Heresies disguised as pure doctrines are rampant in Christianity. These days, if we meet a fellow Christian for the very first time, we should legitimately wonder if he/she subscribes to Historic Christianity or a heretical flavor of Christianity - for instance, Progressive Christianity. (Progressive Christianity allows heresies to creep in because of certain innate and fundamental flaws: Progressive Christians can deny the inerrancy of the Bible, they need not believe that the Bible is the Word of God, and they need not believe that Christ is the only way to heaven. This would then lead to many serious errors, one of which is discussed in this article.)
Progressive Christianity endorses the LGBT movement. According to Wikipedia, 131 Christian denominations and another 53 Christian congregations affirm LGBT. These denominations have proclaimed that homosexuality and transgenderism are not sins anymore, “Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) affirming Christian denominations are Christian denominations that do not consider homosexuality or transgenderism to be sins. They include entire religious denominations, as well as individual churches and congregations.”1
Now that many Christian denominations have endorsed homosexuality, those subscribing to, and practicing, polyamory, expect these churches to endorse polyamory because they contend that polyamory is not only about sex. They argue that polyamory excludes swinging, adultery, infidelity (cheating) per se. They also argue that polyamory is not to be confused with polygamy (marriage of one individual to multiple other individuals).2
Polyamory is defined as “consensually non-monogamous relationships [where] there is an open agreement that one, both, or all individuals involved in a romantic relationship may also have other sexual and/or romantic partners…”3
So the progressive Christian community is encouraging other gullible Christian denominations to endorse polyamory. Obviously, their primary target is the churches that have already endorsed or approved the LGBT practice.
The Metropolitan Community Churches have already endorsed polyamory. In their response to the Nashville Statement, they contend, “Article 7: WE AFFIRM a self-conception of having inherent worth, being loved by God, and belonging to a family or community should be defined as God’s holy purposes in creation and redemption as revealed in Scripture. We affirm that homosexuality, bi and pan-sexuality, asexuality, transgender and non-binary gender, polyamory and all other forms of queer identity are as much valid and holy self-conceptions consistent with God’s holy purposes as cisgender, heterosexual and monogamous identities.
WE DENY that an imposition of a strict gender binary of male and female being and loving was God’s idea in creation, as such demands cause harm to God’s people and God’s church.”4
The Nashville Statement is an Evangelical Christian statement of faith relating to human sexuality and gender roles authored by the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (CBMW). The statement sets forth the signatories' opposition to LGBT sexuality, same-sex marriage, polygamy, polyamory, adultery, and fornication. (Source: Wikipedia).
If MCC has endorsed polyamory, then it is only a matter of time before all the other gullible churches approve of polyamory. Sooner than later, polyamory would become an acceptable lifestyle, even in the Christian community.
Why do Christians endorse homosexuality or polyamory?
Endorsement of homosexuality or polyamory is predicated on the reasoning that every human being is free and autonomous. The free and autonomous human beings are then empowered to choose the conditions under which they live. Nancy Pearcey, a leading Christian apologist, says, “What is the worldview that underlies homosexual “marriage”? The idea that marriage can be changed by choice has roots in a political philosophy called social contract theory, founded by Enlightenment thinkers like Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau. Social contract theory denies that marriage and family are natural and pre-political. Instead this secular origin myth posits a primordial “state of nature” where humans are autonomous, disconnected individuals. To preserve that original autonomy, the theory proposes to redefine every social institution as a contract — that is, an exchange of goods and services where we define the relationship, we choose the terms, we choose the conditions under which we stay or leave, and so on.
Where do these ideas lead in practice? A recent article says the ultimate goal is no marriage at all. In the ideal relationship, the author writes, “each member is an autonomous, free individual, who can come or go as she or he pleases.” The author says she treats even her three-year-old daughter as “free and autonomous.””5
Why should Christians oppose polyamory?
Gotquestions.org elucidates an answer to this question, “The idea that one spouse should consent to the other spouse having sex with other people is absolutely foreign to the Bible. The Bible speaks of sex within marriage as pure (Hebrews 13:4). The Bible speaks of sex outside of marriage as immoral and adulterous (1 Corinthians 6:13, 18; 10:8; Galatians 5:19; Ephesians 5:3; Colossians 3:5; 1 Thessalonians 4:3).
The question is sometimes raised as to whether a polyamorous relationship should be considered adultery if the other spouse allows, approves, or even participates in it. The answer is an unequivocal yes! God is the one who defines what marriage is and what adultery is. God, in His Word, has declared sex outside of marriage to be adultery (Exodus 20:14). A spouse’s giving permission to sin does not overrule God’s Law. We do not have the authority to create exceptions to what God has declared to be sinful.
Aside from the biblical declarations that they are sin, polyamorous relationships cannot fulfill what the Bible says a marriage is to be. A married couple cannot be “one flesh” (Genesis 2:24) if multiple “fleshes” are involved. A married couple cannot fully love one another if that love is divided among other people. There cannot be true intimacy if what is supposed to be intimate is shared with others. Polyamory is not marriage. In no sense is a marriage supposed to be open to sexual activity outside of the marriage.
Polyamory is, in reality, “poly-lust-ory.” There is nothing loving about it. This perversion of marriage is confirmation that “every intention of the thoughts of our hearts is only evil continually,” and that, without God, “everyone does what is right in his own eyes” (see Genesis 6:5 and Judges 21:25).”6
This article strives to enlighten you about another imminent threat to Historic Christianity. This threat pertains not only to Historic Christianity, but it will impact its adherents as well. Your family and friends would also likely be threatened by this development.
How do we respond to polyamory invading the Christian community?
First, do not be surprised when your church or the church next door affirms polyamory in the future. The evil one will deceive gullible Christians (cf. Mark 4:15; 2 Thessalonians 2:9), and your church may be led by one of them.
Second, the command to ‘love your neighbors as yourself’ is not only to love the seemingly righteous, but also the practicing sinner. How else would we minister to the sinners, if we do not love them?
Third, know the reasons as to why the biblical view of marriage is monogamous (marriage with only one person at a time) and heterosexual (marriage between people of the opposite sex). Be aware as to why God determines polyamory and homosexuality as sins. Thereby, we can graciously and lovingly minister to our erring friends/relatives.
Finally, pray without ceasing. Pray that we will stand strong against every flaming arrow that the evil one flings at us and that the mind of the sinning Christians would be fertile to receive instructions from God through you and me.
Endnotes:
1https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Christian_denominations_affirming_LGBT#cite_note-4
2http://www.patheos.com/blogs/hippieheretic/2017/09/what-polyamory-is-not.html
3http://www.patheos.com/blogs/hippieheretic/2017/08/its-time-for-the-church-to-talk-about-polyamory.html#kVxUX4bQVRFFYH5L.99
4http://mccchurch.org/an-mcc-response-to-the-nashville-statement/
5http://humanitas.org/?p=3482
6https://www.gotquestions.org/open-marriage-polyamory.html
Websites cited were last accessed on 9th November 2017.
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