DINKS, DINKWADS, Scripture

I. Though married couples without children (by circumstance or by choice) have always been around, there has erupted in the last few years a small subculture of married couples who have been actively promoting childless marriage by choice. A. A little research will discover online forums and articles, as well as in printed media. B. DINK = Dual Income No Kids; DINKWAD = Dual Income No Kids With A Dog. C. This study intends to examine this idea in the light of Scripture with added observations about the implications of childless marriages. D. Are DINK believers sinning or less spiritual than other believers? Or, is this an area of liberty that God takes into account in His dealings with mankind? E. Abraham and Sarah for about twenty-five years were by God’s providence in the category of SINK (Single Income No Kids). II. Marriage of one man and one woman has always been an honorable estate, and it is the only lawful venue for sexual intercourse and procreation. MAT 19:4-6. A. That God had said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him” (GEN 2:18) shows us God’s certain blessing on the married state and two being one flesh. GEN 2:24. B. However, this does not make marriage mandatory or imply that the unmarried state is sin or unspiritual. 1. If marriage is mandatory, then every person of age to marry who is not married (or actively pursuing it) is in violation of the will of God and either a sinner or less spiritual than others. a. This would be making what God declared good and blesses into a law. b. What other things which God has declared good and blesses would we presume to make into a law? Diligence in material affairs, etc.? But note LUK 16:8; JAM 2:5. c. We are not to be making law in God’s stead and binding others to that. JAM 4:11-12 c/w 1TI 4:1-4. 2. Jesus Christ was of marrying age but remained single and celibate. No one is more sinless or spiritual than Him. 3. Jesus Christ recognized the acceptable status of eunuchs. MAT 19:12. 4. Paul also was single and celibate, and even advised that in some cases that would be the preferable life for a believer. 1CO 7:7-9. III. Humanity was instructed to multiply and replenish (fill) the earth before sin entered and this was repeated after the Flood. GEN 1:28; 9:1, 7. A. The whole earth was overspread by the seed of Noah (GEN 9:19), so in that sense the instruction of GEN 9:1, 7 was fulfilled. B. Scripture emphasizes reproduction by the godly. MAL 2:14-15. C. Children and grandchildren are God’s blessings. PSA 127:3-5; 128:1-6. D. Barrenness was considered to be a grief or even a reproach. GEN 30:1; LUK 1:25; PRO 30:15-16 c/w DEU 7:14; PSA 113:9. E. Paul willed married life and childbearing for younger women/widows rather than church support which might facilitate their lust and apostasy. 1TI 5:9-14 c/w 1CO 7:39-40. F. Paul taught that woman shall be saved in godly childbearing. 1TI 2:15 c/w RUTH 4:15. G. However, 1. Biblical childbearing requires marriage and sexual intercourse within marriage. 1CO 7:1-5. 2. Paul’s instructions here obviously apply only to couples able to “perform.” Disability would not be under his order. 3. This also shows that there are times when abstinence within a fertile marriage is proper and it is therefore a prevention of pregnancy, a form of birth control. 4. If one assumes that the end goal of marriage and marital sex is always to produce children, and that any form of birth control is wrong in God’s sight, then Paul’s instruction is inappropriate. In fact, a faulty doctrine would ultimately demand that any time not spent in trying to conceive would be wrong, including relying on the “rhythm method.” H. Also, Christ even pronounced barrenness a blessing when times were tough. LUK 23:29. IV. Hypothetically, it is true that if every copulating couple (married or not) took measures to avoid childbearing, the human race would end in short order. A. The chances of such a thing happening are infinitely small. Life tends to find a way, and the will of God to preserve human life until the end of this world will not be thwarted. 1TH 4:15-17. B. From the standpoint of the preservation of a nation or culture, there are sobering implications to childlessness. 1. When the rate of reproduction drops far enough, the nation or culture either dwindles down numerically to eventual disappearance, or the nation or culture is overtaken by other cultures which replace it. This is a harsh reality of traditional western civilization which is flirting with replacement. 2. Abortion, self-centeredness, fear, false science and loss of hope have brought reproduction rates to record lows. 3. If population drops significantly, so does also the economic strength of a nation and its government’s power to fund its programs through taxation. a. Thus, the immigration policies might look favorably upon imported peoples to help fill the tax coffers (and the imports tend to reproduce prolifically). b. Another implication is that childless couples do not qualify for a “child tax credit” and (all other factors being equal) pay a higher level of taxes. c. Some governments (like Greece) have seen the handwriting on the wall and have begun financially incentivizing family and childbearing to preserve their culture and programs. 4. (PRO 14:28) In the multitude of people is the king's honour: but in the want of people is the destruction of the prince. C. Local churches are not immune to this syndrome. If a church is not growing evangelistically and/or by family reproduction in the hopes that the promise of ACT 2:39 will secure it, the church is likely to dwindle down to nothing in time. This is a reality which long-standing church systems are facing now, and for which unbiblical doctrine and tactics are being used to breath toxic air into the dying corpse. V. There are real-life implications to childlessness but, as with marriage, bearing children is a matter of blessing which God approves but does not absolutely demand for married couples. GAL 3:28. A. Marriage is a liberty which God blesses; childbearing is a liberty which God blesses. B. “...for where no law is, there is no transgression” (ROM 4:15). C. The unmarried believer or the childless believing couple can be as spiritual in God’s sight as others which choose marriage and children, and in fact may be more free to serve God and His house. LUK 2:36-37; 1CO 7:29-35. DINKS, DINKWADS, Scripture 4-23-26 Page 2 of 2