Faithfulness to Forbidden Fruits
- kingdomcitizensinc
- Jul 7
- 13 min read
the polygamous plight series
Welcome to the kingdom citizens blog!
Our faithfulness to Christ causes us to flourish, benefiting the relationships we have with mankind as well. Likewise, our unfaithfulness to Christ naturally reaps unfavorable outcomes with God and mankind.
We may not admit to it up front but some of us have polygamous tendencies. In all honesty, these polygamous tendencies are the result of being discontent believers. What does that even mean? To be discontent is to be dissatisfied (displeasure in relation to expectation or need) or unsatisfied (lack of fulfillment/something’s missing) and some of us know how we behave when we’re dissatisfied or unsatisfied. We take matters into our own hands, giving God a raincheck concerning His perfect will and timing. Even if that is the case, what is a polygamous tendency? Surely, none of us Bible believing Christians are practicing polygamy, right?
Well, let's define some terms then take it from there, shall we? We know that adultery is the voluntary intercourse between someone who is married and a person, other than their spouse. We see that plainly exhibited with Israel’s worship of Baal (Canaanite deity) and Bel (Marduk of the Babylonians). This type of spiritual adultery is also referred to as idolatry, which we’ll return to shortly. However, there are a few more terms I’d like to define to enhance our discussions moving forward. These terms are: Promiscuity, Polygamy, Polyamory, and Plight.
Defining Adulterous Behavior
What is Polygamy?
Oxford Languages define Polygamy as: the practice or custom of having more than one wife or husband at the same time.
-This is a perversion of God’s one man per one woman covenant-marriage design
-Broken covenant (non-monogamous; involved in more than one engagement)
Merriam-Webster defines Polygamy as a: marriage in which a spouse of either sex may have more than one mate at the same time.
-This is an open-marriage, an agreement in which both partners consent to the possibility of engaging in romantic or sexual relationships with others, while preserving the primary commitment of their marriage.
-In a backslidden state, a believer will attempt to preserve their primary commitment to Jesus while also entertaining outside religious or hedonistic views.
What is Polyamory?
Merriam-Webster defines Polyamory as: the state or practice of having more than one open romantic relationship at a time.
-No covenant (open to multiple connections at the same time).
-This type of person lives for pleasure and is only committed to self-gratification.
What is Plight? (Merriam-Webster)
To put or give in pledge: engage
A solemnly given pledge; engagement
An unfortunate, difficult, or precarious situation
Precarious: dependent on chance circumstances, unknown conditions, or uncertain developments
Breaking a pledge leads to variations that can’t be accounted for by us.
Each one of these terms are important in their own way and will help us further navigate our discussions in this series. During our next session, we’ll investigate polygamy’s negative impact throughout many places in the Bible. Today we’ll focus on how seeking out the forbidden things frustrates God’s favored things. Now back to making sense of these terms, revelatorily.
Though we are betrothed to Christ, in our desire to do our own thing, we can attempt to marry ourselves to possibilities outside of our exclusive reliance on God. This is the basis for spiritually polygamous behavior. It begins with the thought that we can fully commit to God while also fully pledging to an idol that we commit adultery with when we want Hagar pregnancy results but currently have Sarai’s dysfunctional womb.
Instead of Abram rebuking Sarai’s request for him to marry her slave and get her pregnant, he stepped out on his covenant with God to pursue a work-around with Hagar. That led to trouble between Sarai and Hagar then, as well as the wars between Muslims and Jews we see today. This only goes to show that the polygamous behaviors exhibited between Abram, Sarai, and Hagar were only a false illusion of the benefits polygamy pretends to offer.
Being married to more than one person was never a part of God’s plan for a reason. It forces unnecessary division and disgruntled inheritances. Still, the eyes that flirt in darkness would recommend, against better judgment, that having multiple spouses is a benefit. As children of the light, we shouldn’t entertain such ideas naturally or spiritually, as we’ll witness in next week's teaching. God is all the divinity we need. We don’t need to marry Christianity and any other religion to be whole or fulfilled. Leave the idols of religion and self-interjection out of your covenantal marriage with Christ.
Following the illusion of polygamy is the seduction of polyamory. This is the one that gets most of us from time to time. Unlike polygamous behavior, we don’t search for a covenant-relationship outside of God. This is where we treat God like a genie and not a loving and loyal Husband. Polyamorous behaviors reveal that you have no loyalty to anyone other than yourself. A polyamorous believer can be described as one who believes in God but isn’t convicted in their misplaced obedience to the flesh. They are the very person Paul describes in Romans 6:1-2 who treats grace like a license to sin.
The polyamorous person also tends to subscribe to multiple religions, practicing only the ideals that suit them from each one. You may have met someone who believes in Jesus Christ but still prays to their ancestors and practices Buddhism on the side. They don’t trust to receive the totality of what they need from one source, so though they believe Jesus is real, they also believe in the unrestricted exploration of other religions, especially cultic and esoteric traditions.
They have an incomplete picture of Christ that doesn’t permit them to commit to the life-sustaining covenant the Lord is offering them. A polyamorous believer is like that guy who proposes to his girlfriend but ten years later, still hasn’t married her. I’m sure all of us have come across a couple like that before. What’s the hold up? They generally say something like they don’t need to legalize their love with the government because they don’t want to feel restricted by a marriage license, tax changes, or divorce papers. All these excuses just to say they don’t really want to commit. They want all the benefits of marriage but with no strings attached.
Pledged to Promiscuity
Now that we’ve discussed the devout investments of a polygamous spouse and the free-spirited wanderings of a polyamorous vagabond, let's observe what these two have in common - promiscuity. Whether we’re under the illusion that we can sustain covenants with multiple deities and people, or under the influence of pleasurable prostitution — inviting anyone other than Yahweh into the sacred space of your heart is a violation of our covenant with the Lord. If you believe that total obedience to Christ is restrictive, then I pray for you to experience the true freedoms of liberty in the Lord. There’s nothing like it!
Spiritual promiscuity is saying outright, that God isn’t enough. If the Lord’s power is unlimited and He cannot fail, what else could we possibly desire outside of His care, other than full autonomy of our lives? But that right there is where the true problem lies. The root of this issue isn’t God’s faithfulness to us but our desire to replace His sovereignty with our own. As foolish as that is, that’s what happens when we allow unrestricted access to our hearts by ideals and influences composed of demonic partnerships. This is the epitome of adulterous behavior. Not only does intimate exposure to something other than God harm you, but it also harms your relationship with the Lord.
What’s interesting about our plight of promiscuity is why we’re choosing to come into agreement with a lesser suitor to begin with. Nothing and no one is greater than God. Even in the case of a natural marriage, why entertain greener grass in another field instead of improving the health of the field I have? There appears to be two main reasons why someone is willing to step out. The first and main reason is that a need isn’t being met properly or at a desired time (dissatisfaction/unsatisfaction). The second reason involves curiosity that is initiated by the stimulation of novelty (newness), variety (options), and/or intrigue (mystery, charm, or excitement).
Promiscuity isn’t just about entertaining multiple partners but the eventual intercourse that occurs as a result of our voluntary invitation into agreement with those foreign partners. Beyond the natural engagement of romantic intimacy are mental, emotional, and spiritual forms of intercourse that permit external influences to plant something corrosive within us and vice versa. That’s what the plight of promiscuity is about, partaking in an unholy pledge that leads to precarious situations and uncertain developments.
To pursue a life of promiscuity, we as believers must first—tragically—break the solemn pledge we made to God. When we look at our definitions of plight, we’ll recall that this term begins with virtuous intent. But by the third definition, plight takes on the negative connotation associated with conditions that form by one who breaks their pledge of engagement. How did this transition in meaning take place? We are well aware of how language and meaning can change overtime but this third definition of the word pledge doesn’t differ as much as we may think.
The shift in the meaning of "pledge" from a solemn promise to something associated with an unfortunate situation is subtle rather than a direct redefinition. The word still primarily refers to a formal promise or guarantee. However, in certain contexts, its usage has broadened to describe scenarios where a commitment has been broken or has resulted in negative outcomes. Like God’s sacred covenant that is applied with conditions of obedience, our plight can either be of faithfulness or promiscuity. We must choose whether to define our engagements in virtue towards Jesus or in temptation towards adultery. This is the tale of the forbidden and the forgotten.
The Forbidden & The Forgotten
Something forbidden must meet 3 conditions: it's real, it’s accessible, and it’s off limits. It’s forbidden because it’s either detrimental in general or in a specified season or state of being. A thing isn’t forbidden because it doesn’t exist. It’s off limits because it does exist and is obtainable but requires a knowledge of truth and self-control to resist. Like the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil located in the middle of the Garden of Eden, we must know enough to know that we should not attempt to access that which is forbidden. To not need to try a thing in order to believe the Word of God concerning its prohibition, is a reward in itself for the faithful and obedient.
I’ve heard from several mentors and friends that temptation isn’t real until the option to indulge in that temptation is made available. Anyone can appear loyal but with the proper catalyst, a once “faithful” lover can choose to betray their covenant-promise in order to access what was formerly unavailable but is now not only available but obtainable. When it’s real and you have access, free will can either sustain the covenant or gamble away your trust. God does not tempt us but instead permits our perseverance through such trials for our growth and His glory.
Our true colors are revealed when we are presented with the forbidden. Things like sex before marriage or a promotion before proficiency can derail the delivery of what was originally intended to be a good thing. We shouldn’t rush into what will only be detrimental before its proper time. We must be careful not to illegally access something that was never intended for us to have. We must trust God’s Word, wisdom, and timing.
It’s those forbidden things that become appetizing. Even when nothing’s wrong, idols of adultery can attempt to present themselves as favorable alternatives. Like our plight of promiscuity, we must learn whether to choose life or death, virtue or adultery, faithfulness or disobedience. It’s always a choice but we don’t always choose wisely. When we invest in the forbidden, we forget God (Hosea 2:13), resist our commitment to the Lord and abandon Him for our idols of adultery (Hosea 1:2).
That's not a good look, especially for those who are called the Bride of Christ. As individuals in the body of Christ, we must not get cold feet when He instructs us to do His will. We don’t have to become or remain flustered when He asks us to wait or tells us “no”. When we are obedient in faithfulness and not out of fear, we find grace when we do make a mistake and not the tyranny of condemnation. Consequences occur but chastisement is for our benefit. That’s where God’s grace helps us persevere and draw nearer to Christ as a result.
Those who are always in the mindset that God is constantly punishing them are not made perfect in love as 1 John 4:18 says. This individual may lean into their shortcomings which eventually leads from sin to transgression and lastly into iniquity; believing that if they can’t live up to the standards they’ve mistakenly believed God placed on them, that they mind as well embrace their failure entirely.
But this is not true or beneficial! Sometimes what seems like a punishment is the natural law of consequence, the original result of what God was attempting to protect us from to begin with. The forbidden is forbidden for a reason, and due to love, not out of spite. God is not human. He does not love or hate the way we do. With free will we can worship whatever idols we establish in our hearts but it doesn’t change that God’s sovereign will is that we worship Him alone.
Idolatrous Ways of Adultery
Idols aren’t gods themselves but were used to summon gods. In ancient civilizations, idols were not thought to contain the physical presence of deities but served as tangible representations or vessels for their presence. Through rituals, offerings, and acts of worship, people sought to invite the divine into the idol's space or to connect with the deity through it.
For example, in ancient Mesopotamian cultures, the ritual known as Mîs-pî (MEES-pee), or the "washing of the mouth," was performed to summon a god into an idol. This ceremony included several stages, such as purification rites, processions, and offerings, all designed to prepare the idol and invite the deity’s spirit to inhabit it.
The "opening of the mouth" ceremony mentioned in the Bible—particularly in the books of Enoch and Moses—is not a direct counterpart to the Egyptian ritual. Instead, it functions as a metaphor, symbolizing God's act of granting divine power or revelation by enabling a person to speak. It represents the capacity to receive and communicate God's word with authority and clarity.
Like our plight of virtue and the plight of promiscuity, we notice with this “opening of the mouth” ceremony - the perversion, a counterfeited conjuring of the One True God’s presence into idols. This is one reason why it is so offensive to God to create idols for ourselves. We may not be carving wood statues or fashioning golden bulls but the idols we set up in our hearts are false gods all the same.
Unlike false idols, God cannot be summoned or conjured like some exploited genie bound to the command of our lamp and three wishes! It’s the doctrine of demons that promises us whatever we wish, for a price of our souls. But God’s Word says to seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, then He’ll add all the things we need into play (Matthew 6:33). We are commanded to trust God unequivocally (without measure and parallel).
We are not to outsource our needs, forgetting His Word and abandoning His covenant in order to entertain idols as supplemental backups. We need to throw that “just in case” mentality out the window with the rest of our idols. So what, if it doesn’t go how you planned it to go, if you are fully submitted to God? Quit attempting to artificially breathe life into the idols of your desires, and wait on the power of the Lord to interrupt your concerns.
How often do we cheat on Jesus with the foreign gods of our adulterous tendencies? Some people can’t help but cover all their bases with idols, then have the audacity to call it a backup plan. Act all sophisticated and on top of things if you want to but that’s just a fancy way of saying you don’t trust God. Don’t get me wrong because there is no issue with planning in agreement with God’s will, known or unknown, but setting up a safety net just in case God doesn't come through is wild. GOD CAN’T FAIL! Besides, Proverbs 19:21 is a certainty: “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”
Covenant over Culture
In spiritual terms, polygamy is the attempt to legalize the adulterous ways of idolatry. Although adultery isn’t explicitly labeled as idolatry in the Bible, the two concepts are closely connected. Scripture often uses the metaphor of adultery to depict Israel’s unfaithfulness to God, likening their worship of other gods to committing an affair. In this sense, turning to idols or false gods is viewed as spiritual adultery—a betrayal of the covenant relationship with God.
Just like the Bible's frequently used imagery of adultery to portray the Israelites’ unfaithfulness to God when they turned to other gods, we must evaluate what does and does not stem from our covenant relationship with Him. Just as adultery violates the vows of marriage, our idolatry is seen as a betrayal of our sacred commitment to God. I wouldn’t put another woman before my wife. Not even the children take precedence over my wife. God should be the only One I love more than her. Is that where our hearts are today? Is Jesus the only Master Who reigns in the throneroom of your heart?
Don’t turn to those cultures you were commanded to destroy, becoming enslaved to their ways and foreign gods. Why join with the forbidden temptations you’ve conquered? I pray that we are not like King Saul when the prophet Samuel reprimanded him. King Saul was rebuked for his disobedience because he did not honor his covenant with God by completely destroying the Amalekites. Let’s stop giving into the lesser when we can have the Greater. Choose faithfulness and virtue, not disobedience and promiscuity.
1 Timothy 2:5 says, “For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus,”. With there being only one God and one Mediator between God and man, there is no room for idols. Idols become false mediators who award contracts that falsely appear to override or expedite the promises sealed behind the true covenants of God. With Jesus, obedience is the currency of love. But with idols, your soul in death is the currency required. It makes no sense for us to gain the world but lose our soul (Matthew 16:26).
Make sure to stay tuned in for this next blog post so you don't miss out on your word of instruction and encouragement...The next blog will explore polygamy in the Bible and how pleasure without Godly regulation can lead to corruption. Thank you and God bless!
Scripture of Emphasis:
Matthew 631-33 (NIV)
"31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
Thank You and God Bless!
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