Previously, I had posted about the view that God does not really care how we run our lives with respect to sexuality. In this day and age, there are many people who find it bizarre that an omnipotent, perfect being should care about this little detail about our lives. My position on the matter is very simple, and that's "why wouldn't God care, if He in fact cares at all about humanity?" It's the position that the Bible takes, and it doesn't take it without cause if you look at the bigger picture.
Anyone who has struggled with what the church calls "sexual brokenness" knows that it is not some sort of memetic poison that cuts deep into us. Memes are simply not that powerful. There is a feeling so deep, so hard to pinpoint, yet so real that it cannot be attributed to a bad cultural practice that preys on our consciences. When you do what you know is wrong, that which is against God's plan, you can feel the sickness, the shallowness and the unfulfillment deep inside you. It tears a little at your heart, making you feel numb inside.
Sexuality gone awry breaks and destroys many people. It is probably the worst, most insidious destructive force that moves against humanity that we can ever face. I think it goes without saying that there are many children and others who have come to appreciate how very real this phenomenon actually is. There is a marked difference between most of those who consciously and sincerely seek the sort of sex life that is claimed to be "God's plan" and many of those who do not. It can be like night and day.
If God, who can see these things, and who knows even better the extent that sexuality gone awry can hurt people, still cannot be bothered to create a sexual path that works, then God doesn't concern Himself with a deeply destructive thing poised against us. Let's not draw human boundaries around this such as God only concerning Himself with lifestyle choices that hurt others. One need only look at the fatalism and nihilism present in all "alternative lifestyles" to see that this is an arbitrary boundary.
Truth is that as much as we don't like to think about it, a God that cannot get involved in this area, probably isn't going care about us in general. I can think of no metaphysical idea colder than the idea of an all-powerful being who quite frankly doesn't give a damn about His creation. What are we then, but mere things?
He does concern himself. He lays out His plan, in Biblical terms. He then allows us to choose what path, then, like the just God He is, allows us to face the consequences of that action. Be it addiction to porn, chasing easy sex, whatever. He lets you face the consequences. He is also there to help you up when you've fallen. Point is, he lets you fall. You woulkd not learn, otherwise.
And one could also say that he lays out His plan so clearly because He alone knows the full consequences of our actions. We certainly don't know ourselves where our actions will always lead us to. Sometimes what seems to be the smallest sinful act can lead us to an incredibly painful place in our lives. That is probably itself no small part of the reason why God concerns Himself so much with our lives.
Blessings to you and yours, Mike.
You're on the right track. I would add that He frequently uses and references (in Scripture) the powerful metaphor of adultery and idolatry as well. Ultimately, our sexuality (and the way He made us) is more fundamental than we probably know.
I have remarked before that it was His plan for marriage, and the fact that "what we have been told it says is NOT necessarily what it says" that got me back on track to seriously study the Word. (that and two other big issues, specifically ;)
I know you've at least been able to "study for yourself" some of those things, even if we may still disagree on some of the implications... ;)>
And I'm sure that one of those areas would definitely have to be polygamy. I agree with you that it has never been outlawed in the Bible, but especially today, I think that a church leader would need to pry very deep into the family's affairs (no pun intended) in order to see whether or not it's the sort of thing that the church can bless or not. The pastor of the church that my girlfriend's family goes to will not, for example, marry two people who are living deep in any sin that he knows of. He understands human mistakes, but he won't bless those who are fundamentally on broken sexual paths, for example.
From my own experiences, I think you are absolutely correct when you say that human sexuality is probably a lot more fundamental than we may immediately realize. The pain alone, when it goes awry, touches us at a level that few other things can. It certainly has been enough to give me reason to believe that two souls really do almost literally become one during sex.
"...polygamy. I agree with you that it has never been outlawed in the Bible..."
Yes and no, Mike. Again, the main thing is just to see for yourself (which you obviously have) what it actually says, and to recognize that God's commandments are not at all the same as man's traditions.
Oh, and that He made men and women different - in fact, very different. And may He bless you as you walk in Him, and learn to cover your wife and house.
(And - I can testify firsthand, if you ever think it's someplace we 'arrive', as opposed to learn by doing - go pray and read some more! ;)
Still, the one thing that I am very reluctant about here is that the common motivation for most men would be to seek trophy wives, and the church cannot tolerate that among its own. Ephesians 5 and others are pretty explicit about what must be the standard that a husband runs his end of the marriage by, and I don't think any pastor who knows that a man has contempt for that scripture should marry the man any number of times in the church that he guides. I think on that note, the number of cases where a man has truly godly motives for polygamy would be extremely rare.
No argument whatsoever, Mike. All I would add is that "trophy wives" are already an institution in Amerika (especially the 'throw-away' kind) and that one could make the very same argument for probably 80% of all marriages anyway.
Again, I'd be the first to admit that I was not at all ready, or particularly a God-fearing husband, when I first got married.
However, I have no doubt (and neither would, I suspect, any of my family) that I've learned a lot since starting to study His Word, all of it.
Blessings,
80% is a hell of a lot higher than the number of women out there hot enough to be considered trophies, IMO. Still, the point stands. Too many marriages in general are probably based around that standard.
is this about your mother?