Does the Bible Require a Polygamous Christian to Divorce?

In the early 1970s, a popular Nigerian pastor became known as a holiness preacher. He preached that any polygamous man who becomes saved must divorce any wife who is not the first.

To them and other pastors who adopted this teaching, keeping any wife apart from the first amounts to adultery.

Today, this teaching has become accepted by many Christians as if it is a biblical truth.

Some cite the polygamous Christian divorce bible to justify it.

But this writer has found out that this teaching is inconsistent with the teachings of the Bible.

There is nowhere the Bible has mandated any man to divorce any wife when he becomes a believer in Christ.

The Bible says, “Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches. [18] Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should not be circumcised. [19] Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commands is what counts. [20] Each person should remain in the situation they were in when God called them. [21] Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you – although if you can gain your freedom, do so. [22] For the one who was a slave when called to faith in the Lord is the Lord’s freed person; similarly, the one who was free when called is Christ’s slave. [23] You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of human beings. [24] Brothers and sisters, each person, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.” (1 Cor. 7:17-24 NIVUK, bolding added for emphases throughout ).

Here, Paul uses two examples to show that faith does not automatically change a believer’s status. However, what matters is obedience to God’s commands. Nevertheless, does this apply to a polygamous man who becomes a believer? Yes, the Bible nowhere says that a man cannot become polygamous after he has become a believer.

The Bible has never prescribed monogamy as the only form of marriage approved by God. It is a man’s choice whether to have one or more wives. If a man marries two wives, he must remain faithful to both. He should not have roving eyes after other women. Having more than one wife does not exclude fidelity. He must restrict intimacy to his two wives.

As a man with multiple wives, he must maintain equity with them. If he marries another woman, he must not deprive the first wife of food, clothing, and rights (Exodus. 21:10 NIVUK) in all circumstances. Here ‘marital rights’ probably means sexual intimacy.

The Bible allows divorce only under one condition.

Additionally, it applies when she has slept with another man while married (Matt. 5:32; 19:9; Rom. 7:2-3).

However, there is no biblical support for a man with more than one wife to divorce his other wife.

Logical problems with the teaching.

There are complex logical or social problems that a Christian may face in trying to obey this phony restitution. Some of them may be the following:

• The first wife may insist on leaving the man on account of his new faith.
• The man may not have paid the bride price of the first wife, making the marriage  a sort of cohabitation. There are many marriages where the man and the woman live together as husband and wife but the proper marriage has not been done. The restitution that ought to be preached to all members of the church is that all those who have not properly married their wives by paying the bride price and fulfilling the traditional marriage rites  should do so without delay.
• One of the wives who is not the first might have been the one who brought the man into faith in Jesus Christ. How does one expect the man to divorce the wife who led him to faith in Christ Jesus?

Besides the teaching not being biblical, these points show that the teachers of divorce on the ground of having more than one wife have taught faulty imaginations of their hearts. The preachers of this type of restitution do not have a proper grasp of the Word of God.

Ultimately, Bottom Line.

The teaching that a man with multiple wives should divorce his other wives has no basis in the Bible.

Unfortunately for the men who teach this blunder, they oppose Jesus’ words in Matt. 5:32 and 19:9.

However, Jesus says in these verses that marital unfaithfulness by a woman is the only ground for divorce.

But they teach that there is no ground for divorce.

If they say there is no ground for divorce, why is having two wives a reason for divorce?

The Bible proves them wrong. It says, ‘Each person should remain in the situation God called them’.

[24] Brothers and sisters, each person is responsible to God.

Furthermore, they should remain in the situation they were in when God called them. (1 Cor. 7:20, 24 NIVUK).

The Bible does not view polygamy as sin. The idea of “one man, one wife” entered Christian teaching from the Romans. It is not based on any exegetical study of the Bible. Those who teach holiness in this way are showing their own version of holiness. They do not teach the true holiness found in the Bible. Such men have set aside the Bible’s true teachings and teach mere human rules that offer no mundane or eternal benefits.

Author: Pius Odjegba