Good morning everyone, just before Passover he replied.
This is what he said but I have NOT had a chance to reply. There is some head scratching stuff.
what Tom said:
The choice is not just up to the man. It's also up to the woman who he is already married to. Otherwise one is marrying a woman in the context of creating a rival, which violates the Torah principle to not use a marriage covenant in a way that produces strife. With most marriages in ancient times, it was likely already decided beforehand whether or not additional wives would be permissible. Job was married, but considered it a sin to gaze upon a virgin. This would be because he would be in a marriage where the covenant was to keep himself only unto her. That's the state of most marriages in American culture. It was because of this that he made the covenant with his eyes in the first place. Even Abraham was ready to die childless until Sarah gave permission to go into her handmaid and bear children for her. So is Polygamy a sin? Yes and no. The concept is not inherently a sin. But if it is done incorrectly and is in violation with the existing covenant with your wife, yes. In American culture? Yes, it will create the same situation as eating food offered to idols.... cause others to stumble and be offended. I know offending people has not been a problem for you in the past, but even Yahushua chose to pay the temple tax in order to avoid offending people. Part of love is living our lives in such a way that we don't cause unnecessary offense. If people are offended that we are practicing righteousness (having children, dressing modestly, etc), that's fine. It's when we do things that are commanded, things that are unnecessarily offensive that we cause a problem and are no longer walking in love.
This is what he said but I have NOT had a chance to reply. There is some head scratching stuff.
what Tom said:
The choice is not just up to the man. It's also up to the woman who he is already married to. Otherwise one is marrying a woman in the context of creating a rival, which violates the Torah principle to not use a marriage covenant in a way that produces strife. With most marriages in ancient times, it was likely already decided beforehand whether or not additional wives would be permissible. Job was married, but considered it a sin to gaze upon a virgin. This would be because he would be in a marriage where the covenant was to keep himself only unto her. That's the state of most marriages in American culture. It was because of this that he made the covenant with his eyes in the first place. Even Abraham was ready to die childless until Sarah gave permission to go into her handmaid and bear children for her. So is Polygamy a sin? Yes and no. The concept is not inherently a sin. But if it is done incorrectly and is in violation with the existing covenant with your wife, yes. In American culture? Yes, it will create the same situation as eating food offered to idols.... cause others to stumble and be offended. I know offending people has not been a problem for you in the past, but even Yahushua chose to pay the temple tax in order to avoid offending people. Part of love is living our lives in such a way that we don't cause unnecessary offense. If people are offended that we are practicing righteousness (having children, dressing modestly, etc), that's fine. It's when we do things that are commanded, things that are unnecessarily offensive that we cause a problem and are no longer walking in love.
