Conversing the Kingdom: Contraception

Ex. 1:7

As Christians contraception is a difficult topic because in a similar way to money we can very easily us it to control exactly how we want our lives with no room for God any longer. The world around us shouts loud that marriage/committed relationships is all about individual happiness and not the God centred, sanctifying, self sacrificing, loving environment perfectly designed for the bringing up of children that the Bible displays.

This attitude has begun to creep into the church and as a result there is a general trend of waiting longer and longer to get married in order to focus on careers or simple because we are not ready for marriage and once we are married we wait longer and longer to have kids for a variety of reasons because we are availing ourselves more and more of the control given us by contraception. Are these very subtle attacks drawing us away from the Biblical perspective on marriage and family? Aided with a more relaxed attitude towards contraception we as couples are now using this control over our bodies to delay conception and or limit the numbers of children in our family. Who are the winners and losers in this new relaxed attitude?

I do find the growing trend a case for concern when contraception is now so widely used amongst evangelicals that it is very rarely questioned and no longer is it a case by case exception but the accepted norm.

So what are the implications? Are we questioning our motivations enough?

If children are a blessing from the Lord are we using our control to limit that; Are we saying that we do not trust the Lord for the number of children that he intends for our lives; Are we saying to the Lord that we do not trust his timing in our contraception or alternatively are we to use this control to wisely and prayerfully limit the number and timing of the children in our family?

Are we worried about the financial implications of lots of children; Are we too concerned for our children to get the best of the best and that would never be possible to provide for more that 2 or 3 or alternitavely are we using our God given wisdom in stewardship or to not overstretch ourselves or do we feel a different calling for our family?

Perhaps these are interesting questions for the church today in the light of the ever decreasing emphasis in our country being placed on marriage and family. Are we as Christians being truly counter cultural, or are we being more subtly influenced by the world than we would care to admit? What does it indicate when contraception is more the default setting instead of a considered case by case basis? Let us always and often be questioning our motivations in all areas of life continually looking to become more Christ like for our good and his glory.

Dave and Cath