I shared the experience of a single unmarried believer who went for IVF and the response of her church leadership. It’s generated a lot of opinions here and on other platforms. First let me say the elders were right. They were simply following a church process. Let’s not condemn them.
I have been asked to give my opinion. I never planned to since I initiated the debate. I also wanted to learn. But I am finally presenting my opinion on the matter and my position. Here goes:
God is NOT against the use of science to improve human situations. All knowledge is from Him. In the OT you had situations where healings took place under circumstances that today we would describe as herbal medicine. Luke the disciple was a medical doctor. One of the most celebrated black brain surgeons in America is also a strong believer. Ben Carson. He is a very prayerful man.
My take on IVF.
THE KNOWLEDGE IS FROM GOD. And many people on this page may not realize the pain and frustration of couples not having children. I do.
We got married in 1989. Perfectly healthy couple. But we didn’t have our first child until 1997. Nothing was medically wrong. We did not do IVF because we both had faith that God would answer us. He did. Natural conception.
On the other hand, we have friends. Believers. Very prayerful. They did all. But finally did IVF and God answered their prayers too. All of us couples experienced God’s touch and miracles in different ways.
Our society is very sensitive about two things. When especially a woman doesn’t get married. And when there are no children. I know the pressures. Pastor Mrs Oduyemi was our Pastor then and she will happily testify the number of times the late husband and herself prayed for us.
Friends, I am a very very pragmatic believer. I believe I am also a man of faith. I love the Lord and experience Him daily. But I also have a very open mind. I read and study 24/7. I also know when it pleases God He can choose to do things that we may find unusual.
Imagine the shock in Jesus’ time as He spat on his hand and rubbed it into sand and healed the blind. Unusual. We cannot and must not attempt to pocket God into the quantum of our knowledge or experience. Remember He is the ALLMIGHTY and there is nothing He cannot do.
Our response should not be to condemn what we don’t know or understand. It’s the difference between progressive and backward people. The sad absence of curiosity promotes taboos and superstitions and ignorance. Our response is to FIND OUT the truth and be set free.
• Is IVF sinful?
• Has the woman transgressed?
• Has adultery taken place?
• Has infidelity taken place?
• And If she was your daughter would you condemn her, knowing how much suffering and pain she was going through? Would you stop her if she told you IVF offered an opportunity? Would you say because you are a Christian she should remain as is?
It’s like preaching to a hungry man and praying: “be fed in the name of Jesus”, when all he needs then is food. You would help more if you didn’t pray but offered food. You have met a practical need. Jesus didn’t pray for the 7,000 and the 5,000 He fed. He provided food.
If this single lady tried but had no husband and was fast approaching menopause, and if IVF offered an opportunity of fulfillment without transgression, then my opinion is that she did right in going for it. It’s unusual. Maybe even uncommon. But it is of God.
See Jehovah Witnesses. For years they refused blood transfusion. Doctrinally they said it was a sin. Hundreds of thousands who could have been saved died because they refused operations. Later as knowledge became more prevalent, they began to change their minds. And today I hear they permit operations.
For years members of a very very large church group said watching TV was sinful and of the world. They lived in ignorance of certain developments. TV is not an instrument of sin. Now we use it to evangelize. See?
Not everyone will be healed by the laying on of hands. Some will require medical intervention. Our concern and prayers will be to petition God to make the procedures successful.
