BIBLICAL OPINION ON ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION BY CHRISTIAN COUPLE
By Ezekiel Kimosop
Is it biblical for a Christian couple to engage in artificial insemination?
To answer the question regarding the admissibility or exclusion of artificial insemination for Christians, allow me to first address the biblical context on child bearing.
The Bible identifies a Christian marriage as the basis for godly procreation.
God ordained the marriage sacrament in Genesis 2:21-24 in which He united Adam and Eve in holy marriage and commanded them to multiply and subdue the earth.
In the New Testament Scripture, Christian marriage is given considerable attention in several passages of Scripture, most notably in Ephesians 5:22-33 and 1 Corinthians 7.
The Bible also recognizes marriage as a blessing, and the wife (or husband) as a gift from God.
Even within a Christian marriage, children are considered a heritage from God that He grants at His divine discretion (cf.Psalm 127:3-5).
There are millions of Christian couples the world over who are not blessed with children yet they faithfully hold on to their marriage vows.
There is evidence from Scripture that not every marriage would result in the blessing of children but faithfulness is required for those who take the marriage vow irrespective of their experience.
There are several biblical characters who were childless yet they obediently walked with God. Abraham and Sarah are perhaps the classic example. They had no children until God miraculously intervened.
This was true of Hannah and Elkanah, until God opened Hannah's womb (1Samuel 1:1-2:21).
There are several other cases of faithful people of God who were not blessed with children.
Having laid the biblical foundation, I wish to turn to the issue at hand.
The article posted by a forum participant reports that a single Christian lady opted for artificial insemination in order to conceive a child and beat the menopause biological clock.
The reason for this decision is that she was afraid that she would not conceive even if she later got married.
This reasoning is unbiblical because Christian marriage is not primarily about having children but focuses on the couple living in a loving relationship in obedience to God.
The argument by our sister in question is premised on the narrow modernist thinking that since she never conceived through lying with a man, she probably did not commit adultery! Nothing can be further from the truth!
Christians should beware of the deceptions that are hidden behind scientific innovations!
Under standard scientific practice of artificial insemination on animals, the semen, even that of a choice hybrid bull, is attributed to a named "donor" animal whose biological data is recorded by the insemination station.
The bull is rightfully registered as the father or sire of the calf and the heifer is listed as the dame or mother.
The artificial insemination from the semen of an unknown male is unusual.
To opt for human artificial insemination with a strange donor is in my view even worse than adultery because the other party remains unidentified perhaps for legal reasons or to remove any emotional attachment.
The argument that the lady did not commit any fornication or adultery with a man is sheepish and a biblical fraud!
The truth is that the sister in question is guilty of violating God's divine order by submitting herself to artificial insemination with semen from a man to whom she was not biblically married.
How was she going to explain to her child concerning their test tube origin?
Is the father or male donor identified through this procedure?
As far as Scripture is concerned, the union between her ovum and the male donor sperm is in effect a mechanically assisted fornication or adultery!
This act automatically entitles her to church discipline and moral sanctions. She should have known better.
Biblical marriage is primarily about a relationship between a Christian man and a Christian woman of mature age and even if this marriage comes after a woman has hit menopause, it should be accepted that God never intended the couple to have children.
The couple can however choose to adopt a child/children and continue with their journey of obedience.
This is my considered opinion.
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