A few days ago whilst visiting a fellow patriarch's chatroom I came across a certain 'Dr. Fundamentalist' who introduced a whole new realm of absurd scholarship into the monogamy-only - polygamy debate. It is a fact, however, that monogamaniacs are now resorting to desperate arguments in order to defend their indefensible position, in addition to resorting to the usual name-calling to mark the peak of their thinking processes.
The line of Dr. Fundamentalist's 21st century scholarship and logic is that in the allegorical marriage of Christ to the Church (Messianic Community) the relationship between the Saviour and the saints is non-sexual, and therefore, says he, it is absurd to then say that several women could have sex with one man. Were his 21st secular thinking to be true, then ipso facto, one should not even have sex in a monogamous relationship. Obviously Dr. Fundamentalist has no idea was an allegory is at all.
Since explaining what an allegory to him is probably beyond his mental ken, I will posit this thought for him to consider. Since Yah'shua (Jesus) describes Himself as the true vine, His Father as the vinedresser, and we the saved as the Branches (John 15:1-8), using Dr. Fundamentalist's kindergarten logic we ought not to add fertiliser to vine trees because humans don't eat animal manure to make them grow better. Better still, in order to be saved, we actually need need to be surgically grafted onto Christ.
Although I am perfectly sure that he won't understand, I will explain to him what an allegory is. An allegory is a picture or representation in which the apparent meaning of the characters and events is used to symbolise a moral or a spiritual meaning. In the case of our Lord, He chose certain well-known, common and morally positive and acceptable concepts - in this case polygamy and the cultivation of a vine tree - to illustrate the kind of relationship the saved have with Him. Thus when He says that the relationship between Christ and the saints is like a polygamous marriage, He is not saying that it is identical to it in every respect. Our relationship to Christ is, for instance, entirely spiritual, and not physical. But the fact that the allegory in this case is non-sexual doesn't mean that the original concept - polygamous marriage - is non-sexual, anymore than the fact that we are not literally and physically grafted onto Christ as branches of a vinetree means in vineyard husbandry one does't actually physically graft branches onto vines.
I am sure Dr.Fundamentalist could understand if he wanted to, but because he is bent on defending a Catholic tradition irrespective of what the Scriptures say contradicting him, he will of necessity have a mental block to logical and plain thinking. It is for this reason that such persons always resort to name-calling, insult and slander as their last resort because they have nothing else left in their armoury. And the fact that they do this is glaring testimony that they are not willing to repent from error and align themselves to the truth of Elohim's (God's) Word. And when someone does this - deliberately misrepresenting the Word - they give Satan legal right to demonise them. The result is that they fulfil Paul's prophecy to Timothy as regards false end-time teachings on diet and marriage (1 Timothy 4:1-3).
The likes of Dr. Fundamentalist have no scriptural defence and none ought to be intimidated by them. Their theological exegesis is poor and their only defence is by accusing those who are careful theologians of "twisting the scriptures" (usually to fulfil a base lust, of course) even though they never explain what they mean. Ever.
The arguments of the anti-polygamy camp become weaker and more absurd with the passage of time. I wonder what they will cook up next? My own bet is that we will see less scriptural exegesis and more slander. "For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently?" (1 Peter 2:20, KJV). Their defence of the heretical monogamy-only doctrine is in vain, and the proof of that is in the spirit which they bear, which is foul-mouthed, spiteful, and devilish in nature. And so it always is when "their own conscience (is) seared with a hot iron" (1 Timothy 4:2, NKJV) and the devil has them at his beck and call.
There really is no neutral or middle-ground on the issue of biblical marriage because its counterfeit is a demonic issue at base. Even most of the monogamaniacs would probably agree with that. However, they are then left with the nightmare of explaining why Yahweh permitted a so-called demonic practice - polygamy - by legislating in its defence in the Torah and ... horror of horrors ... using polygamy as an allegory of the blessed state of the saints in their relationship to their Redeemer in heaven. You see, in the end they must accuse Christ and Elohim (God) the Father of being demonic themselves, thus blaspheming the Most High. They have no ultimate escape and will find no justification at the Judgment Bar. For Christ will say to them:
"Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'" (Matthew 7:22-23, NKJV).
Though this was not my original belief, it is now very clear to me that the polygamy question is a salvational issue, not because being married or not married is a salvational issue, but because Christ uses it to illustrate the blessed state of the saved! This means that polygamy was, in fact, created as the basic human marriage unit to illustrate the great goal of redemption, and to teach the Church (Messianic Community) how she should live (see The Example of Polygamy by Wayne MacGregor).
In taking a monogamy-only position, Christians/Messianics are operating against the Holy Spirit in these last days, and are persecuting the remnant determined to be obedient to the Bible witness rather than to human tradition. People like Dr. Fundamentalist reveal not only in their doctrine but more importantly in their attitudes and spirit, that they are antichrist:
"0 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness;
Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes,
And prudent in their own sight!" (Isaiah 5:20-21, NKJV)
The ultimate fruit and witness of the monogamy-only, anti-polygamy stance is the spirit of murder, revealed by the fact that they have absolutely no love in their hearts nor a desire to give redemptive ministry. Because of their dark hearts they are incapable of reaching out in love for the supposed 'lost and misguided polygamists'. Their darkness is manifest in the poisonous words on their lips. Given a free hand without the restraints of the law, many of the monogamaniacs would probably kill and think they were doing Yahweh a service. Many of them certainly carry that spirit around in them. And may Yahw'shua (Jesus) have mercy on them and bring them to repentance before it is too late.
Author: SBSK
