {gam-eh'-o} 1. to lead in marriage, take to wife 1a) to get married, to marry 1b) to give one's self in marriage

Strong's 5721 Tense - Present See 5774

Voice - Active See 5784 Mood - Infinitive See 5795

***Sam, do you see that there is no imperative mood here, but that he is deliberately willing that they marry has the purpose that they are to marry. So 1 Timothy 5:14 is significantly different from 1 Cor. 7:9,36 in that there is in 1Tim 5:14 no imperative command that the widows marry, but only the expression of God's deliberate will and purpose that they marry, as the Spirit worked and willed in Paul to write it. Of course Hebrews 7:7,14,21 would cause any widow to very carefully consider such an expression of purpose and will of such a leader of the saints, especially one so inspired as to write so much scripture.

So I hope you see why I believe there is a situation where we can come under God's express imperative command to marry, when it is is will and purpose that we marry.

In conclusion, the case as I see it------**** 1 Thess 4:1 For the rest, then, my brothers, we beseech you and exhort [you] in [the] Lord Jesus, that, as you have received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, so you would abound more [and more]. 2 For we know what commands we gave you by the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification, for you to abstain from fornication, 4 each one of you to know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor 5 (not in the passion of lust, even as the nations who do not know God), 6 not to go beyond and defraud his brother in this matter (because the Lord [is the] avenger concerning all these, as we also have forewarned you and testified). 7 For God has not called us to uncleanness, but in sanctification. 8 Therefore he who despises does not despise man, but God, who also has given us His Holy Spirit.

DO NOT MARRY THE FOLLOWING KINDS OF PEOPLE

[1.] The sexually immoral: ***1 Cor 5:1 It is widely reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and the kind of sexual immorality that is not even condoned among the Gentiles —a man is living with his father's wife. 2 And you are inflated with pride, instead of filled with grief so that he who has committed this act might be removed from among you. 3 For though absent in body but present in spirit, I have already decided about him who has done this thing as though I were present. 4 In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled, along with my spirit and with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 turn that one over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the Day of the Lord.

[2.] Those who are doing any of the following: ***1 Cor 5:11 But now I am writing you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother who is sexually immoral, covetous, greedy, an idolater - living according to and under the dominant influence or someone or something other than Jesus, a railer*, a reviler*, a slanderer*, a verbal abuser*, a drunkard, a swindler, or an extortioner. Do not even eat with such a person. ------*VERBAL ABUSE* ------1 Cor 5 Paraphrased: 11 But, as things are, I say that you are not to associate with any one who, although a Brother in name, is . . verbally abusive , . . - no, not even to sit at table [to eat] with such people. So according to Strong's definition, do not continue to associate, socialize, fellowship or eat with one is called a believer who does the following: 1.) reviles/scolds/rails at another using harsh, unkind, insolent, disrespectful, proud and/or abusive/hurtful language/words; 2.) reviles another, subjecting another to verbal abuse/hurt, using abusive/hurtful language/words; 3.) belittles another, causing another to seem/feel little or less, using abusive/hurtful language/words; 4.) depreciates another publically, causing another to seem/feel little or less, using abusive/hurtful language/words;

Few Christians are aware of the gravity of the sin of scolding/railing at another using harsh, unkind, insolent, disrespectful, proud and/or emotionally hurtful language/words; of reviling another, abusively subjecting another to verbal hurt, abusively using emotionally hurtful language/words; belittling another, causing another to seem/feel little or less, abusively using emotionally hurtful language/words; and/or depreciating another publically, causing another to seem/feel little or less, abusively using emotionally hurtful language/words

[3.] Those who cause divisions, dissensions and create obstacles, [spiritual] pitfalls, stumbling-blocks, and hindrances contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught ***Rom 16:17 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions, dissensions and create obstacles, [spiritual] pitfalls, stumbling-blocks, and hindrances contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.

[4.] Those who are deliberately disobedient to Scripture or who refuse to work to support themselves and help others *** 2 Thess 3:6 Now we charge you, brethren, in the name and on the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) that you withdraw and keep away from every brother (fellow believer) who is slack in the performance of duty and is disorderly, living as a shirker and not walking in accord with the traditions and instructions that you have received from us. . . .14But if anyone [in the church] refuses to obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person and do not associate with him, so that he may be ashamed. 15Do not regard him as an enemy, but simply admonish and warn him as [being still] a brother. AMP

[5.] Those who are unsaved, who are not Loving and obeying Jesus ******Malachi 2:1 ¶ And now, you all priests, this commandment is for you. 2 If you all do not hear, and if you all do not lay [it] to heart, to give glory unto my name, says Jehovah of hosts, I will even send the curse among you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have already cursed them, because you all do not lay [it] to heart. 3 Behold, I will rebuke your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, the dung of your feasts; and they shall take you away with it. . . . 11 Judah has dealt unfaithfully, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah has profaned the sanctuary of Jehovah which he loved, and has married the daughter [child/disciple] of a strange .god. 12 Jehovah will cut off from the tents of Jacob the man that does this, *****2 Corinthians 6:14 Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers; for what participation [is there] between righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship of light with darkness? 15 And what consent of Christ with Beliar, or what part for a believer along with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement of God's temple with idols? for all of you are [the] living God's temple; according as God has said, "I will dwell among them, and walk among [them]; and I will be their God, and they shall be to me a people. 17 Wherefore come out from the midst of them, and be separated," says [the] Lord, "and touch not [what is] unclean, and I will receive you; 18 and I will be to you for a Father, and you all shall be to me for sons and daughters," says [the] Lord Almighty. 7:1 ¶ Having therefore these promises, beloved, we should purify ourselves from every pollution of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in God's fear. *********2 John 7 For many deceivers are gone forth into the world, even they that confess not that Jesus Christ comes in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist. . . . 9 Whosoever goes onward and abides not in the teaching of Christ, has not God: he that abides in the teaching, the same has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine [is disloyal to what Jesus Christ taught], do not receive him [do not accept him, do not welcome or admit him] into [your] house or bid him Godspeed or give him any encouragement.

[6.] Someone who is still maritally bound to someone else. I believe the following shows that two genuine disciples of Christ are maritally bound to each other as long as both live if they married when they were unincumbered and free to marry in the Lord. I believe the following shows that a genuine disciples of Christ are maritally bound to their unsaved mates if the unsaved leaves, departs, separates or divorces from the saved mate. I believe the following shows that a wife who is a genuine disciple of Christ can separate herself from her unbelieving husband according to 1 Cor 7:11,15, and she is not free to marry another as long as the unbeliever wants to maritally house with her. I believe the following shows that genuine disciples of Christ can separate themselves from their unbelieving mates according to 1 Cor 7:11-15 if the unbelievers do not want to maritally house with them. ***1Cor 7: 10 I command the married —not I, but the Lord—a [believing] wife is not to leave, depart or separate from [Strong's 5563] her [believing] husband. 11 But if she does leave, depart, and/or separate [Strong's 5563], she must remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband—and a [believing] husband/man should not forsake, lay aside, leave, put (send) away and/or divorce [Strongs 863] his wife/woman. 12 But to the rest I, not the Lord, say: If any brother has an unbelieving wife/woman, and she is willing [consents, would like] to [maritally] continue on occupying a house, reside , cohabiting^ and/or dwelling [3611]> with him, he must not forsake, lay aside, leave, put (send) away, and/or remit [Strongs 863] her. 13 Also, if any woman has an unbelieving husband/man, and he is willing [consents, would like] to keep on [maritally] occupying a house, residing , cohabiting^ and/or dwelling [3611] with her, she must not forsake, lay aside, leave, put (send) away, and/or remit [Strongs 863] her husband/man [But if she does leave, depart, and/or separate [Strong's 5563], she must remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband, v.11]. . . .15 But if the unbeliever leaves, departs and/or separates himself [Strong's 5563], he should go away/depart/separate/leave, [he should separate, make the separation]. A brother or a sister is not [legally, morally, maritally] bound in such cases [in the Kingdom of God]. God has called you to peace...... 17 However, each one must live his life in the situation the Lord assigned when God called him. This is what I command in all the churches. . . 20 After God calls him, everyone should remain in the station or condition of life in which the summons [of God] found him. . . . 24 Brethren, each one is to remain with God in that condition in which he was called [by God]...... 27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed. Are you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife. . . . 39 A [believing] wife is bound to her [believing] husband by [God's] Law as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to anyone she wants—only in the Lord.

APPENDIX THREE: THE PRACTICE OF POLYGYNY IN AN HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction P.1 1. Federal law and the practice of polygyny. 2. California law and the practice of polygyny. 3. The Biblical basis for diligent discretion in polygyny 4. Possible legal polygynous wedding covenants/contracts

INTRODUCTION

Bigamy is the "criminal offense of willfully and knowingly contracting a second marriage (or going through the form of a second marriage) while the first marriage, to the knowledge of the offender, is still subsisting and undissolved.">a Bigamy is the "state of a man who has two wives, or of a woman who has two husbands living at the same time.">a

"A married person is guilty of bigamy, a misdemeanor, if he contracts or purports to contract another marriage, unless at the time of the subsequent marriage . . . . . the actor reasonably believes that he is legally eligible to remarry." Model Penal Code #230.1 >a [>a Deluxe Black's Law Dictionary, p. 163, West Publishing Co. St. Paul, MN]

Polygamy: "A person is guilty of polygamy, a felony of the third degree , if he marries or cohabits with more than one spouse at a time in purported exercise of the right of plural marriage. The offense is a continuing one until all cohabitation and claim of marriage with more than one spouse terminates. This section does not apply to parties to a polygamous marriage, lawful in the country of which they are residents or nationals, while they are in transit through or temporarily visiting this state." Model Penal Code #230.1>b [>b Deluxe Black's Law Dictionary, p. 1159, West Publishing Co. St. Paul, MN]

The sticky issue in the WEST/OCCIDENT is that "a married person is guilty of bigamy, a misdemeanor," a) if he signifies that he is contracting another marriage while he is still married to another. b) if he implies that he is contracting another marriage while he is still married c) if he claims or professes to be contracting another marriage while still married d) if he engages in a wedding/marriage given in other than the exact words. In the WEST/OCCIDENT, "person is guilty of polygamy, a felony of the third degree , if he marries . . . more than one spouse at a time " a) signifying that is exercising the right of plural marriage. b) implying that he is exercising the right of plural marriage. c) claiming/professing to be exercising the right of plural marriage. d) engaging in the exercise of the right of plural marriage using other than the exact words of marriage or of a wedding.

In the WEST/OCCIDENT, A "person is guilty of polygamy, a felony of the third degree , if he . . . cohabits with more than one spouse at a time" a) signifying that is exercising the right of plural marriage. b) implying that he is exercising the right of plural marriage. c) claiming/professing to be exercising the right of plural marriage. d) engaging in the exercise of the right of plural marriage using other than the exact words of marriage or of a wedding.

I understand these provisions to mean that anyone who wants to practice polygyny in the WEST/OCCIDENT must not a) signify that he/she is contracting another marriage while still married to another. b) imply that he/she is contracting another marriage while still married c) claim or profess to be contracting another marriage while still married d) engage in a "wedding/marriage" given in other than the exact words (see the alternatives to the use of loaded words like "wedding/marriage" in union celebrations or union ceremonies) e) signify that he/she is exercising "the right of plural marriage." f) imply that he/she is exercising "the right of plural marriage." g) claim/profess to be exercising "the right of plural marriage." h) engage in the exercise of "the right of plural marriage" using other than the exact words of "marriage" or of a "wedding". (There must be no claim to the right of plural marriage in the union celebration, no claim to the right to exercise plural marriage in the union celebration, no use of synonyms for "marriage" [matrimony, wedlock, etc.] or for "wedding" [marriage, nuptials etc.]. i) cohabit with more than one spouse at a time, signifying that he/she is exercising the right of plural marriage. b) cohabit with more than one spouse at a time,implying that he is exercising the right of plural marriage. c) cohabit with more than one spouse at a time, claiming/professing to be exercising the right of plural marriage. d) cohabit with more than one spouse at a time, engaging in the exercise of the right of plural marriage using other than the exact words of marriage or of wedding for the relationship or event. (There must be no claim to the right of plural marriage in the cohabitation, no claim to the right to exercise plural marriage in the cohabitation, no use of synonyms for "marriage" [matrimony, wedlock, etc.] or for "wedding" [marriage, nuptials etc.] in the cohabitation.)

"The showing of minimal numbers of prosecutions does not establish an abandonment of the State's laws or an irrational revival of them here. . . . . Mere failure to prosecute other offenders is no basis for a finding of denial of equal protection." See U.S. v. Salazar, 1983. P. 1071 The courts follow the waves and tides of society. Right now it is neither important , popular or cost efficient to prosecute bigamy/ polygyny cases now. The tide can turn at any time. If you believe in the cycles of our culture as I do, you now how well the cultural tide can turn. Consider the following: 1700- 1730, 1800 - 1830 and 1900- 1930 were times of majority rule and the minorities be damned. If you were a woman or a minority, watch out and step back. It was a time of heavy handed rule by the majority for the majority. Many of the majority indulged themselves excessively and the expense of the minorities. It was a cultural Catholic and WASP world, a time of ghettos for the minorities, who were thankful when the majority left them alone or ignored them. THE PENDULUM HAD SWUNG TO FAR CONSERVATIVE SIDE.

1730 -1750, 1830 -1850 and 1930 - 1950 were periods when the government faced a series of crises that kept it from dealing with major wrongs in society. The government was doing well if it could just keep the lid on the pot of society. It was not a time of minority rights because women, Jews, minority races and ethnic minorities essentially had no government recognized rights other than those for all in the Constitution. The government was too busy coping with wars, collapsing economies and a struggle to keep the country unified.

1750 - 1770, 1850-1870 and 1950-1970 were periods of great social turmoil and dramatic cultural crises resulting in legislated reforms and moves towards democratic goals. THE PENDULUM HAD SWUNG TO THE LIBERAL SIDE.

1770 - 1790, 1870 - 1890 and 1970 - 1990 were periods of general malaise and disillusionment with the reforms and democratic advances of the '50's - '70's. The dreams died and many of the new and more democratic laws suffered from "benign" neglect. An erosion of personal liberties began, but things didn't as bad as they were before the reforms. The people turn inward, more preoccupied with themselves and their issues than the culture's issues. They are burnt out and tired of cultural reforms and movements.

1790 - 1810, 1890 - 1910 and 1990 -2010, if the cycle continues to hold true, will the rights of minorities almost totally neglected by an exhausted and self-centered population AND THE PENDULUM WILL SWING TO THE HARD CONSERVATIVE SIDE. The individual will have to survive the best he can in a cold and uncaring world---unless China or Russia ignite World War III and the great war of Revelations Six ushers in the Tribulation, with one third of the world's population dying within a month of the outbreak of The War.

Whatever the scenario, we who believe in polygyny, and especially those who practice need think defensively and think survival in a world that grows colder, harder, more insensitive and more evil day by passing day. If I were practicing polygyny, especially if I were raising children in polygyny, I would take every precaution, every defensive measure and exercise every discretion to protect my loved ones and my home from the packs of wolves and hyenas that are out there waiting for us to make an unnecessary mistake that would expose and our loved ones to their fangs, to the great pain and loss of our loved ones. We must be wiser than serpents and foxes, yet harmless as doves and sheep, remembering how easy doves and sheep die. Thank God that we are doves and sheep indwelled and shepherded by the Lord Jesus Christ, the thankful possessors of eternal life and the hope of living eternally with the God who is Unselfish and Compassionate Cherishing, Truth, Light, Life and the Way.

1. FEDERAL LAW AND THE PRACTICE OF POLYGYNY

Federal Law (Federal Reporter, 2d Series, #760, pp. 1065-1071): "Utah was justified, by compelling interest, in upholding and enforcing ban on plural marriage to protect monogamous marriage relationships." (U.S.C.A. Const. Amends 1,14) In Reynolds v. U.S., 98 US (8 otto) 145, 25, L.ED. 244 (1878; p. 1068), "the Supreme Court affirmed a criminal conviction of a Mormon for practicing polygamy, and rejected the argument that Congress' prohibition of polygamy violated the defendant's right to the free exercise of religion." In the 1972 Yoder case, "The Supreme Court has recognized the continued validity of [the] REYNOLDS [case]." In YODER (p.1069), the court cited REYNOLDS in support of the proposition that it "is true that activities of individual's, even when religiously based, are often subject to regulation by the states in the exercise of this undoubted power to promote the .. . . . general welfare, or the Federal Government in the exercise of its delegated powers." The Reynolds case against polygyny/bigamy was reaffirmed in 1983 (Bob Jones Univ. v. U.S.). >>The Court has already made up its mind that, in the USA, you may not practice polygyny as a right in the free exercise of your religion.

"Since Yoder [1972], the Court has said that statutes "making bigamy a crime surely cut into an individual's freedom to associate, but few today seriously claim such statutes violate the First Amendment or any Constitutional provision." p. 1069

In 1978, the Steward and J. & Powell decisions concurred in the judgment that the "state may legitimately say that no one who has a living husband or wife can marry. . . . the state has the undeniable interest in insuring that its rules of domestic relations reflect widely held values of its people. . . . . " p. 1069 Majority rule, or majority sentiment or majority values RULE and we all know how the majority feels (especially the majority of women) about bigamy and polygyny. Give this rule of law, it is futile to attempt to get the Supreme Court, or any state, to change its provision. Bigamists and polygynists are the minority, and neither a recognized nor a protected minority. We must live our lives wisely in an hostile environment, and not expect or ask for society's help or recognition.

"After Reynolds, though before Yoder, the Supreme Court upheld Mann Act convictions for transporting at least one plural wife across state lines either to cohabit with her or to aid another person in such a project, despite a challenge based on the Free Exercise Clause." (See Cleveland vs. U.S., 3294514, in 1946). p. 1070

In State v. Barlow (107 Utah 292-1944), "The Utah Supreme Court rejected the defendant's free exercise challenge and affirmed their convictions for cohabitating with more than one person of the opposite sex." The U.S. Supreme Court dismissed the defendant's appeal of the Utah Supreme Court decision. p. 1070 "We find no authority for extending the Constitutional right to privacy so far that it would protect polygamous marriages. We decline to do so." 1985, see Roe v. Wade. p. 1070

>>>In such a state or where ever there exits a law against cohabiting with more than one person of the opposite sex, wisdom would decree that each wife would have to have her own studio/cottage/cabin following the African polygyny model where the husband would make the rounds visiting his wives dwelling in a fair and equitable manner to fulfill his "duty of marriage" with each. With today's economy and prices two female mates (of their own man) might go together and live in a one bedroom or studio apartment. All could still come together in one place for meals, fellowship, prayer and fun without violating the laws against cohabiting with more than one woman. Again, I believe all the taboo words must be religiously and conscientiously avoided (wife, husband, marriage, wedding, spouse etc.) in such a hostile environment.

The "Constitutional right of privacy prevents the state from criminalizing the non-prostitutional heterosexual activities of two unmarried consenting adults when such activities occur in privacy of home." Duling, 603 F. Supp. 960 (E.D. Va 1985). p. 1071 It behooves American polygynists to be legally UNMARRIED AND CONSENTING, exercising their polygyny in the privacy of their home, sexually, verbally and editorially. 2. CALIFORNIA LAW AND THE PRACTICE OF POLYGYNY

California Law: (#284) "Every person who knowingly and willfully marries the husband or wife of another . . . . is punishable by fine not less than $5000 or by imprisonment in state prison." (7/1/'97) Again the preference that all parties to a polygynous should be legally single, not married. It is simply a precaution against this kind of prosecution/persecution. State prison is Hell and is daily filled with life threatening experiences, even on the less violent classification levels.

"Bigamy is punishable by a fine not exceeding $10,000 or by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year or in the state prison." (#283 Calif. Penal Code; 9/27/'83; operative 1/1/'84)

One should not be so selfish and cavalier as to jeopardize their family unity, their emotional, intimate and sexual union, for the "cause" of polygyny. It is not worth the hardship of loss and separation to you and your loved ones to be put in jail for practicing your belief in polygyny that violates the specific laws of society. It is a wiser course to practice one's faith, including polygyny, "striving to live peacably with all men", seeking to give offense to no one, by practicing it as instructed in Romans 14, i.e. privately , discretely and with great discernment so as not to unnecessarily stumble or offend our weaker brethren who are still bound by the laws and traditions of men.

To pracitce polygyny in California today, you must not:

1. Be legally married to more than one "wife" at the same time (CA Criminal Law #820)

1. Be married in an officially recognized ceremony to more than one "wife" at one time (CA Criminal Law 822; Fam Law #66))

1. Be married in a state or publicly recognized common- law marriage to more than one wife at the same time (CL 822; Fam Law #65 & #66)

1. Be married by state license to more than one mate at the same time (CL822) 1. Be solemnized in marriage to more than one wife at the same time by an official recognized by the state (CL822). If the polygynous "marriage" is "solemnized" by ceremony, rite or ritual, the words "wife", "husband" and "marriage" should be avoided carefully (a good thesaurus will help. See the appendix. See Fam Law#65).

1. Be authenticated in marriage to more than one wife at the same time (in polygyny) in any way acceptable to the state (CL822)

1. File the marriage certificate of registry with the state, for your polygynous marriage. (CL822)

1. Conclude officially or legally your "marriage" in polygyny. (CL824)

1. Publicly cohabit as husband and wife, publicly and mutually assuming marital rights, duties and obligations, including sexual relations with more than one wife at the same time.(CL825)

1. Have the reputation in a community of being married, nor deport yourselves in the neighborhood as husband and wife (Fam Law 61 & 62). Specifically you must not allow/permit/encourage common, general, uniform, and undivided repute among witnesses/ neigborhood that you are married to more than one mate at the same time. (Fam Law#65, Re Estate of Gill; Hite v. Hite; Re Estate of Baldwin).

1. Have any one other than the actual parties of the polygynous marriage present at the "wedding" ceremony (Fam Law 62), since every witness of the "wedding" is a possible "witness" of the polygynous marriage in a bigamy trial. See # 5 above. I don't see any problem with witnesses at "union ceremony", or "bonding ceremony" (not wedding ceremony, see ch. 3)

A man and his women who practice polygyny in Calif. must realize that the admissions of polygyny by one of his mates is hard evidence for the state in a felony bigamy case. The "testimony by a party to one of the marriages in issue" (People v. Van Wie/O'Neal/ Rauch) is hard evidence. The testimony of any witness to a polygynous wedding is such evidence (People v. Stokes/ DuFault). The testimony of witnesses of the polygynous mates' cohabitation and their reputation of "being married" is such hard evidence (People v. Beevers/DuFault). But all life is full risks and there is always the possiblity of a Judas in the crowd in every gathering. For those who feel led to enter into polygyny in California, they must do so at their own risk and they must do it very prudently, counting the cost before entering into it.

To be polygynous in California, your "marriages" must be without benefit of the civil law, its protection and its requirements. It is best if none of the members of a polygynous marriage is legally/ officially married to the husband of the family (Fam Law58). There is no law against two or more single people living together and having sex together, so a polygynous family can take on this appearance/ manifestation. The second or etc. wife in a polygynous marriage can neither have nor seek protection or recognition of marital rights or obligations by the state. The state must not know the true nature of the polygynous relationship. Rights and responsibilities may be drawn up and agreed to in a private, but witnessed contract, carefully avoiding the use of words like "husband" or "wife" or "marriage". Such a contract must not have any language that represents or presents the parties involved as husband and wife or wives. Property rights, money distribution, bill payment, financial responsibilities, child rearing duties, sexual relations, inheritances, house keeping duties etc. can all be covered by a witnessed (by God or by humans) contract between the parites involved. I believe that every "wife" in polygyny should be given the "power of attorney" in all matters of her "husband" in the event of his incapacity or hospitalization, and every "husband" in polygyny should be given the "power of attorney" in all matters of each of his "wives". Of course all parties involved should have carefully drawn up wills covering the disposition of their property and children in the event of the death or incapacity.

There can be no state recognized ceremony or documents or documentation. There can be no state recognized common law marriage of the parties involved in the polygynous relationship. As stated in Hebrews 11:13-16, our citizenship is in the heavenlies in the spiritual realm and we await the City of God. So instead of being licensed by the state, Christian polygynists must get the permission to marry from their King, the Lord Jesus Christ. Instead of being solemnized by the an official of the state, the polygynous marriage must be solemnized by the presence of God, His angels and His children. His Word that He hates covenant breaking (Malachi 2) and that He hates the break up of marriages----that Word gives all the necessary solemnity to a sincere exchange of marital covenants between the polygynous husband and wife. The fact that He knows our hearts, the thoughts and intents of our hearts, makes Him the only One Who can really authenticate such a polygynous marriage. Nothing needs to filed with God since He was there as witness and every word said and every thought imagined are a matter of record with Him.

To conclude your polygynous marriage with cohabitation requires great discretion on the part of those involved. They may not present themselves as husband and "wives" to society in general and their neighbors in particular (Boyd v. Boyd, 1962, CrimLaw825). A polygynous husband must not address his polygynous spouse as wife in public, in introductions or even in writing to those not intimately involved in the polygynous "marriage. Romans 14:16-23 makes it real clear that the practice of such controversial things requires secrecy and discretion on the part of those who have the liberty to practice it. To the world they may be only man and mistress, or boy friend and girl friends shacking up. Only in the circles of their confidants and supporters may they be known as "husband" and "wife", even though those words are not used.

In California "It is no defense to a charge of bigamy that the doctrines and practice of polygamy are a part of the religion of the accused" (Reynolds v. U.S.; Davis v. Beason). Polygyny in California may not take the form of Common Law marriage, nor may it involve the public presentation of the parties involved as husband and wife/wives.

To practice polygyny in California, you may not publicly address your polygynous spouse(s) as wife and she (they) should not publicly address you as husband. But what is in the word "wife"? Isn't it the relationship, the covenants that make the marriage, and not the words "husband and wife"? If a wife in polygyny knows that her husband is an honorable man before the Lord, a man of integrity, a man who honors his word and his commitments, then she will feel just as much his wife when he introduces her as, or calls her "my Beloved", "my Darling", "my Lover", "my Lady", "my darling Helpmeet", "Blessed Companion", "the Queen of my heart", etc. instead of "my wife". If a husband in polygyny knows that his mate in polygyny is an honorable woman before the Lord, a woman of integrity, a woman who honors her word and her commitments, then he will feel just as much her husband when she introduces him as, or calls him "My Man", "My Mate", "Beloved", "my Companion' etc. instead of "my husband". There are many names for a wife and a husband other than "wife" and "husband". Love and creativity can join forces to develop names that are uniquely yours in your marriage that speak to you of the intimate and confidential nature of your polygynous marriage. It is the covenant before God that makes the marriage, not the names or titles. Appendix 4. BIBLICAL POLYGYNOUS WEDDING COVENANTS FOR THE JOINING OF A MAN AND A WOMAN TO BECOME ONE FLESH IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD

God in the Bible does not require a formal or church wedding to begin a marriage. That is the beauty of the Bible and its ability to work in every culture on earth. If a country requires a legal or government approved wedding, then the Christian should do so (Rom 13:1-8). If one's church prefers or requires that its members have a church wedding, that it is offensive and grievous to the church for its members to live together without a church marriage, then they should have a church wedding (Rom 14). If it is impossible for a couple to have a formal and legal church or civil wedding, and their consciences allow it, they can covenant together before God and His angels (Rom 14).

If the polygynous couple wed informally, privately and discretely (without benefit of law), I strongly recommend that the polygynous husband and wife both sign a notarized and legal contract covering any property they share, his supply of her food, clothing and shelter and his responsibility to provide for their children. The Holy Bible in Matthew 5:33-37, James 4:13ff and James 5:12, declare that we don't know our future, not even tomorrow or even the next hour. Therefore it is a presumptuous assertion to say, vow, swear, promise and/or covenant that we will do this or that in our future. He tells us to recognize and admit our finite knowledge and our mortality by saying, "If the Lord wills and we live, we also shall do this or that." To make presumptuous assertions about your future is prideful boasting and contrary to His will. See James 4:13,14,15 and Prov. 27:1.

****Mat 5:33 "Again, you have heard that it was said to our ancestors, You must not break your oath, but you must keep your oaths to the Lord. 34 But I tell you, don't take an oath at all: either by heaven, because it is God's throne; 35 or by the earth, because it is His footstool; or by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King. 36 Neither should you swear by your head, because you cannot make a single hair white or black. 37 But let your word 'yes' be 'yes,' and your 'no' be 'no.' Anything more than this is from the evil one." HCSB

****James 4: 13 Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit." . . . 15 Instead, you should say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that." 16 But as it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 17 So, for the person who knows to do good and doesn't do it, it is a sin. . . . 5:12 'Now above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. Your "yes" must be "yes," and your "no" must be "no," so that you won't fall under judgment.' NASB + HCSB

From James 4:13-17 & 5:12 we see that there is nothing that we can give that will honestly and absolutely attest to the credibility and fulfillment of our promises, vows, covenants, swearings, oaths or predictions about our own future. We have absolute and perfect control or authority over not one thing. To give the recipient of such promises, oaths or predictions about our future the idea that we can be expected to perfectly and completely fulfill such statements is to give the recipient a false expectation of (and false confidence in) our fulfilling such swearings/oaths. Such dishonesty is contrary to the Truth of the word since our life is like a vapor or a blade of grass and disasters, disabilities, incapacities, death or etc. could keep us from fulfilling our solemn covenants or sworn oaths.

Wedding covenants are a very serious matter. **** MALACHI 2:14 “Yet you say, Why? Because the LORD has been witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously; yet she [is] your companion and your covenant wife. 15 And did He not make [you] one? Yet the vestige of the Spirit [is in] him. And what [of] the one? He was seeking a godly seed. Then guard your spirit, and do not act treacherously with the wife of your youth. 16 The LORD, the God of Israel, says He hates sending away; and to cover [with] violence on his garment, says the LORD of hosts. Then guard your spirit, and do not act treacherously.” Here "act treacherously" means " break covenant" or "fail to honor your covenant/commitment".

It is the treachery of breaking covenants that God condemns in these passages and that which He hates. "Yes, I swore an oath to you and entered into covenant with you, and you became Mine," says the Lord God>70 . We become a part of the bride of Christ in the same way. The Spirit considered Mary and Joseph as husband and wife on the basis of their espousal/ betrothal/ covenants even before the wedding and their coming together>71. [Footnote: >70 (Ezek. 16:8). >71 (Mat. 1:18-25 ;Deut. 22:23-27)]

***Romans 1:29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, . . . They are . . . 31 . . . faithless, untrustworthy covenant-breakers, heartless, ruthless. 32Though they know God’s decree and just sentence that those who commit, purpose, perform and work such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to and applaud those who commit, purpose, perform and work them. [ESV, HCSB,STRONG'S and THAYER'S, YLT]

***Nu 30:2 If a man vows a vow to the LORD, or swears an oath to bind his soul with a bond, HE SHALL NOT BREAK HIS WORD. He shall do according to all that comes out of his mouth. ***Ezekiel 16:59 “For thus says the Lord Jehovah: I will even deal with you as you have done, WHO HAVE DESPISED THE OATH, AND BROKEN THE COVENANT. . . . ***Psalm 15:1 LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? 2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. . . . [HE THAT] SWEARETH [PROMISES, CONTRACTS] TO [HIS OWN] HURT [LOSS, DISADVANTAGE], AND CHANGETH NOT [KEEPS HIS WORD/PROMISE]. . . . He that doeth these [things] shall never be moved.

***Eccles. 5:4 ¶ When you vow [promise] a vow [promise] to [before] God, do not wait to pay it. For He has no pleasure in fools. Pay that which you have vowed [promised]. 5 [it is] better that you should not vow, than that you should vow and not pay. 6 Do not allow your mouth to cause your flesh to sin; do not say before the angel that it [was] an error. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands?

Here are four possible Biblical Christian polygyny covenants.

======AN AFFIRMATION AND COVENANT OF INTIMATE UNION FOR LIFE

*********HIS PART*****************

Him TO HER ∆ Before God and all these witnesses I accept my responsibility and declare my commitment, ∆ to Love you and cherish you as God's gift to me, ∆ to respect you and to accept our differences, ∆ to share my feelings and to forgive you, ∆ to pray for you and encourage you, ∆ to grow in loving God with you, ∆ to support you in serving God and supporting God's purposes for you. ∆ I love you with all of my heart and I intend to Love you all of my life. ∆ With God's working and willing in me I commit myself to making our home a place of joy as long as we both live. ∆ I accept the honor, privilege and joy to be having you as my own wife, recognizing my solemn responsibility to live ecstatically and joyfully with you, and recognizing your intimate authority over and right to my heart, mind and body. ∆ Calling on Father to enable us to avoid immorality I trust Him to enable us to regularly be physically intimate with each other, accepting each other's authority over our bodies, being diligent to not deny each other physical intimacy unless it be by mutual consent for a time of fasting prayer, and after that time being careful to resume our intimacy in order to avoid immorality. 1 Cor 7:2-5

∆ I am willing and it is my solemn intention to enjoy life, rejoice and be glad with ______(Prov 5:18; Eccles 9:9).

∆ I willing and it is my solemn intention to be sexually having ______as my own woman, acknowledging and accepting her sexual authority over my body, denying her sexual intimacy only for agreed upon fasting prayer, and then only for an agreed upon time, after which I will continue having her sexually. 1 Cor 7:1-5

∆ I am willing and it is my solemn intention to keep on being satisfied, intoxicated and enraptured with ______'s breasts and affectionate loving (Prov 5:19).

∆ Calling on Father to enable us to freely share with each other all that we ever possess, I call on Him to give us one heart and soul so that we share with each other all that we have, neither of us saying that any of the things that we have belong to one of us individually. (Acts 4:32- 35; 2 Cor 8 & 9) ∆ I accept as my responsibility before Christ and I call upon Jesus to work and will in me to not show prejudice, favoritism, partiality or be partial in my relationships with my own ladies (Phil 2:13; Eph 6:8-10; 1 Tim 5:21; James 2:1,4,9; 3:17).

∆ I call upon Jesus to work and will in me to Love my own ladies with a Love that has long patience, is kind; is not emulous/envious; is not insolent and rash, is not puffed up, does not behave in an unseemly manner, does not seek its own, is not quickly provoked, does not impute or take account of evil, does not rejoice at iniquity/unrighteousness but rejoices with the truth; that always/daily, thoroughly and patiently endures; that always/daily thoroughly believes Jesus; hopes in Jesus thoroughly always/daily; that always/daily thoroughly and patiently remains, perseveres, and abides in Jesus; and that never drops away, never is driven out, never fails, falls away or becomes ineffective. ( Phil 2:13;1 Cor 13; 1 John 2 & 3)

>>>>>>>>>>>>>HIM TO ALL<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

∆ I,______, accept ______as my own wife, before God and the angelic witnesses here present. I do solemnly affirm, declare and accept my responsibility before God to ______as my own wife, in all honor and love, in all service and duty, in all faith and tenderness, to live with, comfort, keep, unselfishly and compassionately cherish _____, according to the ordinance of Jesus Christ in the holy bond of our union before God. ∆ I accept the ordinance of King Jesus that indicates that any sexual intimacy of ours is to be experienced only within the holy bond of marriage and according to His Word. ∆ I do solemnly affirm, declare and accept my responsibility in our union to be ______'s loving and faithful intimate partner, to love and to unselfishly cherish her in plenty and in want, in joy and grief, in health and infirmity as long as we both shall live. ∆ I hereby leave and separate myself and my allegiance from my parents and family to loyally bond with ______as one in our intimate union, submitting to each other according to the Word of God in the reverence of God. ∆ I commit myself to her with all of my heart, to live wisely with her; not domineering or tyrannizing her but respectfully, unselfishly cherishing her, feeding her the Word, holding her up in prayer, taking care of her and humbly leading her by my example, by the grace and enabling of Jesus Christ.

**************HER PART**********

HER TO HIM

∆ Before God and all these witnesses I accept my responsibility and declare my commitment, ∆ to Love you and cherish you as God's gift to me, ∆ to respect you and to accept our differences, ∆ to share my feelings and to forgive you, ∆ to pray for you and encourage you, ∆ to grow in loving God with you, ∆ to support you in serving God and supporting God's purposes for you. ∆ I love you with all of my heart and I intend to Love you all of my life. ∆ With God's working and willing in me I commit myself to making our home a place of joy as long as we both live. ∆ I accept the honor, privilege and joy of having you as my own husband, recognizing my solemn responsibility to be encouraging you and allowing you to be living ecstatically and joyfully with me, recognizing your intimate authority over and right to my heart, mind and body. ∆ Calling on Father to enable us to avoid immorality I trust Him to enable us to regularly be physically intimate with each other, accepting each other's authority over our bodies, being diligent to not deny each other physical intimacy unless it be by mutual consent for a time of fasting prayer, and after that time being careful to resume our intimacy in order to avoid immorality. 1 Cor 7:2-5

∆ I am willing and it is my solemn intention to enable ______to enjoy life, rejoice and be glad with me (Prov 5:18; Eccles 9:9).

∆ I am willing and it is my solemn intention to enable, encourage and permit my breasts and affectionate loving to be satisfying, intoxicating and enrapturing ______(Prov 5:19).

∆ I am willing and it is my solemn intention to be sexually having ______as my own man, acknowledging and accepting his sexual authority over my body, denying him sexual intimacy only for agreed upon fasting prayer, and then only for an agreed upon time, after which I will continue having him sexually. 1 Cor 7:1-5

∆ I accept and recognize ______'s polygynous relationship with ______. I accept my responsibility in Christ to show honor and respect to ______(Rm 12:9- 11; 1 Peter 2:17). It is my desire and will so I call upon Jesus to work and will in me in my relationship with ______His humility, gentleness, and patience in His Love (Eph 4:1-3). I call upon Father to work and will in me to walk knit together with ______in His Love in real knowledge and all discernment, as Christ loves me (Eph 5:1-3; Phil 1:8-10; Colos 2:1-3; 1 Thess 3:). I call upon Father to work and will in myself and ______so that together we may live in harmony, being of the same mind, one in purpose; in harmonious accord, mind and intention (Phil 2:1-3)

∆ I call upon Father to work and will in me to be doing good to ______, blessing her, praying for her, generous with her, being merciful to her, and refraining from condemning her (Luke 6:27-39). In Christ and in our family I accept my responsibility to let Christ work and will in me to show family affection with brotherly Love and hospitality to ______, to share with her as needed and to live in peace with her (Rom 12:9-19). I accept my responsibility to call on Jesus to work and will in me to not avenge myself if ______wrongs me, to not repay evil, harm or injury with evil, harm or injury; to forgive her and after doing Matt 18:15-17 with her, leave the matter with King Jesus to resolve (Rom 1:17-21).

∆ I call upon Jesus to work and will in me to Love ______and ______with a Love that has long patience, is kind; is not emulous/envious; is not insolent and rash, is not puffed up, does not behave in an unseemly manner, does not seek its own, is not quickly provoked, does not impute or take account of evil, does not rejoice at iniquity/unrighteousness but rejoices with the truth; that always/daily, thoroughly and patiently endures; that always/daily thoroughly believes Jesus; hopes in Jesus thoroughly always/daily; that always/daily thoroughly and patiently remains, perseveres, and abides in Jesus; and that never drops away, never is driven out, never fails, falls away or becomes ineffective.

>>>>>>>>>>>>HER TO ALL<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

∆ I,______, accept ______as my own intimate partner in marriage, before God and the angelic witnesses here present. ∆ I do solemnly affirm, declare and accept my solemn responsibility in my union with ____ as my own husband, in all honor and love, in all service and duty, in all faith and tenderness, to live with, comfort, keep, unselfishly and compassionately cherish _____, according to the ordinance of Jesus Christ in the holy bond of this our covenanted marriage. ∆ I accept the ordinance of King Jesus that indicates that any sexual intimacy of ours is to be experienced only within the holy bond of our marriage and according to His Word. ∆ I do solemnly affirm, declare and accept my solemn responsibility in our union to be ______'s loving and faithful marital partner, to love and to unselfishly cherish him in plenty and in want, in joy and grief, in health and infirmity. ∆ I hereby leave and separate myself and my allegiance from my parents and family to loyally bond with ______as one in our intimate union, submitting to each other according to the Word of God in the reverence of God. ∆ I commit myself to him with all of my heart, to live wisely with him to follow his lead in the Lord, showing him honor and respect in all matters.

************(read aloud together in unison) ************ ∆ We covenant before God and all present, that in our marriage we are bound together in our solemn and intimate union to be one flesh, one living and loving being. ∆ We covenant before God and His angels that it is our solemn and life long responsibility to unselfishly and compassionately cherish each other in our intimate union according to His Word, the Holy Bible, and to His glory and honor.

[Together] We ask God to enable us, to work and will in us, [Him]+++ to endure each others' shortcomings patiently and kindly. [Her]+++ to not let envy and jealousy come between us. [Him]+++ to love each other free from personal vanity, pride and boasting. [Her]+++ to love the USness and WEness of our union more than ourselves, and so be free of conceit and arrogance. [Him]+++ with a kind and gentle heart, to keep from offending each other, avoiding rudeness and bad behavior. [Her]+++ to esteem our union as being more important to us than having our own way, or asserting our own rights over the rights of our union [Him]+++ to esteem our union so highly that we have committed ourselves to seeking what is good for US, rather than what is good for each of us alone. [Her]+++ with a patient and gentle love for our union, to carefully and prayerfully keep from being touchy, fretful or resentful. [Him]+++ with love for our union and the good of our union, to even overlook each others' screw-ups and mess-ups for the sake and love of our oneness [Her]+++ to rejoice for each other when one or both of us do well, when we behave righteously and truthfully. [Him]+++ to prayerful grieve alone for each other and our oneness when we screw-up and mess-up, never making fun of each other's shortcomings, never tossing them in each other's face or throwing them out against each other in public or to outsiders. [Her]+++ by His grace and enabling, to bear up beautifully through all that each of us experiences, like the rising sun that refuses to fail but perseveres brilliantly. [Him]+++ to always be ready to believe the best about each other and our oneness, with unfailing hope for our oneness. [Her]+++ by His grace and enabling, to endure all the variables of our lives with unselfishly compassionate and cherishing Love for each other and our union.Pray for us. ______∆ [Him] Our wedding rings symbolize our life long love and my commitment to you, as my sister in Christ, to never leave you, send you away, ask you to leave or disregard you. ∆ [Her] Our wedding rings symbolize our life long love and my commitment to you, to honor our marital union in Christ, to honor and respect you as my husband, to never disown or abandon your desire to live with me as my husband. ∆ [Together] With these rings we have covenanted with each other to keep our intimate sexual activity within the bonds of God’s holy matrimony. ∆ [Together] With these rings we declare our covenant that we are maritally glued to each other, joined intimately to each other, committed to cleaving to our union and sticking to each other in our marriage in the Kingdom of God.

The Couple's Signatures and Date Witnessed by God and His holy angels. or he writes out his part to her and she writes out her part to him and sign them. TO BE REPEATED AT EACH MONTHLIARY, CELEBRATING THE DAY OF YOUR WEDDING EVERY MONTH.

======OPTION #2 ======

>>>>>>The Man's Declarations To His Wife<<<<<<

Here I stand before all gathered here today, my God, and His angels to joyfully declare that by this covenant I accept and acknowledge [her name] as my own woman in marital union in Christ!

With a heart filled with thanksgiving I accept my responsibility to faithfully live with [her name], to unselfishly, kindly and compassionately cherish her according to the Word of God and this our solemn covenant, in all virtue and honor, in all duty and service, in all faithfulness and tenderness! I acknowledge my own frailty, weakness and inability to fulfill this responsibility so I call on Jesus to work and will in me the godly fulfillment of this our wedding covenant.

I solemnly commit myself to to lead my [her first name], my covenanted companion as the servant Jesus has made me to be, being careful not to make her do what she doesn't want to do, not mastering her or holding her in submission to myself, not forcing her to do what I want her to do, not subduing or subjecting her to myself, not controlling or dominating her; rather being careful, as a servant who will have to give an accounting to his King Jesus, to kindly and unselfishly do with and to her that which the Word of God directs, looking after and caring for her, serving and helping her, supporting and taking care of her, for she is God's precious and beloved gift to me!

I solemnly accept my responsibility to faithfully stay and live with my [her first name], to not send or put her away from my side, to not ask her to go away or leave, to not leave her or release her from being my own life-partner; to not dismiss or repudiate her as my own life-partner, and to not leave her for another lover!

I solemnly accept my responsibility to faithfully stay and live joyfully and passionately with my [her name], to celebrate joyfully and passionately her body, soul and mind; and to not voluntarily separate my self from affection and intimacy with her except for mutually agreed upon times of prayer and fasting!

I do solemnly replace my loyalty to my parents with my loyalty to my [her first name] and loyally bond with her in our new intimate unity as life-partners, submitting to the Word of God in each other in reverence to God!

I do solemnly commit myself to my [her first name] with all my heart to live wisely with her; respectfully, compassionately and sacrificially cherishing her, feeding her the Word of God, taking care of her and leading her in Christ by my example? [1 Peter 3:7; 5; 1 Cor. 13; 1 John 3; Ephes 5; Lk 22]

I call on Jesus to work and will in me to avoid all quarreling, to be a humble peace maker and an edifier in our home so that I may not cause my [her first name] to spiritually stumble, fall, be offended, be weakened, or to be unavoidably grieved by my words and/or deeds.

I do recognize, accept and honor the one-flesh oneness, one-flesh unity, and Spirit unity of my intimate union with my [her first name] so that I know, acknowledge and confess that I am not my own, that I belong to Jesus and am under His rule, that my intimate life-mate has the authority and control over the intimate use of my body, so that she may kindly and gently do with my body that which she pleases to do, in the Lord!

I recognize my responsibility to eagerly and earnestly do that which is necessary, by the enabling of Jesus' Spirit, to live wisely with my [her first name] so my prayers may be heard, to guard and keep the harmony and unity of the Spirit in the bond of Christ's peace in our union and intimacy as life-partners!

I accept my responsibility to call on Jesus to enable me to faithfully keep our union and intimacy free from what God declares to be sexual immorality; with all humility, meekness, longsuffering, to bear with my [her first name] in godly Love, to diligently keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace in our home; and to be kind and tender hearted to my [her first name], forgiving her, even as God also in Christ forgave me.

Calling on Father to enable us to avoid immorality I trust Him to enable us to regularly be physically intimate with each other, accepting each other's authority over our bodies, being diligent to not deny each other physical intimacy unless it be by mutual consent for a time of fasting prayer, and after that time being careful to resume our intimacy in order to avoid immorality. 1 Cor 7:2-5 I am willing and it is my solemn intention to enjoy life, rejoice and be glad with ______(Prov 5:18; Eccles 9:9).

I willing and it is my solemn intention to be sexually having ______as my own woman, acknowledging and accepting her sexual authority over my body, denying her sexual intimacy only for agreed upon fasting prayer, and then only for an agreed upon time, after which I will continue having her sexually. 1 Cor 7:1-5

I am willing and it is my solemn intention to keep on being satisfied, intoxicated and enraptured with ______'s breasts and affectionate loving (Prov 5:19).

Calling on Father to enable us to freely share with each other all that we ever possess, I call on Him to give us one heart and soul so that we share with each other all that we have, neither of us saying that any of the things that we have belong to one of us individually. (Acts 4:32- 35; 2 Cor 8 & 9)

I accept as my responsibility before Christ and I call upon Jesus to work and will in me to not show prejudice, favoritism, partiality or be partial in my relationships with my own ladies (Phil 2:13;Eph 6:8-10; 1 Tim 5:21; James 2:1,4,9; 3:17).

I accept my responsibility to call upon Jesus to work and will in me to Love my own ladies with a Love that has long patience, is kind; is not emulous/envious; is not insolent and rash, is not puffed up, does not behave in an unseemly manner, does not seek its own, is not quickly provoked, does not impute or take account of evil, does not rejoice at iniquity/unrighteousness but rejoices with the truth; that always/daily, thoroughly and patiently endures; that always/daily thoroughly believes Jesus; hopes in Jesus thoroughly always/daily; that always/daily thoroughly and patiently remains, perseveres, and abides in Jesus; and that never drops away, never is driven out, never fails, falls away or becomes ineffective. (Phil 2:13; 1 Cor 13; 1 John 2 & 3)

>>>>>>>The Woman's Declarations To Her Husband<<<<<<<

Here I stand before all gathered here today, my God, and His angels to joyfully declare that by this covenant I accept and acknowledge [his name] as my own man in holy matrimony in Christ!

With a heart filled with thanksgiving I accept my responsibility to faithfully live with my [his first name] and compassionately cherish him as my own covenanted companion according to the Word of God, in all virtue and honor, in all duty and service, in all faithfulness and affectionate tenderness! I acknowledge my own frailty, weakness and inability to fulfill this responsibility so I call on Jesus to work and will in me the godly fulfillment of this our wedding covenant. I solemnly commit myself to recognize, accept and honor the God-given headship and leadership of my [his first name] with all my heart, to not hold discourses with him, to not lecture him or teach him to do anything unless he is asking me to teach him about something or someone; to not govern, control or dominate him so that he does what I or others want him to do!

I solemnly commit myself to recognize, accept and honor the God-given headship and leadership of [his name] with all my heart, voluntarily choosing to bring and keep myself under his authority, leadership and teaching; placing my will and myself under his authority; bringing myself under his influence, subordinating myself to and obeying his leadership when it is not contrary to the clear, specific and explicit Word of God!

I solemnly accept my responsibility to faithfully keep my marital union and intimacy to my [his first name] only, keeping myself from all other lovers, not leaving him for another, and not dismissing, releasing or repudiating him as my own intimate life- partner, as long as we both live! I accept my solemn responsibility to my [his first name] to accept and give to him with good will his God-given authority over and access to my body, to encourage him to obey Jesus by passionately, gently and kindly experiencing ecstasy with me and my body in the Lord and according to His Word!

I humbly accept my responsibility to not separate from my [his first name], to not be separated from him, to not leave him, or to not put myself apart from intimacy with him, unless it is to be alone and celibate by mutual consent for fasting and prayer, or to celibately be alone with the hope of eventual reconciliation and reunion, as long as we both live!

I solemnly replace my loyalty to my parents with loyalty to my [his first name], to bond with him loyally in our new intimate union, submitting to God's Word in each other in reverence to God!

I solemnly commit myself to my [his first name] with all my heart, to follow his lead, doing so for and by the Lord, and in all matters showing the honor and respect due him as her own God-appointed head and leader!

In the Name of Jesus and for His sake I subject myself to [his name] to obey him as Christ and His Word direct and instruct me, except if he expects me to disobey the clear, specific and explicit Word of God. It is my desire to follow his lead with all reverence and respect not only when he is good and forbearing, but even if he stray from the Way; enduring this grief because of my conscience towards God, suffering wrongfully with patient endurance, in the steps of Jesus. I know and accept that I was called to this, even as Christ was, so I will to fearlessly give myself up to Him who judges righteously and ask Him to work in me to not return evil for evil. I call on Jesus to work and will in me chaste and godly behavior so that without a word from me He might use me to draw my [his first name] closer to Jesus and His will. I ask and trust Him to work in me His control of my emotions and strength so that I will be gentle and peaceful as His dove in the Spirit in our home, that I may be as wise, bold and strong in Jesus as Ruth, Esther and Jesus' mother, Mary.

I am willing and it is my solemn intention to enable ______to enjoy life, rejoice and be glad with me (Prov 5:18; Eccles 9:9).

I am willing and it is my solemn intention to enable, encourage and permit my breasts and affectionate loving to be satisfying, intoxicating and enrapturing ______(Prov 5:19).

I am willing and it is my solemn intention to be sexually having ______as my own man, acknowledging and accepting his sexual authority over my body, denying him sexual intimacy only for agreed upon fasting prayer, and then only for an agreed upon time, after which I will continue having him sexually. 1 Cor 7:1-5

I accept and recognize ______'s polygynous relationship with ______. I accept my responsibility in Christ to show honor and respect to ______(Rm 12:9- 11; 1 Peter 2:17). It is my desire and will so I call upon Jesus to work and will in me in my relationship with ______His humility, gentleness, and patience in His Love (Eph 4:1-3). I call upon Father to work and will in me to walk knit together with ______in His Love in real knowledge and all discernment, as Christ loves me (Eph 5:1-3; Phil 1:8-10; Colos 2:1-3; 1 Thess 3:). I call upon Father to work and will in myself and ______so that together we may live in harmony, being of the same mind, one in purpose; in harmonious accord, mind and intention (Phil 2:1-3,13)

I call upon Father to work and will in me to be doing good to ______, blessing her, praying for her, generous with her, being merciful to her, and refraining from condemning her (Luke 6:27-39; Phil 2:13). In Christ and in our family I accept my responsibility to let Christ work and will in me to show family affection with brotherly Love and hospitality to ______, to share with her as needed and to live in peace with her (Rom 12:9-19). I accept my responsibility to call on Jesus to work and will in me to not avenge myself if ______wrongs me, to not repay evil, harm or injury with evil, harm or injury; to forgive her and after doing Matt 18:15-17 with her, leave the matter with King Jesus to resolve (Rom 1:17-21).

I call upon Jesus to work and will in me to Love ______and ______with a Love that has long patience, is kind; is not emulous/envious; is not insolent and rash, is not puffed up, does not behave in an unseemly manner, does not seek its own, is not quickly provoked, does not impute or take account of evil, does not rejoice at iniquity/unrighteousness but rejoices with the truth; that always/daily, thoroughly and patiently endures; that always/daily thoroughly believes Jesus; hopes in Jesus thoroughly always/daily; that always/daily thoroughly and patiently remains, perseveres, and abides in Jesus; and that never drops away, never is driven out, never fails, falls away or becomes ineffective (Phil 2:13; 1 Cor 13; 1 John 2 & 3).

======Yet Another Covenant======

READ BY A WITNESS OR THE HUSBAND TO THE WOMAN AND THE WOMAN RESPONDING [Her name], do you accept and acknowledge [his name] as your own man in Christ by this covenant? Yes, I do!

[Her name], do you accept your responsibility to faithfully live with [his name] and compassionately cherish him as your own covenanted companion according to the Word of God, in all virtue and honor, in all duty and service, in all faithfulness and tenderness? [Ephes 5; Titus 2] Yes, I do!

[Her name], do you commit yourself to recognize, accept and honor the God-given headship and leadership of [his name] with all your heart, to not hold discourses with him, to not lecture him, in order to teach him to do anything unless he is asking you to teach him about something or someone; to not govern, control or dominate him so that he does what you or others want him to do? [1 Cor 11; Rom 13; 1 Tim 2; Lk 22] Yes, I do!

[Her name], do you commit yourself to recognize, accept and honor the God-given headship and leadership of [his name] with all your heart, voluntarily choosing to bring and keep yourself under his authority, leadership and teaching by placing your will and yourself under his authority; bringing yourself under his influence, subordinating yourself to and obeying his leadership when it is not contrary to the specific and explicit Word of God? [1 Cor 11; 1 Peter 3; Ephes 5] Yes, I do!

[Her name], do you accept your responsibility to faithfully keep your union intimacy to [his name] only, not having any other lover, not leaving him for another lover, and not dismissing, releasing or repudiating him as your own intimate life- partner? [Rom 7; 1 Cor 6; 7:1-16,39] Yes, I do! [Her name, do you accept your solemn responsibility to [his name], to accept and give him with good will his God- given authority and control over your body to gently and kindly do with your body that which he wants to do in the Lord and according to His Word? [1 Cor 7 & 11 & 13] Yes, I do?

[Her name], do you accept your responsibility to not separate from [his name], to not be separated from him, to not leave him, or to not put yourself apart from intimacy with him, unless it is to be alone and celibate for fasting and prayer, or to celibately hope for eventual reconciliation and reunion as long as you both do live? [1 Cor 7] Yes, I do!

[Her name], do you replace your loyalty to your parents with your loyalty to [his name], to bond with him loyally in your new intimate union, submitting to God's Word in each other in reverence to God? [Ephes 5; Psa 45] Yes, I do!

[Her name], do you commit yourself to [his name] with all your heart, to follow his lead, doing so for and by the Lord, and in all matters showing the honor and respect due him as her own God-appointed head and leader? [1Cor 11; Rom 13;Ephes 5] Yes, I do!

With your heart full of thanksgiving to God, [Her name], do you commit yourself to [his name/me] with all my heart, to follow his/my lead, doing so for and by the Lord, and in all matters showing the honor and respect due him/me as your own God-appointed head and leader. [Rom 13; 1 Cor 11; Heb. 13:7,14,21; Ephes 5:22-33]

In the Name of Jesus and for His sake [Her name], do you subject yourself to [his name/me] to obey him/me as Christ and His Word direct and instruct you, with all reverence and respect not only when he is [I am] good and forbearing, but even when he is [I am] sinning because you know that when you endure grief because of your conscience towards God and suffer wrongfully with patient endurance, He has promised to bless and reward you and He may use it to bring glory to His name. Do you know and accept that you are called to this, even as Christ was, so if you are reviled and verbally abused, like Jesus you will fearlessly give yourself up to Him who judges righteously and ask Him to work in you to not revile and abuse back. As hard as it is for me to think of this, I accept your right to separate from me chastely in celibacy if ever I revile or verbally abuse you (1Cor7:11; 1 Cor 5:11).

[Her name], is it your aim to let Him be fruitful in you, working in you chaste and godly behavior but without a word from you, to win me to Himself, asking and trusting Him to work in you His control of your emotions and strength so that you will be gentle and peaceful as His dove in the Spirit , as in 1 Peter 2 & 3.

Calling on Father to enable us to avoid immorality do you trust Him to enable us to regularly be physically intimate with each other, accepting each other's authority over our bodies, being diligent to not deny each other physical intimacy unless it be by mutual consent for a time of fasting prayer, and after that time being careful to resume our intimacy in order to avoid immorality. 1 Cor 7:2-5

Are you willing and is it your solemn intention to enable ______to enjoy life, rejoice and be glad with you (Prov 5:18; Eccles 9:9)??

Are you willing and is it your solemn intention to enable, encourage and permit your breasts and affectionate loving to be satisfying, intoxicating and enrapturing ______(Prov 5:19)?

Are you willing and is it your solemn intention to be sexually having ______as your own man, acknowledging and accepting his sexual authority over your body, denying him sexual intimacy only for agreed upon fasting prayer, and then only for an agreed upon time, after which you will continue having him sexually? 1 Cor 7:1-5

Calling on Father to enable us to freely share with each other all that we ever possess, do you call on Him to give us one heart and soul so that we share with each other all that we have, neither of us saying that any of the things that we have belong to one of us individually. (Acts 4:32- 35; 2 Cor 8 & 9)

Do you accept and recognize ______'s polygynous relationship with ______. Do you accept your responsibility in Christ to show honor and respect to ______(Rm 12:9-11; 1 Peter 2:17). Is it your desire and will so that you call upon Jesus to work and will in you in your relationship with ______His humility, gentleness, and patience in His Love (Eph 4:1-3). Do you call upon Father to work and will in you to walk knit together with ______in His Love in real knowledge and all discernment, as Christ loves you (Eph 5:1-3; Phil 1:8- 10; Colos 2:1-3; 1 Thess 3:). Do you call upon Father to work and will in you and ______so that together we may live in harmony, being of the same mind, one in purpose; in harmonious accord, mind and intention (Phil 2:1-3, 13) Do you call upon Father to work and will in you to be doing good to ______, blessing her, praying for her, generous with her, being merciful to her, and refraining from condemning her (Phil 2:13; Luke 6:27-39). In Christ and in our family do you accept your responsibility to let Christ work and will in you to show family affection with brotherly Love and hospitality to ______, to share with her as needed and to live in peace with her (Rom 12:9-19). Do you accept your responsibility to call on Jesus to work and will in you to not avenge yourself if ______wrongs you, to not repay evil, harm or injury with evil, harm or injury; to forgive her and after doing Matt 18:15-17 with her, leave the matter with King Jesus to resolve (Rom 1:17-21).

Do you call upon Jesus to work and will in you to Love ______and ______with a Love that has long patience, is kind; is not emulous/envious; is not insolent and rash, is not puffed up, does not behave in an unseemly manner, does not seek its own, is not quickly provoked, does not impute or take account of evil, does not rejoice at iniquity/unrighteousness but rejoices with the truth; that always/daily, thoroughly and patiently endures; that always/daily thoroughly believes Jesus; hopes in Jesus thoroughly always/daily; that always/daily thoroughly and patiently remains, perseveres, and abides in Jesus; and that never drops away, never is driven out, never fails, falls away or becomes ineffective. (Phil 2:13; 1 Cor 13; 1 John 2 & 3).

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

READ BY A WITNESS OR HIS LADY TO THE MAN AND THE MAN RESPONDING [His name], do you accept and acknowledge [her name] as your own woman in Christ by this covenant? Yes, I do!

[His name], do you accept your responsibility to faithfully live with [her name] and compassionately cherish her according to the Word of God and this your solemn covenant with her, in all virtue and honor, in all duty and service, in all faithfulness and tenderness? [1 Cor 13; Mala 2] Yes, I do!

[His name], do you commit yourself to to lead your covenanted companion as the servant Jesus has made you to be, being careful not to make her do what you want her to do, not mastering her or holding her in submission to yourself, not forcing her to do what you want her to do, not subduing or subjecting her to yourself, not controlling or dominating her; rather being careful, as a servant who will have to give an accounting to his King Jesus, to kindly and unselfishly do with and to her that which the Word of God directs, looking after and caring for her, serving and helping her, supporting and taking care of her? [Lk 22; 1 Peter 5; 1 Peter 3] Yes, I do!

[His name], do you accept your responsibility to faithfully stay and live with [her name], not sending or putting her away from your side, not asking her to go away or leave, not leaving her or releasing her from being your own life- partner; not dismissing, releasing or repudiating her as your own life- partner, not leaving her for another lover? [1 Cor 71-5,9-16,39; Mark 10; Rom 1:31,32] Yes, I do!

[His name], do you accept your responsibility to faithfully stay and live with [her name], not voluntarily separating yourself from intimacy with her except for mutually agreed upon times of prayer and fasting, not leaving or departing from her, not putting her apart from you? [1 Cor 7:5-16] Yes, I do!

[His name], do you replace your loyalty to your parents with your loyalty to [her name] and loyally bond with her in your new intimate unity as life-partners, submitting to the Word of God in each other in reverence to God? [Ephes 5] Yes/I do!

[His name], do you commit yourself to [her name] with all your heart to live wisely with her; respectfully, compassionately and sacrificially cherishing her, feeding her the Word of God, taking care of her and leading her in Christ by your example? [1 Peter 3:7; 5; 1 Cor. 13; 1 John 3; Ephes 5; Lk 22] Yes, I do!

[His name], do you recognize, accept and honor the one- flesh oneness, one-flesh unity, and Spirit unity of your intimate union with [her name] so that you know, acknowledge and confess that you are not your own, that you belong to Jesus and are under His rule, that your intimate life-mate has the authority and control over the intimate use of your body due her, so that she may kindly and gently do with your body that which she pleases to do with your body, in the Lord? [1 Cor 6; 7:2,3,4,5] Yes, I do!

[His name], do you recognize your responsibility to eagerly and earnestly do that which is necessary, by the enabling of Jesus' Spirit, to guard and keep the harmony and unity of the Spirit in our union and intimacy as life-partners? [Ephes 4] Yes, I do?

[His name], do you accept your responsibility to faithfully keep your union intimacy with [her name] free from fornication and adultery? [1Cor5 & 6] Yes, I do!

Are you willing and is it your solemn intention to enjoy life, rejoice and be glad with ______(Prov 5:18; Eccles 9:9)

Are you willing and is it your solemn intention to be sexually having ______as your own woman, acknowledging and accepting her sexual authority over your body, denying her sexual intimacy only for agreed upon fasting prayer, and then only for an agreed upon time, after which you will continue having her sexually? 1 Cor 7:1-5 Are you willing and is it your solemn intention to be satisfied, intoxicated and enraptured with ______'s breasts and affectionate loving (Prov 5:19)?

Do you accept as your responsibility before Christ and call upon Jesus to work and will in you to not show prejudice, favoritism, partiality or be partial in your relationships with your own ladies (Phil 2:13;Eph 6:8-10; 1 Tim 5:21; James 2:1,4,9; 3:17).

Do you accept as your responsibility to call upon Jesus to work and will in you to Love your own ladies with a Love that has long patience, is kind; is not emulous/envious; is not insolent and rash, is not puffed up, does not behave in an unseemly manner, does not seek its own, is not quickly provoked, does not impute or take account of evil, does not rejoice at iniquity/unrighteousness but rejoices with the truth; that always/daily, thoroughly and patiently endures; that always/daily thoroughly believes Jesus; hopes in Jesus thoroughly always/daily; that always/daily thoroughly and patiently remains, perseveres, and abides in Jesus; and that never drops away, never is driven out, never fails, falls away or becomes ineffective. (Phil 2:13; 1 Cor 13; 1 John 2 & 3)

======A FOURTH OPTION======

A WEDDING AFFIRMATION****************************** To be written out in long hand, exchanged and read to each other.

HIM TO HER

in all honor and love, in all service and duty,

in all faith and tenderness, to live with, comfort, keep, unselfishly and compassionately cherish _____, according to the ordinance of Jesus Christ in the holy bond of marriage. I accept the ordinance of

King Jesus that indicates that any heterosexual intimacy is to be experienced only within the holy bond of marriage and according to His Word.

I do solemnly affirm, declare and accept my marital responsibility to be ______'s loving and faithful marital partner, to love and to unselfishly cherish her in plenty and in want, in joy and grief, in health and infirmity as long as we both shall live. I hereby leave and separate myself and my allegiance from my parents and family to loyally bond with ______as one in marital union, submitting to each other according to the Word of God in the reverence of God. I commit myself to her with all of my heart, to live wisely with her; not domineering or tyrannizing her but respectfully, unselfishly cherishing her, feeding her the Word, holding her up in prayer, taking care of her and humbly leading her by my example, by the grace and enabling of Jesus

Christ. Calling on Father to enable us to avoid immorality

I trust Him to enable us to regularly be physically intimate with each other, accepting each other's authority over our bodies, being diligent to not deny each other physical intimacy unless it be by mutual consent for a time of fasting prayer, and after that time being careful to resume our intimacy in order to avoid immorality. 1 Cor 7:2-5 I am willing and it is my solemn intention to enjoy life, rejoice and be glad with ______(Prov 5:18; Eccles 9:9).

I am willing and it is my solemn intention to keep on being satisfied, intoxicated and enraptured with ______'s breasts and affectionate loving (Prov 5:19).

------HER TO HIM------

I,______, accept ______as my own marital partner, before God, His angels and the witnesses here present. I do solemnly affirm, declare and accept my marital responsibility to ______as my marital partner, in all honor and love, in all service and duty, in all faith and tenderness, to live with, comfort, keep, unselfishly and compassionately cherish _____, according to the ordinance of Jesus Christ in the holy bond of marriage. I accept the ordinance of King Jesus that indicates that any heterosexual intimacy is to be experienced only within the holy bond of marriage and according to His Word. I do solemnly affirm, declare and accept my marital responsibility to be ______'s loving and faithful marital partner, to love and to unselfishly cherish her in plenty and in want, in joy and grief, in health and infirmity as long as we both shall live. I hereby leave and separate myself and my allegiance from my parents and family to loyally bond with ______as one in marital union, submitting to each other according to the Word of God in the reverence of God. I commit myself to him with all of my heart, to live wisely with him to follow his lead in the Lord, showing him honor and respect in all matters. Calling on Father to enable us to avoid immorality

I trust Him to enable us to regularly be physically intimate with each other, accepting each other's authority over our bodies, being diligent to not deny each other physical intimacy unless it be by mutual consent for a time of fasting prayer, and after that time being careful to resume our intimacy in order to avoid immorality. 1 Cor 7:2-5 I am willing and it is my solemn intention to enable ______to enjoy life, rejoice and be glad with me (Prov 5:18; Eccles 9:9).

I am willing and it is my solemn intention to enable, encourage and permit my breasts and affectionate loving to be satisfying, intoxicating and enrapturing ______(Prov 5:19).

------IN UNISON------

We covenant before God and all present, that we are marital partners bound together in holy matrimony to be one flesh in the Lord until death part us. We covenant before God that it is our responsibility to unselfishly and compassionately cherish each other in our marital relationship according to His Word, the Holy Bible, to His glory and honor. Pray for us.

______The Couple's Signatures and Date

Witnessed by God, His holy angels and these witnesses.

______A Witness's Signature and Date

======[6] Covenants Between Godly People to do Right

>>Nehemiah and Israel ***Ne 5:12 And they said, We will restore, and will ask nothing from them. So we will do as you say. Then I called the priests and took an oath from them that they should do according to this promise. Ne 5:13 Also I shook my lap and said, So let God shake out every man from his house, and from his labor, who does not keep this promise, even may he be shaken out this way and emptied. And all the congregation said, amen, and praised the LORD. And the people did according to this promise.

>>>The Wedding Covenant **** MALACHI 2:14 “Yet you say, Why? Because the LORD has been witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously; yet she [is] your companion and your covenant wife. 15 And did He not make [you] one? Yet the vestige of the Spirit [is in] him. And what [of] the one? He was seeking a godly seed. Then guard your spirit, and do not act treacherously with the wife of your youth. 16 The LORD, the God of Israel, says He hates sending away; and to cover [with] violence on his garment, says the LORD of hosts. Then guard your spirit, and do not act treacherously.” Here "act treacherously" means " break covenant" or "fail to honor your covenant/commitment".

[7] When people break their covenants/contracts with you

***Luke 6:30 Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. . . . 35But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.

***1 Cor 6:1 DOES ANY of you dare, when he has a matter of complaint against another, to go to law before unrighteous men instead of before the saints? 2 Do you not know that the saints will judge and govern the world? And if the world [itself] is to be judged and ruled by you, are you unworthy and incompetent to try of the smallest courts of justice? 3 Do you not know also that we [Christians] are to judge the angels and pronounce opinion between right and wrong ? How much more then [as to] matters pertaining to this world and of this life only! 4 If then you do have such cases of everyday life to decide, why do you appoint those who of the church count for least and are without standing? 5 I say this to move you to shame. Can it be that there really is not one man among you who is wise and competent enough to decide [the private grievances, disputes, and quarrels] between members of the brotherhood, 6 But brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers? 7 Why, the very fact of your having lawsuits with one another at all is a defect (a defeat, an evidence of positive moral loss for you). Why not rather let yourselves suffer wrong and be deprived of what is your due? Why not rather be cheated (defrauded and robbed)? 8 But [instead it is you] yourselves who wrong and defraud, and that even your own brethren [by so treating them]!

[8] JESUS RAISED THE STANDARD AND GAVE US THE BETTER WAY, BETTER THAN OATHS, SWEARINGS, PROMISES ETC.

The Holy Bible in Matthew 5:33-37, James 4:13ff and James 5:12, declare that we don't know our future, not even tomorrow or even the next hour. Therefore it is a presumptuous assertion to say, vow, swear, promise and/or covenant that we will do this or that in our future. He tells us to recognize and admit our finite knowledge and our mortality by saying, "If the Lord wills and we live, we also shall do this or that." To make presumptuous assertions about your future is prideful boasting and contrary to His will. See James 4:13,14,15 and Prov. 27:1.

This is not an attempt to be dishonest or evasive since this same God of Truth commands us to be honest, to give that which is due to others, and to conscientiously submit to the civil authorities (Romans 13 and 1 Pt. 2). While He wants us to be honest and give that which is due, he takes into consideration our human frailty, finite knowledge and mortal nature and so holds us liable only for our intent, will and expectations about the future.

Truth, Who is revealed as Christ, declares that all I can give to promises or predictions about my future is simply "If the Lord wills", or a simple "Yes", i.e. an affirmation of my will, a declaration of my intent, an expression of my expectation, an evidence of my good and honest intentions and an expression of my optimistic hope for the future fulfillment of my intentions or expectations. Such an affirmation attests to and is confirmation of nothing but that described in this paragraph's first sentence. It is proof of my sincere desire and intention to fulfill the declaration/affirmation/intention. The recipient of such an affirmation knows that he has been given no profound absolute and mighty guarantee. Such an affirmation is a reflection of our finite, mortal and frail human nature. No presumptuous oaths should come from the mouth of a child of God, for oaths presume on Jesus who we represent as His ambassadors.

Laurence Geller, a Calif. Administrative Law Referee/Judge, ruled against San Diego County and Calif. and for my petition, on 8/5/'75, stating: "It is the claimant's conviction that before he may affix his signature to any document, his signing must be qualified by a religious preface such as "In case Christ wills and I live." Claimant testified that his desire to so qualify his signature is in no way an attempt or subterfuge to not meet his reporting responsibilities. Claimant simply desires the qualification so that the placing of his signature would be in conformity with his religious convictions which appear to require an affirmation of the finite nature of the claimant's existence. . . .San Diego County shall rescind its July 1, 1975 denial . . . Further, the county shall permit the claimant to sign his application and qualify his signature with the religious statement."

In "A Commentary on the Gospels" <31> we read "The citizen of the New Kingdom . . .is also too frank and truthful to need the use of oaths; his word is his bond." In The Gospel of Matthew we read the following: "Matthew 5:33-37 . . ." This passage concludes with the commandment that when a man has to say yes, he should say yes, and nothing more; and when he has to say no, he should say no, and nothing more. The ideal is that a man should never need an oath to buttress or guarantee the truth of anything he may say. . . Clement of Alexandria insisted that Christian must lead such a life and demonstrate such a character that no one will ever dream of asking an oath from them. . . ."

In "A commentary on the Gospel According to Saint Matthew" <33> we read the following: "Since in all of life man is dealing with God, he is always obligated to complete integrity in word and act. Therefore the use of oaths is misleading; swear not at all; simply say "Yes" or "No" . . . The use of solemn-sounding oaths instead of simple, truthful speech is a concession to a double standard and comes from the Evil One, Satan, the "Father of Lies" . . . and dishonesty (Jn *:44)."

In the "Theological Dictionary of the New Testament" <34> we read the following: ". . . oaths and vows had to be kept. . . . Attempts have been made to limit ["swear not at all"] of Jesus, e.g. to promises rather than affirmations.20* . . . Hence the ["Swear not at all"] applies to all oaths, whether in daily life or in judicial cases. . . The Essenes rejected the oath unconditionally. . . Jesus does not merely attach the misuse of the oath; He rejects it altogether. . . He who already belongs to the kingdom . . . must be truthful in all things; hence he stands under the requirement not to sear at all. . . ["swear" Mt. 5:34] means to swear, to affirm (confirm) by an oath. . ."

In "The Gospel According to Matthew" <35> we read that "Jesus would abolish oaths altogether as unnecessary for those who habitually tell the truth as his disciples are expected to do." This radical rejection of oaths is paralleled in the Damascus Document of the Dead Sea Scrolls (XIX, 1).

Don't let your mouth make a fool of you and make God angry at you! Eccles 5: "2 Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.

3 As a dream comes when there are many cares, so the speech of a fool when there are many words.

4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. 5 It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it. 6 Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, "My vow was a mistake." Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands?"

Don't make covenants, oaths, promises, vows, oaths or sweaings without adding "If the Lord wills and I live". But if you have bound yourself by your words and they do not violate God's explicit and specific Word, be an acceptable child of God and keep your promises, covenants, swearings and oaths that are not in violation of the Word of God.

APPENDIX FIVE: RACISM, INTERRACIAL &/or INTERETHNIC MARRIAGE

INTRODUCTION: Noah and the KKK [I] Interracial marriage, in and of itself, is never described in the Bible, defined or listed as a sin, trespass, transgression or an evil.

[II.] Marriage and/or engagement with certain and specific people was expressly and explicitly forbidden in the Word of God for the children of God.

[III.] When people of Canaan became believers in Jehovah and came under the covenant of Moses, marriage was not forbidden or punished by God.

[IV.] Marriage with the following people after they became obedient believers in Jehovah/Jesus was never forbidden or condemned: Edomites, Egyptians,Philistines, Aramites, Asshurites, Cushites, Ethiopians and Joktanites.

[V.]. Natural and human bias, discrimination, partiality, favoritism, prejudice and bigotry are sins and have no place in the Christians life, thoughts, courtship or marriage.

[VI.] What about those who do practice racism, discrimination, partiality, bias and bigotry? A Christian has his marching orders on how to deal with them from the Word:

INTRODUCTION

American racists (like those in the KKK, the White Citizens' Council, the Aryan leagues, the Nazis, the Skinheads, a surprising number of So. Bapt. ministers, certain race supremists, etc.) have dared to use the Word of God to validate and confirm their erroneous and nonChristlike teachings that one race is (or some races are) inherently superior to another (or to others) and therefore some people have rights and privilieges that other people don't have ----- and for sure they must never intermarry. Well, we know what these evil doers think, --let's see if the Bible agrees.

First of all, during the civil rights movement of the 1940's -70's, many Bible belters and So. Baptists taught that all Blacks were ordained to servitude and/or slavery by God because Noah cursed one of his descendants to be "a servant of servants" to his brethren, the rest of us, since only Noah and his descendants survived the flood. Gen. 9:22 makes it crystal clear that Ham, Noah's son, erred seeing his father's/parents' genitals. Gen. 9:24, 25 makes it equally clear that even though Ham is the one who erred, it was Ham's son Canaan --- NOT HAM ---that was cursed to be "servant of servants" to the rest of us. If you check Gen. 10 with 1 Chronicles 1 and any orthodox Bible atlas, you will see that Canaan settled in Canaan (Surprise?!?!), aka the Promised Land - Palestine -, which is part of the Mid East, not Africa. I think even the KKK admits that Africans/Blacks came from Africa where THE REST of Ham's children settled and parented Africans. So according to the Bible, it was Canaanites, NOT AFRICANS, who were cursed to be "servant of servants" to the rest of us.

Whether God honored Noah's curse on Canaan, or Noah's curse was a prophecy,the point remains that in the time of Moses and Joshua we see the Canaanites under God's curse of destruction. Why? Even in Abraham's time, the Canaanites manifested their ungodly inclination in Sodom and Gomorrah with their fornication, sodomy and homosexuality. By the time of Moses, the Canaanites peoples under God's curse of destruction had given themselves over to live human infant sacrifices to their gods, sex with temple/grove/high place prostitutes as an act of worship of their gods, sodomy, homosexuality, witchcraft, sorcery, and attempts to contact the dead. God would curse any people with destruction who did such things (Romans 1:22-32).

It makes no difference to the spiritually blind and hardened that modern ethnological biology confirms what the Bible tells us, that we are all descendants of "Eve", one ancestor, making us all kinfolks. Only the most ignorant and unlearned believe as fact that Africans, like Moses's wife -- Joseph's wife, Solomon's Shulamite, Jeremiah's Ethiopian Ebedmelech, Phillip's Ethiopian Eunech --- are not homo sapiens like Asians and Caucasians. The writings of Ashley Montagu and Frederick S. Hulse alone document the fact that there is no fixed or significant inherent difference between the races (except for hair, face shape and skin color), even Caucasian and Black/African.

It makes no difference to the spiritually blind and hardened that "He has made of one blood all nations of men to dwell on all the face of the earth. . . Therefore, then, as we are the offspring/race of God. . . He has given assurance to all, in that He raised Him from the dead." [Acts 17:24-31; Rom. 9:21]. Science had to wait until the 20th century to prove what the Bible said almost 2000 years ago, that all nations of men are made of one blood, with all its various types.

Is interracial marriage a sin? Is it a "sexual perversion" as some preachers and teachers maintain (See the New Open Bible's Topical Index under "Abominations" by Wick Broomall)? Thomas Nelson publishers of the New Open Bible in the '90s put it in writing that they were going to remove "Racial intermarriage" from "Abominations" in their Bibles’ Indexes because the idea of racial intermarriage being an abomination to God was finally recognized by the publishers to be so inappropriate scripturally.

[I] Interracial marriage, in and of itself, is never described in the Bible, defined or listed as a sin, trespass, transgression or an evil. In the Old Testament Israel was commanded not to marry the pagan people of Palestine . . .the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, the Jebusites, and certain peoples of Canaan, specifically because they had been appointed to death for their gross sins. [Exodus 23:20-33;34:10-16; Deut. 7:1-3; Ezra 9 & 10. See also Ezra 9 and Nehemiah 9.] In the New Testament after Pentecost, the Church is commanded not to marry sinners, saints snared in sin, "saints" living in sin and unrepentant, and the unsaved. The Church in the New Testament was commanded to marry peoples based on the saved-by-Jesus or unsaved spiritual status of peoples, not based on any physical, racial or ethnic criteria. In fact, after Acts 10-15 and Galatians 2, Christ gave us ***Gal. 3:28 There is no Jew nor Greek; there is no bondman nor freeman; there is no male and female; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus: 29 but if *ye* are of Christ, then ye are Abraham’s seed, heirs according to promise. ***Colos. 3:9 Do not lie to one another, having put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and having put on the new, renewed into full knowledge according to the image of him that has created him; 11* wherein there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondman, freeman; but Christ is everything, and in all. 12 ¶ Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, longsuffering; *** 2 Cor. 4:18* while we look not at the things that are seen, but at the things that are not seen; for the things that are seen are for a time, but those that are not seen eternal. 5:1 ¶ For we know that if our earthly tabernacle house be destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. ***2 Cor 5:12 ¶ We are not again commending ourselves to your favour, but are furnishing you with a ground of boasting on our behalf, so that you may have a reply ready for those with whom superficial appearances are everything and sincerity of heart counts for nothing. . . . 16* ¶ Therefore for the future we know no one simply as a [human]. Even if we have known Christ as a [human], yet now we do so no longer. 17 So that if any one is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old state of things has passed away; a new state of things has come into existence. WEY

Before Acts 10 the apostles were obeying Christ's word in Matt. 23:1-3 and therefore they would not eat with, marry or associate with non-Jews. As long as they were Jews, whether devout Ethiopians (Acts 8) or devout men from every other nation under heaven (Acts2:5), there was no social discrimination based on race or ethnicity. The world dwelt in two camps based on spiritual criteria, Jews and non-Jews. Any devout Jew of any race or nation was free to marry any devout Jew of any race or nation, except for those few Palestinian nations condemned in Deut. 6, Ezra 9 and Nehemiah 9.

After Acts 10 - 15 the world lay in two new camps, those in Christ and those outside of Christ, those in the Bride of Christ and those outside of the Bride of Christ. Christ tells us in Gal. 3:28 + Col. 3:10,11 terms of eternal reality, that there is neither Jew nor Greek, neither slave nor free, neither male nor female, neither barbarian nor Scythian. The eternal reality of our relationships is no longer based on our bodies, our national origin, our race, or our social status. These are not the factors that determine our behavior towards each other, including marriage. The factors that determine our behavior towards each other, including marriage, are unseen - invisible - spiritual. [> 2 Corinth. 4:17,18; 5:16; 10:7; Luke 16:15].

We no longer are to take pride in, have confidence in, boast of, lift up or exalt that which appears, our appearance; but we are to take pride in, have confidence in, lift up and exalt the spiritual realities of the regenerated heart or soul [ 2 Corinth. 5:12; 10:7;Luke 16:15] . We pick our mates based not on their physical appearance or physical heritage, but on the nature of their regenerated hearts and souls. We are commanded by God Himself to NO LONGER be acquainted with, stand in relationship to or have knowledge [ 2 Cor. 5:16; 10:7; Luke 16:15: See Arndt and Gingrich Greek & English Lexicon p. 558.] of another human being "on the physical plane" or "simply as a physical being" [ 2 Cor. 5:16; 10:7;Luke 16:15: See Arndt & Gingrich Greek & English Lexicon pp. 408, 409.] . We must look at and relate to each person in terms of their soul and spirit for therein lies the reality with which we are called by Christ to deal. We must not relate to or know anyone on the basis of their physical appearance or physcial heritage. That means that a husband and wife should celebrate and enjoy sex , a very physical act and experience, not on the basis of the attractiveness or unattractiveness of their physical appearance or physical ancestry, but on the basis that they are commanded by God to sexually have each other and be sexually affectionate [1 Corinth. 7:2,3,4,5; Titus 2:4; Prov. 5:18,19; Song of Solomon].

Marital sex is as much a Spiritual God ordained ministry as is feeding the hungry, clothing the naked and giving drink to the thirsty. Isn't it obvious that the husband and wife should be as creative, zealous and devoted in their sexual ministry to each other, being sexually dependent on each other, as they would be in their ministry to the thirsty, hungry and unclothed who are dependent on them. Since they are called to do their sexual ministry to each other, doing it as unto the Lord (meaning they would do their very best in order to please Jesus), you would expect excellence, creativity, originality and first class performance. That is an example of how a Spiritual people who know each other in terms of the Spirit, not in terms of their bodies or the visible, use the opportunity of their bodies or the visible to serve each other and the God who called them.

It is fairly common knowledge that we don't "wrestle against flesh and blood" [ Ephes. 6:12; 2 Corinth. 10:3,4,5,6,7] in the spiritual battles we fight daily and some of us see ourselves in that struggle, but we also should daily reckon ourselves to be "blessed with all spiritual blessings" and seated together in the spirtual realm in Christ [ Ephes. 1:3-14; 2:5-10] because that IS the reality of our daily lives and we miss mark and the blessing when we live and act without that awareness.

[II.] Marriage and/or engagement with certain and specific people was expressly and explicitly forbidden in the Word of God for the children of God. The reason being was that those people by the very grossness of their sin draw the children of God away from God, and then sin so severely God would have to punish them. These intermarriages were never forbidden on the basis of race, but always on the basis of ethnicity and place of origin.

[a] Israelite marriage and/or engagement with the people of the Land of Canaan, Palestine, was expressly and explicitly forbidden. Exodus 23:20- 33;34:10-16; Deut. 7:1-3; Ezra 9 & 10: the pagan people of Palestine . . .the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites ...You shall make no . . . marriages with them ... See also Ezra 9 and Nehemiah 9.

[b] Marriage and/or engagement with people who do not obediently believe in and submit to Jehovah/Jesus was and is expressly and explicitly forbidden in the Word of God . 2 Cor. 6:14-7:10; Psalms 1:1-2;1 Cor. 5:9,11; 2 Thess. 3:6-14.

[c] Christians are forbidden to marry or become engaged to people of any race who hold or believe in false doctrines, those which contradict and differ from the Word of God (1 Tim. 6:3-5; 2 Tim. 3:1-5; 2 John 7-11; 2 Cor. 6:14-7:1)

[d] Christians are forbidden to marry or become engaged to people of any race who are unsaved, unregenerated and/or unbelieving (2 Cor. 6:14-7:10; Psalms 1:1-2; Ezra; Nehemiah.

[e] Christians are forbidden to marry or become engaged to people of any race who are deliberately and intentionally doing sin, trespass, transgression, iniquity, ungodliness and/or uncleanness. 1 Cor. 5:9,11; 2 Thess. 3:6-14. [III.] When people of Canaan became believers in Jehovah and came under the covenant of Moses, marriage was not forbidden or punished by God. Two actually became ancestors of Jesus in His birth/incarnation. ***Mat. 1:5 Salmon begat Boaz, ancestor of David and Christ, by Jericho's Rahab. Josh 6:25 And Joshua saved Rahab . . . , and ...she lives in Israel to this day.. ***Heb 11:31 By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish . . . Jas 2:25 . . . was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works . . . ? ***Mt 1:5 . . . Boaz fathered Obed of Ruth, and Obed fathered Jesse ... Ru 1:4 . . . wives ... from the women of Moab. The name of the ... other Ruth. ... Deut. 23 :3 -6 discourages marriage to Moabites and gives the reason, but that diddid not stop Obed from marrying Ruth, with God's blessings, Ruth the Moabitess who had converted to faith in Jehovah and become a Jew. SEE ALSO Ezra 1:1 & 2 and Nehemiah 13: 23 - 27 ***Deut. 23:7 , 8 ----"You shall not despise an Edomite . . . You shall not despise an Egyptian, . . ." In Ezra 9 it was the people who added Egyptians to the forbidden list, and of course pagan Egyptian wives would be as unacceptable to God as pagan Israeli or pagan Cushite wives, because they were pagans, not because of their race or ethnic heritage. [IV.] Marriage with the following people after they became obedient believers in Jehovah/Jesus was never forbidden or condemned: Edomites, Egyptians,Philistines, Aramites, Asshurites, Cushites, Ethiopians and Joktanites. In fact, except for those listed previously above in [2], no other races or ethnic groups were named by God as unacceptable for marriage after they became obedient believers in Jehovah/Jesus. [4a] Abraham MARRIED Hagar, the Egyptian descendant of Ham's African Mizraim. She was acknowledged fully as his wife, not his mistress or slave. God never in Scripture condemned Abraham's marriage to Hagar, done in obedience to Sara. If there was any sin, it was not waiting on God, no the act of marrying Hagar. (Deut. 23:7,8) Abraham approved of marriage with Mesopotamians (Iraq, Syria, Turkey; Gen 24:1-10) [4b] Gen. 28:1-5 shows Rebekah and Issac approving of marriages with Syrians. [4c] Joseph married an Egyptian descendant of Ham, with no condemnation or denunciation by God or the prophets (Gen. 41:45, 50, 51, 52; Deut 23:7,8) [4d] Moses married an Ethiopian Cushite and God punished those who spoke against this interracial marriage. Numbers 12:1-16; Jeremiah 13:23. [4e] Mat. 1:5 Salmon begat Boaz, ancestor of David and Christ, by Jericho's Rahab the harlot, with no condemnation or denunciation in scripture. Heb 11:31 "By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish . . ." Jas 2:25 ". . . was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works . . . ?" She believed, therefore she acted --- sincere and genuine faith results in God working His works through her. [4f] Marriages with Moabites, like Ruth, were not condemned but were greatly discouraged (Deut. 23:1-8) Mt 1:5 " . . . Boaz fathered Obed of Ruth, and Obed fathered Jesse ..." who fathered King David and later came his offspring, the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ. [4g] Samson's Philistine marriage (Judges 14, 15; not Delilah) did not violate the letter of God's law (Ex. 23:23, 28,31,32; 34:14- 16; Deut. 7:1-3) but it certainly violated spiritual principles dear to his parents, Abraham and Issac (Gen. 24:1-10; Gen.27:46-28:1-9; Judges 14:3,4) [4h] Solomon married a black Shulamite. She was not just tanned. The Hebrew word translated as black in Song of Solomon 1:5 ("I [am] black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.") is the very same Hebrew word to describe her husband's hair (Song 5:11 "his locks [are] bushy, [and] black as a raven."). Now a raven is BLACK, GLOSSY BLACK, not tanned or brown. Not only is this obvious interracial marriage in the Word of God, it is seen as a picture of Jehovah and Israel, Jesus and the Church.

[V.]. Natural and human bias, discrimination, partiality, favoritism, prejudice and bigotry are sins and have no place in the Christians life, thoughts, courtship or marriage.

MOST OF THESE ARE FROM DARBY'S VERSION UPDATED. ***LEV. 19:15 You shall do no unrighteousness in judgment; you shall not respect the person of the lowly, nor honour the person of the great; in righteousness shalt you judge your neighbour. ***DEUT. 1: 17 You shall not respect persons in judgment: you shall hear the small as well as the great; you shall not be afraid of the face of man, for the judgment is God's; and the matter that is too hard for you shall youbring to me, that I may hear it. ***PROV. 24:23 ¶ These things also come from the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment. 24 He that says unto the wicked, You are righteous, peoples shall curse him, nations shall abhor him . . . ***PROV. 28: 21 ¶ To have respect of persons is not good; but for a piece of bread will a man transgress. ***ISAIAH 10:1 ¶ Woe unto them that decree iniquitous decrees, and to the writers that prescribe oppression, 2 to turn away the poor from judgment, and to take away the right from the afflicted of my people . . . ***ISAIAH 59:1 ¶ Behold, Jehovah's hand is not shortened that it cannot save, neither his ear heavy that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid [his] face from you, that he does not hear. 3 For your hands are stained with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips speak lies, your tongue muttereth unrighteousness: 4 none calls for justice, none pleads in truthfulness. They trust in vanity, and speak falsehood; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity. 9 ¶ Therefore is justice far from us, and righteousnes s overtakes us not: . .14 And judgment is turned away backward, and righteousness stands afar off; for truth stumbles in the street, and uprightness cannot enter. 15 And truth fails; and he that departs from evil makes himself a prey. And Jehovah saw [it], and it was evil in his sight that there was no judgment. ***ACTS 10:15 And [there was] a voice again the second time to him, What God has cleansed, do not *you* make common.. . . 28. . . to *me* God has shewn to call no man common or unclean. 15:8 And the heart- knowing God bore them witness, giving [them] the Holy Spirit as to us also, 9 and put no difference between us and them, having purified their hearts by faith. ***ROMANS 2:9 tribulation and distress, on every soul of man that works evil, both of Jew first, and of Greek;10 but glory and honour and peace to every one that works good, both to Jew first and to Greek: 11 for there is no acceptance of persons with God. ***ROMANS 15:7 ¶ Wherefore receive you one another, according as the Christ also has received you to [the] glory of God. ***GALAT. 2:6 . . . it makes no difference to me: God does not accept man's person . . . ***1 TIM. 5:19 Against an elder receive not an accusation unless where there are two or three witnesses. 20 Those that sin convict before all, that the rest also may have fear. 21 I testify before God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, that thou keep these things without prejudice, doing nothing by favour. ***JAMES 2:1 ¶ My brethren, you must not make distinctions between one man and another while you are striving to maintain faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, who is our glory. 2 For suppose a man comes into one of your meetings wearing gold rings and fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man wearing shabby clothes, 3 and you pay court to the one who wears the fine clothes, and say, “Sit here; this is a good place;” while to the poor man you say, “Stand there, or sit on the floor at my feet;” 4 is it not plain that in your hearts you have little faith, seeing that you have become judges full of wrong thoughts? 5 Listen, my dearly-loved brethren. Has not God chosen those whom the world regards as poor to be rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom which He has promised to those that love Him? 6 But *you* have put dishonour upon the poor man. Yet is it not the rich who grind you down? Are not they the very people who drag you into the Law courts? -- 7 and the very people who speak evil of the noble Name by which you are called? 8 ¶ If indeed you keep [the] royal law according to the scripture, You shalt love your neighbour as thyself, you do well. 9 But if you have [an evil] respect of persons, you commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.

***ROMANS 14:12 So then each of us shall give an account concerning himself to God.13 Let us no longer therefore judge one another; but judge you this rather, not to put a stumbling-block or a fall-trap before his brother. . . 15 For if on account of meat thy brother is grieved, thou walkest no longer according to love. Destroy not him with thy meat for whom Christ has died. . . 19 So then let us pursue the things which tend to peace, and things whereby one shall build up another.

Righteous, just and fair judgment and justice; protection for the rights of the afflicted and the poor; pursuit of that which promotes peace and personal maturity/growth; acting without prejudice or bias; no biased respect of persons, no intimidating biased influences, no one is to be considered common or unclean, no putting of stumbling blocks and fall-traps in the way of another -----sounds like a pretty darn good way to live. It's a shame that so few countries in the world even come close to this standard. That should not deter us, for we can, to the best of our ability after and with His enabling, struggle to achieve this in our own sphere of influence and leave our microworld a better place when we are finished.

Are racism , discrimination, partiality, bias, bigotry, interracial and interethnic dating and marriage matters of Romans 14? ***Rom 14:1 Accept and welcome anyone who is weak in faith, but don't argue about or pass judgment on doubtful and disputable issues, opinions and reasonings. . . .- - - AS FOR the man who is a weak believer, welcome him [into your fellowship], but not to criticize his opinions or pass judgment on his scruples or perplex him with discussions. . . . 22 Your personal convictions --exercise [them] as in God's presence, keeping them to yourself [striving only to know the truth and obey His will in the giving]. Blessed (happy, to be envied) is he who has no reason to judge himself for what he approves. 23 But the man who has doubts (misgivings, an uneasy conscience) about eating, and then eats, stands condemned [before God], because he is not true to his convictions and he does not act from faith. For whatever does not originate and proceed from faith is sin [whatever is done without a conviction of its approval by God is sinful]. 15:1 Now we who are strong have an obligation to bear the weaknesses of those without strength, and not to please ourselves. 2 Each one of us must please his neighbor for his good, in order to build him up. 3 For even the Messiah did not please Himself. From the AmpBible

Racism , discrimination, partiality, bias, bigotry, interracial and interethnic dating and marriage ARE NOT matters of Romans 14 because racism , discrimination, partiality, bias and bigotry are condemned as sin and those who do them are sinning. In Christ we should not consider important "the things that are seen [like skin color, race or ethnicity] but to" consider important "the things that are unseen; we should "regard no one according to the flesh [like skin color, race or ethnicity]"; for in Christ "there is neither Jew nor Greek [nationality, ethnicity], there is neither slave nor free man [social/economic distinctions], there is neither male nor female [gender issues]; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you [ALL] are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to promise." So nationality, ethnicity, gender or socio-economic conditiond are not Romans 14 issues for in Christ it is sin if your feelings are hurt by the nationality, ethnicity, gender or socio- economic condition of your brethren; if you consider evil, the nationality, ethnicity, gender or socio-economic condition of your brethren; if you consider unclean and impure your brethren in Christ because of their nationality, ethnicity, gender or socio-economic;and/or if you are stumbled, offended or grieved by the nationality, ethnicity, gender or socio-economic condition of your brethren. ***2 Cor 4:17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen [like skin color, race or ethnicity] but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen [like skin color, race or ethnicity] are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. . . . 5:16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh [like skin color, race or ethnicity] . Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh [like skin color, race or ethnicity] , we regard him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. ***Galatians 3:(New American Standard Bible) 27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to promise. ***1 Timothy 5:21In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality.

[VI.] What about those who do practice racism, discrimination, partiality, bias and bigotry? A Christian has his marching orders on how to deal with them from the Word:

///How are we to act towards one who calls himself a born again believer who follows and obeys Jesus, but is continuing on in what he/she knows to be sin - racism, discrimination, partiality, bias and bigotry - according to the Word of God?

IF THEY CLAIM TO BE GENUINE BELIEVERS IN CHRIST:

***2 Tm 2: 23 But avoid foolish discussions with ignorant men, knowing--as you do--that these lead to quarrels; 24* and a bondservant of the Lord must not quarrel, but must be inoffensive towards all men, a skilful teacher, and patient under wrongs. 25* He must speak in a gentle tone when correcting the errors of opponents, in the hope that God will at last give them repentance, for them to come to a full knowledge of the truth 26 and recover sober- mindedness and freedom from the Devil’s snare, though they are now entrapped by him to do his will. ***MT 18:15* ¶ “If your brother acts wrongly towards you, go and point out his fault to him when only you and he are there. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he will not listen to you, go again, and ask one or two to go with you, that every word spoken may be attested by two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to hear them, appeal to the Church; and if he refuses to hear even the Church, regard him just as you regard a Gentile or a tax-gatherer. ***Lu 17:3 Be on your guard. “If your brother acts wrongly, reprove him; and if he is sorry, forgive him; 4 and if seven times in a day he acts wrongly towards you, and seven times turns again to you and says, ‘I am sorry,’ you must forgive him.” ***1Co 6:6 but brother goes to law with brother, and that before unbelievers? 7 To say no more, then, it is altogether a defect in you that you have law-suits with one another. Why not rather endure injustice? Why not rather submit to being defrauded? 8 On the contrary you yourselves inflict injustice and fraud, and upon brethren too. ***Col 3:13 bearing with one another and readily forgiving each other, if any one has a grievance against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, you also must forgive. ***1Th 4:6 and that in this matter there be no encroaching on the rights of a brother Christian and no overreaching him. For the Lord is an avenger in all such cases, as we have already taught you and solemnly warned you. ***GAL 6:1 ¶ Brethren, if even a man be taken in some fault, ye who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of meekness, considering thyself lest *thou* also be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and thus fulfil the law of the Christ. ***1Jo 5:16 If any one see his brother sinning a sin not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life, for those that do not sin unto death. There is a sin to death: I do not say of that that he should make a request. ***Jude 1:22 And of some have compassion, making a difference, 23 but others save with fear, snatching them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. ***2 Thes 3:6* ¶ Now we enjoin you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw from every brother walking disorderly and not according to the instruction which he received from us. . . . . 10 For also when we were with you we enjoined you this, that if any man does not like to work, neither let him eat. . . . . 14 But if any one obey not our word by the letter, mark that man, and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed of himself; 15 and do not esteem him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. ***"So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears." Acts 20:30-32 ***"I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you, as my dear children." 1 Corinthians 4:13-15 ***". . . . I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God."Gal 5:20-22 ***We proclaim Him, warning and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ. Colossians 1:27-29 ***"Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him." Titus 3:9-11 ***1 Timothy 5:20 (New American Standard Bible)Those who continue in sin, rebuke in the presence of all, so that the rest also will be fearful of sinning. ***1Cor 5: 3 For I myself, though absent in body, have been present with you in spirit, and in the name of our Lord Jesus I have already passed judgement, just as if I had been present, upon the man who has acted in this way. 4 I have decided-having been present in spirit at your meetings, when the power of the Lord Jesus was with us- 5 To deliver such a man as this over to Satan, that what is sensual in him may be destroyed, so that his spirit may be saved at the Day of the Lord. . . . 11 But, as things are, I say that you are not to associate with any one who, although a Brother in name, is sexually immoral, or covetous/greedy, or an idolater, or [physically or verbally or emotionally] abusive, or a drunkard/addict, or a rapacious extortioner (or a ravenous robber) - no, not even to sit at table [to eat] with such people.

IF THEY DO NOT CLAIM TO BE GENUINE BELIEVERS IN CHRIST:

***Eph5:6 No one should deceive you with vain words, for on account of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 DON'T BE CO-PARTICIPANTS [IN] OR FELLOW-PARTAKERS [OF THEIR EVIL] with them; 8 for you were once darkness, but now light in Lord; walk as children of light, 9 (for the fruit of the light in all goodness and righteousness and truth,) 10 proving what is agreeable to the Lord; 11 and do not have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather also REPROVE, CONFUTE, ADMONISH, CONVICT, CONVINCE, REBUKE AND EXPOSE THEM<1651>, [patiently, gently, humbly and respectfully] telling [others of their ] fault [sin]. [With 2 Tim 2:22-26; Gal 6:1] Strong's <1651> to confute, admonish: — convict, convince, tell a fault, rebuke, reprove. ***2 Cor 6: 14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers [especially in their evil deeds]. For what partnership [in evil doing] has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship [in evil doing] has light with darkness? 15 What accord [in evil doing] has Christ with Belial? Or what portion [in evil doing] does a believer share with an unbeliever? 16What agreement [in evil doing] has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; . . .7:1 . . . beloved, we should cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit [of ourselves and of unbelievers], bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God. ***"But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him! Luke 12:4-6 ***We proclaim Him, warning and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ. Colossians 1:27-29 ***Ezek 3:18 If I say to the wicked, 'You shall surely die,' and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. 19 But if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, or from his wicked way, he shall die for his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul. . . . . 33:8"When I say to the wicked, 'O wicked man, you will surely die,' and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require from your hand. 9"But if you on your part warn a wicked man to turn from his way and he does not turn from his way, he will die in his iniquity, but you have delivered your life. ***2 Tm 2: 23 But avoid foolish discussions with ignorant men, knowing--as you do--that these lead to quarrels; 24* and a bondservant of the Lord must not quarrel, but must be inoffensive towards all men, a skilful teacher, and patient under wrongs. 25* He must speak in a gentle tone when correcting the errors of opponents, in the hope that God will at last give them repentance, for them to come to a full knowledge of the truth 26 and recover sober- mindedness and freedom from the Devil’s snare, though they are now entrapped by him to do his will.

How do you do this? ///How are we treat sinners? How are we to act towards them? ***Luke 6:27* ¶ But to you who hear I say--Love your enemies, show kindness to those who hate you, 28 Bless those who curse you, pray for those who insult you. 29 When a man gives one of you a blow on the cheek, offer the other cheek as well; and, when any one takes away your cloak, do not keep back your coat either. 30 Give to every one who asks of you; and, when any one takes away what is yours, do not demand its return. 31 Do to others as you wish them to do to you. 32 If you love only those who love you, what thanks will be due to you? Why, even the outcast love those who love them! 33 For, if you show kindness only to those who show kindness to you, what thanks will be due to you? Even the outcast do that! 34 If you lend only to those from whom you expect to get something, what thanks will be due to you? Even the outcast lend to the outcast in the hope of getting as much in return! 35 But love your enemies, and show them kindness, and lend to them, never despairing. Then your reward shall be great, and you shall be Sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the thankless and the bad. 36 Learn to be merciful--even as your Father is merciful. ***Romans 12:16 Let the same spirit of sympathy animate you all, not a spirit of pride; be glad to associate with the lowly. Do not think too highly of yourselves. 17 Never return injury for injury. Aim at doing what all men will recognize as honorable. 18 If it is possible, as far as rests with you, live peaceably with every one. 19 Never avenge yourselves, dear friends, but make way for the Wrath of God; for Scripture declares--‘“It is for me to avenge, I will requite,” says the Lord.’ 20 Rather--‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him to drink. By doing this you will heap coals of fire upon his head.’ 21 Never be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.

1.> When your brother/sister in Christ has wronged you, or when you have become aware that a person claims to be a believer but continues doing what the Bible declares plainly and specifically to be sin, first do the following: ***1Tim2:1* ¶ I exhort then, first of all, that supplications, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings be offered on behalf of all men; ***2Cor5:19 We are to tell how God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not charging men’s transgressions to their account, and that He has entrusted to us the Message of this reconciliation. 20* On Christ’s behalf therefore we come as ambassadors, God, as it were, making entreaty through our lips: we, on Christ’s behalf, beseech men to be reconciled to God. ***Gal. 6: 1* ¶ Brethren, if anybody be detected in any misconduct, you who are spiritual should restore such a one in a spirit of meekness. And let each of you keep watch over himself, lest he also fall into temptation. AND 2 Tm 2: 23 But avoid foolish discussions with ignorant men, knowing--as you do--that these lead to quarrels; 24* and a bondservant of the Lord must not quarrel, but must be inoffensive towards all men, a skilful teacher, and patient under wrongs. 25* He must speak in a gentle tone when correcting the errors of opponents, in the hope that God will at last give them repentance, for them to come to a full knowledge of the truth 26 and recover sober- mindedness and freedom from the Devil’s snare, though they are now entrapped by him to do his will. ***Matt 18:15 ¶ If your Brother does wrong, go to him and convince him of his fault when you and he are alone. If he listens to you, you have won your Brother.

2.> If there is no repentace for and forsaking of the sin by the one who claims to be a true child of God, then do the following: ***Matt 18:15 ¶ If your Brother does wrong, go to him and convince him of his fault when you and he are alone. . . .16 But, if he does not listen to you, take with you one or two others, so that ‘on the evidence of two or three witnesses, every word may be put beyond dispute.’ ***Ephes 5: 7 Therefore have nothing to do with such people. . . . . 11 Take no part in deeds of Darkness, from which no good can come; on the contrary, expose them. 12 It is degrading even to speak of the things continually done by them in secret. TCNT ***1Tim5:20 Those who persist in sin reprove in the presence of all, so that it may also be a warning to the rest. 21* I solemnly call upon you, in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels, to carry out these instructions of mine without prejudice, and to do nothing from partiality. ***1Cor5:11* But what I meant was that you were not to associate with any one bearing the name of “brother,” if he was addicted to fornication or avarice or idol-worship or abusive language or hard-drinking or greed of gain. With such a man you ought not even to eat. AND ***2 Thess 3: 6* ¶ Now we enjoin you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw from every brother walking disorderly and not according to the instruction which he received from us. . . . .14 But if any one obey not our word by the letter, mark that man, and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed of himself; 15 and do not esteem him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. [If you should socially withdraw from such "brethren", if you should not hang out with and keep company with such "brethren", then surely you should not marry such.]

3.> If there is no repentace for and forsaking of the sin by the one who claims to be a true child of God, then do the following: ***1Cor 5: 3 For I myself, though absent in body, have been present with you in spirit, and in the name of our Lord Jesus I have already passed judgement, just as if I had been present, upon the man who has acted in this way. 4 I have decided-having been present in spirit at your meetings, when the power of the Lord Jesus was with us- 5 To deliver such a man as this over to Satan, that what is sensual in him may be destroyed, so that his spirit may be saved at the Day of the Lord. 6 Your boasting is unseemly. Do not you know that even a little leaven leavens all the dough?

4.> If there is no repentace for and forsaking of the sin by the one who claims to be a true child of God, then do the following: **<> WHEN JESUS SPOKE THOSE WORDS a Gentile was an unbeliever, an unsaved person. That means that if this one who claims to be genuinely saved has not repented of and forsaken his sin, YOU ARE UNDER COMMAND TO CONSIDER HIM TO BE, AND ACT TOWARDS HIM AS THOUGH HE WERE, AN UNSAVED PERSON. THAT MEANS YOUR MARRIAGE NOW COMES UNDER THE COMMANDS OF 1 COR 7:12-16 ***1 Cor. 7:12 But to the rest I [Paul] say, not the Lord, if any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she is consenting to dwell with him, he should not leave/divorce/abandon/repudiate her. 13* And the woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is pleased to be dwelling with her, she should not leave/divorce/ abandon/repudiate him. . . . 15 But if the unbelieving one separates/departs, he/she should separate/depart. A brother or a sister is not [maritally] bound in such [cases], but God has called us in peace. ***1COR 7:10* ¶ To those [GENUINE BELIEVERS] who are married my direction is-yet it is not mine, but the Master’s-that a woman is not to leave her husband 11 (If she has done so, let her remain as she is, or else be reconciled to her husband) and also that a man is not to divorce his wife. 12* To all others I say-I, not the Master-If a Brother is married to a woman, who is an unbeliever but willing to live with him, he should not divorce her; 13* And a woman who is married to a man, who is an unbeliever but willing to live with her, should not divorce her husband. . . . 15* However, if the unbeliever wishes to be separated, let him be so. Under such circumstances neither the Brother nor the Sister is bound; God has called you to live in peace. TCNT

5.> IF ON THE OTHER HAND THE SINNING BELIEVER REPENTS AND FORSAKES HIS SIN, THEN IT IS AS FOLLOWS: ***2Cor2:5* ¶ Now if any one has caused sorrow, it has been caused not so much to me, as in some degree--for I have no wish to exaggerate--to all of you. 6 In the case of such a person the punishment which was inflicted by the majority of you is enough. 7 So that you may now take the opposite course, and forgive him rather and comfort him, for fear he should perhaps be driven to despair by his excess of grief. 8 I beg you therefore fully to reinstate him in your love. 9 For in writing to you I have also this object in view--to discover by experience whether you are prepared to be obedient in every respect. 10 When you forgive a man an offence I also forgive it; for in fact what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has always been for your sakes in the presence of Christ, 11 for fear Satan should gain an advantage over us. For we are not ignorant of his devices. ******2 Cor 7:9 Now I rejoice, not in your grief, but because the grief led to repentance; for you sorrowed with a godly sorrow, which prevented you from receiving injury from us in any respect. 10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, a repentance not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world finally produces death. 11 For mark the effects of this very thing--your having sorrowed with a godly sorrow--what earnestness it has called forth in you, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing affection, what jealousy, what meting out of justice! You have completely wiped away reproach from yourselves in the matter.

Warning! If you set out to obey the truth and principles in these passages, you may find yourself nailed to a cross like Jesus and Peter, or about to have your head cut off like Paul and John the Baptist, or being stoned to death like Stephen. A minor problem for those who have become children of God through faith in and acceptance of Jesus Christ and His perfect work to save us, for being nailed to a cross is followed by a resurrection in to supernatural and eternal life with Him who is Compassionate Cherishing, Truth, Eternal Life, Perfect Light and the Way. We not only "have a dream", we have a hope solidly based on the Word of Him who cannot lie and who does not change.