One of the major arguments for the common practice of birth control among believers who are opposed to abortion is that preventing a life that does not yet exist is completely different than taking one. And scientifically speaking, I agree. In this short post, I just wanted to throw out a thought for consideration. I would be curious about your thoughts as well.
Consider this:
In Hebrews 7, a passage about receiving tithes, verses 9 & 10 read:
“Even Levi, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, so to speak, for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.”
Still in the loins of his father? The Bible is speaking about a specific man, called by name, referring to a specific act being performed, while this man is still contained in his father’s body! He’s not even a thought in the human world yet! I don’t know about you, but that speaks volumes to me about God’s order of the universe and His plans for us before we are even thought about! What if Levi’s parents had decided that they couldn’t “afford” another child? Would they have been thwarting the entire history of mankind? You could apply that thought to anyone who has been born…much like my recent post reflecting on all the influential people of history who were born to large families. Hmmmm…..Is this really an area we have been given authority to control?
5 comments
That is a profound statement, the Bible verse. Thanks for pointing that out. We cannot make life from non-life. All children have come from their living parents, who’s parents lived and gave them life, who’s parents lived….for all of our generations from Adam and Eve. (And we are all descendants of Noah; we have all survived the Flood!) Through this one man and woman, Adam and Eve, God has planned, even at that time, and probably before that, for each of us to be here. He knew of each of us by name and all, back then, because it was He who made us and who planned to make us each from the beginning. We should not stop our reproduction because we are God’s inheritance.
Interesting passage; I’d never really analyzed that before.
It all comes back to our view of where life comes from. Sure, God set some natural laws in motion. That’s why we as couples must “come together” to “make babies.” BUT!! It is still God who is the giver of life. WE cannot create life, no matter how hard we might try. That’s why I have to chuckle sometimes even at my fellow “quiverfullers” who say, “I can’t believe I’m not pregnant yet – we’re doing all the right things” (or something like that). But, this could be another rabbit trail… 🙂
That is right, Sheila. We can’t make life, especially since it takes living material to make life. God is the originator of all life. We can make test tube babies, and such, using the living things God has set in motion thousands of years ago, but God allows its success only if He wants.
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That was great! Thank you for sharing.