Who Creates Life?

The first question, more appropriately is, “Whose choice is it to create life?” Certainly we all know the physiological explanation for how life begins. We’ve seen the film strip with the ovum and the swimming sperm. We’ve been suitably educated in the birds and the bees, and many of us have even survived explaining it to our children. But who REALLY creates life? How does a heart begin beating inside a mother? There are two possibilities. Either man (meaning humankind) creates life, or God creates life. If it is merely the result of a physical act on the part of a man and woman, it would happen every time there is an intimate union. Think about the result of a physical action... When you touch a red-hot burner, does your physical action result in a burn only PART of the time? Of course not. Your physical action has the same result each time. If life was created simply by intercourse, every event of such intimacy would result in pregnancy. There should really be no question in the mind of a Christian about Who truly creates new life. Jeremiah 1:5 is clear about it, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you.” God never said, “Before your parents created you, I knew you.” There is no doubt that it is not our bodies.. it is not merely the result of a physical action taken by two people.. it is God’s decision when and where to create a new life.

“Birth” control?

With that as our foundation, let’s then explore the supposed need for birth control. That really is a funny name, though, since it doesn’t really prevent birth, as much as it prevents LIFE. “Life control” would really be a more accurate description, but in reality, it is so much more. We’ve established that God creates life, and if we are attempting to limit His creation, the most appropriate description is really “God-control”. We are attempting to limit God’s control in our lives, and we will not stop short of taking drugs to do it.

Some will even seek out surgery to mutilate their bodies, attempting a more permanent form of God-control. I wonder how God feels about the measures taken upon a body He created in His own image, in an attempt to prevent His will. Funny how sometimes those surgeries don’t work, isn’t it?

Biblical family planning

As hard as man tries, he cannot control God, and this is evidenced in the inability to manufacture a 100% effective form of contraception. There is but one - abstinence - the one mentioned in the Bible. 1 Corinthians chapter seven tells us of God’s plan for marital intimacy. We are taught that a husband’s body belongs to him AND his wife, and a wife’s body to her AND her husband. Verse 5 says, “Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.”

Giving up control to God

So why do Christians feel so much desire to control God’s creation? Why do couples who are otherwise living their lives according to God’s direction, feel such distrust of Him that they are willing to cast aside His will, and claim to better know what is right for their families? Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” I have to wonder, what is a greater future for a family than children? If we trust God to create the lives in our families that He desires, will He harm us or prosper us?

But we prayed about it..

I hear Christians say, after they’ve had a couple of children, and usually soon after they’ve had God-control surgery, “We prayed about it and really felt that God put it on our hearts that our family was complete.” Let’s consider, if God is telling you that your family is complete, then praise Him for the blessings received, and thank Him. If it truly IS God telling you your family is complete, then what purpose does physical mutilation serve? Surely you can share as much intimacy as you wish with your spouse, and God will not create further children for your family. After all, He told you it was complete, right?

She’s pregnant AGAIN??

I also hear judgment upon those few large families. Every church has them, and I’m sure you can readily think of one yourself. You know the family that has six children already, and is expecting their seventh. The family that is driving a 20 year old car, wearing hand-me downs, and shopping at Goodwill. They live in a house that is already too small, and though it is seldom spoken aloud, most of the congregation at church thinks it’s high time they control themselves already and expeditiously get to the God-control surgery doctor! There are whispers around town that they are in need, and that they rely on the help of others just to make ends meet. They might even have asked for help from the church.

First let me ask, have you ever known someone that was in need, and you had the provisions to help? When you were able to give to them, how did it make you feel? Jesus, Himself, said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” When you gave to someone in need, you felt blessed yourself, didn’t you? Of course you did. We all do. So why is there complaint at an opportunity to give to someone that needs help? Why are those in need chastised as though they should have known better than to permit God to give them so many children? God will never create a life for which He is unwilling to provide. You can only hope to be blessed enough that He will use YOU as a way to provide.

We simply cannot afford another

There is but one reason Christians try to prevent God’s blessing of more children, and that is materialism. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matt 6:21). Children are a blessing to us, not an additional expense or an inconvenience in our otherwise smooth-running life. Psalm 127:3 - “Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from Him.”

Faith in God or Self?

It is by design that women pass the age of child-bearing. God has built them with a finite number of years in which they can have children. Women that are breast-feeding will also be naturally less fertile. It’s God’s design.

The bottom line is that God wants us to rely on HIM, not on ourselves. Either we trust God with our lives, and know that He will give us exactly what He knows we should have, or else we wrestle to control our lives alone, denying God’s wisdom. It’s all a matter of faith and Whom should ultimately be in control of your life.

“Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.
Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you -- unless, of course, you fail the test?” - 2 Cor 13:5