It is a sin not to have children [2023] (2023)

Should Christians have children? Is it your choice, or has God already designed a plan for Christian marriages? These are great questions that we will discuss and more.

Birth rates in the United States and around the world have been steadily declining. There is some speculation as to why, but regardless of why, the numbers say so. Even China is changing its restrictions on couples, allowing them to have more children.

In this article I will talk about Christian marriages and whether they have a duty to have children. This article does not address whether or not a couple can have children.

What is the purpose of marriage and children?

Let's look at the Bible and remember the purpose of marriage. The three purposes of marriage described in Genesis are companionship, unity, and procreation. God is the creator of marriage. In Genesis 2:18 the Lord God said: “It is not good for man to be alone. I will make him a suitable help.” The Lord created women to be companions and helpers.

When the Pharisees confront Jesus in Judea in Matthew 19, their response quotes Genesis 2:24 and says, "Therefore a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh." in Matthew 19:6: "So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God joined together, let not man separate." Marriage is the union of two separate beings, both created in the image of God, brought together to create unity.Michael Foster says, "Marriage is God's image of the perfect union that we will ultimately experience in communion with Him."

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When God finished creating man and woman, he blessed this couple and said: "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it" (Genesis 1:28). We are called to produce godly offspring and exercise dominion. “Has not the Lord made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his. And why one? Because he sought godly offspring." (Malachi 2:15)

Marriage gives us the opportunity to glorify God and serve our spouses. In marriage, we can show God's love for us by loving, serving, and helping our spouse. We can honor God through our marriage and live out his will for our lives.

Is it a sin not to have children?

If we look at the Old Testament, the main goal of a couple was to have children. Look at Abraham and Sarah and how their infertility caused pain and shame.

In Exodus it is seen that the word of God of Genesis 1:28 is fulfilled: "But the children of Israel were fruitful and multiplied greatly and became so numerous that the earth was filled with them" (Exodus 1:7). . that Pharaoh was intimidated by their numbers and strength, fearing that they would turn against him if war broke out. At that time he ordered the killing of all the children.

Today's couples are more self-centered and less God-centered, even Christian couples. We often fall into the trap of playing God. With technology, modern transportation, and modern medicine, we have abilities that give us greater control over our lives. These modern conveniences make us feel that we have more control over outcomes and that we don't need God as much because we have opportunities to "control" the situation ourselves. We have a false sense of control. It's only when a major catastrophe strikes that we realize we really aren't in as much control as we think we are.

We have become a generation of Christians who trust in ourselves instead of our God. Mainstream media, social media, and peers confirm these thoughts. This false feeling breeds pride and ego, and it's hard to humble ourselves before a worthy God when we think we have it all. The world tells us that we deserve happiness. The Bible tells a different story.

What does the Bible say about having children?

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The first commandment tells us: "You shall have no other gods before me." (Exodus 20:3) We must put our God above all else. This means that we submit all our decisions to the Lord and ask Him to align our will with His. We glory in our Christianity to the point of living a certain way and surrendering all desires, including the decision to have children, to the Lord.

We are born sinners. I know it can hurt to hear that. Our natural inclination is to give in to our carnal desires. This is what makes the Christian journey so challenging; It goes against our natural desires. We want to control; We want to play god. It is easy to make decisions about what is most convenient and convenient for us. It's hard to leave these decisions to God, trust him, and recognize that his plans are better than anything we can dream of.

We are given the privilege to follow him, praise him and obey his word. If we ignore it, things go awry, as the story of Abraham and Hagar shows. Sarah and Abraham decided to take matters into their own hands rather than wait for God to fulfill his promise. Sarah asked Abraham to sleep with her servant Hagar so they could start a family. The result was jealousy, division and sadness.

In his book Galatians for You, Tim Keller says, "When we don't rest in God and instead try to be our own savior, the result is spiritual, psychological, and interpersonal chaos and decay." and deliver our wishes, including the decision to have children.

children are a blessing

Children are a blessing. Psalm 127:3-5 says: “Sons are an inheritance from the Lord, his seed is a reward. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior, children are born in youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of it."

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I know that some couples are not "ready" to have children. Are you ever really ready? Do you ever have enough money? Is your house big enough? No. Having children is an opportunity to trust God to take care of you. (Philippians 4:19.) Will having children distract you from your goal of retiring early, buying that vacation home, or taking that amazing vacation? Absolutely! Back to why we are here. We are here to glorify God. We are not here to accumulate wealth on earth. (Matthew 6:19) Make sure your goals are in line with God's Word.

The joy of children is indescribable. Yes, they are a lot of work, they cost money, you will make sacrifices including your valuable time to raise them in the Lord. Are these things worth it? Absolutely! You have the opportunity to pass on your wisdom and knowledge of the Lord to the next generation. What could be more important than that right now? Look around; The world is full of corruption and sin. We need more faithful children who grow in the Lord, make Biblical decisions, follow Jesus, and stand firm in their faith. We need more children who are light in this dark world, sharing the gospel.

It's hard not to be drawn to the allure of the world. It is easy to be influenced by culture. Christians have a duty to follow the Lord, go to church, study the Bible and worship God. If we do these things, He will equip us and strengthen us.

Is it easy to raise godly children in this toxic culture? Absolutely not! We still have to do it. It is essential that we raise children in the Lord, read the Bible to them, pray for them and with them. We must teach them to be strong and steadfast in their faith so that they can raise godly children of their own. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts. "As we live by the Spirit, let us follow in the step of the Spirit." Galatians 5:24-25.

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katie t kennedyHe lives in Richmond, Virginia. She is married to a wonderful husband, Jonathan, and they have three girls. She is an author, blogger and employee of the family business. After a midlife spiritual transformation, she discovered her love for writing. She loves to travel, read, be in nature, cook and dream. She would love to get in touch with you online at www.katietkennedy.com, Instagram, or Facebook.