Marriage and Family Life,What is Family planning?
The Miriam Webster dictionary defines family planning as ‘the use of birth control to determine the number of children there will be in a family and when those children will be born’. It includes the use of artificial contraception, voluntary sterilization, treatment of involuntary infertility, natural family planning, or other methods to either prevent or encourage pregnancy.
Reasons for family planning vary from family to family. It can be influenced by many factors such as marital issues, career choices, financial state, physical disabilities, among others. If couples are sexually active, family planning may involve the use of contraception and other techniques to control the number and timing of reproduction.
*Is Family Planning Wrong?*
The Bible does not condemn the mere act of birth control, whether to encourage or prevent pregnancy. What the Bible condemns is abortive birth control method.
*The story of Onan & Tamar*
One Bible passage that talks about birth control is Genesis chapter 38, which gives the account of Judah’s sons Er and Onan. Er married a woman named Tamar, but he was wicked and the Lord put him to death, leaving Tamar with no husband or children. Tamar was then given in marriage to Er’s brother, Onan, in accordance with the law of levirate marriage (Deut. 25:5-6). According to the law, the first son of Onan and Tamar shall carry on the name of Onan’s dead brother so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel.
Onan didn’t want to perform this duty, so he practiced a form of birth control, withdrawal. Onan had a selfish interest; he used Tamar for his own pleasure but refused to perform his legal duty of creating an heir for his deceased brother. The verse 10 says, “What he did was wicked in the LORD’S sight; so He put him to death also.”
This passage doesn’t mean God disapprove birth control, as some may take it to be. It was not Onan’s contraception method that caused the Lord to put him to death; it was his selfish motives behind the action. Hence, it is not the use of contraception that is wrong or right, it is the intention behind the contraception that determines if it is wrong or right.
*Does family planning means lack of trust in God?*
Some people also think that if we want to “trust God” to determine the size of our families, then we should not use birth control. Why should we reason that the way to let God decide the size of our families is to get out of the way and just let nature take its course? We certainly don’t reason this way in other areas of life.
For instance, we don’t reason that we should never get haircuts so that “God can decide” the length of our hair. Also, farmers don’t reason that they should never regulate their crops so that ”God can decide” what should grow on their land.
God wants us to use the godly wisdom He has given us to regulate and direct creation including our families (Gen. 1:28). When we do this in the right way, God is glorified.
*But children are gifts from God?*
Yes, it is true that children are a gift and a heritage from the Lord (Gen. 33:5, Ps. 127:3). However, that doesn’t mean it is wrong to regulate the number of children in a family. It is wrong to think that if something is good and a gift from God, then we must pursue as much of it as possible.
*What about abortive methods of birth control?*
It is not wrong to use contraception to control the number and timing of birth. However, couples should be careful to avoid methods that would cause abortion. Deliberately ending the life of an unborn child is the same as deliberately killing a born baby. The use of abortion pills and post-conception methods of birth control are therefore not acceptable. To do that is a sin of murder!
*What if contraception fails?*
Although couples can plan the number and timing of their children, they must accept the truth that God’s will cannot be thwarted. As Proverbs 19:21 says, ”Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’S purpose that prevails.” Couples may plan the size of their family, but they will actually have children precisely at the time God permits, whether they use birth control or not.
Therefore, if a woman becomes pregnant unexpectedly or unwillingly, the pregnancy should be allowed to stay. Abortion is not an acceptable form of birth control, because abortion causes the death of a living human being.
*Conclusion*
God wants us to plan our lives including our families in a way that would bring Him glory. As 1Corinthians 10:31 says, ”So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” Family planning is therefore not wrong if it is done in the right way with right motive to glorify God.
Post Author
