Does God want us to have children?

[SalomePortman]

As this is only an Earthly plane, and we will be with God in Heaven if we believe. Also, if we have children we increase the chance of more people not getting into Heaven.

I do not think it is moral to risk sending someone to eternal suffering. I am not anti-natal, however. What do you all think?

 

[Deuteronomy]

Hello @SalomePortman, the very first command that God gave us is this one,

Genesis 1​

27 God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.​

28 God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”​

As far as I know, God has never rescinded His pre-Fall command to bear children, in either the OT or the NT (though He certainly could have if He wanted to, of course).

God bless you!

~Deut
p.s. - on the flipside (of something that you said in your OP), if we have children we increase the chance of more people getting into Heaven, which is a very important thing indeed, yes .. e.g. Romans 11:25

Psalm 127​

3 Behold, children are a gift of the LORD,​

The fruit of the womb is a reward.​

4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,​

So are the children of one’s youth.​

5 How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them;​

They will not be ashamed​

When they speak with their enemies in the gate.​

​

 

[SalomePortman]

Hello @SalomePortman, the very first command that God gave us was this one,

Genesis 1​

27 God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.​

28 God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”​

As far as I know, God has never rescinded this pre-Fall command to bear children, in either the OT or the NT (though He certainly could have if He wanted to, of course).

God bless you!

~Deut
p.s. - on the flipside (of something you said in your OP), if we have children we increase the chance of more people getting into Heaven, which is a very important thing, yes .. e.g. Romans 11:25

​

Psalm 127​

3 Behold, children are a gift of the LORD,​

The fruit of the womb is a reward.​

4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,​

So are the children of one’s youth.​

5 How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them;​

They will not be ashamed​

When they speak with their enemies in the gate.​

​

I wasn't sure if that was more contextual to what was going on at the time on Earth

 

[tourist]

As this is only an Earthly plane, and we will be with God in Heaven if we believe. Also, if we have children we increase the chance of more people not getting into Heaven.

I do not think it is moral to risk sending someone to eternal suffering. I am not anti-natal, however. What do you all think?

Actually, that equation works both ways, the more children that are born the higher the chance of more people going to heaven.

 

[Deuteronomy]

I wasn't sure if that was more contextual to what was going on at the time on Earth

Hello again Salome, as far as I know, God's command to be fruitful and multiply (in Genesis 1:28) is for the entirety of this age (as I said above, there is no command given in the OT/NT to stop doing so).

It is, of course, your choice, whether you want to have children or not, but having them should never be thought of as an immoral or sinful act, as God, who does not even 'tempt' us to sin .. e.g. James 1:13, would never command us to do something which is immoral/sinful!

God bless you!

~Deut

 

[Gideon300]

As this is only an Earthly plane, and we will be with God in Heaven if we believe. Also, if we have children we increase the chance of more people not getting into Heaven.

I do not think it is moral to risk sending someone to eternal suffering. I am not anti-natal, however. What do you all think?

God commanded Adam and Eve to have children. It's the only command that the human race has obeyed. God could have stopped the human race before it even began, but He chose not to. If we have children (I have two) then we are doing nothing wrong. If we raise them right, they may well be born again. You could be raising the next Billy Graham!

 

[p_rehbein]

As this is only an Earthly plane, and we will be with God in Heaven if we believe. Also, if we have children we increase the chance of more people not getting into Heaven.

I do not think it is moral to risk sending someone to eternal suffering. I am not anti-natal, however. What do you all think?

Methinks you need to spend some quality time studying Scripture.........

 

[Lanolin]

what are you talking about yourself (are you a married couple?) or just the entire population of humankind.

Need a bit of context here methinks.

 

[Hungry]

God commanded Adam and Eve to have children. It's the only command that the human race has obeyed. God could have stopped the human race before it even began, but He chose not to. If we have children (I have two) then we are doing nothing wrong. If we raise them right, they may well be born again. You could be raising the next Billy Graham!

…or the next Adolf Hitler.

 

[Hungry]

As this is only an Earthly plane, and we will be with God in Heaven if we believe. Also, if we have children we increase the chance of more people not getting into Heaven.

I do not think it is moral to risk sending someone to eternal suffering. I am not anti-natal, however. What do you all think?

I think God tells each of us what to do individually. If the instruction to be fruitful and multiply was universal then why did Christ deliberately defy His Father? If it feels wrong for you then don’t. You are correct. If you answer the call to parenthood then you have done a good thing. It’s not up to anyone but you and God.

 

[SalomePortman]

I'm not sure if this is relevant, but my old avatar was removed? Does anyone know why this was?

 

[tourist]

what are you talking about yourself (are you a married couple?) or just the entire population of humankind.

Need a bit of context here methinks.

Methinks you and @p_rehbein are correct.

 

[tourist]

I'm not sure if this is relevant, but my old avatar was removed? Does anyone know why this was?

Don't have a clue.

 

[SalomePortman]

I think God tells each of us what to do individually. If the instruction to be fruitful and multiply was universal then why did Christ deliberately defy His Father? If it feels wrong for you then don’t. You are correct. If you answer the call to parenthood then you have done a good thing. It’s not up to anyone but you and God.

That's a good point, althought Jesus may have had children with Mary Magdalene.

 

[SalomePortman]

…or the next Adolf Hitler.

Due to sexual selection, men and women who are...um, 'fruitful' will always outnumber those who are not. There's a stronger drive currently for people with a strong drive, than people who are intelligent, moral etc. unfortunately.

 

[JohnDB]

Due to sexual selection, men and women who are...um, 'fruitful' will always outnumber those who are not. There's a stronger drive currently for people with a strong drive, than people who are intelligent, moral etc. unfortunately.

Children are like arrows...
Blessed is he whose quiver is full.

No doubt about it...the child rearing years are a mixed bag of boring tedium of responsibility and frustrating care and absolute wonder and immense joy.
I got so sick of changing diapers...I was thrilled when he became potty trained. So proud when he started riding his bicycle...and finished High School and all the many sports he got involved with during those years.

It's later when they begin to have their own families that it is always a joy. The worry never stops thought.

Part of having a full and rich life includes having children...and then grandchildren.

They aren't someone else's...these little people are YOURS. Trained and taught by you to be the adults they become. And it's always frustrating because they don't become exactly who you think they should be...they are independent moral agents with their own ideas about things. So they do the frustrating wrong thing with the wrong attitudes all the time...and eventually get some semblance of right.

Life is so very empty and boring without them.

 

[SalomePortman]

Children are like arrows...
Blessed is he whose quiver is full.

No doubt about it...the child rearing years are a mixed bag of boring tedium of responsibility and frustrating care and absolute wonder and immense joy.
I got so sick of changing diapers...I was thrilled when he became potty trained. So proud when he started riding his bicycle...and finished High School and all the many sports he got involved with during those years.

It's later when they begin to have their own families that it is always a joy. The worry never stops thought.

Part of having a full and rich life includes having children...and then grandchildren.

They aren't someone else's...these little people are YOURS. Trained and taught by you to be the adults they become. And it's always frustrating because they don't become exactly who you think they should be...they are independent moral agents with their own ideas about things. So they do the frustrating wrong thing with the wrong attitudes all the time...and eventually get some semblance of right.

Life is so very empty and boring without them.

Thank you for sharing something so inspirational.

 

[sonshine]

I'm not sure if this is relevant, but my old avatar was removed? Does anyone know why this was?

You know why .
But if you REALLY need it to be explained to you, you can always ask the moderators.

 

[Hungry]

That's a good point, althought Jesus may have had children with Mary Magdalene.

If that was the case, that would have to be the greatest coverup of all time. Also I think it was Christ who stated, “Some are born eunuchs, some made eunuchs and some choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the Kingdom, and that the one who can accept it should accept it.” It’s not exactly a “be fruitful” argument.

 

[Oncefallen]

I'm not sure if this is relevant, but my old avatar was removed? Does anyone know why this was?

If you want to post pictures with your breasts half exposed on Facebook that is between you and their Admin however it is completely inappropriate here thus the picture being removed and a warning issued.

That's a good point, althought Jesus may have had children with Mary Magdalene.

This is a heresy that originated in the second or third centuries with the Gnostic Gospels.