Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. 1 Corinthians 7:2

 There are several passages in the Bible that teach us that God’s ideal and only plan for marriage since the beginning was and has been only one man and one woman. Oddly enough, the Book of Mormon also warns against all polygamous relationships saying they are an abomination in God’s sight. It makes one wonder why a self-proclaimed prophet of God would say God has gone against His own words by claiming revelation that living polygamy was the only way to exaltation in the celestial kingdom.

Polygamy quickly gained and maintained a strong foothold in the Intermountain area when Brigham Young brought the Mormon’s here after Joseph’s Smith death. They brought with them their doctrine of salvation by polygamy. From the Canadian border on the North to the Mexican border on the South, polygamy colonies thrive as many people live the life they think pleases God.

But does living polygamy really please God or is it an abomination before Him as the Book of Mormon warns? This is a question that each one should ask him or her self. It’s a question that does no harm to search for the answer, but could result in eternal loss if the question be ignored.

A thought to consider: If you discovered that God does not require, in fact is not pleased with the practiceof polygamy, what would you do about your lifestyle? Would you continue living in a way that you know displeases God or would you make the change that would be pleasing to Him? Maybe this warning doesn’t bother you at all, but in the Book of Hebrews it says that “it’s a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God.” So whether or not our lifestyle pleases God should be of utmost concern to us all!

When God created one man, Adam, for one woman, Eve, it is clear evidence that He determined marriage to be that each woman would have her very own, special husband. God was showing us exactly the way He wanted it - “ To Each Her Own..” With a little help from Satan, however, mankind has chosen to pervert the perfect model of marriage that God introduced to humanity in the Garden of Eden.

What should be of great interest to proponents of polygamy is that polygamy had its beginnings in the cursed line of Cain. Lamech, was the first polygamist and proceeded to become a murderer himself. This is further proof that polygamy was not God’s idea, but man’s.

In Genesis chapter 6, before the great flood of Noah’s time, verse 2 tells us that in those evil days men took as many wives as they chose. At that time, God declared that the earth had become wicked & evil & decided to destroy mankind. Only Noah, his one wife, his three sons each with his one wife, were saved from the flood. No polygamy was practiced by Noah or his family, neither before nor after the flood. Another proof point that God has not decreed the practice of polygamy.

No polygamy again until Abraham when the poor man was hounded by Sarai who was unable to get pregnant. She gave her maid Hagar to him so she could have children through her. That little arrangement got the results she desired but life became miserable for everyone in that unhappy affair and Hagar was chased off by Sarai. God, however, knowing that Hagar had been victimized, told Hagar to return and be submissive to Sarai. That is a very important fact because it proves a biblical point about polygamy. If Hagar had been a legitimate wife of Abraham, she would have been commanded to return and be submissive to him, not Sarai. If you read the story carefully, you will also note that Hagar never had more children meaning, Abraham never went to her bed again!

As we read these first Biblical examples of men living polygamy, we see pain and contention in the lives of those who lived it. We never read of a command coming from God for people to practice it, nor do we ever see joy, peacefulness and happiness in any family in the bible that is a result of living polygamy.

Did God at any time, command anyone to live polygamy? No, He never did! There is a story that has been told from early Mormonism that some groups still teach today. That story claims that when Moses went up on Mt. Sinai to obtain the 10 Commandments and later threw them to the ground breaking them to pieces because of the sin of the people regarding the Golden Calf, that God’s “Higher Law” of polygamy was one of the commandments God had given Moses for the people. The story goes that God had planned on giving the Israelites the principle of polygamy at that time, but because of their sin, they proved themselves unworthy of this “higher law.”

After a thorough search of the Bible looking for passages to prove or disprove that claim, it is evident that the story is false. Later, when Moses went back upon Mt. Sinai to receive the 10 Commandments again, when he came back down the mountain the second time, he brought with him the 10 Commandments, which were exactly the same ones he had the first time. There was nothing added and nothing missing. We are told - twice - in the Old Testament exactly what was

written on those stone tablets, once in Exodus Chapter 20 and again in Deuteronomy Chapter 5. There were exactly 10 Commandments listed and none of them commanded polygamy. In fact the opposite is true, because Commandment No. 7 prohibits adultery. Adultery refers to any sexual relationship outside the marriage of a man and a woman. Later, Jesus taught that lusting after another woman in a man’s heart was equivalent to committing adultery.

It seems obvious that the marriage relationship of one man & one woman which God introduced in the Garden of Eden, remains God’s ideal plan for all mankind.

Now, granted, there are many instances in the bible of righteous men taking more than one wife. David and Solomon come to mind. You will not, however, find one single time where God gave a command for anyone to live polygamy. Each man who took more than one wife, did so of his own volition, never as a result of a command from God. In fact each man who did have multiple wives, had a very sorry home life with no domestic tranquility!

God gave commands against multiple wives, and never FOR the practice! However, many people who live polygamy, do so because they believe that it is God’s will and that He has commanded they do so. Most polygamist groups are offshoots from the original Mormon Church and still use basic Mormon Scriptures as a source of doctrine for their group. Each polygamy group believes and teaches that they alone are the one and only true “Kingdom of God”, that they alone have the “keys to the Kingdom” and that their priesthood is the only one having God’s authority here on earth. However, with dozens of different groups, all claiming the same thing, including the Mormon Church itself, how would anyone know which one, if any of them, was God’s genuine, chosen group to perpetuate His Kingdom here?

With this in mind, ask yourself: Are you SURE that your group is really the one God has chosen, or could it be just another group of people, blindly following the doctrines of men? In discovering that it really is NOT God’s desire for people to live polygamy, what will you do? Who will you warn??

Leaving a religious group that you’ve discovered is false but have believed is true, can be the hardest thing you may ever do. However, with God’s help, it can successfully be accomplished.

Jesus came to set people free. He said, that when we know the truth, the truth will set us free. Jesus died on the cross for our sins - His suffering and death on the Cross was how He paid the price for our eternal life. Polygamy will never pay that price. There is no way in God’s salvation plan for a “works” salvation. Jesus did the “works” for us already when He died on the cross to pay for our sins. Salvation comes through faith ALONE in that fact - salvation never comes through living polygamy or through any other man made set of rules or religious lifestyle.

You can do absolutely nothing to save yourself, GOD ALONE SAVES PEOPLE. No one has any right to change God’s perfect salvation plan

You, too can experience God’s profound freedom from the oppressive group in which you now live and from the bondage of men’s rules. Think about it! Ask God to help you and guide you to HIS Truth!

“For the wages of sin is death, but the GIFT of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our LORD.” Romans 6:23

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