CHRISTAINITY AND POLYGAMY

We are to live based on the authority of scriptures, all right?

And that is the standard. So this is not an open-ended or an open world. We have the word of God that guides us to our practice, and that's the foundation of our faith. Amen.

Yeah, the goal of God is to, you know, um promote monogamous. Yeah, that is the goal. That's the end result of marriage, is to get there. Everybody is— most people are in the process of getting there. In fact, the Bible made it clear in the book of, um, Titus. Yeah, that if somebody is going to be a leader— I mean, Timothy, 1 Timothy chapter 3, verse 12— that he must be a person of one wife. Why, why is, why is the clue?

That makes it arguable. If someone is— if someone desires the office of a bishop, yeah, it must be. That is to say, if someone doesn't— this, I'm just saying, playing Jesus's advocate. Yeah, so that means we can imply that if someone doesn't desire the office of a bishop, then you can be a husband.

No, in the context of that scripture, the Bible says that if a man desires the office of a bishop, he desires a good work. Then began to highlight the criteria required as an example to all. That's why the Bible says that if a man does not have his house subjected with gravity, how can he the house of God? So what the foundation of that, the heart of that scripture, is what is the example for the church. And that's why the bishop is required to lead by example. All right, that's it.

Meanwhile, it was a transition from old to new because Old Testament began from the book of Romans, you know, you understand. It's not even Acts. Acts are just a transition from, you know, transition to the new teaching that, um, the church was imparting to the disciples as to how they live, all right. So basically the whole essence of Christianity and the teaching that goes along with it is for people to, at the end of the day, come to that level where they embrace monogamy.

Our caller from America said something. He said Jesus himself avoided, you know, this issue of polygamy.

It takes it back to the beginning.

And he said, how will he permit, uh, permit Abraham, uh, you know, the likes of them, Abraham, Jacob, Solomon, mentioned them. How will he permit them and now not permit this generation. And according to him, Jesus is not even bothered about polygamy.

Jesus Christ made a statement of a stiff-necked people that doesn't want to follow the plans and pattern that was established. And he now reiterated the fact that if they go to the original in Genesis chapter 2, verse 14, they will see how it was lined up— a man and a woman coming together in a union of marriage.

Okay, before our color called it the, the, the last color said many things for the sake of the body of Christ that are out of scriptural context, and they need to be ironed out. Jesus never avoided conversations on the subject of marriage. As a matter of fact, when the Pharisees came to him, Jesus said, from the beginning it was not so. He referred them to the pattern.

Good evening, thank you for calling us. Where are you calling from, please? Hello, hello, good evening.

Good evening.

Thanks for calling us. Your name and where you're calling from, please.

My name, my name is Akemi. I'm calling Manchester, UK.

Okay.

Is that the live program?

It's the live program. You're live with us. Speak on, please. We can hear you.

Okay.

Is this on the subject of the—

Yes, please.

Yeah, I—

please turn down the, turn down the volume of your TV set to avoid the feedback. Okay, speak on, we can hear you, please.

Okay, can you hear me now?

Yes.

So, uh, I, I, I didn't know what has been discussed before, but just want to ask as a question. So if bishops— if that particular chapter, uh, chapter 3 of 2 Timothy, where I've been addressed to bishops and pastors, the leaders who are meant to be examples to other Christians— so are we saying that is applicable to other Christians? So I'm in no way supporting that because I, I'm a man of one wife. I'm not planning to marry another wife. But is it not good if you tell the whole truth of the scripture, that that particular scripture is only addressing the leaders? Did he say it like that? And as also the members are also expected to be leaders too, because the Bible also says that at the time you— where you ought to have become teachers too. So can we also say that though the scriptures are addressing the leaders, but even the followers at some point they also expected to become leaders. Because if someone has been in church for 5, 10 years, the person shouldn't remain, uh, a follower. Though we are all follower of Christ, but the point is, if you've been in church for long, we expected to grow and become leaders too. So invariably, so that scripture applies to everyone.

Everyone.

That's, that's just— I just want to say that.

Thank you so much for your contribution.

I want to say hi to Apostle Oh, okay.

Thank you, thank you so much.

Thank you.

I'm looking forward to being in physical meeting. I have a sister who attends your church in Nigeria.

Amen.

So blessed with the ministry. I'm looking forward to meeting you personally, sir.

Amazing. God bless you. Thank you for calling. So he said his issue— this matter should be, um, applicable to all the issue of you. So please hang up so that another call can come in, if you can take one or two more. If, if a person desire the office of a Bishop is saying it should even not be the matter of anybody design the office. It should be a standard for everyone.

And that's exactly what we said, that what the Bible is doing there is giving precedence. For example, that is, you desire this, the bishop is now an example, a pattern of good works which everyone should follow.

We left, we left the situation unresolved because of the calls that are coming in. A man married to 3 wives when he was an unbeliever. Now born again, uh, Apostle mentioned the fact that whoever is the legal wife becomes the real wife. But I now asked a question. I said, what if he didn't marry any one of them legally? What happens to the three of them?

I think, um, when it comes to this transition of being a believer now with many wives and wanting to make a decision to follow the pattern of Christ, Okay, let's say hello.

Good evening, thank you for calling us. Your name and where you're calling from, please.

To accept the call, press 1 for more options.

Hello, hello, good evening, thank you for calling. Your name and where you're calling from, please.

My name is Christian, I'm calling from Rome, for example.

Okay, go on, please, we can hear you.

Yeah, I want to connect to the live call.

Yeah, you are live. We are— we are— you're live with us. We're listening to you in the studio.

Okay, okay, okay, okay. Yeah, so, uh, actually, Pastor Femi Lazarus, I just want to appreciate Pastor Femi Lazarus. He's a good man and he should continue the work of God. His words have changed me a lot, and his words have changed me a lot.

God bless you and Amen, amen, amen, amen. Thank you so much.

I love that.

Thank you. God bless you. God bless you. It's encouraging when, you know, those who have been touched by your ministry can actually— God bless you. Thank you for that call. So how do we resolve this matter?

So basically what the man has to do—

what's up? Hallelujah!

Make up time to pray.

He should pray and seek the will of God. I'm coming, I'm coming back to you. Good evening, thank you for calling us. Your name and where you're calling from, please.

Good evening from Nigeria. My name is Gaffi Toby. I just want to say hi to my Apostle. Apostle, we love you from Nigeria.

People love you so much.

Thank you, thank you, Toby.

God bless you. Thank you for calling.

God bless you.

Oh, God bless you. Thank you. Bye-bye. Uh, people are calling on my mobile. Please call on the studio line if you're able to take one more or two. So the man should go and We just said God doesn't approve of polygamy. He hasn't married any one of the three legal wives. You are saying he should go and pray and ask the Holy Spirit of God for what?

But he needs to do the needful on at least one.

With who?

That's why he has to take time off and pray and seek the will of God to determine who among them should be the wife.

Well, yeah, Apostle, at this stage, it's the Holy Spirit of God that should not choose for him the wife.

Yeah, because before he was not—

he's lived with these women for probably 10, 15, 20 years of their life.

Consequences that, that comes with the wrong decisions. Now he has to do the needful. Okay, now I will advise, humanly speaking, you know, there are times that Paul speaks and he says, now I speak as a man, you have not paid the bride price. On all of them. Yeah, in all fairness, the first should be considered.

What happens to the children in this marriage?

You must take care of them.

Good evening, thank you for calling. Your name and where you're calling from, I mean calling us from, please. Turn down the volume of your TV, please. Good evening. Ah, people love to hear the feedback. Hello, hello, hello, good evening. Yeah, your name and where you're calling from, please.

I'm calling from Southend.

Southend, okay, okay, go on, please.

Um, I just wanted to appreciate Pastor Femi Lazarus.

Amen.

Okay, I'm so happy that he is in London. Oh, um, a program that he, um, he originally said, I don't know, any day I don't think he will get a ride on the next. I was so confused. I just tried to check on his, on his Instagram.

God bless you. You know what, you, you're happy that he's here. You have the opportunity of meeting him one-on-one. Give me the— I mean, give me the address of, um— thank you, please hang up. Give me the address of your program this weekend.

New Wine Church.

You can meet all Apostle Femi Lazarus lovers. Yeah, meet him at New Wine Church.

And they can just go on Instagram. And I'm just speaking there.

Go on his page, go on his Instagram. It will be at Woolwich on Thursday, tomorrow, tomorrow 4 PM, Friday 8 AM, Friday 8 AM at New Wine Church Woolwich. Good evening, thank you for calling.

Yeah, good evening, how are you?

Very well, thank you.

Okay, so, uh, I guess I'm on to the live show.

Yes, you're live with us.

Okay, no problem. This is one, and I'm calling from Essex.

Okay.

Yeah, so I want to say something concerning what you guys are saying. First of all, I want to say a big shout out to, you know, Femi Lazarus, uh, the lawyer fam. I always listen to his message online.

Amazing.

Thank you, sir.

Okay, so, uh, but what I want to say is, um, concerning a man who was married or who is married to 3 wives before he became a Christian. Okay, so if this man decides to pick one out of the three, so my question is, what will happen to the two who probably, you know, might have had children for this man? So how will this blend in terms of, okay, you didn't know before, now you know, so but what will you do now?

What will you do now that you know? Thank you so much. Because of our time, we got your question. I'm supposed to round up on that quickly.

He has to do the needful. Number one, they should be taken care of. And the Bible says that if they want to depart, all right, if they are still at a particular age where they can remarry, someone is interested because they were never married.

So they can go and remarry?

They can go ahead.

And the children involved?

The man has the responsibility to look after the children.

Our time is gone tonight. Good evening, who is on the line? We can't take that call, so sorry, we've got to go tonight. So, and according to you, you said, um, if he wasn't married to the three legally, um, from your own ideology as a man, take the first wife. Advice, advice, but doctrine, not doctrine, but look after the children involved.

Reverend, he should Yes, look after them.

Look after the children.

Seek the will of God for whom to choose.

Sincerely really want the Holy Spirit to make a choice for this.

It has to be Holy Spirit, otherwise there will be conflict.

Amen, amen. It has to be the Holy Spirit choosing. Yes, otherwise there will be conflict. We'll do one more episode on this topic. Really, I, I'm not sure when Apostle is going back, but, uh, you know what, meet him, uh, tomorrow Thursday 4 PM at New Wine Church Woolwich and on Friday 10 AM at New Wine Church Woolwich. If you're there tonight, you are you have not, you know, given your life to Christ, you have no idea whom Jesus is, today is a good day to give your life to Jesus and say, Lord, here am I. You're there, you want to give it all to Jesus tonight? Just pray this short prayer after me. Lord Jesus, I've seen myself as a sinner. I repent of my sins. Come into my heart. Be my Lord, be my Savior. I accept you in Jesus' name. Amen. If you have said this prayer, welcome to the family of God. Look for a Bible-believing fellowship around you to attend and grow your faith in Christ. And you'll be glad that you gave your life to Christ today. And if you're there, you're seeking your body— men of God, can you just say a word of prayer for those? If you're there, you're seeking your body, just lay your hands on wherever the pain is and we pray for you in the name of Jesus. Apostle, Father, we thank you.

We thank you, Lord.

We lift you up before God.

Welcome the hands of God. Healing in the name of Jesus. In Jesus' name. Amen.

We'll see you same time next week.

Good night. You want to say good night?

Bye.