Bible Study The Truth About Using Any Form of Contraceptive To Prevent Pregnancy

[cgaviria]

Hello fellow believers in Jesus Christ, I would like to open another discussion with the following study,

There are many forms of contraception, from condoms, to birth control pills, to surgeries that sterilize men and women, to even just the plain old "pull out" trick when a man orgasms. Yet what do all these things stem from? From the desire to only want the pleasure of sex, while disposing the blessing of God to be fruitful and multiply. When God brought the woman to man, they became married, hence why this verse declares Adam and "his wife",

The man said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman,' for she was taken out of man." That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame. (Genesis 2:23 [NIV])

And what had God declared to them?

God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground." (Genesis 1:28 [NIV])

He blessed them, to be fruitful and to multiply, through their sexual relationship, within their marriage, thus conveying that the very purpose of their marriage was to allow for a sexual relationship that would thus yield them the blessing of offspring. Even in the Psalms we read that children are a blessing,

Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him. (Psalms 127:3 [NIV])

Even so, the purpose of marriage is indeed to be able to have sex, and sex does indeed give pleasure, which is why even Paul says,

But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion. (1 Corinthians 7:9 [NIV])

Yet every sexual act done with your spouse ought to be done without preventing conception, as it is brushing off a blessing that God has given, and it is also something that is a sin in accordance with the Law of Moses,

And Onan knowing that the seed will not be his -- that it came to pass whenever he entered to his brother's wife, he discharged upon the ground, to not give seed to his brother. And it appeared wicked before God that he did this; and he put to death also this one. (Genesis 38:9-10 [ABP])

The wickedness of Onan was not that he wouldn't give offspring to his sister-in-law, because although the Law of Moses does state that a brother-in-law is bound by duty to take the wife of a deceased brother, it is not, however, a law that is punishable by death, if the brother-in-law refuses to take the sister-in-law as wife, it is only a duty that he do so, as we see here,

And if brethren should dwell in the same place, and one of them should die, and there might not be seed to him, the wife of the one having died shall not be outside the husband's family not near. The brother of her husband shall enter to her, and he shall take her to himself as wife, and he shall live with her. [6] And it will be, that the male child, who ever she should give birth to, shall be ordained from the name of the one coming to an end, and his name shall not be wiped away from out of Israel. [7] But if the man does not want to take the wife of his brother; then the woman shall ascend unto the gate to the council of elders, and shall say, the brother of my husband does not want to raise up the name of his brother in Israel -- the brother of my husband does not want to. [8] And the council of elders of that city shall call him, and they shall speak to him. And standing, should he say, I am not willing to take her; [9] then the wife of his brother coming forward to him, before the council of elders, then shall untie his sandal, the one from his foot, and shall spit into his face; and responding she shall say, Thus shall they do to the man who shall not build the house of his brother. [10] And his name shall be called in Israel, House of the Untied Sandal. (Deuteronomy 25:5 [ABP])

So therefore, the putting to death of Onan was not because he did not fulfill his duty to his deceased brother's sister-in-law, as the Law of Moses does not punish to death any brother that refuses to do this duty, but because he spilled his semen on the ground, meaning that he was preventing conception. The prevention of conception, even the mere spilling of sperm on the ground or anywhere that is not inside a man's wife, is wicked before God, and is thus a sin that is punishable by death to God. Therefore, any man that wastes his semen, or does not discharge inside his wife when he orgasms, or also prevents conception in any way, is indeed sinning against God, a sin that is punishable by death.

 

[reba]

So sex only when the wife is most apt to become pregnant 1-3 days per month.

 

[cgaviria]

So sex only when the wife is most apt to become pregnant 1-3 days per month.

Of course not, as even the the time of fertility for a woman ends at a certain age, and sex is still encouraged as no one ought to deprive the other. The whole point of this topic is that offspring are indeed a blessing and that conception ought not to be prevented in accordance with the account of Onan wasting his seed as seen in Deuteronomy 25:5.

 

[Edward]

I agree with you Brother.

I made the mistake of getting a vasectomy after my wife birthed our 2nd child, and wanted to get her tubes tied then. This procedure is a lot more dangerous for a woman than a man, and since she went through the pain of bearing my children, I stepped up in an effort to be fair about it.

Oh I had a lot of fun over the years, teasing her that I would pray to be healed, lol! She would get so mad, "You better not!!!"

 

[reba]

Of course not, as even the the time of fertility for a woman ends at a certain age, and sex is still encouraged as no one ought to deprive the other. The whole point of this topic is that offspring are indeed a blessing and that conception ought not to be prevented in accordance with the account of Onan wasting his seed as seen in Deuteronomy 25:5.

How did i know that would be your response

 

[Deborah13]

Hello fellow believers in Jesus Christ, I would like to open another discussion with the following study,

Two questions.
Why did Judah want Onan to produce a son for Er?
Why did Onan not want to produce a son for Er?

I think the answer to the second question may be seen in the same reason the Naomi's brother-in-law did not want to produce a son for his nephew with Ruth.
Ruth 4:1-15
So what was the underlying intent of Onan heart? Was it a sin?

 

[Obadiah]

The Op of this thread does not fit the Guidelines for A&T and is, by the original poster's own words, a "study" (which is not a debatable resolution). I am moving this to the Bible Study forum.

 

[evenifigoalone]

On the be fruitful and multiply thing, let me point out that this was addressed specifically to specific people at a specific time. If Adam and Eve had not procreated, the human race would have ceased to exist. If Noah's sons had not procreated after the flood, the human race would have ceased to exist. Whereas today our population is in the billions, and not everyone needs to procreate.

 

[cgaviria]

I agree with you Brother.

I made the mistake of getting a vasectomy after my wife birthed our 2nd child, and wanted to get her tubes tied then. This procedure is a lot more dangerous for a woman than a man, and since she went through the pain of bearing my children, I stepped up in an effort to be fair about it.

Oh I had a lot of fun over the years, teasing her that I would pray to be healed, lol! She would get so mad, "You better not!!!"

Well at this point there

Two questions.
Why did Judah want Onan to produce a son for Er?
Why did Onan not want to produce a son for Er?

I think the answer to the second question may be seen in the same reason the Naomi's brother-in-law did not want to produce a son for his nephew with Ruth.
Ruth 4:1-15
So what was the underlying intent of Onan heart? Was it a sin?

It was not a sin to refuse to marry your sister-in-law, especially if you actually don't want your sister-in-law, as in an example if you find your sister-in-law repulsive, or she's a scornful, or any other reason why you wouldn't want to marry your sister-in-law. So the matter of refusing to marry your sister-in-law then becomes an embarrassment to her, because she has been shamed by someone refusing to take her as wife, which is why the law then gives the sister-in-law the permission to shame back the brother-in-law to spit in his face, for shaming her for not taking her as wife,

[9] then the wife of his brother coming forward to him, before the council of elders, then shall untie his sandal, the one from his foot, and shall spit into his face; and responding she shall say, Thus shall they do to the man who shall not build the house of his brother. [10] And his name shall be called in Israel, House of the Untied Sandal. (Deuteronomy 25:5 [ABP])

So again this is not a matter of sin, but actually the law itself favoring the sister-in-law, and giving her the permission to shame back the brother-in-law who shamed her by not taking her. So going back to the sin of Onan, the sin was indeed spilling his seed unto the ground, because this law regarding marrying the deceased brother's wife is a matter of duty, but not an actual command to do so, that as you can see, did not yield a punishment of death for disobedience. And since no punishment of death was given for not performing this duty according to this law, then it stands to reason that the punishing to death of Onan also did not relate to him not fulfilling this duty, but rather, because of him spilling his seed, which again, deals with the greater issue at hand, preventing conception for just for the pleasure of sex.

 

[cgaviria]

On the be fruitful and multiply thing, let me point out that this was addressed specifically to specific people at a specific time. If Adam and Eve had not procreated, the human race would have ceased to exist. If Noah's sons had not procreated after the flood, the human race would have ceased to exist. Whereas today our population is in the billions, and not everyone needs to procreate.

The be fruitful and multiply was a blessing given to all mankind, not just Adam and Eve, and not just Noah and his family. Now, it is God who yields offspring, as it is said here,

Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him. (Psalms 127:3 [NIV])

So if in your marriage you do not end up yielding offspring, such as in a marriage where the woman becomes married at an older age, then it is not evil if you end up not having children, because as it is said, it is God who rewards with offspring, so if he doesn't, then he doesn't, and if he does, then he does. Yet even so, for every man having sex with his wife, he ought to do so always giving his seed to his wife, without preventing conception, as was the sin of Onan, and let God give offspring if he gives offspring, as God is the one who opens or closes the womb as he pleases, as it is even said in Isaiah,

But I gave this expectation, and you did not remember me, said the LORD. And behold, I made the one bearing and the one sterile, said your God. (Isaiah 66:9 [ABP])

 

[Christ_empowered]

Things have changed, especially since Christ. To say sex must=reproduction is...punitive, especially towards the woman in the relationship. When God said be fruitful and multiply, children were a good thing; they helped with chores, farming, could help the family as the older generations aged, etc.

Things are different now, as questdriven pointed out. Having kids=economic loss, and not a small one, either. Notice how many modern countries have low birth rates? Also, not only are kids now a liability (I know, kids are a blessing, I'm just talking about the bottom line), people live longer. Back when death in infancy and childhood was common, it made since to have lots of kids. These days...infant mortality is fairly low in the US and Europe, and a healthy kid in todays society can expect to live past 70. If people routinely had many, many kids, society's resources would be drained quickly, especially as the kids aged past their working years.

Beyond all that...I think God made sex fun because...well...He loves us and wants us to have fun now and then. I don't think God expects married women to bear children all the time because they have sex in marriage. That's punitive and kind of leaves me thinking that some people think that sex is bad, unless it leads to kids. That's not the case.

And now...I'm done.

 

[cgaviria]

Two questions.
Why did Judah want Onan to produce a son for Er?
Why did Onan not want to produce a son for Er?

I think the answer to the second question may be seen in the same reason the Naomi's brother-in-law did not want to produce a son for his nephew with Ruth.
Ruth 4:1-15
So what was the underlying intent of Onan heart? Was it a sin?

Also, we are indeed given an explanation for those two questions,

Judah wanted Onan to produce a son for his brother so that Onan can fulfill his duty as brother,

Then Judah said to Onan, "Sleep with your brother's wife and fulfill your duty to her as a brother-in-law to raise up offspring for your brother."

They knew that this was the duty of a brother even before the law came, so this is why Judah issued this statement. Then for question two, Onan did not want to give his seed because he knew the child wouldn't be his,

But Onan knew that the child would not be his; so whenever he slept with his brother's wife, he spilled his semen on the ground to keep from providing offspring for his brother. (Genesis 38:9 [NIV])

 

[cgaviria]

Things have changed, especially since Christ. To say sex must=reproduction is...punitive, especially towards the woman in the relationship. When God said be fruitful and multiply, children were a good thing; they helped with chores, farming, could help the family as the older generations aged, etc.

Things are different now, as questdriven pointed out. Having kids=economic loss, and not a small one, either. Notice how many modern countries have low birth rates? Also, not only are kids now a liability (I know, kids are a blessing, I'm just talking about the bottom line), people live longer. Back when death in infancy and childhood was common, it made since to have lots of kids. These days...infant mortality is fairly low in the US and Europe, and a healthy kid in todays society can expect to live past 70. If people routinely had many, many kids, society's resources would be drained quickly, especially as the kids aged past their working years.

Beyond all that...I think God made sex fun because...well...He loves us and wants us to have fun now and then. I don't think God expects married women to bear children all the time because they have sex in marriage. That's punitive and kind of leaves me thinking that some people think that sex is bad, unless it leads to kids. That's not the case.

And now...I'm done.

You mean modern times have come about, let us just discard these commandments that are not convenient for our modern lives. How wise of you to say, yet Jesus had other words than this,

Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:19 [NIV])

 

[evenifigoalone]

I don't believe it is a commandment, leastwise not to all of humankind fort all of time. Context is important. Neither would I call verses in the Psalms, a book of praise songs, a commandment.

And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
~Gen. 1:28 ESV
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
~Gen. 1:26 ESV
Seems the goal was to get a large population and have responsibility/rule over other species. I would say we have long had dominion over the Earth.

"And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, q“Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. 2 rThe fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth and upon every bird of the heavens, upon everything that creeps on the ground and all the fish of the sea. Into your hand they are delivered. 3 sEvery moving thing that lives shall be food for you. And tas I gave you the green plants, I give you everything. 4 ulife, that is, its blood.5 vfrom every beast I will require it and wfrom man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man.6 x“Whoever sheds the blood of man,yfor God made man in his own image. 7 And you be fruitful and multiply, increase greatly on the earth and multiply in it.”"
~Gen 9:1-7 ESV

 

[cgaviria]

Neither would I call verses in the Psalms, a book of praise songs, a commandment.

edited reba

I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.(Psalm 119:10 [NIV])

Is this psalm not a fulfillment of this command?...

Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. (Deuteronomy 6:5 [NIV])

There is much wisdom in the psalms, that were even written by a man that was even said to be a man after God's own heart,

After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: 'I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.' (Acts 13:22 [NIV])

So how can you possibly cast out any words therein, and call it a mere book of songs as if to suggest it ought not be taken as seriously? I find this to be very grievous to say. All scripture is inspired by God, including the psalms,

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, (2 Timothy 3:16 [NIV])

Yet even so, none of what you have said proves that the blessing of being fruitful and multiply was only for Adam and Eve, because it is clear that the blessing of offspring even also comes to people even after them, even today, people are blessed with the birthing of children all over the world. The evidence of the blessing of God given to all men then and now is obvious.

 

[reba]

2.4:....Do not make an inflammatory remark just to get a response. Address issues not personalities. Respect where people are in their spiritual walk, and respect all others in general. Respect where others are in their spiritual walk, do not disrupt the flow of discussion or act in a way that affects others negatively including when debating doctrinal issues, in the defense of the Christian faith, and in offering unwelcome spiritual advice.

 

[evenifigoalone]

How are you a moderator of a christian forum saying these things?



Is this psalm not a fulfillment of this command?...


There is much wisdom in the psalms, that were even written by a man that was even said to be a man after God's own heart,


So how can you possibly cast out any words therein, and call it a mere book of songs as if to suggest it ought not be taken as seriously? I find this to be very grievous to say. All scripture is inspired by God, including the psalms,

There are things we can learn and infer from the Psalms, but it's purpose is not the same as that of other books. Not all of the books of the Bible have the same purpose. Genesis and some other books, for instance, are relevant historical accounts. Others are addressed directly to the believers. It is certainly all there for our learning, but as I said context is important. Context tells us what is being said, who it is being said to, and for what purpose. The context of the Psalms, as a whole, is not that of commandments because that is not the purpose of the book--though it could potentially be used to discern things.

Yet even so, none of what you have said proves that the blessing of being fruitful and multiply was only for Adam and Eve, because it is clear that the blessing of offspring even also comes to people even after them, even today, people are blessed with the birthing of children all over the world. The evidence of the blessing of God given to all men then and now is obvious.

The context of the verses I quoted was telling Adam and Eve to multiple in order to populate the Earth and subdue it. God didn't say it was "so you will be blessed". That is not to say there is no blessing, just that that was not God's purpose in this particular instance.

Let me say this: there are people who should not be parents, or who are not cut out for it. There are people this would be harmful for because of health problems. (Before you ask, I am strongly prolife.) There are people who have genetic conditions they may not want to afflict offspring with.

 

[dianegcook]

Also, we are indeed given an explanation for those two questions,

Judah wanted Onan to produce a son for his brother so that Onan can fulfill his duty as brother,


They knew that this was the duty of a brother even before the law came, so this is why Judah issued this statement. Then for question two, Onan did not want to give his seed because he knew the child wouldn't be his,

He disobeyed Judah, law, this displeased the Lord.
This was the law.
Deut.25:5,6
And it shall be , that the first born which she beareth shall suceed in the name of His brother which is dead, that his name be not put out of Israel.
Whatever goes on in the bedroom, between husband and wife is undefiled, imho.
It wasn't the spilling seed part, but that his brother's name would live on.

 

[dianegcook]

I nearly got by raising 2kids, 15 months apart.
Much less 1 every year, lol.
The state would have to help everyone, imho.

 

[Edward]

...
...I think God made sex fun because...well...He loves us and wants us to have fun now and then. I don't think God expects married women to bear children all the time because they have sex in marriage. That's punitive and kind of leaves me thinking that some people think that sex is bad, unless it leads to kids. That's not the case...

I think God made sex fun (feel good) because if it didn't, mans (and women's) desire for it would be much diminished.