I'm excited to share this because the fruit of what I'm sharing has been excellent so far.
Since starting to believe that poly was acceptable to Adonai I have had many apparently fruitless discussions with evangelicals of various denominations. My go to versus have changed at different times (there are so many to choose from). I have often stood on 2 Samuel 12 where it explicitly says that Adonai gave David his wives (plural) so it must not be a sin! Only to be answered with an inferential argument about dispensationalism. Or people just bluntly saying "it's not for today".
Many of the conversations go this way. I bring explicit proof scriptures and I'm answered with inferential teaching, changing subjects, someone's feelings...I have not, until now, born much fruit for the truth in this regard
What I have been looking for is a way of going about this that quickly gets past the post modern crap and inferential teachings. I want Something so blunt and indisputable that people are left needing to make a decision about whether they will acknowledge the scriptures at all or openly admit they don't care what God has to say about it.
After much trial and error I think I have found a peaceable way of accomplishing the goal. It's really simple. The argument begins and ends with the fact that Adonai is a polygamist. Wherever people try to redirect the conversation I will bring it right back to Ezekiel 23 where Adonai explicitly states that He is a polygamist and had two wives simultaneously. The key is to point people to this and kindly, lovingly refuse to get off this clear truth.
This defeats the "not for this dispensation" or "not for today" argument because our God is the same yesterday, today and forever.
This defeats the "it's not a sin but it's and error" argument because our God does not make errors.
This defeats the Deuteronomy 17 "God told kings not to be polygamists" argument because the word in Deuteronomy is not to multiply wives which indicates a huge number in context. It could not have meant no polygamy at all since our King is a polygamist.
This defeats the "Paul says you can't be poly and lead in the church" argument with a simple "if that's the right understanding of Paul's instructions then God isn't qualified either"
It destroys "well you can't come to church here because you are causing a controversy" because you can show them the word and ask them if they are going to uninvite Adonai as well.
I could go on, I believe that any argument against poly (from someone claiming to be Christian) can be summarily shut down with Ezekiel 23. It makes so much sense too because it's putting Adonai back at the center of the conversation! If someone has something against poly you don't have to be mean with them but it is easy to show them that they are really saying they don't like the way Adonai has conducted himself! Which is the problem they need to work out anyway.
Since I have taken this approach every conversation I am having has been fruitful. Obviously not everyone agrees, but it totally cuts out the talking in circles and wasted time. The worst responses I have had are people just ending the conversation seeming perplexed. Several other conversations I have had people come all the way around to saying "I guess your right, I don't know what to say" or "i guess i can't really disagree with you but I don't want to be involved with poly" which i received as major progress for a single conversation.
I know a method can't replace needing to be led by the spirit through these conversations; at the same time I think keeping Adonai's identity and the way he conducts himself at the center of the argument is proving to bear much fruit for me and I share it here in hopes it will bear much fruit for some of you.
Since starting to believe that poly was acceptable to Adonai I have had many apparently fruitless discussions with evangelicals of various denominations. My go to versus have changed at different times (there are so many to choose from). I have often stood on 2 Samuel 12 where it explicitly says that Adonai gave David his wives (plural) so it must not be a sin! Only to be answered with an inferential argument about dispensationalism. Or people just bluntly saying "it's not for today".
Many of the conversations go this way. I bring explicit proof scriptures and I'm answered with inferential teaching, changing subjects, someone's feelings...I have not, until now, born much fruit for the truth in this regard
What I have been looking for is a way of going about this that quickly gets past the post modern crap and inferential teachings. I want Something so blunt and indisputable that people are left needing to make a decision about whether they will acknowledge the scriptures at all or openly admit they don't care what God has to say about it.
After much trial and error I think I have found a peaceable way of accomplishing the goal. It's really simple. The argument begins and ends with the fact that Adonai is a polygamist. Wherever people try to redirect the conversation I will bring it right back to Ezekiel 23 where Adonai explicitly states that He is a polygamist and had two wives simultaneously. The key is to point people to this and kindly, lovingly refuse to get off this clear truth.
This defeats the "not for this dispensation" or "not for today" argument because our God is the same yesterday, today and forever.
This defeats the "it's not a sin but it's and error" argument because our God does not make errors.
This defeats the Deuteronomy 17 "God told kings not to be polygamists" argument because the word in Deuteronomy is not to multiply wives which indicates a huge number in context. It could not have meant no polygamy at all since our King is a polygamist.
This defeats the "Paul says you can't be poly and lead in the church" argument with a simple "if that's the right understanding of Paul's instructions then God isn't qualified either"
It destroys "well you can't come to church here because you are causing a controversy" because you can show them the word and ask them if they are going to uninvite Adonai as well.
I could go on, I believe that any argument against poly (from someone claiming to be Christian) can be summarily shut down with Ezekiel 23. It makes so much sense too because it's putting Adonai back at the center of the conversation! If someone has something against poly you don't have to be mean with them but it is easy to show them that they are really saying they don't like the way Adonai has conducted himself! Which is the problem they need to work out anyway.
Since I have taken this approach every conversation I am having has been fruitful. Obviously not everyone agrees, but it totally cuts out the talking in circles and wasted time. The worst responses I have had are people just ending the conversation seeming perplexed. Several other conversations I have had people come all the way around to saying "I guess your right, I don't know what to say" or "i guess i can't really disagree with you but I don't want to be involved with poly" which i received as major progress for a single conversation.
I know a method can't replace needing to be led by the spirit through these conversations; at the same time I think keeping Adonai's identity and the way he conducts himself at the center of the argument is proving to bear much fruit for me and I share it here in hopes it will bear much fruit for some of you.
