I agree with much of your outline. I very much disagree with your hierarchy. The reason is that the scripture does not explicitly teach it.
I see you offering evidence of your hierarchy and implications that support your hierarchy. What I don't see is anywhere the scripture explicitly teaches it.
I encourage you not to teach something publicly that isn't explicitly taught in scripture.
Teaching via what scripture "infers" is the way people demonize polygyny, slander the prophets, slander the patriarchs, slander Torah...
You are on a rare path and a good path to be a pastor and to support the biblical teachings on polygyny and mens and womens roles. I am not your judge but I feel strongly that God must be pleased with your boldness. So can I respectfully plead with you not to make hierarchys or lists unless they are explicitly in the scripture. I hope you can hear my respect for your work. I pray that your teachings be pure and free from the influence of eisegesis and leaven.
The other reason I encourage you to stay clear of purely inferential teachings no matter how sure you feel about the inference is so that you will be powerful and shut every mouth that comes against you.
Let me also say that I'm referring to teaching in public. If you are advising people privately that if very different.
May God bless your ministry and make it fruitful!
Hi Paulsen, thank you for your response and encouragement!
I wouldn’t be too quick to declare that a hierarchy for sex is non existent in Scripture or that this teaching is extra-biblical. Please consider the following:
1a. The first time sex is ever presented in Scripture, God defines its purpose (and consequently the purpose for His making Eve for Adam).
“God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth...” - Genesis 1:28
“Be fruitful” = have sex
Why have relations? The answer is given immediately.
“Increase in number; fill the Earth” = procreate
The very first time sex is ever mentioned by God, He explicitly states to use it to make children. This sets the precedent for the rest of Scripture and all the Law declares righteous or sinful with regards to sexual relationships. Acts that prevent or slow down “increase in number” are declared sin.
Example: one can successfully argue in favor of homosexuality if human sexual relations exist for intimacy’s sake. However, one cannot successfully argue in favor of homosexuality if human sexual relations exist for procreation’s sake.
1b. Again, when Noah and his family were tasked with repopulating Earth...
“Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth.” - Genesis 9:1
Had Adam or Noah and his sons simply ignored God and merely had sex for pleasure and intimacy's sake, mankind would have gone extinct.
1c. The Early Church likewise had this understanding that marriage is primarily for procreation.
In writing to Timothy, Paul states that older widows (60yrs+) did not need to get married again, while younger widows ought to marry. Why? The elder widow was not expected to procreate any longer (she already has children in verse 10), while the younger was (in order to have children in verse 14).
“No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty...” - 1 Tim 5:9
“So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children...” - 1 Tim 5:14
1d. Marriage ceases in Heaven; certainly affection and intimacy continue eternally but there will be no more need for procreation, hence marriage ends.
“Luke 20:34-35 NIV
[34] Jesus replied, “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. [35] But those who are considered worthy of taking part in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage,”
2a. Hierarchies are presented by Jesus with regards to the Law.
““Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.” - Matthew 23:23
Jesus took issue with the Pharisees because they had failed to apply a proper hierarchy to matters outlined in the Law. They had made smaller matters the priority and consequently “neglected the more important matters.”
It was acceptable and necessary to practice the smaller matters (tithing spices) but not at the expense of the more important ones (caring for the poor, forgiving neighbors, sticking with commitments).
Jesus reveals this hierarchy existed and was expected to be perceived by the Pharisees but they failed to do so. I’m afraid we’re doing the same with regards to sex.
2b. Another Scriptural hierarchy we’re all familiar with is the Biblical Family.
“But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.” - 1 Cor 11:3
“Ephesians 5:23-25 NIV
[23] For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. [24] Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. [25] Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her …”
Father > Son > Husband > Wife > Children
3. Nature, created by God, has natural hierarchies that do not require Scripture for us to comprehend.
Consider water; water is useful for drinking, bathing, cooking, cleansing, etc... but what is its primary (or first) purpose?
Drinking. If a man bathes, cooks, and cleans but does not drink, he will die.
So it is with sex; if all mankind has sexual relations throughout life but never procreates, humanity goes extinct.
Overall, we were created by the Creator to be creators like Him; this is what it means to be made in His Image. Sadly, we’ve chosen to be destroyers serving the Destroyer. This video is a call for people to repent and return to the Creator and be creators with Him again.
