John Koletas: God Ordained Polygamy in the OT and Didn't Outlaw It in the NT

In the sermon Burial & Cremation, preached on December 31, 2023, at Grace Baptist Church, Troy, NY, John Koletas makes the claim that God ordained polygamy in the Old Testament and didn't do away with it in the New Testament except for the bishops of the church.

Original sermon link:    • Burial & Cremation in the Bible -- Bi...  

Despite the fact that Jesus referred to the creation to define marriage and that I Corinthians 7:2 states, "Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband," Koletas makes the bold claim that God "ordained" polygamy. This type of teaching is direct result of reading the Bible with an inability to properly interpret the Bible. It comes from not understanding the difference between descriptive Scripture and prescriptive Scripture, that is, the difference between the Bible describing some thing versus prescribing some instruction.

But there is so much more here. There is the criticism of women that is totally unwarranted. There is the whole, "Your mind is in 2023 and not 1611." Really? Polygamy was not an accepted practice in 1611 England. Polygamy was outlawed in England in 1604, and before it was outlawed, it was considered a serious moral offense.

It's almost as though he's just saying things as they come into his mind while he's standing there. It would be laughable if it wasn't so sad hearing the shouts of "Amen" from the pews.