Ten Arguments against the use of birth control and a response to each: 1. Genesis 1:28; 9:1. But: a. If this were a specific command to every individual, every man and woman would be required to marry. But clearly marriage is not a universal obligation (Jesus, Paul, 1 Cor. 7). b. This text does address the responsibility to bear children but says nothing about how many or for how long. Nothing in the text explicitly requires us to have as many children as is biologically possible. c. Gen. 1:28 must be read in the light of 1:26. 2. Deut. 23:1 – The argument is that this prohibition reflects God’s displeasure with any means of birth control. But: a. There is nothing to indicate that these men were castrated as a means of birth control. b. In all likelihood, this refers “not to states of infertility produced by illness or accident, but to deliberate acts of castration at times associated with pagan worship in the ancient Near East” (Davis, p. 37). 3. Genesis 38:6-10 (Deut. 25:5-10). But: a. Onan’s sin was not that he violated the general command to have children, but that he violated the specific obligation in the law of levirate marriage. His action was sinful not because he used a form of birth control, but because he disobeyed a legal responsibility to raise up seed in his deceased brother’s name (probably because he didn’t want to assume the personal and financial obligation of raising them). b. Lev. 20:10-21 lists specific sexual crimes punishable by death under the Mosaic Code. If coitus interruptus, such as that committed by Onan, were regarded as an abuse or sin, one would expect to see it in this list. 4. Psalms 127:3-5; 128:1-6 – No one would dare disagree that children are a wonderful blessing from the Lord. But: a. Why should we conclude from these texts that we are morally obligated to have as many children as is biologically possible? b. As with all God's blessings, we must be wise and prudent stewards in the enjoyment of them. 5. The purpose of sex in marriage is procreational, not recreational. But: a. The Bible reveals at least [four other] purposes for sex in marriage. b. “If sex were intended only for procreation, then it would be strange that nature has it that women can procreate less than half of their married life…and then only at a very limited time each month” (Geisler, p. 215-16). c. If this argument were valid, it would be sinful for a married couple to have sexual relations subsequent to female menopause or a hysterectomy or in cases where either husband or wife is sterile. 6. Birth control is unnatural and artificial. Common sense suggests that the purpose for human sexual organs is reproduction. Anything that prohibits or interrupts the sex organs from performing their appointed role is thus sinful. But: a. “If the sole purpose of sexual intercourse is procreation, then why did God give women the desire for sexual intercourse at times when they cannot become pregnant? Does not the natural order of things, then, demonstrate that procreation is not the only purpose of sex?” (Feinbergs, p. 175-176). b. We do many so-called unnatural things that run counter to and hinder so-called nature, none of which any of us would regard as immoral or unbiblical: shaving, air-travel, mowing the lawn, etc. c. If we consistently applied this principle we would be forced never to employ medical assistance, medication, or surgery. d. Those who employ this argument concede the use of the rhythm method and abstinence during times of ovulation, none of which is itself natural (charting or scheduling intercourse based on body temperature, etc., is hardly natural; and abstinence runs counter to the natural sex drive). 7. Birth control betrays a lack of trust or faith in the sovereignty of God. He is Lord over the womb. If God wants us to have children, He should be free to bestow them. If He doesn’t want to, He (and He alone) should have the power and prerogative to prevent conception. But: a. We must be careful that our trust in God is not simply irresponsible behavior. b. If this argument were consistently applied, we should never work, use locks or alarms on our homes, save money for emergencies, purchase life or health insurance, wear safety goggles when using a weed-eater, use sun-screen when outside, or support the police or national defense. 8. Birth control has the potential to alter in a destructive way our concepts and experience of love and commitment. But: a. The fact that birth control may yield negative consequences does not itself make birth control wrong. The absence of intimacy, promiscuity, etc., are wrong, not because one may have employed a contraceptive device, but because such things are declared to be wrong in the Bible. 9. Birth control encourages promiscuity among both married and unmarried people. But: a. We must distinguish between an object and the purpose or use to which an object is put. Cars are not sinful simply because people can use them to escape the scene of a crime they’ve just committed. The fact that an object can be used for immoral purposes does not necessarily prove the object is in and of itself immoral. 10. Birth control devices have negative side-effects and are detrimental to one’s health. Since our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, we should not employ those things that do damage to our physical constitution. But: a. If a birth control device is found conclusively to have physical destructive side-effects, it should not be used. But such scientific evidence does not exist for all methods of contraception.
Sam Storms

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A WORD FOR AMERICA -Andrew Strom

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2,519 Posts
#1 · June 28, 2003, 11:36 pm

Posted by: prophetic <prophetic@...>

A WORD FOR AMERICA -
COULD SHE MISS HER HOUR OF VISITATION?
-Andrew Strom.

I am about to come to the US on a speaking tour, and I
have been pondering what message I will bring. In other
places lately I have spoken on "The Coming Street
Revival", and I am sure I will be addressing that topic.
But God has been talking to me about something else.

Did you know that America is a "Land of Revivals"?
Are you aware that for centuries America has been
blessed with massive Revivals and Awakenings -
sometimes only 30 years apart? Do you know what
our world today would be like if this had not happened?

America and the world would be vastly different if
America's past was not full of Awakenings from God.
She is now living off that heritage. She has been living
off it for awhile. And the clock is ticking.

You see, in a "Land of Revivals" what God is able to do
is visit each new generation with a fresh move of His Spirit.
There is not a generation that goes by without a visitation of
God's glory in some way. That is what has kept a nation like
America so spiritually vibrant. While all of Western civilization
has slid into decay and spiritual bankruptcy, America has
still managed to retain at least a semblance of Christian
vibrancy. But what if this generation misses it's Revival?
What happens then?

Well, I want to tell you about another "Land of Revivals" -
one with a spiritual heritage just as glorious as America.
We are talking about the nation of Wales.

>From the "Great Awakening" of the 1700's onwards, Wales
became truly a "Land of Revivals" just like America.
Famous Revivalists such as Daniel Rowland, Christmas
Evans, Howel Harris, John Elias and many more were
raised up by God to become the "John Wesleys" and
"Charles Finneys" of their day. Between 1762 and 1862
alone, the historians tell us that there were 15 outstanding
Revivals in Wales. Can you believe it? Just in the space of
one hundred years - fifteen sweeping moves of God!
People began to literally call Wales "The Land of Revivals"!
But then something changed.

There had been a massive Awakening in the UK in 1858
to 1860 (-it had spread there from America). An enormous
move of God, including Wales. But then there was a gap
of almost 50 years.

Next came the famous Welsh Revival of 1904. One of the
most powerful visitations of all time, with the anointed
preaching of 27-year-old Evan Roberts. The whole nation
was aflame for God. This was the birthplace of today's
Pentecostal movement worldwide. An amazing Revival.
But it lasted less than two years. And it's ending was
quite a mess. In fact, it was such a mess that many
Welsh people began to question if God was in it at all?
(-He definitely had been! Hundreds of thousands had
been converted and remained so). But counterfeits and
ugliness flooded in, ruining the whole thing.

Guess what happened next? The following generation
MISSED THEIR HOUR OF VISITATION. There was no
Revival in the 1940's, 1950's or 1960's. In fact, there has
been none to this day. Wales has now gone 100 years
without Revival. And she has lost almost everything she
had.

I read a tragic report this week from Carl Brettle of Mission
Support in the Rhondda Valleys, Wales. Here is what he
wrote:

"Even writing this makes me want to cry. For four years our
office has been in Treorchy, in the Rhondda Valley, Wales.

Rhondda was really touched by the Welsh Revival of 1904
but in the 100 yrs since, has turned its back on Jesus to
become a place where, for the vast majority, the Church,
Christianity and Jesus Himself have become totally
irrelevant. “So what’s different to the place where you live?”
you may ask.

Well, drug abuse is rife, crime is soaring and one-parent
families have become the norm. The economy is totally
impoverished and Rhondda has the smallest percentage of
population in the UK regularly attending church plus one of
the highest rates of teenage pregnancies and close to the
highest incidence of suicide, especially among the young.
In 2002, suicide & drug abuse claimed the lives of almost
1% of the male population, aged 15-30.

It’s amazing that in a place of such stunning beauty, there
is such incredible despair.

There is a glimpse of hope, in that some churches are now
working together... but if we don’t get prayer for this place the
whole thing is going nowhere.... we’re desperate – please
help."
**********
The above is what 100 years without Revival will do to a
place that used to be a "Land of Revivals".

So what of America? Could the same thing happen there?

Well, the last two major Revivals in America were the
Pentecostal Revival of 1905-1906, and the Great Healing
Revival of the 1950's. So it has now been 50 years since
a major Revival swept through the USA. We are at a
crossroads in history. Everything depends on whether or
not America can truly ENTER INTO HER NEXT HOUR OF
VISITATION. If she misses it then it is very probable that
all is lost. The next few years may decide. (-Yes, the
NEXT FEW YEARS).

The end of the Healing Revival (50 years ago) was actually
pretty "messy". It led to some good things, but some
bad also.

One good thing was the Charismatic renewal, which
basically grew out of this Revival. However, one of the
worst things was the preoccupation with MONEY
amongst a lot of the new preachers. "Seed-faith" giving
was invented during this period, and a dubious emphasis
on Prosperity and Money began to dominate much of
the Charismatic/Pentecostal scene.

There can be no doubt that this has caused a lot of
suspicion and antipathy from ordinary people towards
modern churches and 'Revival'-type preachers. The
things they see on Christian TV are undermining the
gospel for a lot of people. These excesses are not Jesus.

Let us hope that this general feeling does not lead to
the kind of disaster that occurred in Wales. The mess
that came about after the 1904 Revival there definitely left
a bitter aftertaste. And the nation MISSED IT'S NEXT
HOUR OF VISITATION. Surely we cannot allow this to
occur in America.

So what is needed for America to avoid missing her Hour
of Visitation this time? In my view, some of the answers
are as follows:

1)- DESPERATE PRAYER;
2)- REPENTANCE BY THE CHURCH from the excesses
that are causing masses of people to reject the gospel;
3)- A return to a simple, down-to-earth and pure Christianity.
(-The "common people" loved Jesus, after all. We need
to return to a Christianity for the 'common people').

Thus, as you can see, I will be bringing to America a far
more serious message than I ever thought I would on this
trip:-

AMERICA, COULD YOU MISS YOUR HOUR OF VISITATION?
IF YOU DO, THE CONSEQUENCES WILL BE TRULY
DISASTROUS. AND TIME IS RUNNING OUT.

God bless you all.

Kindest regards in Christ,

Andrew Strom.

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