Topic(s):  Moral Issues

Todd Clippard

Some religious groups, and most notably the Catholic church, forbid the use of birth control as contrary to the will of God. This position cannot be supported by the Bible. Had God given man the sexual relationship only for the continuance of the human race, then this position might have some merit.

But sexual intercourse was not given solely for this purpose. The Bible clearly teaches that sexual desire is a part of man's natural makeup, and that man has a physical and emotional need for intercourse. The apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 7:1-5 . . .

“Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: "It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman." But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.”

In Hebrews 13:4, the inspired writer penned: "Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge.”

However, the legitimacy to practice birth control does not authorize all kinds of birth control. Some birth control, such as "the Pill" and the new contraceptive patches and implants, is designed to prevent pregnancy. The use of spermicides and condoms are also designed to prevent pregnancy. Though not particularly effective, coitus interruptus (the withdrawal method, or Onanism - Gen 38:7-9) is also designed to prevent pregnancy. These forms of birth control are acceptable as they do not involve the taking of human life. (The reason Onan was killed by the Lord was because he was commanded to raise a seed to his brother Er.)

Some people consider abortion as a means of birth control. But the taking of human life is an unacceptable means of preventing birth. It should be noted there are other kinds of birth control that differ in no real way to abortion. Intra-uterine devices (IUDs) are not designed to prevent pregnancy, but instead to prevent implantation of a fertilized egg (a baby) in the womb. The pill RU-486 is known as the abortion pill because by design it causes a woman to abort a fertilized egg.

When considering a form of birth control, one must be careful as to the way a particular method works.