A Christian lady had artificial insemination since she wants a child and is not married. Now she is pregnant without committing fornication or adultery. Is this sinful?
The Bible does not specifically address this issue (for there was no such thing as artificial insemination in Bible times). If a Christian woman becomes pregnant as a result of artificial insemination she is surely NOT guilty of fornication or adultery, so in that sense it is NOT sinful. But I would ask this question, “Is she guilty of defying God’s will as outlined in the Bible?” In other words, “Does God’s Word reveal to us His will about a woman having children, and if it does, is artificial insemination ‘going too far’ according to His revealed will?” Let’s look at some clear, plain scriptures on this subject and see if we can reach a conclusion.
Genesis 1:27-28 reads, “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; MALE and FEMALE He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it’” (NKJV). Later, in Genesis 4:1-2 we read, “Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, ‘I have acquired a man from the LORD.’ Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel.” This is God’s plan for PROCREATION! A MAN and a WOMAN are to marry and within that sacred institution they are to populate the earth. This is later confirmed in Genesis 9:1, “So God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.” Again, God’s PLAN was for man to populate the earth within the covenant of marriage. This, in and of itself, seems to rule out the possibility of a single woman seeking to have children.
The argument will surely arise, “But that was before medical advances were discovered that allows a woman to become pregnant outside of marriage.” True, but that does NOT mean it is OF GOD. Let’s remember what Eve said after bearing her first child, “I have acquired a man from the LORD.” Can a Christian woman honestly say this after being artificially inseminated? Did she really “acquire a child from the Lord?” If not, then she is merely taking matters into her own hands.
We would do well to consider some examples in the Bible where women “took matters into their own hands” in order to have a child. In Genesis 16:1-2 it says, “Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. And she had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar. So Sarai said to Abram, ‘See now, the LORD has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her.’ And Abram heeded the voice of Saria.” If you are familiar with this story you know that God had promised Abram and Saria that they would have a child, but their patience grew thin, resulting in a lack of faith. You also know the sad and tragic outcome of Abram heeding Saria’s suggestion, for once Hagar bore a child there was uninterrupted trouble in that household between Saria and Hagar, and later there was constant conflict between the son of Hagar and the son that Sarah bore.
Another example if found in Genesis 19:30-38 where Lot’s two daughters got their father drunk and resorted to incest in order to “preserve the lineage of our father” (verse 32). The outcome in this case was just as bad as the one we just looked at, for the sons that they bore (Moab and Ben-Ammi) became bitter enemies of the children of Israel and their descendants are still avowed enemies of Israel.
Besides these examples that show what can happen if one “takes matters into their own hands,” there are countless scriptures which give instructions to families and they all include “a father and a mother” (see Exodus 20:12 with Ephesians 6:1-4; Proverbs 1:8; Colossians 3:18-21 and Titus 2:3-5). In these passages God is showing us that His DESIGN for a Christian family includes a MAN (husband/father), a WOMAN (wife/mother), and CHILDREN. Of course one may die, leaving the other single and having to raise a child alone, but as far as procreation goes, one should be married. This is my conclusion. (290.5) (DO)