THEOLOGICAL OPINION ON HUMAN ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION
By Ezekiel Kimosop
I have read through the article on artificial insemination option taken by an unmarried believer who was approaching menopause and could not find a man to marry her. Her Church leaders discovered that she was pregnant and decided to subject her to Church discipline. There was a debate on whether she had committed sexual sin or had violated God's law by taking the insemination option.
Here is my response.
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 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, Christian marriage is given considerable attention in several passages of Scripture, most notably in Ephesians 5:22-33. 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 a heritage from God which He grants at His divine discretion (cf.Psalm 127:3-5). There are several Christian couples who are not blessed with children yet they faithfully hold on to their marriage vows.
There is no evidence from Scripture that every marriage must result in the blessing of children but faithfulness is required for those who take the marriage vow. 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 reports that a 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.
My view is that this reasoning is unbiblical because Christian marriage is not primarily about having children but living in a loving relationship in obedience to God.
The argument by our sister is, in my view, premised on the narrow modernist liberal thinking that since she never conceived with a man, she probably did not commit adultery! Beware of scientific deception!
Under the scientific practice of artificial insemination, 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 emotional attachment.
The argument that she did not commit any fornication or adultery with a man is sheepish and a fraud! The truth is that the sister 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 sanctions. She should have known better and even consulted her pastor before taking the option
Allow me to clarify that not every sin is the subject of Church discipline. Some sins are resolved at individual level or through pastoral counseling.
Here are three examples of what stand out for Church discipline, in my view:
1) Unresolved conflict between believers which the congregation leadership considers significant enough to warrant the procedure (Matthew 18:15-20).
2) Sexual sin that is in the public domain or will definitely result in it. (1 Corinthians 5:9-13). The artificial insemination case obviously falls into this category.
3) Issues touching on the moral conduct of a believer and especially a church elder that are in public domain. (1 Timothy 3:7)
It is important to note that church discipline is only directed at communicants or professing believers and leaders who are bona fide members of a church congregation. Not all people who attend church worship are necessarily members of the congregation.
Now to conclude on the issue at hand...
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. We cannot have it our way. God's way as revealed in Scripture must prevail.
The couple can however choose to adopt a child/children and continue with their journey of obedience.
This is my considered view.
