How Can a
Polygamist
Become a Christian?How Can a Polygamist Become a
Christian?
How can this problem be solved in a
case of a Christian involved
in a polygamous union before coming to know God? ~ Femi Temilola
Christians and
non-Christians are amenable to the Gospel of Jesus Christ,
whether they
realize it or not (Mark 16:15-16; Romans
1:15).
The reason Jesus Christ came into the world was because mankind was
already
lost in sin; “Son of man came to seek and save that which was
lost” (Luke 19:10
ASV; Romans 3:10, 23
).
Since all people are bound by the Gospel or New
Testament even before they become Christians, part of the Gospel plan
of
salvation calls for repentance prior to forgiveness of one’s
past sins;
“Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of
Jesus Christ for the
remission of sins” (Acts 2:28).
The New Testament allows a man or a woman one spouse
(monogamy, not polygamy). “Now concerning the things whereof
ye wrote unto me:
It is good for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, to avoid
fornication,
let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own
husband” (1
Corinthians 7:1-2). A second spouse under Christianity constitutes
adultery
(Matthew 5:32; 19:9). Apostolic instruction for the selection of elders
emphasized monogamy rather than polygamy, since previously under
Judaism and
among non-Jews as well, polygamy was sometimes practiced (1 Timothy
3:2; Titus 1:6).
Therefore, a polygamist who wants to become a Christian
must abide by the New Testament teaching respecting marriage. Among
other
things for which he or she must repent (which involves stop doing)
before
becoming a Christian is to repent for or stop being a polygamist.
Whereas
especially a man may have moral and financial responsibilities toward a
wife to
which God says he has no right (and any children as a result there
from), he
cannot continue as a polygamist with divine approval. Irrespective of
personal
feelings or emotional investment, God’s Word must be obeyed,
even if it
involves wives and children that must be put away (Ezra 10:3).
Hebrew Calendar and Sacred Names
How true is the claim that the
Hebrew Calendar/use of the Sacred
Names of God is a must for Christians today ? ~ Femi Temilola
A “claim” is merely an assertion without a biblical
prescription, for us today, in the New Testament or Gospel of Jesus
Christ;
Judaism as a law is no longer applicable as it has been nailed to the
cross of
Christ (Colossians 2:14), done away (2 Corinthians 3:11), abolished
(Ephesians
2:15), and we have been delivered from it (Romans 7:6-7). The Hebrew
calendar
has no special significance in the Christian Age (Colossians 2:16-17).
In
addition, any of the several designations or names for deity in the New
Testament are suitable as the New Testament is inspired of God, as was
the
Old Testament
likewise inspired of God
(2 Timothy 3:16-17).
Contributors to the Growth of
Christianity
Hi good day, I am college student
doing religious education
course in my field. I was given these questions and think maybe you
could help.
How did the following contribute to the growth of Christianity? (1) The
Roman
Influence, (2) The Jewish Influence, (3) Persecution. ~ Godfrey Bailey
Each of the world powers that not only preceded but
also controlled the part of the earth where Christianity began and from
which
it spread made indirect contributions to the growth of Christianity.
For
instance, the ancient Persians (today, Iran) contributed advances in
communication from one extent of the vast empire to its furthest
reaches
through the introduction of a sort of pony express; the Persians gave
the world
in which Christianity later flourished a postal system. When the Greeks
dominated the lands into which Christianity would eventually spread,
that
civilization contributed a universal language by which all the nation
partners
to the empire could communicate; the Greeks gave the world ringing the Mediterranean
Sea
and extending far eastward the language in which the New Testament was
originally written. When that form of the Greek was no longer used, the
Greek
language in which the New Testament was written became changeless, and
the New
Testament itself was equally changeless, definitive and certain in its
expression. The Roman Empire provided a system of roads for their day
comparable to the Interstates throughout the United States;
secondly, the Romans
provide stability throughout their vast empire through a universal
system of
enforced law.
Christianity especially benefited respecting its growth
from a language that all nations could understand through which the
Gospel of
Christ was proclaimed, as well as from imperial highways throughout the
empire
by which Christians could circulate their faith more widely with a
degree of
ease and from widespread civil obedience held in check by the
iron-fisted Roman
government. Christianity was introduced into the world and subsequently
spread
widely at precisely the perfect time in history, because over the
preceding
centuries circumstances developed that made the introduction and growth
of
Christianity not only possible, but also less problematic.
The Jewish influence on Christianity was crucial,
forasmuch as Christianity was merely God’s next phase in a
divinely implemented
regimen of religion that began with Patriarchy, grew into Judaism and
finally
blossomed into Christianity. Regarding the transformation from Judaism
to
Christianity, the apostle Paul observed the role of Judaism as
essentially a
bus driver to transport the faithful to Christianity. “But
before faith came,
we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should
afterwards be
revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto
Christ, that
we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no
longer
under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of God by faith in
Christ
Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on
Christ”
(Gal 3:23-27). Further, among those to whom the apostle Paul preached
the
Gospel among the Jewish community, who accepted that preaching, the
apostle
indicated that their obedience to the Gospel of Christ was the
continuation of
what they had begun under Judaism (Acts 13:43). The very organization
of local
congregations of the church resembled the organization and function of
the
Jewish synagogues. For a number of years (until Acts 8 and 10), the early
church was comprised exclusively of
Jews (and Gentiles who had converted to Judaism). The contribution of
Judaism
to Christianity was prophesied and crucial, without which contribution
there
would not have been any Christianity.
Finally, persecution became the catalyst for the rapid
spread of early Christianity. The Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16) commanded
the spread of
Christianity through taking the Gospel to all mankind. However, even
ordinary
Christians began taking the Gospel throughout the Roman Empire as they moved about
trying, first, to avoid Jewish
persecutions. “And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at
that time there
was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem;
and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and
Samaria,
except the
apostles. … Therefore they that were scattered abroad went
every where
preaching the word” (Acts 8:1, 4). Later, Roman persecution
strengthened
Christianity by weeding out those with less conviction about and
dedication to
the Christian faith. In addition, Roman persecution toward Christians
heightened sympathy toward them, having the unintended consequences of
encouraging more people to adopt a system of faith for which souls were
willing
to suffer torture and death. A common expression was coined because of
severe
persecution in the Roman Empire
against
Christians, which expression reflected the unintended consequences of
the
persecution. “The blood of martyrs is the seed of
Christianity.” Consequently,
eventually, the Romans legalized Christianity and compelled people to
embrace
it (even rewarding them for doing so), which did much more to harm true
Christianity than all the persecution previously.
Works Cited
Schaff,
Philip. The History
of the Christian Church. CD-ROM. Eerdman’s, 1996.
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