What does the Bible say about birth control?
Genesis 1:28
28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
New International Version (NIV)
The answer
Scripture does not give a blanket rule that every use of contraception within marriage is sinful; it plainly teaches that children are God’s gift, marital fruitfulness is good, and spouses must act without selfishness or coercion. Both the motive for preventing conception and the method used matter. Christians nevertheless differ over whether contraception is ever compatible with these teachings.
What Scripture establishes
- Fruitfulness is part of God’s good purpose. God blessed humanity and said, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth” (Genesis 1:28). He repeated that blessing to Noah’s family after the flood (Genesis 9:1; Genesis 9:7). These passages establish the goodness of offspring, though they do not by themselves prescribe a number of children for every couple or state that every marital act must be capable of conception.
- Children are gifts, not burdens. Psalm 127:3-5 says, “Children are a heritage of Yahweh. The fruit of the womb is his reward,” and describes the man with many children as happy. An attitude that regards children merely as obstacles to comfort, possessions or ambition conflicts with that outlook. First Timothy 5:14 likewise presents marriage and bearing children as an ordinary good, without making childbearing the only purpose of marriage.
- Marriage requires mutual, unselfish care. First Corinthians 7:3-5 teaches that spouses owe affection to one another and must not deprive one another except by consent for a limited time. A birth-control decision should therefore not be imposed through pressure, deception or disregard for the other spouse.
- Responsibility toward one’s household matters. First Timothy 5:8 requires a person to provide for his own household. Considering one’s ability to care for existing and future children can be part of responsible planning, although this verse does not by itself settle whether any particular method is right.
What Onan’s judgment means
Genesis 38:8-10 is often used in this discussion, but its context is essential. Onan had a specific duty to raise up offspring for his deceased brother. He used his brother’s wife sexually while deliberately preventing her from conceiving because “the offspring wouldn’t be his.” His calculated refusal of that obligation was evil in God’s sight.
The passage certainly condemns selfishly taking sexual privileges while refusing a binding responsibility. Whether it also establishes a universal prohibition of contraception is disputed: some see a broader rejection of deliberately separating marital sex from procreation, while others see Onan’s particular family obligation as the decisive issue.
The main Christian readings
- Reading — How the passages are applied
- Roman Catholic teaching — Contraceptive acts are understood as wrongly closing marital intercourse to procreation; Genesis 1:28 and Genesis 38:8-10 support that broader concern.
- Many Protestant readings — Onan’s judgment concerns his specific refusal of duty, so non-abortive contraception may be permissible when the decision is mutual, unselfish and responsible.
- Some Protestant “quiverfull” readings — Genesis 1:28 and Psalm 127:3-5 are taken as reasons to avoid deliberately limiting fertility and to welcome children without planned restrictions.
Boundaries that remain clear
Preventing conception is not the same act as ending an existing pregnancy. A drug or procedure intended to destroy life already begun must not be made acceptable merely by calling it “birth control.” Exactly how a particular pill or device works is a medical particular that requires reliable information from a qualified physician rather than assumption.
Within marriage, the biblical examination therefore concerns more than preference: whether children are being treated as God’s gift, whether either spouse is being coerced, whether existing responsibilities are being honoured, and whether the chosen method prevents conception or ends a pregnancy.
Answered from Scripture · reviewed November 11, 2026
Scripture nowhere mentions modern contraceptive methods by name, leaving Christian couples to navigate family planning by the enduring light of biblical principles. The Word of God consistently presents children as blessings and heritage from the Lord, while also honoring the mutual love, companionship, and self-control established within the marriage covenant. Examining the full counsel of Scripture reveals how God values the fruit of the womb alongside wise, sacrificial stewardship.
The Creation Mandate
God Commands Humanity to Be Fruitful and Multiply
God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
Genesis 1:28 (NIV)
This verse introduces God's foundational blessing and purpose for human marriage to bear children and steward the earth.
In Genesis 1:28, God issues His foundational mandate to the newly formed human pair: 'Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it.' This decree was not an afterthought or an incidental recommendation; it was God's primal design and blessing for human marriage, linking covenant union directly to the generation of human life. The principle of fruitfulness was already woven into the fabric of creation when God blessed the creatures of the sea and sky to multiply in abundance (Genesis 1:22).
When humanity emerged from the catastrophic waters of judgment, the Lord reaffirmed this primary purpose without alteration. Speaking to Noah and his family, God twice renewed the mandate to 'be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth' (Genesis 9:1) and to 'bring forth abundantly in the earth and multiply therein' (Genesis 9:7). Far from being a burden or an imposition, the command to reproduce represents humanity's unique dignity as image-bearers called to steward God's world. This same generative blessing was later spoken over the patriarch Jacob when God declared, 'Be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations shall come from you' (Genesis 35:11). Throughout the opening movements of redemptive history, the multiplication of offspring stands as an explicit marker of divine favor and human purpose.
| Passage | What it says |
|---|---|
| Genesis 1:22 | God blesses living creatures to multiply in the seas and earth, setting a pattern of abundant life. |
| Genesis 1:28 | God commands the first man and woman to be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. |
| Genesis 9:1 | God repeats the blessing and command to Noah and his sons after the flood to multiply and replenish the earth. |
| Genesis 9:7 | The Lord commands Noah's family to bring forth abundantly in the earth and multiply therein. |
| Genesis 35:11 | God commands Jacob to be fruitful and multiply, promising nations and kings from his loins. |
Heritage and Reward
Children Are Received as Blessings from the Lord
Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him.
Psalms 127:3 (NIV)
The psalmist explicitly states that offspring are an inheritance and a positive gift from God, never a burden.
The psalmist makes God's evaluation of human offspring unmistakably plain in Psalms 127:3: 'Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.' Scripture never portrays children as an unwelcome burden, an economic hindrance, or a mere byproduct of nature, but consistently describes them as positive gifts granted by sovereign grace. The poet compares offspring born in one's youth to sharp arrows in the hand of a warrior, declaring that the man whose quiver is full of them is truly blessed (Psalms 127:4-5). This image is echoed in the portrait of the God-fearing home where the wife is like a fruitful vine and the children flourish like olive shoots around the table (Psalms 128:3-4).
Because every conception rests in God's hands, the Old Testament repeatedly emphasizes that it is the Lord who opens or closes the womb. When Abraham believed God, the promise of covenant blessing was explicitly framed as offspring multiplied like the stars of heaven (Genesis 22:17-18), a promise later extended to Israel's covenant obedience (Leviticus 26:9). In the family of Jacob, the Lord saw Leah was unloved and opened her womb while Rachel remained barren (Genesis 29:31), prompting Jacob to confess that God alone determines the fruit of the womb (Genesis 30:1-2). The narrative of Hannah underscores this reality: though the Lord had closed her womb (1 Samuel 1:5-6), He remembered her fervent prayers and granted the birth of Samuel (1 Samuel 1:19-20). God settles the barren woman in a joyful home as the mother of children (Psalms 113:9), demonstrating His personal care in every generation.
| Passage | What it says |
|---|---|
| Genesis 22:17-18 | God covenants to multiply Abraham's seed as the stars of heaven and sand on the seashore. |
| Leviticus 26:9 | God promises covenant blessing to Israel by multiplying them and confirming His covenant. |
| Psalms 127:3 | Children are declared to be a heritage from the Lord and the fruit of the womb His reward. |
| Psalms 127:4-5 | Children born in youth are likened to arrows in a warrior's hand, bringing blessing to the father. |
| Psalms 128:3-4 | A blessed man's wife is described as a fruitful vine and his children like olive plants. |
| Genesis 29:31 | The Lord opens the womb of Leah while Rachel remains barren, showing sovereign control over conception. |
| Genesis 30:1-2 | Jacob rebukes Rachel, stating that God alone withholds or grants the fruit of the womb. |
| 1 Samuel 1:5-6 | Scripture records that the Lord had closed Hannah's womb before granting her a child in answer to prayer. |
| 1 Samuel 1:19-20 | The Lord remembers Hannah, who conceives and bears Samuel in response to divine favor. |
| Psalms 113:9 | God gives the barren woman a home, making her the joyous mother of children. |
The Sin of Onan
Selfish Disobedience Judged in the Levirate Duty
But Onan knew that the child would not be his; so whenever he slept with his brother’s wife, he spilled his semen on the ground to keep from providing offspring for his brother. What he did was wicked in the LORD’s sight; so the LORD put him to death also.
Genesis 38:9-10 (NIV)
This narrative records the judgment of Onan for refusing to provide an heir for his deceased brother.
The historical account of Onan in Genesis 38:9-10 has frequently entered Christian discussions of birth control, yet the passage must be read within its specific covenant context. When Er died childless, his father Judah directed the brother, Onan, to take his brother's widow Tamar and raise up offspring for him, fulfilling the familial duty later codified under the Mosaic covenant (Genesis 38:8; Deuteronomy 25:5-6). Under this levirate arrangement, the firstborn son would legally inherit the deceased brother's name and portion of the estate, rather than passing that inheritance to Onan.
Onan deliberately engaged in marital intimacy while purposely withholding conception, spilling his seed on the ground so as not to provide an heir for his brother (Genesis 38:9). The text makes clear that what he did was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and He put him to death also (Genesis 38:10). The divine judgment fell not merely upon the physical act of non-procreative intercourse, but primarily upon Onan's profound selfishness, his deceitful exploitation of Tamar, and his defiant refusal to fulfill his covenant obligation to his deceased brother. While the account demonstrates that God views the willful obstruction of covenant life with gravity, it addresses a specific violation of fraternal duty and family honor rather than establishing an absolute prohibition on every form of non-abortive family planning.
| Passage | What it says |
|---|---|
| Genesis 38:8 | Judah commands Onan to perform the levirate marriage duty to raise up offspring for his brother. |
| Genesis 38:9-10 | Onan spills his seed to avoid giving his brother an heir, which God judges as evil with death. |
| Deuteronomy 25:5-6 | The Mosaic law formally prescribes levirate marriage to preserve a deceased brother's name in Israel. |
Sanctity of Life
God Forms Every Life from Conception in the Womb
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
Psalms 139:13-16 (NIV)
David describes God's personal, sovereign craftsmanship over unborn life in the secret place of the womb.
Central to any Christian consideration of reproductive ethics is the reality of human personhood before birth. In Psalms 139:13-16, David praises God's personal involvement in the secret place: 'For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb.' The psalmist marvels that every human frame is intricately woven by God Himself, with every day ordained before one of them comes to be. The biblical witness uniformly treats life in the womb not as potential humanity, but as human life with divine purpose. Job likewise recognized this profound truth, declaring that the same God who fashioned him in the womb created his servants (Job 31:15; Job 10:8-12).
This continuous divine craftsmanship is affirmed across the prophets and poetry of Israel. The psalmist rests in the truth that God took him from the womb and sustained him from his earliest moments (Psalms 22:9-10; Psalms 119:73). Through Isaiah, the Lord repeatedly identifies Himself as the Maker who formed His people from the womb (Isaiah 44:2; Isaiah 44:24). Long before the prophet Jeremiah was born, God declared, 'Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you' (Jeremiah 1:5). The New Testament confirms this unbroken continuity of personhood when the unborn John the Baptist leaps for joy in Elizabeth's womb at the greeting of Mary, bearing witness to the presence of the incarnate Christ (Luke 1:41-44). Consequently, any contraceptive method that acts after fertilization by destroying a conceived human life directly violates God's protective design for unborn children.
| Passage | What it says |
|---|---|
| Job 31:15 | Job acknowledges that the same God who formed him in the womb formed his servants. |
| Psalms 139:13-16 | God knits the unborn child together, writing all its days before they come to be. |
| Jeremiah 1:5 | God declares that He knew and consecrated Jeremiah before forming him in the mother's belly. |
| Job 10:8-12 | Job describes God fashioning him like clay, knitting him with bones and sinews in the womb. |
| Psalms 22:9-10 | David acknowledges God taking him from the womb and sustaining him from his mother's belly. |
| Psalms 119:73 | The psalmist confesses that God's hands made and fashioned him, seeking understanding to learn God's commandments. |
| Isaiah 44:2 | The Lord declares Himself as the Maker who formed His servant from the womb. |
| Isaiah 44:24 | The Redeemer identifies Himself as the Lord who formed His servant from the womb. |
| Luke 1:41-44 | John the Baptist leaps for joy in Elizabeth's womb upon hearing Mary's greeting, recognizing unborn Christ. |
Marriage and Consent
Marital Intimacy and Mutually Agreed Abstinence
The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife. Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
1 Corinthians 7:3-5 (NIV)
Paul shows marital intimacy is a mutual covenant right, permitting only temporary, prayerful abstinence.
Marital intimacy is designed by God as an unashamed gift of covenant fellowship, mutual joy, and physical comfort. In 1 Corinthians 7:3-5, the Apostle Paul explains that the husband and wife yield rightful authority over their bodies to one another, requiring that marital relations be regular, willing, and affectionate. Paul establishes that abstinence within marriage must never be unilateral or permanent; it is permitted only by mutual consent for a limited time so that both spouses may devote themselves to focused prayer, after which they must come together again to guard against temptation. This reveals that the physical union holds intrinsic, bonding value within the covenant of marriage apart from the sole purpose of procreation.
Long before the New Testament epistles, the wisdom literature celebrated this marital delight. In Proverbs 5:18-19, the husband is commanded to rejoice in the wife of his youth, finding continual refreshment and exhilaration in her loving embrace. Physical tenderness is a God-ordained blessing intended to deepen relational affection, reinforce fidelity, and nurture lasting oneness.
This intimacy is guarded by the standard of sacrificial devotion. In Ephesians 5:25, husbands are commanded to love their wives just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her. Such self-emptying care eliminates coercion, selfishness, or neglect in the marriage bed. When couples discuss family planning, timing, or natural periods of abstinence, they are called to do so with mutual honor, gentleness, and an unwavering commitment to each other's physical, spiritual, and emotional well-being.
| Passage | What it says |
|---|---|
| Proverbs 5:18-19 | A husband is commanded to rejoice and be continually satisfied in the wife of his youth. |
| 1 Corinthians 7:3-5 | Spouses are instructed to fulfill marital duties, abstaining only briefly by mutual consent for prayer. |
| Ephesians 5:25 | Husbands are charged to love their wives self-sacrificially, just as Christ loved the church. |
Stewardship and Conscience
Planning, Christian Liberty, and Submitting the Future to God
In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.
Proverbs 16:9 (NIV)
It affirms human forethought and prudent planning while keeping every intention entirely subordinate to God's sovereign direction.
Scripture honors wise, prudent forethought while keeping every human ambition wholly subordinate to God's sovereign hand. In Proverbs 16:9, the text declares that the heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps, balancing legitimate human deliberation with divine supremacy. Believers are not forbidden from thinking ahead or exercising careful stewardship over their resources, health, and family size, yet every consideration must be bathed in humble submission to God's ultimate decree.
This balance begins with absolute reliance on divine guidance rather than autonomous self-sufficiency. In Proverbs 3:5-6, God's people are told to trust the Lord with all their heart and avoid leaning entirely on their own understanding, while Proverbs 27:1 warns against boasting about tomorrow, since mortal beings cannot foresee what a day may bring. The Apostle James reinforces this posture in James 4:13-15, urging believers never to plan presumptuously, but always to condition their intentions on the humble admission: “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”
Where modern medical methods and precise family planning are concerned, Scripture grants a sphere of Christian liberty guided by biblical discernment. In Romans 14:5, Paul insists that each person must be fully convinced in their own mind, and in Romans 14:22-23, he warns that whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. A couple must never violate their conscience, especially regarding methods that might endanger nascent human life. Moreover, as 1 Corinthians 10:23 reminds us, not all permitted things build up, and 1 Corinthians 10:31 demands that whether we eat, drink, or plan our families, all must be done to the glory of God.
| Passage | What it says |
|---|---|
| Proverbs 3:5-6 | Believers are commanded to trust the Lord with all their heart and not lean on personal understanding. |
| Proverbs 16:9 | The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps. |
| Proverbs 27:1 | Do not boast about tomorrow, for no one knows what a day may bring. |
| Romans 14:5 | Paul instructs that each person should be fully convinced in their own mind regarding matters of conscience. |
| Romans 14:22-23 | Whatever does not proceed from faith is sin, calling each believer to act with a clear conscience. |
| 1 Corinthians 10:23 | All things are lawful, but not all things are helpful or build up. |
| 1 Corinthians 10:31 | Whatever believers do, whether eating or drinking or any action, must be done to God's glory. |
| James 4:13-15 | Planning for the future must always be submitted to the sovereign will of the Lord. |
Where in the Bible
| Book | Passages |
|---|---|
| Genesis | 10 · Genesis 1:22, Genesis 1:28, Genesis 9:1, Genesis 9:7, Genesis 35:11, Genesis 22:17-18, Genesis 29:31, Genesis 30:1-2, Genesis 38:8, Genesis 38:9-10 |
| Leviticus | 1 · Leviticus 26:9 |
| Deuteronomy | 1 · Deuteronomy 25:5-6 |
| 1 Samuel | 2 · 1 Samuel 1:5-6, 1 Samuel 1:19-20 |
| Job | 2 · Job 31:15, Job 10:8-12 |
| Psalms | 7 · Psalms 127:3, Psalms 127:4-5, Psalms 128:3-4, Psalms 113:9, Psalms 139:13-16, Psalms 22:9-10, Psalms 119:73 |
| Proverbs | 4 · Proverbs 5:18-19, Proverbs 3:5-6, Proverbs 16:9, Proverbs 27:1 |
| Isaiah | 2 · Isaiah 44:2, Isaiah 44:24 |
| Jeremiah | 1 · Jeremiah 1:5 |
| Luke | 1 · Luke 1:41-44 |
| Romans | 2 · Romans 14:5, Romans 14:22-23 |
| 1 Corinthians | 3 · 1 Corinthians 7:3-5, 1 Corinthians 10:23, 1 Corinthians 10:31 |
| Ephesians | 1 · Ephesians 5:25 |
| James | 1 · James 4:13-15 |
The story in order
- God commands multiplication (c. 4000 BC) · Genesis 1:28 · Establishes the foundational command for humanity to be fruitful and multiply.
- Noahic covenant repeats command (c. 2350 BC) · Genesis 9:1 · Reiterates the mandate to multiply after the global flood.
- Abraham's seed promised (c. 2000 BC) · Genesis 22:17-18 · God promises Abraham an innumerable posterity as a sign of His covenant.
- Jacob's lineage blessed (c. 1750 BC) · Genesis 35:11 · God blesses Jacob, promising kings and nations from his descendants.
- Sovereign control over conception (c. 1730 BC) · Genesis 30:2 · Shows God's direct involvement in opening and closing wombs.
- Onan's sin judged (c. 1730 BC) · Genesis 38:9-10 · God judges Onan's selfish act of preventing offspring as evil.
- Levirate marriage law (c. 1400 BC) · Deuteronomy 25:5-6 · Formalizes the duty to raise offspring for a deceased brother.
- God forms life in the womb (c. 1000 BC) · Psalms 139:13-16 · David acknowledges God's intricate creation of the unborn.
- Children as heritage (c. 950 BC) · Psalms 127:3 · Declares children to be a blessing and reward from the Lord.
- Jeremiah consecrated before birth (c. 620 BC) · Jeremiah 1:5 · God knew and set apart Jeremiah before his formation in the womb.
- Mutual marital duty (c. AD 55) · 1 Corinthians 7:3-5 · Instructs spouses to fulfill their conjugal rights, with temporary abstinence by consent.
- Planning submitted to God (c. AD 60) · James 4:13-15 · Emphasizes that future plans must be subject to God's sovereign will.
Children: Blessing and Heritage
| Blessing | Description | Passage | Passage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fruitful and multiply | God's command and blessing | Genesis 1:28 | Genesis 1:28 |
| Innumerable seed | Promise to Abraham | Genesis 22:17-18 | Genesis 22:17-18 |
| Heritage from the Lord | Children are a divine gift | Psalms 127:3 | Psalms 127:3 |
| Fruitful vine | Wife and children in blessed household | Psalms 128:3 | Psalms 128:3 |
| Arrows in a warrior's hand | Children providing strength and security | Psalms 127:4-5 | Psalms 127:4-5 |
Marital Intimacy and Responsibility
| Principle | Instruction | Reference | Passage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rejoice in wife | Husband's duty to be satisfied | Proverbs 5:18-19 | Proverbs 5:18-19 |
| Fulfill marital duty | Mutual obligation between spouses | 1 Corinthians 7:3 | 1 Corinthians 7:3 |
| Brief abstinence by consent | For prayer, not selfishness | 1 Corinthians 7:5 | 1 Corinthians 7:5 |
| Love as Christ loved | Husbands' sacrificial love for wives | Ephesians 5:25 | Ephesians 5:25 |
Key words
- Be fruitful and multiply
- God's command for humanity and creatures to reproduce abundantly. · Genesis 1:28
- Heritage
- Children are a gift and possession received from the Lord. · Psalms 127:3
- Fruit of the womb
- Refers to children, understood as a reward from God. · Psalms 127:3
- Levirate marriage
- Law requiring a brother to marry a deceased brother's widow to provide offspring. · Deuteronomy 25:5-6
- Spill seed on the ground (Hebrew: zera, זֶרַע)
- Onan's act of coitus interruptus to avoid procreation, judged as sinful. · Genesis 38:9
- Formed in the womb
- Emphasizes God's direct and intricate involvement in creating life before birth. · Psalms 139:13
- Mutual consent
- Agreement between husband and wife for temporary marital abstinence. · 1 Corinthians 7:5
- Stewardship
- Wise management of resources and future, submitted to God's will. · James 4:13-15
Rather than providing a rigid checklist, Scripture calls husbands and wives to honor God together with clear consciences and open hearts toward children as divine blessings. As couples weigh matters of health, timing, and stewardship, they must do so in prayer, mutual consent, and deep reverence for human life. In all things, the believer trusts the sovereign Lord who forms every life and faithfully guides His people.
38 passages, each cited once.
How the major Christian traditions read this
All major Christian traditions agree that children are a blessing from the Lord (Psalm 127:3-5), marital intimacy is designed by God for mutual love and fruitfulness (Genesis 1:28; 1 Corinthians 7:3-5), and any practice that destroys a conceived life is gravely sinful.
Catholic
We hold that marital intimacy has two inseparable meanings established by God: the unitive and the procreative. Every single marital act must remain open to the transmission of life, in accordance with the command to be fruitful (Genesis 1:28). To deliberately sever these meanings through artificial contraception or sterilization is intrinsically evil, as seen in the judgment upon Onan for purposefully frustrating the marital act (Genesis 38:9-10). Married couples facing serious reasons may licitly regulate births solely through natural family planning, which respects the natural, God-given rhythms of fertility without frustrating the marital embrace.
Scripture: Genesis 1:28, Genesis 38:9-10, Psalms 127:3
Orthodox
In holy Orthodoxy, marriage is a mystery of mutual sanctification, love, and spiritual union, within which childbearing is a profound blessing (Psalm 128:3-4). We strictly forbid any abortifacient methods, recognizing life begins at conception. Regarding non-abortifacient birth control, the Church views this not as an absolute juridical ban but as a pastoral matter. Under the guidance of a spiritual father and in prayerful discernment, Christian spouses may employ non-abortifacient means to space children for reasons of health, spiritual maturity, or family well-being, always guarding against self-indulgent avoidance of parenthood.
Scripture: Genesis 1:28, Psalms 128:3-4, 1 Corinthians 7:5
Lutheran
We confess that children are a heritage and reward from the Lord (Psalm 127:3). Scripture commands spouses to love and care for one another and not deprive each other (1 Corinthians 7:3-5). We reject any method of birth control that destroys human life after conception. However, non-abortifacient contraception within marriage is not forbidden by Scripture. Christian spouses are called to exercise godly stewardship, wisdom, and mutual consent in providing for their household (1 Timothy 5:8), using their Christian freedom under the Gospel without burdening consciences where God has not bound them.
Scripture: Psalms 127:3, 1 Corinthians 7:3-5, 1 Timothy 5:8
Reformed & Presbyterian
We look to the Word of God as our only rule of faith and life. Scripture nowhere establishes a blanket ban on non-abortifacient family planning within marriage. Onan’s condemnation in Genesis 38:9-10 was due to his wicked refusal of levirate duty and covenantal unfaithfulness, not the mere physical act of spacing children. Children are indeed God's sovereign covenant blessing (Psalm 127:3-5; Genesis 1:28). Yet Christian couples, guided by biblical wisdom, mutual consent, and the duty to care for their family (1 Timothy 5:8), may freely use non-abortifacient means to plan their households faithfully.
Scripture: Genesis 1:28, Genesis 38:9-10, Psalms 127:3-5, 1 Timothy 5:8
Anglican & Episcopal
We believe that holy matrimony was ordained for mutual society, help, and comfort, as well as for the procreation of children (Genesis 1:28; 1 Corinthians 7:3-4). Historically affirming the historic witness of Scripture, our tradition affirms that family planning through non-abortifacient contraception is morally permissible when exercised thoughtfully and unselfishly. Spouses are called to exercise Christian conscience, mutual love, and responsible stewardship before God, ensuring that parenthood is approached as a sacred gift rather than avoided out of mere convenience.
Scripture: Genesis 1:28, 1 Corinthians 7:3-4, Psalms 127:3
Baptist
We hold that Scripture alone binds the conscience. The Bible teaches that children are a precious gift from the Lord (Psalm 127:3) and that husbands and wives owe each other genuine marital affection (1 Corinthians 7:3-5). Any form of birth control that acts as an abortifacient is sin, because God knits life in the womb (Psalm 139:13-16). However, because the Bible does not prohibit non-abortifacient contraception, couples are free before God to practice family planning wisely and responsibly, seeking to raise a godly offspring without violating Scripture.
Scripture: Psalms 127:3, Psalms 139:13-16, 1 Corinthians 7:3-5
Methodist & Wesleyan
We believe marriage is a sacred union characterized by holy love, mutual support, and responsible stewardship. While Scripture affirms the blessing of children (Psalm 127:3-5), it also charges parents to care diligently for the needs of their home (1 Timothy 5:8). We endorse the responsible use of medically safe, non-abortifacient contraception as a legitimate tool for planned parenthood. Spouses are called to make these decisions together in prayer, self-control, and mutual respect, ordering their family life so as to serve God's kingdom and nurture children faithfully in holiness.
Scripture: Psalms 127:3-5, 1 Corinthians 7:3-5, 1 Timothy 5:8
Pentecostal & Charismatic
We stand on the authority of Scripture as our infallible guide. God clearly commands fruitfulness and reveals that children are His gracious reward (Genesis 1:28; Psalm 127:3). Any method terminating human life post-conception is an assault on God's creation. Yet Scripture gives liberty regarding non-abortifacient contraception within marriage. Led by the Holy Spirit, spouses should pray, exercise mutual consent, and plan their families responsibly (1 Corinthians 7:5), guarding their hearts against worldly selfishness while remaining open to God's blessing and purpose in raising a godly generation.
Scripture: Genesis 1:28, Psalms 127:3, 1 Corinthians 7:5
Non-denominational & Evangelical
We teach that where Scripture speaks, we must obey, and where it is silent, there is Christian liberty governed by biblical principles. God loves children and calls them a heritage (Psalm 127:3). Life begins at conception, meaning any abortifacient drug or device violates God's command not to take life (Psalm 139:13-16). Non-abortifacient birth control, however, is a matter of Christian stewardship and mutual agreement between husband and wife (1 Corinthians 7:3-5; 1 Timothy 5:8). Couples are free to plan the size and timing of their family with prayer and thanksgiving.
Scripture: Psalms 127:3, Psalms 139:13-16, 1 Corinthians 7:3-5, 1 Timothy 5:8
Where they differ
Use of non-abortifacient contraception
- Catholic
- Inherently sinful; every marital act must remain open to conception.
- Orthodox
- Permissible with pastoral guidance for valid marital and health reasons.
- Lutheran
- Permissible as a matter of Christian liberty and responsible stewardship.
- Reformed & Presbyterian
- Permissible within marriage when motivated by wisdom rather than selfishness.
- Anglican & Episcopal
- Permissible as a legitimate means of responsible family planning.
- Baptist
- Permissible in Christian liberty, provided no conceived life is destroyed.
- Methodist & Wesleyan
- Permissible and supported for prayerful, responsible parenthood.
- Pentecostal & Charismatic
- Permissible under the Spirit's guidance, provided the method preserves life.
- Non-denominational & Evangelical
- Permissible by mutual spousal consent as an exercise of biblical stewardship.
Scripture: Genesis 1:28, Genesis 38:9-10, 1 Corinthians 7:3-5
Meaning of Onan's judgment
- Catholic
- Condemns the deliberate frustration of the procreative marital act itself.
- Orthodox
- Condemns selfishly wasting seed and violating holy marital purpose.
- Lutheran
- Condemns unfaithfulness and defiance of the levirate family obligation.
- Reformed & Presbyterian
- Condemns covenantal disobedience and refusal of levirate brotherhood duty.
- Anglican & Episcopal
- Condemns personal greed, deceit, and failure in familial duty.
- Baptist
- Condemns refusal to raise offspring for a deceased brother.
- Methodist & Wesleyan
- Condemns callous selfishness, sexual exploitation, and broken covenant responsibility.
- Pentecostal & Charismatic
- Condemns intentional disobedience and rebellion against God's specific command.
- Non-denominational & Evangelical
- Condemns selfish deceit and refusal of biblical levirate obligation.
Scripture: Genesis 38:8-10, Deuteronomy 25:5-10
Your pastor can tell you where your church stands.
Scripture cited
- Genesis 1:28
- Genesis 9:1
- Genesis 9:7
- Genesis 38:8-10
- Psalms 127:3-5
- 1 Corinthians 7:3-5
- 1 Timothy 5:8
- 1 Timothy 5:14