does anyone know what God says about birth control? i know we're supposed to be fruitful and increase in number, but when you reach a certain age, is it wrong to use a birth control method?
I don't think it's wrong at any age. We know that God is in control, and we also know that birth control fails. That would be God saying, "Nope - I want you to have this one." Lol
Oh boy walking a mine field here,first this is just me as i feel God would say,birth control as for unmarried girls to use for the purpose of having sex no way.but for married couples who after long thought on the subject and that means husband and wife not just husband then i am going out on a limb but i think it's fine.
i apologize if i didn't make myself clear earlier. this is between husband and wife not wanting to have anymore kids due to personal reasons such as age, finances, etc.
is there anywhere in the bible that speaks about birth control? does God frown upon it or not?
In my opinion, this is an �eating of meat� issue (I Corinthians 8). What I mean is, the people of that day fought over if eating the meat served to the temple gods was a sin or not and Paul said it was sin for those who�s conscience condemned them but those who�s conscience did not were not in sin. Then he gave strong warning to not let our liberty make others stumble. There are things in the Bible that God has made it crystal clear, black-and-white it is sin. But there are many thins that are not quits so clear, for example, drinking (not trying to start a big debate here just an example and I am not talking about drinking unto drunkenness�) The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin all sin and He leads us into all righteousness and truth. We all, born of God, hear His voice, and in my opinion, if someone�s conscience does not condemned them� no it is not sin to use birth control� but if it does then yes it is for that person.
Just want to say something about the "be fruitful and increase in number".
Um - this was said to Adam and Eve when there were two people on Earth. There are now close to 7 billion and I think we are long past the point of being frutiful.
I think we can use some wisdom here. If we literally obey the command "be fruitful and multiply" and then we don't have enough money or time to raise our children and given them attention, then we are not doing a right thing. Our aim as parents should be to brip up our child in as much Godly knowledge and virtue as possible. But just producing kids because of the command without looking at the consequences is inviting trouble.
And any attitude which fails to see that children are a good gift from the Lord is wrong: Psalm 17: 3-4 says "Behold, children are a gift of the Lord; the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one's youth. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them" This could be used as an argument against Birth control. But mostly it is to show to treat children as a blessing from God. So in reality, then, although it is true that "blessed is the man whose quiver is full of children," we need to realize that God has not given everyone the same size quiver. It depends on how many children we can bring up in the best way and glorify God. And so birth control is a means from God that may be used for the wise regulation of the size of one's family, as well as a means of seeking to have children at the time which seems to be wisest.
One might be able to minister more effectively for the kingdom, for example, by waiting 3 years after marriage to have children in order to enable the husband to go to graduate school. And one might be able to minister more effectively for the kingdom by deciding to have 4 children instead of 15, so that more resources can be given to the cause of missions and more time can be devoted to other areas. If such planning is done for God's glory and in wisdom, and if such planning continues to acknowledge that our plans are not perfect and that birth control does not absolutely ensure anything, it is pleasing to God.
And of course this is with the view of Birth Control which does not cause any kind of abortion. (Reference : John Piper)
Two passages in the Bible are sometimes interpreted as being opposed to birth control. First, after the creation, God said to man, "Be fruitful and multiply":
And God blessed them; and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth." (NAS, Genesis 1:28)
Second, Onan was condemned when he used a form of birth control known as coitus interruptus:
Then Judah said to Onan, "Lie with your brother's wife and fulfill your duty to her as a brother-in-law to produce offspring for your brother." But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; so whenever he lay with his brother's wife, he spilled his semen on the ground to keep from producing offspring for his brother. What he did was wicked in the LORD's sight; so he put him to death also. (NIV, Genesis 38:8-10)
However, Onan was probably condemned for his refusal to provide offspring for his dead brother, not for using birth control.
The Bible gives clear, direct guidance on many topics of morality, but not on birth control. Any inferences from the Bible are, of necessity, based on deductive reasoning and are subject to error.
Many Christian churches traditionally opposed birth control. The opposition was based partly on interpretation of the Bible, partly on disdain for any sexual pleasure, and partly on myths about human reproduction:
At one time it was believed the male sperm was the only factor in human reproduction and the sperm was regarded as humans in miniature. Hence spilling it out was tantamount to abortion as well as a waste of a precious element. From Thomas Bokenkotter, Essential Catholicism, Doubleday, 1985, p. 334.
It is now known that sperm cells are not miniature humans; a man's sperm must unite with a woman's egg before a baby can be formed. Furthermore, sperm cells not ejected from the body simply die after a few weeks anyway, and are continuously replaced.
In the twentieth century, scientific knowledge of reproduction, sensitivity to women's rights, and concern about overpopulation produced great changes in attitude. Most Christian churches now say reproductive decisions are private matters between husband and wife and their consciences; artificial birth control methods are no longer discouraged.
The Roman Catholic Church is a notable exception. The official church teaching still opposes all forms of birth control except abstinence and the rhythm method, saying, "Each and every marriage act must remain open to the transmission of life." However, this is not presented as an infallible teaching of the Church, and Catholic couples may follow their own consciences after giving careful consideration to the Church's teaching.
Although attitudes about birth control have changed, most Christian churches continue to condemn abortion as a means of birth control.
Question: "What does the Bible say about permanent forms of birth control, i.e. a tubal ligation or vasectomy?"
Answer: Birth control can be a controversial subject among Christians because the Bible does not clearly condone or condemn its use. Neither does it address permanent forms of birth control such as tubal ligation or vasectomy as these procedures were unknown in Bible time. It, therefore, becomes a matter of the heart and of a husband and wife's personal convictions.
The first thing we must recognize is that children are a gift from God (Psalm 127:3-5). They are not burdens to bear, but blessings to receive with joy. From a biblical perspective, every married couple should "expect" to have children and at least be prepared for the possibility. The inability to have children was considered a curse, and the ability to conceive a joy. No one was ever recorded in the Bible as being unhappy about bearing children.
Permanent birth control (i.e., a vasectomy or tubal ligation) may be appropriate for some couples who feel they should not have any more children. There may be health, financial, or relationship issues to consider. The decision for permanent birth control should not be made based on selfish ambition or vain conceit (Philippians 2:3-4), but out of a desire to live in ways that are pleasing to God.
Many people feel we should desire to have children just as we desire to receive all of God's blessings. At the same time, because the Bible does not forbid contraception, either temporary or permanent, it cannot be sufficiently argued that it is wrong in all circumstances. Through our personal relationships with God, we can seek God's will to determine the size of our families.
