THE NORTHERN KENTUCKY SEARCHER
"Search the scriptures: for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. " (John 5:39)

VOLUME 4, NUMBER 11, MARCH 14, 2004

QUESTIONS ABOUT 1 CORINTHIANS 7

            One of the reasons I chose to spend some time writing about 1 Corinthians 7 has to do with a question that was received in our suggestion book located in the foyer.  As we stated last week, verses 1-7 focus upon marital obligations, as it is apparent that Paul is answering some questions on that subject that the Corinthians had asked him in a letter.

            The question that was submitted here contains many parts.  The first was “If marriage is a covenant, then are barriers in that covenant really acceptable?  i.e.: Birth control.”

            Marriage is in fact a “covenant” an agreement, a mutual understanding between a man and a woman to live together as husband and wife.  God is the third party to this agreement, joining the man and woman together.  In Matt. 19:4-6, we find, “And he answered and said unto them, have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, and said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?  Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh.  What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.”

            One of the reasons for the marriage agreement is pointed out in Genesis 1:27-28.  The passage says, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.  And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.”  The procreation of the human race is undoubtedly one of the reasons for marriage as instituted by God.  I do not believe that it is the sole reason, nor even the primary reason.

            I believe that the primary reason for marriage is found in Genesis 2:18, which tells us, “And the Lord God said, it is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.”    Speaking in a general sense, if man is to achieve his objectives in life, he needs the help of his mate – woman.  That involves the propagation of the human race on through all of his other activities.  The woman was created to be exactly the kind of help that man needs mentally, spiritually, and physically.

 In the expression becoming “one flesh” the physical is certainly involved, but not limited to that.  It is a complete identification of one personality with the other in a union of interests and pursuits.  It is a merging of two individuals into one in all ways.

Now, pertaining to the question at hand, is the intimate physical activity that God has restricted the lawful exercise of to a husband and wife meant solely for the procreation of the human race?  In other words, is it wrong to use any means at all to prohibit conception in such an act?  If it is solely for the purpose of procreation, or even primarily for that purpose, than undoubtedly any means to artificially circumvent that would be wrong.  In fact, that is the Roman Catholic position.  I believe that that is an incorrect view of marriage and the intimacy that God has placed within it.

In 1 Corinthians 7:1-6, we find that one of the reasons for entering into the marriage agreement is to have a lawful outlet for one’s physical desires.  Paul wrote, “Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have  his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband” in verse 2.  He goes on and addresses the physical rights each has to the use of their spouse’s body.  As a matter of fact, verse 5 indicates that the physical obligations of a marriage constitute a debt.  If one partner “defrauds” the other of such rights, it is to “rob” or “steal”  what rightfully belongs to their partner.  To engage in such physical activity with one’s spouse solely for the pleasure involved and the love thus expressed is a valid purpose of marriage and is part of the agreement

If a couple chooses to take steps to prevent conception in such an act – and the method chosen is not abortive in nature – that is not a barrier to the marriage covenant.  Actually, it is allowing them to enjoy one of the purposes for marriage – the fulfillment of certain physical desires and the pleasure to be derived from such.

In Proverbs 5:15-19, Solomon speaks of the physical pleasure to be enjoyed in the marriage relationship – and exhorts to it.   The Song of Solomon extols the physical pleasures of the marriage relationship and makes it clear that that part of the “covenant” is a wonderful gift from God meant to be enjoyed for its own sake.

I do not believe that the Bible condemns steps being taken to prevent conception in the normal relations between a husband and wife.  The view that all artificial forms of birth control are wrong began in the Roman Catholic Church as a result of an unhealthy and unscriptural view of the gift of sexual relations that God placed in the marriage “covenant”.   It doesn’t matter how many churches might hold to that view.  I do not believe that it can be supported with scripture.

Now then, the second part of the question was “I’ve also heard that there is some evidence that birth control pills, Norplant, etc., can cause early abortions.  It is fact that IUD causes birth control by not allowing fetus to implant in uterus.  This needs to be researched and discussed.”

Any method of birth control that is abortive in nature is wrong.  It is the responsibility of each Christian couple to carefully research the method that they choose to be certain that is not the case.  More to come next week.