Should Christians use birth control, or should they have as many children as God blesses them with? The Bible is silent on this issue, so when that’s the case you must look for principles from the Bible that can be reasonably applied to the question. Here are five things to consider with Christian birth control:
Check your motives
Any use of birth control as a safeguard for sex outside of marriage is not in God’s will.
Make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.
If you’re carrying around condoms, or you’re on the pill for non-medical reasons, you have to be honest with yourself that you’re creating a “just in case” avenue for you to commit sexual sin without the consequences of unplanned pregnancy. That reveals the condition of your heart, that you’re more concerned with escaping the consequences than you are with pleasing God.
Having that back-up plan for sin makes it easier to commit sin. When you think the consequences are gone, you’re more likely to do it.
Avoid abortion-inducing drugs
Avoid any form of birth control that is abortive. One type of birth control is preventive. The other type is abortive, which means it kills after the fertilization of the egg. These chemical abortions often can happen within the woman without her even knowing. They not only hinder the process of conception, but they also prevent proper implanting of the embryo.
Children are a gift from God
We should never view a child that is a product of an unplanned pregnancy as a mistake or a burden. The Bible says “Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them (children).” Psalm 127:5. God views children born out of unplanned pregnancies with equal value as any other child, and we should view them the same.
Consider the season
But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
Just because the Bible calls us to be fruitful and multiply, that doesn’t mean we all have to go out there and have 12 children, especially if we don’t have the means to take care of them. Couples must pray and agree about whether they’re in the right season to have children, or more children.
Proceed with a clear conscience
To him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.
The only way you can have a clear conscience on the issue of Christian birth control is to come to a conclusion about when life truly begins. Carefully research the different types of birth control to figure out which ones preserve the sanctity of life.
Don’t judge couples who choose birth control, but remember that it’s all about the motive behind the action.
For more helpful biblical Christian content from Allen Parr, visit his YouTube channel The BEAT or browse other topics on the Let’s Equip blog!