That is an excellent question, and one that this teacher has been asked many times over the years.
The answer is not quite so simple as a “yes” or “no”, because there are many different things that people consider to be “birth control”.
For example, the use of drugs, like that which is called “birth control pills”, is witchcraft (all pharmacology is witchcraft – for a teaching on that subject, please use this link). This is not acceptable with God, and all those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
(Galatians 5:19-21)
The use of “spermicides” is also witchcraft, and is therefore forbidden. A man’s sperm is not an infestation of cockroaches, to be killed with pesticide. It is a living stream of procreation that comes forth from a man, and it is not to be killed with chemicals invented at the advice of devils.
Also, and quite sadly, it must be mentioned here that there are many people in the world today who consider the act of murdering a child in a mother’s womb (a.k.a abortion) a method of birth control, and it most certainly is NOT.
Murdering your child is not birth control, and it is NEVER acceptable with God; for the act of murdering a child is to rob him of his opportunity to come into the world and learn of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and to be saved from his sins and inherit the kingdom of God.
Birth control is the act of preventing a pregnancy, not the act of killing a child who has already been conceived.
Life begins at conception; and an abortion at any stage of a pregnancy is first degree murder – planned and premeditated.
That said, there are prophylactic devices which may safely be employed as a form of birth control (as long as they do not contain harmful chemicals) like diaphragms or condoms. We must always remember, though, that this is not a 100% guarantee that a man’s wife will not conceive; but it does help to greatly reduce that chance.
And of course, there is the ages old method of simply “pulling out”, which if done properly is the best method by far.
That said, the question is “Does God permit the use of birth control in marriage?”…and the answer to that question is, that there is not a word of the holy scriptures that says that a man is not allowed to decide how many children he wishes to have, and when, by simply not allowing his seed to enter into his wife’s womb.
Remember, proper and acceptable birth control is impeding the flow of seed into a woman’s womb. It is NOT killing sperm cells or babies; and if a woman becomes pregnant, then there is only ONE right outcome, and that is that she is going to give birth to a child.
Period.
What about Onan?
(Genesis 38:8-10)
“And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother’s wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother. And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother’s wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother. And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also.”
There are many who point to this passage of the scripture and assert that it is a sin for a man to spill his seed on the ground.
But those who say so, with all due respect, fail to understand the context of the situation.
In Israel, it is God’s law that if a man marries a wife, and dies without begetting any children, then his brother must marry her and raise up seed unto his brother, to preserve his brother’s name in Israel.
”If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband’s brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband’s brother unto her.”
Deuteronomy 25:5
This was Onan’s duty before God; and the fact that he purposely spilled his seed on the ground (because he knew that the seed should not be his) was a dishonour to his deceased brother’s name, and a transgression of God’s law.; and therefore God was wroth with Onan, and killed him.
But in the common matter of a man and his wife, there is no law from God Almighty that says that he may not enjoy his wife and at the same time refrain from impregnating her. If a man wishes to spill his seed on the ground, or wherever he wishes, to purposely avoid his seed entering into his wife’s secret place, then that is certainly his right; and it is neither right nor good for anyone to beget children unless they desire to dedicate their lives to raising them up to serve God.
“And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed.”
Malachi 2:15
The fact that a man may have in his possession apple seeds, or watermelon seeds, or any kind of seed, does not mean that he is obligated before God to plant them; and it is not a sin for him to refrain from doing so, until such time as he is ready to care for what shall spring forth. However, a man who plants his seeds and cares well for them can expect a harvest.
So, he that refrains from planting has not sinned; but he that plants does well.
Amen.
