Is Contraception a Sin?
Five Points to Consider
First of all, up until 1930, no Protestant denomination accepted birth control. It was not until the Anglican Church at that time compromised and endorsed contraceptive use among married couples that this began to slip into the church. And the Anglicans have also led the charge in numerous other compromises that have led to great sin in the church, such as blessing homosexual couples, and even ordaining homosexual bishops! So we should beware of following the lead of the Anglican church on any matter, lest we end up way off course like they have become.
There are still perhaps tens of thousands of non-Catholic Christians who firmly believe it is a sin against Almighty Creator God to use contraception. There are even some anti-contraception movements, one of which is called the Quiverfull movement, which derives its name from the words of Ps 127:3-5, where a blessed man's many children are figuratively spoken of as arrows in a full quiver. Therefore, some Quiverfull people prefer to view what they are doing as a return to an old, biblical ideal, rather than a modern movement. Evidence of its ancient Judeo-Christian roots may still be found in modern Orthodox Judaism, in which abstinence is the only permissible birth control method, except for limited circumstances where contraceptive use may be permitted for health reasons (danger to the mother or to the potential child). Even so, the couple must be committed to eventually fulfilling mitzvah to be fruitful and multiply, since they have an obligation to procreate.
Secondly, you can read an excellent, non-biased article about this on Wikipedia, which is a secular-based online encyclopedia in which anyone can write an article and multiple users can contribute to the same article. The article, entitled Protestant Views on Contraception, presents both sides of the matter. Rather than quote large sections of the article, I strongly recommend reading it. But here are a few brief quotes:
"In general, most liberal Protestants and Anglicans hold relatively settled views that accept [the] use of contraception, while debate is ongoing among conservative Evangelicals, especially as to which types are and are not acceptable...all major early Protestant Reformers, and indeed Protestants in general until the twentieth century, condemned birth control as a contravention of God's procreative purpose for marriage...As scientists advanced birth control methods during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, some Protestants continued to reject them...During the 30 years [after the Anglican Church's first statement permitting birth control], Protestant acceptance of birth control steadily increased."
In fact by 1960 the National Council of Churches declared a liberal policy on the use of contraceptives, which they said should be left up to each couple to decide for themselves. The article further states:
"Highly conservative Protestants such as Mary Pride, Charles D. Provan, Hess and Hess, and Rachel Scott, argue that Protestants should not have moved away from traditional Protestant views of contraception such as given by Martin Luther and John Calvin. Such modern authors contrast the views of early Reformers who rejected contraception with modern Christians who accept it, and point to primarily feminist, secular, or Satanic influences as causative to the change."
Thirdly, there is also an article called Arrows for War by Kathryn Joyce that presents the views of the people who believe contraception is a sin, including some of the unhealthy extremes found within the movement.
Fourthly, there are also books written on this topic. The gold standard seems to be Rick and Jan Hess's 1989 book, A Full Quiver: Family Planning and the Lordship of Christ, which formed the basis for the establishment of the Quiverfull movement. According to Kathryn Joyce, the book "argues that God, as the 'Great Physician' and sole 'Birth Controller,' opens and closes the womb on a case-by-case basis. Women's attempts to control their own bodies--the Lord's temple--are a seizure of divine power." (Kathryn Joyce, Arrows for War).
Fifthly, my friend, Yves Nahishakiye in Dublin created a three-and-a-half minute video about this topic, called "God Hates Contraception," which he posted in June 2012, and which is no longer available on the internet since Youtube shut down his account. The video relies heavily on the passage about Onan, in Genesis 38:9-10, in which he refused to provide offspring for his brother, and instead spilled his seed (semen) on the ground during intercourse with his brother's widow Tamar. He is the only person ever recorded in the Bible to have committed this sin.
Scriptural Basis
The adherents to these viewpoints are seemingly intelligent people who sincerely believe the Bible teaches us that contraception is a sin. They have based their beliefs on three Scripture passages: Gen 1:28; Gen 38:9-10 (Onan), and Ps 127.
Be Fruitful and Multiply
In the account of Creation, God commanded man to be fruitful and multiply. The Scripture says, "God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 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.'" (Gen 1:27-28). That commandment has never been revoked by God and is still in force today, and it applies to more than just reproduction of babies. It also applies to making disciples, as I have written about it in my article called Multiplication. You can be sure of this: the devil worries when he sees the disciples of Christ multiplying.
The Great Wickedness of Onan
Then there is the controversial account of Er and Onan in Genesis 38. I realize there are many views about this passage. And in the past, I have perhaps always viewed the sin of Onan to be that he refused to fulfill his God-given duty to provide offspring for his brother. At that time, they did not yet have the Law of Moses to teach them this commandment, yet Judah the patriarch knew this was one of the commandments of God since the Creation, and he commanded his son Onan to enable his brother's widow to multiply.
I have always felt that this refusal to procreate for his deceased brother was the great wickedness for which God put him to death, rather than that he simply used a primitive form of contraception. Tamar had no children at all, and he refused to give her any. To me that seemed to be different from the broader issue of using a method of controlling child birth with one's wife, if other children had been born already or were planned in the future. So it seemed like a weak Scriptural basis for prohibiting all forms of birth control under any circumstance. But on the other hand, at the most basic level, it is a clear case of man refusing to obey God's command to be fruitful and multiply, which would have been handed down to Judah from Adam with respect to God's original command to be fruitful and multiply. He apparently engaged in sex for purely selfish reasons to satisfy his own physical desire for pleasure.
In Psalm 127, it says that children are a gift of the Lord given as a reward to parents. They are a blessing from the Lord, like arrows in a man's quiver.
"Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, To retire late, To eat the bread of painful labors; For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep. 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; They will not be ashamed When they speak with their enemies in the gate. (Psa 127:1-5)
So children are a gift from God. And it is well known that in any culture it is usually considered rude to refuse a gift from someone. So it seems the same would apply to refusing a gift from God. It presents another angle from which to see this from God's viewpoint. It is not just disobedience to His command (Ge 1:28), but refusal to receive His gifts, precious human beings, which are made in His own image (Ge 1:27).
There are also other Scriptural bases for the position that birth control is sin. Here are some examples.
God Knows, Calls, and Appoints Pre-born Children
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” (Jer 1:5).
God told Jeremiah that He knew him before He formed him in the womb. This means that God knows us and calls us to His service before we are even born. He has had a plan and a purpose for each of our lives from before the foundation of the world, which has the potential to change nations. People are foreordained just as Jeremiah was. As Sharon White wrote about her father in The Man Who Talked with Angels, "God has included you in His great unfolding plan, but He will not violate your will. You can choose to experience the joy and excitement of being in partnership with Him." Therefore, if we abort a fetus, we terminate a human life that God knows and has plans for, and if we prevent the conception of that human being, then we change God's perfect plan.
Let the Little Children ComeJesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." (Mt 19:14, NIV). The Lord commanded that we should let little children come to Him without hindering them, and that should include unborn babies, too. The Lord loves little children! They are the very essence of heaven!
To Welcome a Child is to Welcome Jesus
"Whoever receives one child like this in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me does not receive Me, but Him who sent Me." (Mar 9:37)
Your Body is Not Your Own
The apostle Paul also said, "Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;" (1 Cor 6:19). Since your body is not your own, and it belongs to God, then it is up to Him to do with it what He pleases. He should be in control of our bodies and their reproductive process, not us.
Present Your Bodies A Living And Holy Sacrifice
Paul also wrote, "Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship." (Rom 12:1). Since we are to present our bodies to God as a living sacrifice, then we surrender our will to His will and allow Him to do with our bodies whatever He pleases whenever He pleases.
Multiplication is Good Stewardship
In the parable of the talents (Mt 25:14-30), the Master commended as "good and faithful servants" the ones who multiplied the talents they received from Him. However, He condemned as a “wicked, lazy servant” the one who buried his talent in the ground. While this passage is not specifically about reproduction, it applies to anything God has given us, including money, talents, abilities, gifts, and reproductive seed. The ways of God are the same, regardless of the specific area of life. Hence, those who multiply their God-given, reproductive seed are considered good and faithful servants, while those who bury their seed are considered wicked and lazy.
The Marriage Bed Must Be Kept Pure
Paul also wrote, "Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral." (Heb 13:4). We must avoid bringing anything into the marriage bed or doing anything in it that would defile it, which I explained in A Warning for Married Christian Couples.
A Man’s Blessed Fountain Must Be Kept Pure
The Scripture refers to a man’s reproductive organ, and that which flows from it, as a fountain. “May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.” (Prov 5:18). It is God's will to bless a man's fountain, but there are certain conditions that must be met in order for Him to do so. For example, he must keep it pure by avoiding all forms of sexual immorality and other acts that defile it.
Women's Child-Bearing Role Paul wrote to Timothy, "But women will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety." (1Ti 2:15, NIV). The King James Version has it, "she shall be saved in childbearing." Either way you translate it, you have a clear definition of the woman's role being one of bearing children, while continuing in faith, love, and holiness with propriety. Since that is her God-given role in marriage, then the modern concept of a woman's role as defined by the liberal, secular feminist movement stands in stark contrast to the biblical one. They view prohibitions on birth control as a means to control female sexuality and independence.
God Opens and Closes the Womb
In the Scriptures, we find that just as children are a blessing from the Lord, barrenness is a curse. And we learn that it is only God who opens and closes the womb.
“He makes the barren woman abide in the house As a joyful mother of children. Praise the LORD!” (Psa 113:9)
“Then God remembered Rachel, and God gave heed to her and opened her womb.” (Gen 30:22)
"Shout for joy, O barren one, you who have borne no child; Break forth into joyful shouting and cry aloud, you who have not travailed; For the sons of the desolate one will be more numerous Than the sons of the married woman," says the LORD. Enlarge the place of your tent; Stretch out the curtains of your dwellings, spare not; Lengthen your cords And strengthen your pegs. For you will spread abroad to the right and to the left. And your descendants will possess nations And will resettle the desolate cities. (Isa 54:1-3)
“Sarai was barren; she had no child.” (Gen 11:30)
"Is anything too difficult for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, at this time next year, and Sarah will have a son." (Gen 18:14)
The Scripture says of Hannah that “The LORD had closed her womb. Her rival, however, would provoke her bitterly to irritate her, because the LORD had closed her womb. She, greatly distressed, prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly.” (1Sa 1:5b-6,10)
“Now the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, and He opened her womb, but Rachel was barren…Now when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she became jealous of her sister; and she said to Jacob, ‘Give me children, or else I die.’" (Gen 29:31; 30:1)
“Isaac prayed to the LORD on behalf of his wife, because she was barren; and the LORD answered him and Rebekah his wife conceived.” (Gen 25:21)
"There shall be no one miscarrying or barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days.” (Exo 23:26)
"You shall be blessed above all peoples; there will be no male or female barren among you or among your cattle.” (Deu 7:14)
Also see my articles about the Miraculous Birth of Jesus and The Ways of Life.
Forms of Contraception
There are many forms of birth control today. I will highlight just a few:
Abortion is not actually a form of contraception, or method of preventing conception, but the murder of an unborn baby after it has been conceived in the womb. This is clearly a sin, since the Lord commands us "You shall not murder." (Ex 20:13). It is estimated that one in four pre-born babies are aborted, and there are approximately 1.21 million abortions in America each year. The many forms of abortion that are used are horrible and detestable in God's sight. If you have ever committed this sin, then repent and as the Lord to forgive you in the name of Jesus.
Some people also murder babies right after they are born, which is called infanticide and is from the devil. One type of infanticide is the ancient practice of exposing babies to the elements until they die, which was practiced widely in Greece. The Israelites also followed the pagan practice of sacrificing their children to Baal, by burning them in the fire on the altar.
The Lord said, "You slaughtered My children and offered them up to idols by causing them to pass through the fire." (Eze 16:21)
"And the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak; and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech the gods of Sepharvaim." (2Ki 17:31)
Another form of infanticide is drowning, as Pharaoh of Egypt once commanded the people to do (Exo 1:22). Likewise King Herod ordered the slaughter of innocent babies in first-century Palestine around the time of Christ's birth (Mat 2:16). One thing that both the Lord Jesus and Moses had in common is that God supernaturally rescued them both as babies from attempted infanticide.
God hates the shedding of innocent blood, whether it is in the womb or outside the womb (Proverbs 6:16-19; Deuteronomy 19:10; 2 Kings 24:2-4; Genesis 4:10; Psalm 72:12-14; Ezekiel 35:6)! If you have ever committed this sin, then repent and as the Lord to forgive you in the name of Jesus.
“Do not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molech, for you must not profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.” (Leviticus 18:21)
“The LORD said...‘Any Israelite or any alien living in Israel who gives any of his children to Molech must be put to death. The people of the community are to stone him. . . . by giving his children to Molech, he has defiled my sanctuary and profaned my holy name. . . . If the people of the community close their eyes when that man gives one of his children to Molech . . . I will set my face against that man and his family and will cut off from their people both him and all who follow him...” (Leviticus 20:1-5)
Barrier methods are ones which form a barrier that blocks the sperm from reaching the womb, where they would otherwise be able to fertilize the woman's egg. They include such things as condoms, female condoms (femidoms), intrauterine devices (i.e., IUD, coil), and diaphragms (a cervical cap shaped like a dome that covers the female cervix), which typically also involve a spermicidal gel that inhibits sperm from traveling to the uterus where they could otherwise fertilize an egg. When barriers are used, the semen is captured in the condom or diaphragm and either thrown in the trash can or washed down the drain. This ultimately has the same net result as spilling a man's seed on the ground as Onan did (Gen 38:9-10). Incidentally, in Judaism, it is well-established that methods that destroy the seed or block its passage are not permitted, thus condoms are not permitted for birth control.
My wife did some research on the IUD, also known as a coil, which is a device placed inside the uterus to prevent pregnancy. She discovered that this device can cause an abortion, and probably does so more than we realize. While it is not clear how the IUD prevents pregnancy, some articles state that it either prevents ovulation or simply destroys the sperm by means of the copper or hormones contained in it (depending on which type is used). However, what some of these articles do not even mention is that the copper or hormones inside of it cause the thinning in the uterus lining, which prevents an already fertilized egg (which is a living human being) from implanting into the uterus wall so that it can begin to grow and develop. This is abortion. This device has also been used to abort a fertilized egg after conception, as it is inserted by a physician after intercourse.
Something else to consider about all of these various barriers is that they are artificial, man-made implements that you are putting in your body. In fact, the side effects of using a diaphragm (also called occlusive pessary) include risks of increased vaginal discharge, vaginal irritation, ulceration, bleeding, and dyspareunia (painful intercourse for the male or female). Likewise, spermicides used with these cervical domes can cause painful irritation during intercourse. You have to pray and ask God whether all these artificial things are the property of satan, in which case you would be defiling the marriage bed by using them. If you have sinned, then repent.
There are also birth control pills, which are hormone-based drugs that prevent a woman from ovulating, or producing an egg. These chemicals keep her from experiencing the normal phases of fertility, so she is unable to conceive a child. But as with all forms of birth control, it is not one hundred percent effective. It can also result in abortion of a baby within the womb (Ex 20:13), as well as birth defects in the event that a child is born while using the pill or after stopping its use. It has adverse side-effects on a woman's mind, relationships, and body, and may even lead to breast cancer in women.
Coitus interruptus is also known as the withdrawal or pull-out method, which Onan used to spill his seed on the ground, and for which God struck him dead (Gen 38:9-10). It is understood that this method involves masturbation in order to complete the act. This is also a sin, even if done to you by your spouse, as I wrote about in A Warning for Married Christian Couples.
There are also morning-after pills, which is an emergency form of contraception that causes a spontaneous abortion of the newly conceived child in the womb, when taken the morning after sexual intercourse. This is also murder, whenever an unborn baby is killed by this chemical.
Tubal ligation is a surgical procedure on a woman's fallopian tubes that renders her infertile, so that her eggs can no longer pass from her ovaries each month into her womb.
Vasectomy is a surgery that renders a man sterile by cutting his vas deferens, so that his semen no longer contains sperm. In Kathryn Joyce's article, Arrows for War, she tells of a man named Christopher Scott, who was concerned about finances after his wife Rachel gave birth to their fourth child. His pastor was urging him to get a vasectomy. Christopher saw a warrior angel in his dream. A "large...warrior angel" with a flaming sword that he pointed at Christopher's genitals, telling him, "Do not change God's plan." Afterward I assume he cancelled the surgery, because his wife became a Quiverfull activist.
Natural Family Planning
Natural Family Planning (NFP) involves a woman daily tracking on a chart throughout each month her signs and symptoms, such as basal body temperature, mucous secretions, and number of days since her last menstruation, in order to determine when she is fertile. There is a rhythm of sterility and fertility, and women only ovulate once per menstrual cycle. So the couple can determine to either avoid sexual relations when she is fertile, or else target those fertile days, if they are trying to get pregnant. This method is based on abstinence and self-control, against which there is no law. Even the apostle Paul said that there are times where a married couple may agree to abstain from sexual relations for a period of time for the purpose of devotion to prayer (1 Cor 7:5).
I personally don't really see anything wrong with this method, as long as it is not used to completely prevent having any children, and is rather used to wisely plan the timing of when they are conceived, as well as the size of the family. We have used this method ourselves.
My Own Journey and Opinion
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| Len Lacroix as a baby in 1966 |
I myself am the youngest of nine children. When I was a teenager, I once wished I had never been born. But when I later came to know the Lord Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior, The Truth Set Me Free! I was filled with love, joy, and thanks to God for giving me life! Sometimes in our moments of spiritual blindness, we question God's wisdom in creating us or other human beings, but when we enter into His presence we see His perfect wisdom in it all.
I very clearly recall the day in the summer of 2008 when Jennifer informed me that she was pregnant with our fifth child, which was a surprise due to contraceptive failure. We had sold our home and most of our other property in 2006 in preparation to go overseas as missionaries. We had moved into a two-bedroom apartment with all four of our children in one room and my own office squeezed into our bedroom. I had left the lucrative corporate world, and we were living on savings, as well as a meager income from a new self-employed marketing job I was doing from home. In the two years since we began preparing to go to the mission field, we had been unable to raise more than a small percentage of our necessary financial support.
Now we were at the point where we had to make a decision to go or not to go to the mission field of Eastern Europe, which we knew God had called us to. And I was already worried we wouldn't be able to go due to our terrible financial situation. So when Jennifer shared the news of her fifth pregnancy with me, I battled with intense spiritual warfare. The devil tried to bind me with fear, doubt, and unbelief. I suddenly felt so depressed! The battle lasted about two hours, during which time I was mostly silent. But in the name of Jesus Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit, the Lord made me victorious that day!
I overcame those temptations with the Lord's help as I began to do what I knew the Scripture commanded me to do. It says to give thanks in all things and praise the Lord at all times. So I repented for giving place to the enemy and not being joyful when Jennifer told me the good news of her pregnancy. Then I told her that we needed to just begin to thank God and praise Him with all our hearts for everything we could think of, including this child in her womb. As we did, the Lord lifted me out of the pit and set my feet on the rock to stay. Hallelujah! I found strength in the Lord my God! The darkness lifted as the demons departed from me.
As it was, we later prayed and fasted about whether to go to the mission field, and the Lord clearly told us He would support us, and that we should just go. So when our board heard that, they unanimously approved us to go, which we did in October 2008 (without having the necessary financial support). The baby was born in Hungary in 2009, and the Lord provided for the entire childbirth. We lacked nothing and He has continued to provide for us since then. We are so thankful for that child and he brings so much joy to our lives. I hope that testimony encourages someone who may be worried that they cannot afford to have children. God always provides.
Therefore, I humbly submit to you that even if someone does not share this point of view, they should not say it is of the devil simply because they don't believe it. They should understand that it is a sincerely held belief of tens of thousands of Christians, just as they hold their own sincere belief that contraception is not a sin. And we will all have to give an account to God for our actions.
In fact, the belief that contraception is a sin was the original view of the Church, based on the divine revelation of God's inspired Word, and the acceptance of birth control only came within the past hundred years, during the twentieth century. The acceptance of birth control within the Church all began with a compromise by the liberal, Anglican Church. And if the Church had not followed their lead, it would not have ever gone astray from its historical viewpoint on birth control.
The Bible as a whole speaks of contraception and infertility in negative terms. So if contraception is not good, why do it? If infertility is not good, why induce it artificially? Usually it is because we see some immediate or long-term advantage, or because of fear, doubt, and unbelief. Yet we fail to remember that the Lord is our Helper and the One who sustains us. He is our Provider. He gently leads those with young. Contraception and infertility are not gifts from God, but rather children are gifts from Him. He has commanded us to be fruitful and multiply.
So this anti-contraception message should not be viewed as new, eccentric, heretical, demonic, or what have you, but as another point of view that may in fact be the truth. And it may be that the false view from satan is the one that allows contraception and says it is not a sin. He is the sly devil who always tells people that what God says is sin is not a sin. So it is the ones who are claiming that artificial contraception is not a sin who should be viewed as defending the devil. They are actually the real newcomers on the block.
Since this is a very serious matter that could have eternal consequences for your soul and that of your spouse, you owe it to yourself to take this to the Lord in prayer and be sure you hear from Him on it. Pray that the Holy Spirit will expose anything hidden in your life that must go. Repent and believe, for the kingdom of heaven is near. Jesus Christ is coming right away, but He is only coming for the holy ones, so we need to prepare ourselves. Any changes you make should be out of total love for Jesus, understanding Who He is and who you are in Him. Your attitude should be that because you love Him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, you will do whatever pleases Him by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Most other Scriptures taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®, unless otherwise noted. "Jesus Loves the Little Children," "Little Precious Ones," and "All God's Children" © 2012 Danny Hahlbohm, all rights reserved by the artist. The images of the baby's foot in Daddy's hand and the baby on Daddy's rocking chair are property of Leonard Lacroix and may not be used without permission. The image of the baby's hand is from an unknown source found online. If you know the source, or if it is yours, please notify me so I may give proper credit.
Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, you may also like God's Amazing Plan for Your Life, A Warning for Married Christian Couples, Fearfully and Wonderfully Made, Multiplication, The Ways of Life, The Rise of Antichrists, Ibrahim's Experience in Hell, The Judgment Seat of Christ, Miraculous Birth of Jesus, A Trip to Hell, The Forgotten Sin of Worldliness, Ezekiel Moses Testimony of Heaven and Hell, Is Obedience Optional?, Holy Living in a Perverted World, Avoid Becoming a Corrupted Christian, An Open Mind that Loves the Truth, Sins That Will Keep You From Heaven, Restored Truth, Pleasing the Lord, Testing the Spirits of False Prophets, A Warning to the Nay Sayers, and the other posts on the home page. You may also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."
Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus. Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?
“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15). He preached that we must repent and believe.
