Be Fruitful and Multiply

What the Bible Says About Having Children

~By Nancy Campbell, Distributed by Vision Forum

This is an interesting book with study questions at the end of each chapter.  I’m sure it would stir up a little controversy in nearly any women’s group or Bible study.  The topic?  Let the Lord choose your family size.

Admittedly, I’m quite confident in my opinion that most Christian couples do trust the Lord with regard to the size of their families.  Mrs. Campbell’s stand is that even well-meaning, sincere Christians have conformed so much to the world that we have lose our desire to fulfill God’s first command to Be Fruitful and Multiply.  This certainly is a matter for prayer for each and every family of faith.

I must say here that I agreed with some things, such as:  children ARE a gift from God, we must obey God rather than man, etc.  I also agreed with her stance that many women ignorantly choose their birth control without educating themselves as to how it works.  But, I confess that there were some things that I had questions about that I felt were not answered…

I, myself, would have loved to have had 5 children.  Our first beautiful daughter died of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome – Crib Death) at three months, I then had two miscarriages before our other two daughters were born.  Apparently, that’s where God wanted our family numbers to end.  I figure that, yes, God did give me those 5 children…although I only have two remaining on earth, I will have all 5 for eternity!  But, Mrs. Campbell doesn’t address the difficulties that many of us face.  My concern is that some may feel somewhat condemned by that at the end of the book.

But, fear not!  I do leave you with a quote containing some hope and grace:  “The fact of the matter is this:  It is not a matter of our deciding how many children we should have, or should not have, but having a vision of God’s plan for marriage and family – a vision to bring forth godly seed for God’s glory.”  Amen.  No matter how many children we are blessed with.

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