UNREACH AREAS: ENGAGING POLYGAMISTS IN THE CHURCH
UNREACH AREAS: ENGAGING POLYGAMISTS IN THE CHURCH
Rev Zethan R.L. Gajere
Introduction:
In areas where the Gospel of Christ is not heard, a custom in which a person has to himself two or more married partners, popularly refer to as Polygamy. This practice has been disdainfully regarded by foreign Christian missionaries to be African since inception. This led to many early African converts into Christianity to be unable to be accommodated into Christian fellowship. This is continuing even after over a century of Christianity in Africa, particularly Nigeria. This piece is meant to contribute towards engaging polygamists into Christian fellowship by offering the Holy Sacraments to them without undervaluing or overvaluing the latter. Perhaps, we may argue scripturally that: "Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces” (Matthew 7:6; NIV). In the outreach areas, we hear neglected people crying out to the Church in the way a Canaanite woman cried to Jesus Christ: "Yes, Lord," … "but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table" (Matthew 15:27; NIV). This writer posits that the Church should allow “the dogs eats the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table” with precaution that they do not “trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear [the Church] to pieces”. Their engagement into Christian fellowship through Holy Baptism and allowing them to participate at the Lord’s Table may pave way for them for more commitment to Christ and their being engrafted into His Kingdom.
The mandate of Jesus in Matthew 28:18-20; support His earlier submission that “the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost" (Luke 19:10; NIV), Polygamists inclusive. But this must be carried out in such a manner that we do not compromise the Christian principles of holiness and righteousness – obedience to the law of Christ, Gal 6:2.
To engage unmerited converts into the Church, let’s take a cue from the early Church on how new converts who did not meet the required standard of being engaged into the Christian faith were absorbed by the Apostles. Read Acts of the Apostles 15:1-40; 1 Corinthians 7:1-40.
There is need for a forum/council convenes to reason together in case of misunderstanding or misinformation. The aforementioned texts were about a council ever convened to tackle church/Christian issue; it was a sort of table talk involving believers in Christ from a different “religious” background, namely Jews and non-Jews, circumcised and uncircumcised, strong and weak in faith, and the like. Their sole aim was to reconcile their differences with each trying to woo the other. In the first Church Council, the Pro-circumcision group asserts: “Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, "The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses"” (Acts 15:5; NIV). But “After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: "Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are" (Acts 15:7-11; NIV; cf. 10:1-48;). Read also the Apostle James’ view in Acts 15:13-21. After extensive debate and deliberations, a unanimous resolution was reached and passed thus (in part): We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said. So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul— men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things (Acts 15:23-29). Then, Polygamy was not an issue of concern. Suppose it was, how will it be settled?
God standard about/on marriage, 1Cor 7:2-5, 10-11; cf. Mat 19:1- 12. Hear Saint Paul’s admonition in 1 Corinthians 7:2-5, 10-11:- But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband. The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife's body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband's body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control... But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion. To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife. Earlier in his ministry, our Lord, Jesus Christ reaffirmed the most acceptable biblical and divine standard, thereby nullifying the Mosaic situational proportion when he asserts in Matthew 19:4-9 that:-"Haven't you read, …that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,' and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh'? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." "Why then," they asked, "did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?" Jesus replied, "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery." In case of an unbelieving partner, Paul wrote in 1 Cor 7:12-16, that “To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. But if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. A believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?
On the status of a Polygamist vis-a-vis conversion and baptism, let’s adopt Paul’s argument of engaging the uncircumcised Gentiles into the Christian faith for the polygamists, as contain in 1 Cor 7:17-24 (esp. vv.17, 20, 24). He says “Nevertheless, each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has called him. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches. Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God's commands is what counts. Each one should remain in the situation which he was in when God called him. Were you a slave when you were called? Don't let it trouble you — although if you can gain your freedom, do so. For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lord's freedman; similarly, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ's slave. You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. Brothers, each man, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation God called him to. Reread Acts 15:8-11, 15-21, 23-29.
Therefore, it is the writer’s concession that when one shares the Gospel of our Lord, Jesus Christ with a person with more than a woman as a wife and received Christ into his life; he should be accepted into the Christian faith, tutored and baptized as such. When God opens the door in such a way that his women, as wives have received Christ as Lord and Saviour, they too must be christened as well. This is in application of Paul’s stand on Circumcision to the issue of Polygamy in our context and generation. Paul in collaboration with the leadership of the apostles in Jerusalem, Simon Peter and James appealed to the pro-circumcision Christians, the Pharisees to accept the uncircumcised and in this case the polygamists into Christian faith in their present predicament without requiring/forcing them to send away their wives or leave their husbands. Ponder on Acts 15:8-11, 15-20; 1Cor 7:17-24. They should be mentored and tutored in such a way that they will learn and see the good things that we practice in “One man, one wife” teaching.
Secondly, when we administered baptism to them, we must issue them certificate of baptism or membership card as the case may be. Since we have allowed them to participate and experience the power of the resurrection of Christ, how can we deny them their testimonial?
Thirdly, we should allow them access to the Lord’s Table, the Holy Communion.
Fourthly, if we have allowed them have access to these means of God’s grace - Baptism and Holy Communion, then we must allow them reciprocate this divine kind gesture through offering in appreciation.
Fifthly, absolutely if we have allowed them to participate in the “communion of the saints” and support for the course of the Gospel, then we shall not denied them full service for Christian burial.
However, we should limit their participation in church leadership, until they have reverse to the status quo - one man, one wife. Read 1 Tim 3:2.
It is also the writer’s opinion that disciplinary measure is meted on a polygamist who faulted. For instance, when one has two women as wives when he received Christ and baptism administered and afterward added a third woman should be put under church discipline. Likewise, erring members in this case who engaged themselves in marrying another woman or man after baptism must be disciplined and denied all the privileges to the means of grace thereof.
Meanwhile, if/when a polygamist has received this means of grace and nurturing; and in his/her spiritual growth and maturity becomes convinced that it is not God’s will for him/her to be in this state of polygamy he may decide to/and quit. But the Church should not force/enforce it on them. Here, the Church may passively be involved through teaching, preaching, prayers and counseling, but not actively disengaging or separating them.
It is also worth noting that:-
i. The context and geographical location of the said convert(s) must be considered
ii. Has the convert had any prior knowledge of the Christian faith hitherto the conversion?
iii. Is there any established Church within the jurisdiction?
iv. Was he/she denied baptism prior to the time of the said conversion?
v. Has he/she being in a state of a nominal Christian?
vi. Has he/she received Christian baptism elsewhere?
vii. Was he/she meted church discipline elsewhere?
Polygamists are part of God’s plan for salvation that Christ came to seek and save. Let’s make them understand that “salvation has come into” their home, too.
Rev Zethan R.L. Gajere
Introduction:
In areas where the Gospel of Christ is not heard, a custom in which a person has to himself two or more married partners, popularly refer to as Polygamy. This practice has been disdainfully regarded by foreign Christian missionaries to be African since inception. This led to many early African converts into Christianity to be unable to be accommodated into Christian fellowship. This is continuing even after over a century of Christianity in Africa, particularly Nigeria. This piece is meant to contribute towards engaging polygamists into Christian fellowship by offering the Holy Sacraments to them without undervaluing or overvaluing the latter. Perhaps, we may argue scripturally that: "Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces” (Matthew 7:6; NIV). In the outreach areas, we hear neglected people crying out to the Church in the way a Canaanite woman cried to Jesus Christ: "Yes, Lord," … "but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table" (Matthew 15:27; NIV). This writer posits that the Church should allow “the dogs eats the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table” with precaution that they do not “trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear [the Church] to pieces”. Their engagement into Christian fellowship through Holy Baptism and allowing them to participate at the Lord’s Table may pave way for them for more commitment to Christ and their being engrafted into His Kingdom.
The mandate of Jesus in Matthew 28:18-20; support His earlier submission that “the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost" (Luke 19:10; NIV), Polygamists inclusive. But this must be carried out in such a manner that we do not compromise the Christian principles of holiness and righteousness – obedience to the law of Christ, Gal 6:2.
To engage unmerited converts into the Church, let’s take a cue from the early Church on how new converts who did not meet the required standard of being engaged into the Christian faith were absorbed by the Apostles. Read Acts of the Apostles 15:1-40; 1 Corinthians 7:1-40.
There is need for a forum/council convenes to reason together in case of misunderstanding or misinformation. The aforementioned texts were about a council ever convened to tackle church/Christian issue; it was a sort of table talk involving believers in Christ from a different “religious” background, namely Jews and non-Jews, circumcised and uncircumcised, strong and weak in faith, and the like. Their sole aim was to reconcile their differences with each trying to woo the other. In the first Church Council, the Pro-circumcision group asserts: “Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, "The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses"” (Acts 15:5; NIV). But “After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: "Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are" (Acts 15:7-11; NIV; cf. 10:1-48;). Read also the Apostle James’ view in Acts 15:13-21. After extensive debate and deliberations, a unanimous resolution was reached and passed thus (in part): We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said. So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul— men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things (Acts 15:23-29). Then, Polygamy was not an issue of concern. Suppose it was, how will it be settled?
God standard about/on marriage, 1Cor 7:2-5, 10-11; cf. Mat 19:1- 12. Hear Saint Paul’s admonition in 1 Corinthians 7:2-5, 10-11:- But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband. The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife's body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband's body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control... But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion. To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife. Earlier in his ministry, our Lord, Jesus Christ reaffirmed the most acceptable biblical and divine standard, thereby nullifying the Mosaic situational proportion when he asserts in Matthew 19:4-9 that:-"Haven't you read, …that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,' and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh'? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." "Why then," they asked, "did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?" Jesus replied, "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery." In case of an unbelieving partner, Paul wrote in 1 Cor 7:12-16, that “To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. But if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. A believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?
On the status of a Polygamist vis-a-vis conversion and baptism, let’s adopt Paul’s argument of engaging the uncircumcised Gentiles into the Christian faith for the polygamists, as contain in 1 Cor 7:17-24 (esp. vv.17, 20, 24). He says “Nevertheless, each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has called him. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches. Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God's commands is what counts. Each one should remain in the situation which he was in when God called him. Were you a slave when you were called? Don't let it trouble you — although if you can gain your freedom, do so. For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lord's freedman; similarly, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ's slave. You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. Brothers, each man, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation God called him to. Reread Acts 15:8-11, 15-21, 23-29.
Therefore, it is the writer’s concession that when one shares the Gospel of our Lord, Jesus Christ with a person with more than a woman as a wife and received Christ into his life; he should be accepted into the Christian faith, tutored and baptized as such. When God opens the door in such a way that his women, as wives have received Christ as Lord and Saviour, they too must be christened as well. This is in application of Paul’s stand on Circumcision to the issue of Polygamy in our context and generation. Paul in collaboration with the leadership of the apostles in Jerusalem, Simon Peter and James appealed to the pro-circumcision Christians, the Pharisees to accept the uncircumcised and in this case the polygamists into Christian faith in their present predicament without requiring/forcing them to send away their wives or leave their husbands. Ponder on Acts 15:8-11, 15-20; 1Cor 7:17-24. They should be mentored and tutored in such a way that they will learn and see the good things that we practice in “One man, one wife” teaching.
Secondly, when we administered baptism to them, we must issue them certificate of baptism or membership card as the case may be. Since we have allowed them to participate and experience the power of the resurrection of Christ, how can we deny them their testimonial?
Thirdly, we should allow them access to the Lord’s Table, the Holy Communion.
Fourthly, if we have allowed them have access to these means of God’s grace - Baptism and Holy Communion, then we must allow them reciprocate this divine kind gesture through offering in appreciation.
Fifthly, absolutely if we have allowed them to participate in the “communion of the saints” and support for the course of the Gospel, then we shall not denied them full service for Christian burial.
However, we should limit their participation in church leadership, until they have reverse to the status quo - one man, one wife. Read 1 Tim 3:2.
It is also the writer’s opinion that disciplinary measure is meted on a polygamist who faulted. For instance, when one has two women as wives when he received Christ and baptism administered and afterward added a third woman should be put under church discipline. Likewise, erring members in this case who engaged themselves in marrying another woman or man after baptism must be disciplined and denied all the privileges to the means of grace thereof.
Meanwhile, if/when a polygamist has received this means of grace and nurturing; and in his/her spiritual growth and maturity becomes convinced that it is not God’s will for him/her to be in this state of polygamy he may decide to/and quit. But the Church should not force/enforce it on them. Here, the Church may passively be involved through teaching, preaching, prayers and counseling, but not actively disengaging or separating them.
It is also worth noting that:-
i. The context and geographical location of the said convert(s) must be considered
ii. Has the convert had any prior knowledge of the Christian faith hitherto the conversion?
iii. Is there any established Church within the jurisdiction?
iv. Was he/she denied baptism prior to the time of the said conversion?
v. Has he/she being in a state of a nominal Christian?
vi. Has he/she received Christian baptism elsewhere?
vii. Was he/she meted church discipline elsewhere?
Polygamists are part of God’s plan for salvation that Christ came to seek and save. Let’s make them understand that “salvation has come into” their home, too.
