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Called to plural marriage....?

Paul not the apostle

Paul not the apostle

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Real Person
Ok, so shoot me. I am putting this here for men only even though I know that the ladies will read it. No disrespect to anyone intended. I also mean no disrespect to anyone that feels that God has called you to be a more-than-one-woman man. My question is where is it in the Bible that we have to be called to this? Is this not just a personal preference thing? I was not called to marriage. I saw my wife, she was attractive, smart and wonderful, and I married her. The scriptures don't appear to have anything but "he took wives", etc. I might be shallow in my thinking, but I just don't see it. I don't think a man should take additionals if his current wife(s) are opposed to it, that is a separate issue. I am talking about being called to be plural. Is this a calling, or just preference and ability. I have never thought that polygamy was a sin, even when I was young. Is this a calling, or is this just preference.
 
The only lists personal callings in a very general way, as far as marriage goes some men are called to marry and some to devote their lives to scripture. If your called to marry then you know it, and ultimately you don't need anything else to tell you.

Of course now that polygyny is unusual I guess it is a special calling to bring things back to nature. I still think the basic rule is that if you need to marry you should. Weather you and your family needs poly is something that you will know better than anyone.
 
the jews recognize the first command given by YHVH to mankind as be fruitful and multiply. in that sense all men were called to marry EXCEPT those called to do something else. implied in being fruitful was to marry plurally as you can afford and as women were available. probably fewer than 20%of all families were poly.
today we have an interesting situation. i believe that poly is becoming more important at this time than it used to be because of YHVH's plan for the end of the age. we have many single females but with no understanding of the creators plan, few men with the understanding and even fewer with wives that would embrace it.

let YHVH unfold his plan in your life because poly is important, but it is even more important that it is done with his leading and in his way. the enemy would love to have some lousy testamonies out there in order to mock it.

being called or following YHVH's leading should be the same thing, but each of the words seem to impact us differently
 
I have difficulty with the word "calling". The word in Christian circles has come to mean a impression that God wants a person to do something, but on a self-aware, lifetime, special pathway. (or something close to that). Some preachers even insist that everyone has a "calling" and if you do not know what yours is, then you are just not listening hard enough.
"called to be a preacher" "called to be a missionary" "called to be a music minister" "called to be a youth minister" are the top "callings". But it is also used to interpret that someone is hearing or getting an impression from God that they are to live in a certain manner, or to do something. For instance a Mennonite might be called to leave that denomination. Or the opposite might be someone called to be a Mennonite.
The actual problem is the concept is not flexible to some. Doing your calling on a mission field for ten years and then quiting means that either your calling was wrong or after the ten years someone has "backslid" (another interesting term), or you are not doing God's will. If God wants to change your path midstream, a person may want their "calling" redefined. It can be confusing.

Called to be plural? Or just believe that plural marriage is ok?. Being "called" is fine, but do not feel second-rate or in a big hurry to find a second until God leads. If you label yourself plural minded and then set out hook or crook to be plural then trouble may be close ahead. Believe the truth and let God apply it or not. Enjoy truth and if and when God adds, then enjoy that also.
 
Weighing in ... with autobiographical story :D

I agree that no calling is necessary to become poly, since the scriptures make no differentiation. Presumably any marriage has the potential to become a poly family.

I also agree that it is important to take into consideration the preparedness of one's existing family to open their hearts and accept more people.

Having said that, I do believe that God absolutely CAN specify His intention for poly in your life, at which point it is up to you and your family how they will, individually, respond.

In my case, when I reached the point of being willing to give up my aspirations due to my wife's opposition (the wife of my youth, whom I dearly loved and still do), I received a vision while standing during a praise service at church. In it, I showed up to give an account of my husbanding/fathering in the courts of heaven with two wives and various children, and received approval from the Father. hen the scene replayed, I showed up with just my existing wife and kids, and was asked, "Where are those I tried to place in your care?" I don't EVER want to hear that for real!!!

My wife said, "But I'm telling you NOT to!" and "I don't care WHAT you find in scripture, *I* know whatis right" and finally "I'm moving out with the kids -- we had a family meeting and are all agreed" followed, eventually, by a divorce in which I refused to participate.

I waited, not always patiently or happily, for the Lord's leading. Without clear scriptural guidance, nor even a clear good tradition as to what to do in these situations, I tried dating a couple of times, talked to ladies online, the usual. Not too much success, in large part because I felt, in my particular situation that if God had someone(s) He was particularly intending to put in my care, I should wait and let him do it, and concentrate on becoming a man whom it would be SAFE to entrust with His daughters' hearts.

A couple of years later, that happened. Story for another time. But Cindy became my wife, and her 4 children are morphing into my children (I'm talking about ther emotional process, not the legal one.)

Still haven't figured how to win my first wife and my own children back into my family, but it remains before the Lord. Audrey, my first wife, and I remain friends and openly acknowledge continuing to love each other. She's just unwilling to accept poly, and I'm not willing to grant her veto rights between me and God. *sigh* Prayers continue.

A final comment: Many of my family look at the last 12 years and say, "Cecil, look at all that your belief in poly has cost you! You no longer have your secure job, your 5000 sq/ft house on 2 acres, your wife or your kids. You've had to move every couple of years, working at jobs across the country. You've had lawyers fees out the wazoo (Cindy's kids vs. their seriously abusive father, another story), lived in a storage unit, had to sell treasured music gear for a fraction of its replacement cost to pay chiold support. Look at what it has COST you!"

I, on the other hand, look back on those 12 years as quite possibly the most blessed of my life! I've learned about true friendship. Gained family. Learned that when God is with you, you are NEVER truly homeless. Learned that He WILL and DOES provide food, clothing, shelter, transportation, and work as needed -- not necessarily on MY schedule, but always on time, and sometimes extravagantly, just for fun!"

Has poly COST me? Not in my view! It has PROFITED me, greatly!
 
Cecil,

That has to be one of the most impressive testimonies that I have ever heard. Praise God for someone who will not compromise for God and His Word, will and way! It always costs in the natural to sacrifice for the spiritual. However, most cannot understand this in the way that you clearly do. You will receive a reward for your obedience. I applaud you.

Paul,

I just finished a teaching on the subject of poly that God had me do. It is available for free download at the following link...

http://www.perfectchristian.110mb.com/the_new_thing.htm

In the teaching I cover what God has shown me regarding His end-time plan and how Christian polygyny fits in. The bottom line is that monogamous marriage was the seed and the poly marriage as outlined in Isaiah 4:1 is the full grown plant. Monogamous marriage, (the beginning) is imperfect and as Mark pointed out elsewhere, was the source of sin entering into the world. Seven righteous wives and one righteous husband is the perfect marriage, (8 is the number of new things and perfection in the covenant of God with man) and will help usher sin out of the world, (the end). Anyone who opposes polygyny as God directs does so at the direction of the antichrist spirit and as such directly opposes Gods plan for the return of Christ. We are all called to help bring about the end game, which includes the poly of Isaiah 4:1. It should be our personal preference to try to aid Christs return rather than delay it by ignorantly resisting polygyny.

Be blessed,

Dr. Ray
 
cecil

awsome, the enemy sure hates this truth
 
Paul,
I agree with you in that I can not find in the scriptures that it has to be a calling, but I usually push the calling part when talking to people. I mean, let us face it, I know stupid guys, you know stupid guys, we all know guys that are just down right "stupid". I just do not want guys to get the wrong idea and think that it is alright to just go all "willy nilly" trying to find women without thinking or understanding first. Personally I blame it on a lack of self discipline that is definitely not being taught nowadays. My greatest fear in trying to spread the truth is that some guy is going to take it and run with it the wrong way and set us back 75 years. That is the only reason that I usually push the "calling". Just the inherit lack of self discipline in today's society. I also realize my own lacking in self discipline in certain areas and this helps me to "self realize" as well. If it is in Yahuweh's will then it will definitely happen.
 
DrRay777 said:
Monogamous marriage, (the beginning) is imperfect and as Mark pointed out elsewhere, was the source of sin entering into the world.
Click to expand...


Dr. Ray,
I really do not see that monogamy is imperfect or sinful. Not all are called to plural marriage as not all are even called to monogamy. If monogamy were imperfect I think that there would be more of a mandate in scripture for ALL men to be in plural marriage and even more than just Eve at the beginning. Just as great men of scripture had many wives even so there were great men of scripture who only had one wife.
 
Monogamous marriage, (the beginning) is imperfect and as Mark pointed out elsewhere, was the source of sin entering into the world...

...I really do not see that monogamy is imperfect or sinful...
Click to expand...

I usually make that observation tongue-in-cheek, as a rebuttal to the fallacious assertion that polygyny is condemned by the "first mention" in the Bible of Lamech's two wives. ;)

All I'm generally trying to remind folks in such comments is that the whole distinction between "monogamy" and "polygyny" is ultimately a diversion:

God wrote rules for marriage. Those rules, by the way, even apply - as Yeshua made clear - to those who marriages number ZERO.

Blessings in Him,

Mark
 
just to put this in a little different perspective,

i believe that there are guys to whom no girl is "called" to even be his first wife.

the community needs to be a help and protection to the girls if they are out from under the headship of their fathers
 
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