Adopted said,
First of all, not being an ordained minister, I don't have the authority of the Church to do such a thing. But I will give my opinion.
NO regenerate Muslim would ask this of the Christian Church in the first place because he is trapped. Of course he still has a finacial responsibility to all of his children and wives.
With all due respect, someone just coming to Christ is not expected to know all the ins and outs of Christianity at regeneration. Even some mature in the faith – such as Luther – make errors on this issue (see below). Thus saying, “NO regenerate Muslim
would ask this of the Christian Church in the first place …,” is simply incorrect. Because of their culture, religion, and laws they very well may ask such questions. Actually, I would be surprised if they didn’t. Asking does not necessarily invalidate their confession of salvation, but to the contrary, may very well reveal a heart that desires to be taught in a new way, so they will no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error (Eph. 4:14). Have you asked any questions regarding the faith since you became born-again? Being regenerate, do you know the answer to every Bible issue? A question may be a step in faith and not idolatry!
Second, polygamy is outlawed both for church leaders (1 Tim. 3:1 ff; Titus 1:6 ff) and in the church (Matt 19:8-9, Mark 10:1-12). In that it is outlawed for church leaders is significant as they are suppose to be examples for the flock (1 Cor. 4:6; 1 Cor. 11:1; Phil. 3:17; 4:9; 1 Thess. 1:6-7; 2 Thess. 3:7-9; 1 Tim. 4:12; Tit. 2:7; 1 Pet. 5:3). However (in the early church), in that a specific qualification for leadership outlawed polygamy reveals that some were “in the church” and married to several partners. As Justin Martyr latter said, "Your imprudent and blind masters [i.e., Jewish teachers]
even until this time permit each man to have four or five wives. And if anyone sees a beautiful woman and desires to have her, they quote the doings of Jacob."
Polygamy was introduced after the fall (Gen. 4:19-24; Exod. 21:10; Deut. 17:17, 2 Chron. 11:21, 2 Sam. 5:13, etc.), however I see a progression toward monogamy as we move toward the full restoration of God's kingdom (though always the ideal, Jesus re-introduced the Genesis narrative (Gen. 2:24) of a godly marriage in Matt. 19:1-9). While the early church struggled with this issue and many were apparently baptized, polygamy is not the ideal and this is clearly seen in that Jesus’ argument in Matthew would fail if polygamy was allowed. Thus, polygamy today should
not be viewed as God’s ideal, but neither should divorce, etc.
Likewise, it was condemned by many in Church history. However, Luther in one of his not so brilliant moments,
…during the Protestant Reformation, in a document referred to simply as "Der Beichtrat" ( or "The Confessional Advice" ), Martin Luther granted the Landgrave Philip of Hesse, who, for many years, had been living "constantly in a state of adultery and fornication," a dispensation to take a second wife. The double marriage was to be done in secret however, to avoid public scandal. Some fifteen years earlier, in a letter to the Saxon Chancellor Gregor Brück, Luther stated that he could not "forbid a person to marry several wives, for it does not contradict Scripture." "Ego sane fateor, me non posse prohibere, si quis plures velit uxores ducere, nec repugnat sacris literis."
Letter to Philip of Hesse, Dec. 10, 1539, De Wette-Seidemann, 6:238-244; Letter to the Chancellor Gregor Brück,[3] Jan. 13, 1524, De Wette 2:459, and James Bowling Mozley Essays, Historical and Theological. 1:403-404 Excerpts from Der Beichtrat.
Third, it really depends in which sect of Islam a person is in and whether they are a man or woman. In some branches of Islam when a person, whether a man or a woman, renounces Islam, his or her marriage is automatically rendered invalid, because of the apostasy involved (
ahli kitab). Thus, one’s conversion to Christianity nullifies “all” previous marriages. This is the law of their land, their government, and their religion. Thus, according to the law of the Muslim land, they would be divorced, so, the question then becomes does the church recognize a marriage that has been nullified by said countries laws (societal, governmental, and religious) in which the said Muslim lives? Is that man even married to his first wife, much less the others? In other sects, the man may give an oral pronouncement of divorce which is effective after three months (
iddah...3 menstrual cycles).
Thus, all would be eligible for baptism after an investigation into “the facts” that regulate the situation and if the separations are legal, et. al. It also must be stated that the Muslim mind is trained differently then the Western one. Ritual means exceptionally more to them then it does to us.
As there is so much emphasis on ritual and form in Islam it appears that many Muslims feel that as long as the would-be-believer in Jesus has hitherto followed all the forms of Islam, he is still really a Muslim at heart. As long as he does not submit to baptism, the obvious initiatory rite of the Christian faith, he has not really become a Christian. Baptism is, therefore, the symbol of a Muslim's final break with Islam and his adoption of Christianity (Marsh, Share your Faith with a Muslim).
Understanding this should help the Christian better share "the faith once delivered to the saints." From a cultural perspective, if a Muslim convert asks for baptism it is very significant. While they may not understand Christianity totally, they do understand the significance of what they are asking a Christian pastor to do from their perspective -- that being a confession of faith and a total break with Islam, et. al.
Adopted said,
Our gracious God may well do the impossible and regenerate a Muslim but a converted Muslim will leave his unregenerate evil and blasphemous religious perversions behind.
We’re no better.
Luke 18:8-14 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
