Answer # 129

No, God never approved or sanctioned the practice of polygamy. He did permit it in the law of Moses - just as He allowed divorce because of the hardness of man's heart (Matthew 19:8). Nevertheless, according to the Bible, the ideal marital state is one husband and one wife who become one flesh in marriage for life. God gave Adam one wife (Genesis 2:24).

Jesus also said that from the beginning it was God's will that a man leave his parents and cleave to his wife - not wives - and the two of them would become one flesh (Matthew 19:4-9). In the New Testament, a minister or a spiritual leader is to set the right example and have only one wife (I Timothy 3:2). In addition to the scriptural admonition, polygamy is against the laws of the United States and most other countries. Romans 13:1-7 states that Christians are to obey the laws of the land. Additional information on this subject can be had by reading the booklet "Here's the Plain Truth About Old Testament Polygamy", which is in the "Booklets and Articles" section of this web site.