Christian Worldview
WVC 401
Kingdom Life
Belhaven University
Unit Three
Birth Control: Acceptable and Unacceptable Forms
Polygamy, Adultery, & Domestic Violence
Divorce & Remarriage
Birth Control: Acceptable and
Unacceptable Forms “Be fruitful and multiply” (Gen. 1:28):
What if I can’t be a good steward of children at this
moment of my life?
Must every sexual union in marriage be open to
conception?
Genesis 38:9 But Onan was not willing to have a child
who would not be his own heir. So whenever he had
intercourse with his brother's wife, he spilled the semen
on the ground. This prevented her from having a child
who would belong to his brother. (NLT)
Levirate Marriage
Birth Control: Acceptable and
Unacceptable Forms, cont.
Roman Catholic Interpretation on Genesis 38:9
Every sexual intercourse must be open to conception.
Interruption of natural sexual process is sinful.
Any form artificial contraception that interrupts the natural process
is wrong.
Evangelical View:
God’s displeasure was in Onan’s exploitive and abusive behavior.
Deut. 25:5-10 – public shame was the result of failure to take on
levirate marriage, not death
Birth Control: Acceptable and
Unacceptable Forms, cont.
Purpose of Marriage:
Companionship, sexual pleasure, strengthening
intimacy, marital fidelity in addition to procreation
Married couples should seek to have children
(Ps. 127:4-5), but not all sexual encounters must be
open to conception. Couples can plan wisely.
But not every kind of birth control is acceptable in
Evangelical view.
Birth Control: Acceptable and
Unacceptable Forms, cont. Culture – Modern Medicine Gives Us So Many Choices
Abstinence IUD
Calendar Method Morning After Pill
Barrier Methods Abortion
Sterilization
Which are acceptable and which are not? I will only
share what is commonly accepted among many
Evangelicals.
Birth Control: Acceptable and
Unacceptable Forms, cont. First: Expelling Misconceptions
Medicine is good! Gift from the Lord
2 Chronicles 16:12 “In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa
developed a serious foot disease. Yet even with the severity of his
disease, he did not seek the LORD's help but turned only to his
physicians.” (NLT)
• God disapproved of trusting only in physicians without trusting
God.
• God disapproved of using wrong methods – Egyptians went to
exorcists, priests, and doctors.
• God disapproves of invoking false gods and pagan superstitions.
Birth Control: Acceptable and
Unacceptable Forms, cont.
Medicine is good! Gift from the Lord
Isaiah treats Hezekiah with ointment from figs. (2 Kings
20:7)
Luke 10:34 “Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed
his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them.
Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him
to an inn, where he took care of him.” (NLT)
Birth Control: Acceptable and
Unacceptable Forms, cont. Medicine is good! Gift from the Lord
1 Timothy 5:23 “Don't drink only water. You ought to drink a
little wine for the sake of your stomach because you are sick
so often.” (NLT)
Revelation 22:2 “It flowed down the center of the main street.
On each side of the river grew a tree of life, bearing twelve
crops of fruit, with a fresh crop each month. The leaves were
used for medicine to heal the nations.” (NLT)
We need more Christian scientists, doctors, and nurses in the
science field.
Birth Control: Acceptable and
Unacceptable Forms, cont. Acceptable Forms of Contraception in Marriage:
Evangelical View
Principle #1: “In short, the answer is only those that are
contraceptive in nature, that is, those that exclusively prohibit
conception” (Kostenberger, 2010, p. 123).
Rhythm or Calendar Method – timing ovulation or fertility
periods
Barrier Methods – diaphragm, condoms, creams,
suppositories (examples)
Principle #2: We can plan wisely and prevent life for a season
but should not kill life.
Birth Control: Acceptable and
Unacceptable Forms, cont.
Gray Areas: Needs Special Consideration
Sterilization:
Male Vasectomy – blocks ducts
Female Tubal Occlusion – blocks woman’s fallopian
tubes to prevent sperm from making contact with egg
Debated among Evangelicals: body is temple of Holy Spirit
(1 Cor. 6:19)
Birth Control: Acceptable and
Unacceptable Forms, cont.
Unacceptable Forms of Birth Control
IUD (Intrauterine Device)
Creates unstable environment in the uterine wall for the
fertilized egg
Prevents stability for the conceived life to grow
Morning After Pill (RU-486, Abortion Pill)
Prevent implantation of new fetus to uterine wall
Blocks progesterone to prevent maintenance of
pregnancy
Birth Control: Acceptable and
Unacceptable Forms, cont. Unacceptable Forms of Birth Control
Abortion
ANE (ancient Near East) – Egyptians exposed unwanted
children (especially girls) or chemical remedies to abort
unwanted children.
Early Roman society: Charms, amulets, chemicals,
surgeries, exposure of unwanted children which often
resulted in human trafficking.
Christians: Profound respect for life
Birth Control: Acceptable and
Unacceptable Forms, cont.
Unacceptable Forms of Birth Control
Prolonged Abstinence between Husband & Wife
1 Cor. 7: “5 Do not deprive each other of sexual
relations, unless you both agree to refrain from
sexual intimacy for a limited time so you can give
yourselves more completely to prayer. Afterward,
you should come together again so that Satan
won't be able to tempt you because of your lack
of self-control.” (NLT)
Birth Control: Acceptable and
Unacceptable Forms, cont.
Christians: Profound respect for life
Exodus 1: “16 When you help the Hebrew women as they give
birth, watch as they deliver. If the baby is a boy, kill him; if it is a
girl, let her live. 17 But because the midwives feared God, they
refused to obey the king's orders. They allowed the boys to live,
too.” (NLT)
Psalm 139: “13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
and knit me together in my mother's womb.” (NLT)
Jeremiah 1: “5 I knew you before I formed you in your mother's
womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you
as my prophet to the nations." (NLT)
Birth Control: Acceptable and
Unacceptable Forms, cont.
Christians: Profound respect for life
Christians from the earliest times denied abortion.
Didache: “You shall not procure abortion, nor
commit infanticide” (Did. 2:2).
Principle #3: Protect the vulnerable in our society.