Quote:
Originally Posted by Gryphonette  Quote:
Originally Posted by TimV Quote: |
The Bible doesn't demand that families be broken up, but by banning polygamous elders, it shows its disapproval for the practice.
| That's the normal view of Reformed missionaries who have thought things out. There are practical decisions that come into play, and there's room for debate concerning some of those. The group I was with briefly in PNG never dreamed of breaking up families, but those men with more than one wife couldn't be Elders or Deacons, but in addition if a convert took an additional wife they would be censured by the church. To me that would be wrong because for something leading to excommunication you'd have to show something clearer than not living optimally.
And as an aside, CM has a good point about strife; co-wife fights are the worst. | If a polygamist family comes to faith in Christ, the door slams shut on additional wives being added, but the existing family should be respected. |
I actually don't understand this at all.
Why the distinction "if a polygamist family comes to faith in Christ"?
If they aren't in Christ, you would allow the continued accumulation of wives - that I understand, since all you could really do is give pious advice.
However, if they are in Christ, and if, given your previous statement that polygamy is not a sin, why would the door necessarily slam shut? If it's only "unwise" but not sinful, why would the elders say, categorically, no?
__________________
Todd K. Pedlar
member, First Congregational Church, (CCCC) Cresco, IA
http://semperubi.rtrc.net
"Many men, after a long conversion, see more of the workings of sin in their hearts than ever they did before or at their first conversion. Now, such men have not an increase of sin, but an increase of illumination and light"
(Christopher Love)