Biblical Principles on Birth Control & Family Planning

Genesis 1:28

Paul J. Bucknell

Biblical thinking about Birth Control and Family Planning
Biblical Principles about Birth Control from Genesis 1:28
Our Personal Testimony about Birth Control

Purpose: Explain the Biblical principles and practices found in Genesis 1:28 and other places for birth control and family planning. This is 2/3 of Birth Control and Christian Family Planning.

Biblical Principles

"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."" (Genesis 1:28).

Just like marriage and other teachings, these statements in Genesis have a great effect on our lives because they touch on the foundation of human creation and design. We will only focus on Christian families and their sense of family planning.

We should not generally use birth control. The teaching 'be fruitful and multiply' is a truth which begs to teach wisdom to those advocating birth control. This command to 'be fruitful and multiply' is one of God's great commandments, which shape our overall lives.

We should value having many children as one of God's great designs to accomplish His greater purposes in our lives and in His kingdom.

We may or may not understand how He can use our families. This doesn't matter. As we trust Him, He will reveal this.

We need to focus on having many children. We should expect, hope and pray for many children. If we reluctantly accept our duty rather than eagerly accept it, then our hearts toward God, our children and perhaps our spouse will be far short of what it needs to be.

We should not be content with the usual one or two children unless God has given us only this number. Some wonder whether they can handle a greater number of children. God has shared in His Word how to raise godly children under full control. (See our books and articles!).

Principles & Practices of Biblical Parenting provides helpful teaching on forming a godly family. This series provides good reading material with handouts and diagrams.

We should not allow our socio-economic situation control the number of children we have. Some children will be poor and others live through times of oppression. We can fully trust God with these circumstances. After all they are His creation. We trust God will provide and accomplish His greater purposes because of our faith. Moses is just one example.

We should focus on raising godly children that will bring greater blessings to the world. God saves those outside the family and inside the family. Why should we neglect this means of growing God's family. Here is one example I just read of in Ukraine.

"One pastor and his wife-- have 13 children and six grandchildren--and four church plants in progress--are already examples of visual multiplication!"

We should not allow the population control movement affect the number of children that we have since they clearly fail and evenly openly oppose God's Word and plans. They:

(1) Are willing to kill or abort children and deceive parents to accomplish their goals (give material incentive if the mother would have a hysterectomy).

(2) Do not at all appreciate God's command to have more children.

(3) Make their choices by worrying about preserving the earth rather than trusting God and the resources He has provided.

(4) Have used inaccurate observations to support their philosophical approach to birth control and over population. For example, they predicted so many people would die from starvation because of overpopulation. Instead we have seen through discoveries and technology all the fears were false. God has provided through specialization of labor. We now produce far more food through fewer people and lands!

We should never support such organizations that support such practices and oppose government polices that use financial support to manipulate the people and countries into implementing family planning measures.

If we want to get invovled, we should use our monies and prayers to help countries and families be creative in caring for larger populations and families God's ways. Many fellow Christians have never had training in marriage or raising children.

C. Summary Perspectives from Genesis 1:28

God wants to give His people many children so that He can replicate His love and obedience through our children. We do this in hope that many more people on this earth are influenced by His truth and love.

Is birth control helping or hindering the process? We know it hinders. Then why do God's people go against God's principles which are designed to bring greater blessings? God's people do not believe or trust God's good design.

Why should God's people suffer by refusing to have more children? This is where most Christian people are at. They are actually using God's gifts to bring a curse to the area God wants a great blessing. It is as if they say, "Sorry God, I rather not have your blessing. I want my way. I want other things."

Many children could be raised as godly children but are not. This is a shame to the parents and reflects how parents are not living by God's designs. They are either ignorant or simply do not trust God's Word enough to obey it.

What about the many more men and women of God that could be zealously serving Him but were never born? Why? Mostly due to lack of faith and a belief that the wife is not important if she doesn't make money. Why? They don't believe they have enough money to care for children. They will face the poor Africans one day that will testify against them.

Is it possible that many marital problems are partly due to not being able to trust God in this area of their lives? Once we take this area into our own hands it produces a "my right" mentality. We feel it is our right and duty to make practical decisions apart from the Lord. This attitude is devastating to a couple who has disagreements.

I grieve at the children that we might have had if we were not so weak from faith and selfishness. If we were really concerned about the next generation, we would raise up many godly children.

Are we any different from those who offered the lives of their children to Molech? Probably not. May God have mercy on us. May He change our hearts so that we might not cause others to suffer due to our selfishness, laziness, greed and blindness.

Previous =>Learn to recognize the assumptions of birth control and family planning and see how they possibly might conflict with God's best for His people.

Ahead => Our personal testimony on how God led us from use of family planninng to complete trust in our loving Lord's plan.

Biblical Foundations for Freedom ( BFF )

Rev. Paul J. Bucknell