Truth, Knowledge and Wisdom
Issues in Christian Childbirth Open to Interpretation
There are many decisions that face us during pregnancy. How we choose what we will do is a reflection of where our heart is. I often find my head and my heart compete for control of my actions. My head knows the right thing to do, but my heart is frightened or hurt or prideful and stubborn. We all need to remember that the heart is deceitful. The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? (Jeremiah 17:9) We must then rely on a guide for decisions that is outside of ourselves. As Christians, our basis for our choices must be the Bible, the source of truth.
Having accepted our source of truth, we can begin to build our knowledge of the truth through reading and prayer. As we study the Bible the words that are living and active, sharper than any double edged sword, begin to penetrate our lives in a way that affects us tremendously. The old adage knowledge is power is especially true when it comes to the Bible. Jesus was able to overcome his tempting in Matthew 4:1-11 because of his knowledge of the word of God. When presented a lie by Satan himself, Jesus was able to identify the lie as a lie by merely reciting appropriate scripture.
Moving a step further, we see that the second temptation is presented to Jesus as misused scripture. In this instance, Jesus needed not only the availability and knowledge of the truth, but also wisdom of how the truth is applied. When presented the misapplied scripture, Jesus again drew on his knowledge to refute it with a more appropriate application. Look at this example from Proverbs 24:4-5:
Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
or you will be like him yourself.
Answer a fool according to his folly,
or he will be wise in his own eyes.
These are both truths from the Bible, however they give the exact opposite advice. Knowledge has them stored in your heart and wisdom lets you know which truth is appropriate for your situation. The best decision making will be not only truth and knowledge, but applying wisdom through discernment.
I bring this up because there are certain things in life which are standard straight Bible for Christians; Jesus is Alive and he will come again, God and Satan are real, the Holy Spirit is our comforter. On these issues, Christians do not and should not disagree. However, there are also places in scripture that are not as directly stated. When faced with decisions in these areas we must do our best to apply our knowledge of the whole truth of scripture to the situation with wisdom and discernment. Most of the decisions you will make regarding your pregnancy and labor will fall into this indirect use of scripture category. Because of this, you will find that Christian families sometimes disagree when discussing pregnancy and childbirth.
The information in this section is intended to help you learn about the positions most often taken by Christian women on hot topic issues of early parenting. As you study these articles either alone or with a group, be sure to keep the following Biblical truths in your heart.
Isaiah 55:8; Proverbs 2:6; James 1:5-6
Being wise according to the world is not the same as being wise according to God. We must accept that God’s wisdom is higher than ours and therefore seek God’s wisdom. God has promised to give wisdom to those who seek it.
Matthew 22:36-40; John 13:34-35; 2 John 1:6
Our purpose is not to be accepted by our peers, avoid our fears or in other ways seek our own desires. Decisions should be made according to the well-being of the baby. Such sacrificial love is the second greatest commandment.
Romans 15:5-6; Galatians 6:4; Psalm 86:12
Our study of these topics is to promote learning from each other, not forcing others to take our opinions as the word of God. Don’t be afraid of what you read, instead listen to it and examine it according to the Word of God to learn the truth. Through wisdom we can then live in unity as one body, without having to live identical lives.
Jeremiah 23:35-37 (Message)
"Instead of claiming to know what GOD says, ask questions of one another, such as "How do we understand GOD in this?' But don't go around pretending to know it all, saying "God told me this . . . God told me that....'I don't want to hear it anymore. Only the person I authorize speaks for me. Otherwise, my Message gets twisted, the Message of the living GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies.
"You can ask the prophets, "How did GOD answer you? What did he tell you?' But don't pretend that you know all the answers yourselves and talk like you know it all. I'm telling you: Quit the "God told me this . . . God told me that...' kind of talk.
Read the Biblical Opinions about
Circumcision
Medication for Labor
Doctor or Midwife
Pain in Childbirth
Prenatal Tests
Do you base your opinion on this topic on Scripture not yet listed on this page? If so, would you be so kind as to share it with our readers so we can continue to all learn together? Please e-mail the Scripture you use and why to Jennifer. Thank you for helping to make this list complete.
Related Topics:The Coach's Notebook explores more ways to prepare for childbirth with comfort measures and techniques you can use. Prepare your physical body for childbirth with exercise and nutrition. The Christian Childbirth Resource Directory lists websites, books and organizations all created to help you honor God through childbirth. Birthing Naturally Books publishes books to help you grow closer to God during this special time of life. Learn more about the options available to you during childbirth and how to write your Birth Plan. |
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