Question:
Should married Christians use birth control? My wife believes the Bible clearly says no. I do not agree. What is your advice?
Answer:
This is an issue that has been written about many times, by many teachers. So instead of a long rehash of comments you can find fairly easily with a little effort, let me just give you a couple principles to consider.
Obviously, there is no verse in the Bible that says “thou shalt not practice birth control”. If there was, this would be a question or debate. So it’s left to arguments, principles and individual conscience.
For every issue that God has not specifically addressed, He leaves us the liberty to pray, study and follow our Holy Spirit led conscience. We look for examples in Scripture of how Biblical characters acted. We look for principles, even implication. But in the long run, what God has not given clear instruction or command about, we have the liberty to follow our Spirit-led conscience.
1 Peter 3:7 Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered. (NKJV)
Considering the principles of the “weaker brother” (1Cor 8:13), “offending the conscience” and “honoring our spouse”, in your case, it seems to be the Godly thing to do would be to defer to and honor your wife’s conscience, even if it means surrenderin your liberty.
For your wife, she should recognize this is NOT black and white issue like ‘thou shalt not commit adultery”… and should realize you may disagree with her Biblically and with a clear conscience.
For married couples, we should always defer in matters of liberty in order to love as Christ loved. Sometimes this means giving up something that we REALLY want, or really do not believe is the best choice.
For men, this is an especially delicate balancing act because we are called to both love and lead, serve and be responsible for our marriage.