I'm just looking at an idea here for us to consider. In Genesis, God commanded Adam and Eve (Gen 1:28), then Noah's family (Gen 9:1), to "be fruitful and multiply." There are some today that suggest that the command is no longer in effect ... that it was a command for back then and, having accomplished it, we're no longer under any obligation to do so. What are we to think?
First, is it possible that a command of God might be … rescinded? I think that’s certain. God started Israel as a theocracy, then gave them a king. When He did so, laws that were predicated on God as government were ... changed if not eliminated (like stoning people). Jesus declared all foods clean (Mark 7:19) in opposition to earlier “unclean foods” laws. Paul argued that it was no longer a sin to eat food offered to idols (1 Cor 8:4-6). Jesus fulfilled the sacrificial law (Heb 10:1-10). Just a few examples. The notion, then, that some laws are no longer in effect is biblical.
So, how do we know if a command is no longer in effect? Well, as in the examples above, we have specific, biblical “addendums” (or “addenda” if you prefer) where Scripture itself rescinds God’s laws. Peter received such an "addendum" when God offered him “unclean foods” and he refused and God specifically told him, “What God has made clean, do not call common” (Acts 10:15). That is, God has the right to rescind His own laws and does so and lets us know.
Then … what about that “be fruitful and multiply” law? Let’s be clear. First, Scripture states that God opens and closes the womb (Isa 66:9). That is, we don’t get to choose if we get pregnant … God does. And sometimes He says, “No.” So actual reproduction is not a mandate if God “closes the womb.” Further, Jesus says, “There are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 19:12). Jesus never married, never reproduced, and argued that it wasn’t a sin. Paul seemed to suggest that more believers than we realize are called to singleness (1 Cor 7:7-8). So … no … it is not a biblical mandate that all humans … “be fruitful and multiply.”
Having said that, what is the biblical mandate? Is “be fruitful and multiply” off the table? I don’t think so. I think the biblical mandate is “whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor 10:31). I think the biblical mandate is to love God and seek to obey Him. (Do you need references for that?) It’s a willingness to obey, to say, “Here am I, Lord.” So, say, the husband who desires to have children because God has commanded us to “be fruitful and multiply” only to discover his wife refuses is not in sin. (His wife may be – that’s a different question – but he isn’t.) A man who opts to be single in order to do the best he can for the Lord is not in sin because he’s not being fruitful and multiplying. What God seeks is men and women after His own heart … and that’s always to His glory (Matt 5:16) but doesn’t always look the same for each person.
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Now ... a challenge. Jesus commanded His disciples to "Go therefore and make disciples ..." (Matt 28:18-20). Using the same thinking, is it a biblical mandate that all believers go and make disciples? I know some have argued every believer is commanded to spend time in the mission field. Or is it just to "make disciples" wherever you go? Or is it a command, like “be fruitful and multiply,” that is no longer in effect ... just an optional path? Or ... what? Was it just intended for the disciples or for all? I know this “be fruitful and multiply” command was a minor discussion as a matter of interest for a larger principle. How about this command? I would think it's more pressing. And, no, I'm not expecting you to do this challenge in the comments. I just mean on your own.
8 comments:
For this thought experiment, I am mindful :) that many commands and guidelines found in Scripture are for a particular time and setting and/or addressed to a specific person or group of people in a certain context--i.e. not every directive is universally or perpetually applicable. By my age, naturally, I have come across many mandates in the Bible for which I must consider, “Does this apply to me as a Christian living in 21st-century U.S.A. and if so, how?”. Like most conscientious people, I have formed personal convictions about and understandings of the directives I have come across during Bible reading/study--some of which differ greatly from other believers I know (but I’m OK with that). Each of us must live our lives and make our own choices as we are led by the indwelling Holy Spirit, who illuminates God’s Word to our renewed minds. As you say, that “doesn’t always look the same for each person” (Rom. 14:4-23)--i.e. we are not actual sheep in that regard.
I'd offer that the "make disciples" command hinges on the work of the Holy Spirit to draw people to salvation. That the command to evangelize is probably more about being open to the work of The Spirit, and being "prepared to give an answer" when we are given the opportunity.
In a similar vein, I'd propose that the "be fruitful" command and the "YHWH opens the womb" addendum, could be seen in a similar light. That we are to be open and prepared when YHWH does "open the womb" and to bear and raise our children to follow YHWH.
Since the "be fruitful" command was given to married people each time, and Paul commends singleness, it stands to reason that which command you follow is based on what stage of life you're in. If you're not married, you certainly shouldn't be trying to be fruitful and multiply. But if you're married, you shouldn't be doing everything you can to prevent pregnancy.
So, David, you see "be fruitful and multiply" as a biblical mandate that is sin if it doesn't happen in married people? I mean, if, say, there are medical issues and a couple chooses not to have children for that reason, is that sin?
It is true that “be fruitful and multiply” was directed to married couple both times; yes, ideally, only married couples should seek to procreate and raise children. However, in my opinion, it does not follow that every married couple should or must do so (not even every Christian couple). When commanded of Adam and Eve and of Noah and his wife, it was at a time when the population needed advancement (for obvious reasons). If that was a mandate for all married couples for all time, it would be clearly worded that way elsewhere in Scripture--say, in the Gospels or the Epistles--but it is not. A physical inability to bear children is an obvious factor precluding parenthood, but there are other equally important considerations, in my opinion. I see it as a personal decision for a couple to make before the Lord. I would never judge anyone seeking to prevent pregnancy as sinning (actually, as it happens, my personal conviction falls on the flip side of that).
Based on what I know about the medical community, I don't know that they could actually predict with 100% accuracy that having a child would absolutely be bad for her health, so personally I'd not be willing to make the decision against having children based on that. However, I don't know that, when it comes to the medical level, I don't know that I'd raise it to the level of sin. But I would have to ask, where are you placing your faith? 100 years ago, if a Christian woman was told that having a second child might kill her, she would still hold to that mandate and risk the second child. How much of our current culture is influencing our answer to the question? Over the last 60 years, not having children for personal reasons has become increasingly culturally acceptable. Are we letting Scripture guide us, or our culture?
Just as an example of the ignorance of doctors, I know of three people that were told they'd never be capable of having children that do have children.
As far as factoring potential medical risks into the process, I'm more on the side of allowing YHWH to work out His plans and outcomes rather than trying to take matters into our own hands. If YHWH is the one who opens/closes the womb, then surely He has the ability to either bring the baby to a healthy birth or to use the outcome for His glory no matter what.
I'm with David on this in the sense of trusting YHWH, not culture.
Lorna, as Stan pointed out in the post, the commands that we no longer follow are the ones that God rescinded. Where is the command to be fruitful and multiply rescinded?
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