“When we study the Scriptures diligently as the Bereans did (Acts 17:11), we’ll soon discover the New Testament does approve of plural marriage and welcomed Jewish converts in plural families into the Church,” argues Tidwell.
Tidwell argues against the traditional understanding that church elders must be “the husband of one wife” (1 Timothy 3:2), relying on a revised understanding of the Greek word that is rendered as “one” in essentially all modern translations. Tidwell argues that the verse is better rendered as “the husband of his first wife.”
“A man who divorces his first wife to marry another, as Jesus prohibits in Matthew 19:9 (also Mal 2:15-16), is not fit for Eldership in the Church. Paul is not addressing polygyny,” argues Tidwell.
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In a July social media post, Tidwell said that his eighth child, the first with his second wife, is the fulfillment of prophetic promise.
“When Kristan and I met and began courting, she received a prophecy from the Lord that our first child together would be a daughter and her name was to be ‘Grace.’ She wrote it down and gave it to me for safe keeping,” wrote Tidwell.
“During our season of seeking the will of God, this prophecy of a precious human life coming into existence one day was a powerful reminder that the Lord was at work,” he continued. “Throughout this season the Holy Spirit taught me several powerful truths I had not fully grasped prior to meeting Kristan.”
“For those celebrating God’s good work of marriage and the creation of life along with our family, thank you,” Tidwell went on to say. “For those who despise these divine works of God (Isa 5:20, Titus 1:15), kindly tap the ‘unfollow’ or ‘unfriend’ button posthaste—It’s better than saying things you’ll be called to account for (Matt 12:36-37).”
While Tidwell is convinced that polygamy is moral, he stands in the minority among Christian scholars, theologians, pastors, and parishioners.
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Missouri law does not allow for polygamy; thus his second marriage is not legally recognized. In fact, bigamy is a misdemeanor offense in the state, regardless of religious belief.
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