One Wife? Or More Than One?
First of all the Bible teaches that we are to obey the laws of the land (I Peter 2:13). As I understand the laws of some nations, a man may take more than one wife legally. So by taking more than one wife a Christian is not in violation of man's law.
Secondly, the Bible teaches that we are to keep the covenants and vows that we make (Ecclesiastes 5:4-5, Numbers 30:2, Deuteronomy 23:21, Malachi 2:14-16.
To answer the first question, should a man with three wives divorce two of his wives? NO. HE SHOULD NOT DIVORCE ANY OF HIS WIVES. HE SHOULD STAY WITH ALL THREE OF HIS WIVES.
He has made a covenant with all three of his wives before God and he should pay his vows that he has made before God and stay with all three of his wives and take care of them and his children. He is not violating any law of man , and therefore he should keep his covenant he has made with each wife before God.
We do know that the Jews in the early church had more than one wife as the Old Testament Scriptures show that Solomon and others had more than one wife. This was allowed by God but was not the Divine pattern as divorce was not the divine pattern either but was allowed by God because of the hardness of their hearts (Matthew 19:1-8).
The divine pattern is one man for one woman. The Lord made them male and female, two became one flesh.
In the New Testament we see Paul saying in 1 Corinthians 7:2, "let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband." Here we see one wife to one man, and one man to one wife.
We also see that the qualification for an Elder,Presbytery, Bishop, Overseer, Pastor, Shepherd of the Church (These terms are all used interchangably in Scripture) that he is to be the "Husband of one wife" (1 Timothy 3:2, Titus 1:6). The Elder or Bishop is leading the way as an example to the church of what they are to be as a Christian. And the example of what they are to be if they are married is the husband of ONE WIFE.
As we read in the New Testament Scriptures of the early church we know that there were Jews who had more than one wife as they did so under the law of Moses. As we read in the pages of the New Testament we do not see the Apostle Paul telling them to divorce all of their wives and just keep one of their wives. We do see the Apostle Paul saying that if any man does not take care of his family he has denied the faith and is worse than an infidel (1 Timothy 5:8). And we see the Apostle Paul teaching that a man is to have ONE WIFE in order to be an Elder or Bishop.
So the conclusion to me seems to be this. If a man presently has more than one wife he should not divorce any of his present wives but stay married to them and take care of them and his children. He should keep his vows and covenant he has made to them and to God. He should not take any one else to be his wife if he is already married to a wife because the pattern is to have but one wife. Under the New Covenant marriage is to teach the relationship between Christ and the Church. There is one Christ Savior and there is one church (Ephesians 5:31-32). So a man should stay with the wives he has and not take any more as he is now striving to follow the pattern of the New Testament.
If a man has more than one wife, he cannot be an Elder or Bishop or Pastor in the church as the qualification fo that office is to have but ONE WIFE. The Elder or Bishop or Pastor is to be a man with one wife therefore setting the right example to the church of how marriage is to be, one man for one woman.
Once eggs are scrambled it is hard to get them back together as one egg. I understand the Scripture to be saying if you are married to more than one wife stay in your present situation and keep your vows and covenants you have made. And do not take anyone else as a wife and now follow the New Testament Pattern of having One Wife. Teach your children to just be married to one wife. And have your Elders in the church married to one wife. Begin now to teach and practice the New Testament pattern, and pay your vows that you have already made.
Secondly, the Bible teaches that we are to keep the covenants and vows that we make (Ecclesiastes 5:4-5, Numbers 30:2, Deuteronomy 23:21, Malachi 2:14-16.
To answer the first question, should a man with three wives divorce two of his wives? NO. HE SHOULD NOT DIVORCE ANY OF HIS WIVES. HE SHOULD STAY WITH ALL THREE OF HIS WIVES.
He has made a covenant with all three of his wives before God and he should pay his vows that he has made before God and stay with all three of his wives and take care of them and his children. He is not violating any law of man , and therefore he should keep his covenant he has made with each wife before God.
We do know that the Jews in the early church had more than one wife as the Old Testament Scriptures show that Solomon and others had more than one wife. This was allowed by God but was not the Divine pattern as divorce was not the divine pattern either but was allowed by God because of the hardness of their hearts (Matthew 19:1-8).
The divine pattern is one man for one woman. The Lord made them male and female, two became one flesh.
In the New Testament we see Paul saying in 1 Corinthians 7:2, "let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband." Here we see one wife to one man, and one man to one wife.
We also see that the qualification for an Elder,Presbytery, Bishop, Overseer, Pastor, Shepherd of the Church (These terms are all used interchangably in Scripture) that he is to be the "Husband of one wife" (1 Timothy 3:2, Titus 1:6). The Elder or Bishop is leading the way as an example to the church of what they are to be as a Christian. And the example of what they are to be if they are married is the husband of ONE WIFE.
As we read in the New Testament Scriptures of the early church we know that there were Jews who had more than one wife as they did so under the law of Moses. As we read in the pages of the New Testament we do not see the Apostle Paul telling them to divorce all of their wives and just keep one of their wives. We do see the Apostle Paul saying that if any man does not take care of his family he has denied the faith and is worse than an infidel (1 Timothy 5:8). And we see the Apostle Paul teaching that a man is to have ONE WIFE in order to be an Elder or Bishop.
So the conclusion to me seems to be this. If a man presently has more than one wife he should not divorce any of his present wives but stay married to them and take care of them and his children. He should keep his vows and covenant he has made to them and to God. He should not take any one else to be his wife if he is already married to a wife because the pattern is to have but one wife. Under the New Covenant marriage is to teach the relationship between Christ and the Church. There is one Christ Savior and there is one church (Ephesians 5:31-32). So a man should stay with the wives he has and not take any more as he is now striving to follow the pattern of the New Testament.
If a man has more than one wife, he cannot be an Elder or Bishop or Pastor in the church as the qualification fo that office is to have but ONE WIFE. The Elder or Bishop or Pastor is to be a man with one wife therefore setting the right example to the church of how marriage is to be, one man for one woman.
Once eggs are scrambled it is hard to get them back together as one egg. I understand the Scripture to be saying if you are married to more than one wife stay in your present situation and keep your vows and covenants you have made. And do not take anyone else as a wife and now follow the New Testament Pattern of having One Wife. Teach your children to just be married to one wife. And have your Elders in the church married to one wife. Begin now to teach and practice the New Testament pattern, and pay your vows that you have already made.