Is Polygamy a Sin?
I have repeatedly been asked to give my views on the issue of polygamy, and the pressure keeps building. Primarily due to the increase of prostate cancer in our society. I have offered my views before, and perhaps those asking me for my thoughts are unaware.
On polygamy, when you consider it biologically, only 3% of mammals are monogamous for life. Please fact-check me. When you now break it down further into mammals that are primates, the number drops significantly to 1%. Biologically, the sexual libido of a male mammal, be it human beings, lions, rabbits, or other species, is too high to be accommodated by one female. This is a biological fact. Male primates have a higher sexual drive than females, except in very rare cases where there have been hormonal defects.
Now, when you look at it Scripturally, the views I will give here are my own interpretations based solely on devoted study of Scripture and not something that the Holy Spirit told me. It is also not the standard view in Pentecostal, Evangelical or mainstream view of Christendom. This is purely and simply my personal opinion based on my study of Scripture.
I am legally married to only one wife. I have never been married to two women simultaneously.
However, I do not condemn polygamy. For the following reasons:
1. God Himself gave David multiple wives. As we can see from the following verse of Scripture:
“I gave your master’s house to you, and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you all Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more.”-2 Samuel 12:18.
1. Abraham, Jacob, David, and many other patriarchs and pastors were polygamous.
1. I am not sure that one woman can satisfy the sexual libido of one man for a lifetime, especially given that biologically, women experience menopause in their forties, which comes with decreased libido. In contrast, biologically, men can maintain their libido into their eighties. What is a married man to do in such circumstances?
1. Scripture prescribes monogamy and even total abstinence for only Bishops. We see this in the following verses:
“A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;”-1 Timothy 3:2.
“It is good for them to remain unmarried, as I am.”-1 Corinthians 7:8.
Having said the above, it would seem that BEFORE the fall, when man was still innocent, God’s intention was for monogamy. The reason I say this is because He created only one wife for Adam, and His definition of marriage appears to support one man and one wife, as we can see from Genesis 2:24:
“That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.”
However, after the fall of man, men and women were punished differently-Genesis 3:16-19.
As a result, different things happened to their bodies when man fell and lost perfection. One of the differences is that their biological clocks were no longer in equal alignment. Men retained virility much longer than women, which may be (this is an opinion, not an insight from Scripture or the Spirit) why God allowed polygamy after the fall.
In conclusion, I believe that polygamy is not a sin, and that it is better than adultery, and gay marriage. But these are my personal views, and I could be wrong, and because I could be wrong, I don’t want to mislead people, or undermine their faith. Especially as we will each individually give accounts of our lives to our Creator. Therefore, approach God in prayer and get your own enlightenment on this issue.
Thank you for reading, and may God bless you.
Credit: Facebook|Reno Omokri
I am legally married to only one wife. I have never been married to two women simultaneously ~ Reno Omokri
