▁because ▁of ▁possible ▁pun ishment ▁but ▁also ▁because ▁of ▁conscience " ▁( R om ans ▁ 1 3 : 5 ), ▁for ▁" the ▁authorities ▁that ▁exist ▁have ▁been ▁established ▁by ▁God ." ▁( R om ans ▁ 1 3 : 1 ) ▁St ▁Peter ▁conc urs ▁when ▁he ▁says ▁to ▁" submit ▁your selves ▁for ▁the ▁Lord ' s ▁sake ▁to ▁every ▁authority ▁instit uted ▁among ▁men : ▁whether ▁to ▁the ▁king , ▁as ▁the ▁supre me ▁authority , ▁or ▁to ▁govern ors , ▁who ▁are ▁sent ▁by ▁him ▁to ▁pun ish ▁those ▁who ▁do ▁wrong ▁and ▁to ▁comm end ▁those ▁who ▁do ▁right ." ▁( 1 ▁Peter ▁ 2 : 1 3 , 1 4 ) ▁Pro - pol yg am ists ▁argue ▁that , ▁as ▁long ▁as ▁pol yg am ists ▁currently ▁do ▁not ▁obtain ▁legal ▁marriage ▁lic enses ▁nor ▁seek ▁" common ▁law ▁marriage ▁status " ▁for ▁additional ▁sp ouses , ▁no ▁enfor ced ▁laws ▁are ▁being ▁broken ▁any ▁more ▁than ▁when ▁mon og am ous ▁cou ples ▁similarly ▁co - hab itate ▁without ▁a ▁marriage ▁license . ▁ ▁Luther an ▁Church ▁The ▁Luther an ▁World ▁Federation ▁hosted ▁a ▁regional ▁conference ▁in ▁Africa , ▁in ▁which ▁the ▁accept ance ▁of ▁pol yg am ists ▁into ▁full ▁membership ▁by ▁the ▁Luther an ▁Church ▁in ▁Liber ia ▁was ▁def ended ▁as ▁being ▁perm iss ible . ▁The ▁Luther an ▁Church ▁in ▁Liber ia , ▁however , ▁does ▁not ▁permit ▁pol yg am ists ▁who ▁have ▁become ▁Christians ▁to ▁marry ▁more ▁w