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QUESTION: 84
What does the Bible teach on Christians involved in polygamous unions after conversion to Christ? Should they separate?
ANSWER: A recent survey among Christians discovered this alarming result, when 60% of them approved  common law living.  That is sad indeed.
    God is very clear that sex outside of wedlock is sin. He created man in Genesis and instituted marriage.  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.  The ‘one flesh’ implies sexual union.  They are united sacredly by God, He brought the woman He had made to Adam. They were socially united by a feast.
    Heb 13:4 Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.  All sex outside of marriage is sin. It is called fornication.  It has many forms, but all wrong in His sight.
    Regarding polygamy, a missionary friend of mine said that in Angola when a man got saved that had  several wives, they were advised to keep the first one only, as his wife, but maintain the others  in their material welfare. It would not be right for a man to have two wives at the same time. God would never bless and sanction such.
    Common-law living is when two people who are not married live together. This is very common today. It likewise is absolutely sinful in God’s holy eyes.  I have seen several profess to be saved and remained in that state. They were never blessed spiritual. They should separate or get married,
    The Scriptures say to all saved: Colossians 3:5  Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry
Ephesians 5:3   But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
    The greatest pollution on earth is not the land, sea or air, but the morals of man. There is no standard at all.    The commandment says “Thou shalt not commit adultery Exod. 20 14  This brought judgment upon the Jews under the law and it will bring judgment to man in the future.   Man can say I don’t believe it, but that does not change it. God has, “. . . appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.”
    If the polygamists, adulterers or fornicators want their sins more than they want to be saved, then there is not other alternative than to face God in judgment and hear those fateful words, “depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire . . .  “ Matt 25:41
    Jesus Christ came to save people from their sins. He can do that when a sinner want that salvation  more that his/her sins.
    The Bible says, “Repent and believe the gospel” Mark 1:15. Heb 7:25, says, “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
The only way Jesus can save you from hell is to save you from your sins.  Have you trusted Him?  Acts 16:31, And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.  The words “believe on”
means to trust, rely, or depend on.  It is not just believing about Him.

All comments and questions to: Harold Smith

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Updated July 2009, by Shelly Allen