Children and Conception

[bgoalie35]

This question may be quite abstract, but I would love to get your opinions, insights, and or Biblical answers to the following questions. In my own personal experience, I have been unfortunate in losing a child to miscarriage. I do not complain about it just to whine, but to give you some background as to how I came to think about these subjects. In seeking treatment for infertility, my wife and I really encountered a lot about how the human reproduction system really works. This treatment process combined with the hardships of miscarraige have raised a couple of philosophical questions for me.

First, I have to wonder why it is that some lives are taken from this earth before they even start. In my worldview, I understand that we are on this earth to learn and grow in the ways that God wants us to. The growing experience, the "refining by fire" of this world prepares us for eternity. Why then, do some lives end before they ever even start here?

This raises another question about when a person goes from being simply biological elements (a sperm and an egg) to being a unique, spiritual being with an eternal soul. Are we endowed with a soul at conception? Do we become soulful beings at some time before or after that? It is somewhat disturbing to me that human beings come to be when millions of sperm assault an egg, with only one surviving to become a unique person. When looking at the world from this perspective, it seems that we truly are lucky, that we won a lottery just to even exist. It just doesn't seem that we are unique and special, but rather the result of a massive effort whereby one in a million lifeforms (if you can call a sperm a lifeform) survives.

Any thoughts and or input on this are welcomed. I look forward to your insights. As always I believe such questions are helpful for:

1. Strengthening my own faith.

2. Preparing us to better defend our faith to others who may have similar questions.

I do not ask just to doubt, but also to strengthen and encourage myself and others. Thank you all, and God bless.

[Carter]

I think that these questions do not have any clear answer. They are intresting questions but souls are things unrecognisable to science, and I don't believe the Bible has an answer.

A common answer to the question why unborn children die, from God's viewpoint, is that it is a test for the parents, and that the Soul is in Heaven and they shouldn't worry. I don't think that has a strong biblical foundation.

Biologically speaking...At times things go wrong. In a way it is a lottery, and we'd al be differnt if a differnt sperm hit the eggcell. But if we'd have a differnt think/soul is a question without an answer.

[hebrews_beauty]

Why do some die before ever living on Earth? Because things can go wrong in the womb sometimes, or the baby may have something wrong with them. It's just a fact of life. I don't think there is a specific biblical answer.

When does a person have a "soul?" I don't think there is any way for anyone to know. I believe pregnancy begins when a fertilized egg implants itself in the uterus, but if that's when the baby has a soul is something I don't know. I would assume so, but I don't know.

[Matthitjah]

Grace to you,

I could not disagree more with my friend Carter.

A common answer to the question why unborn children die, from God's viewpoint, is that it is a test for the parents, and that the Soul is in Heaven and they shouldn't worry. I don't think that has a strong biblical foundation.

I would offer that this is bad information and a misconception. I have come to the conclussion that if God is not speaking on this subject? It is none of our Business. All will be exposed every Truth and untruth in the final analysis. This is called Faith in action. Sometimes we may never understand, Why? On this side of heaven.

God commanded Daniel to close the Book and told John not to reveal what was uttered by the seven thunderings of Gods voice.

Re

Edited December 21, 2005 by Dr. Luke

[Bolts]

Hannah had a baby. His name was Samuel - 1 Samuel.

Sarah had a baby. His name was Issac.

I had a baby. The doctors told me I couldn't.

[bgoalie35]

Hannah had a baby. His name was Samuel - 1 Samuel.

Sarah had a baby. His name was Issac.

I had a baby. The doctors told me I couldn't.

Thank you for the inspiration Bolts. I have heard many stories like this, and I am happy for you. It is a painful journey, but I can honestly say this was something that brought my wife and I closer together, caused me to re-examine and turn away from some of the sins in my life, and has helped both of us from privileged families to see that we don't always get what we want, and we are not always in control of our own destinies. There are many faith lessons in this experience for both of us, and if I need a reason Why? from God, I have it already.

My question is not so much specific to me as it is general (although it admittedly is both). Thank you Dr. Luke for the passage from Jeremiah. I had that in mind before, and it does seem to indicate that God has some specific plan or knowledge of a person even before what we would call fertilization or implantation. Does this mean an unborn child that never makes it out of the womb alive resides in Heaven? This is an interesting question that I don't have an answer to.

The question of how a soul works with a body (is it a ghost in the machine, is it something that is implanted into the person at some point and then removed at death, is it just physically a part of you, in your brain?) is something that has intrigued me for a long time now.

Thank you all for the answers so far. Please keep them coming. I recognize these are not the kinds of questions that have definitive answers, but they are thought provoking and interesting (at least to me) nonetheless.

[Guest Sanford Christian Skater]

Hannah had a baby. His name was Samuel - 1 Samuel.

Sarah had a baby. His name was Issac.

I had a baby. The doctors told me I couldn't.

Thank you for the inspiration Bolts. I have heard many stories like this, and I am happy for you. It is a painful journey, but I can honestly say this was something that brought my wife and I closer together, caused me to re-examine and turn away from some of the sins in my life, and has helped both of us from privileged families to see that we don't always get what we want, and we are not always in control of our own destinies. There are many faith lessons in this experience for both of us, and if I need a reason Why? from God, I have it already.

My question is not so much specific to me as it is general (although it admittedly is both). Thank you Dr. Luke for the passage from Jeremiah. I had that in mind before, and it does seem to indicate that God has some specific plan or knowledge of a person even before what we would call fertilization or implantation. Does this mean an unborn child that never makes it out of the womb alive resides in Heaven? This is an interesting question that I don't have an answer to.

The question of how a soul works with a body (is it a ghost in the machine, is it something that is implanted into the person at some point and then removed at death, is it just physically a part of you, in your brain?) is something that has intrigued me for a long time now.

Thank you all for the answers so far. Please keep them coming. I recognize these are not the kinds of questions that have definitive answers, but they are thought provoking and interesting (at least to me) nonetheless.

Hey this is kinda of on the subject but you know we need to protect the children and youth(like i myself(only 14)). The enemy has been attacking them all throgh out history. Like when Jesus was born, King Herod had all the Babies 2 and under KILLED. Then when Mosses was born the pharoh( hope i spelled that right.)had all the babies killed then in the 1970"s or 80"s abortion was legalized.

[bgoalie35]

I thought this might spin off into an abortion debate. What you believe about when a person becomes a person, with a soul, and all the rights due to a person, really determines a lot about what you believe about abortion.

One of the questions originally posted, though, was why are some lives removed from this world before they ever get started? It was answered biologically, and of course there are plenty of biological answers. I am looking more for theological answers (or maybe you would call them philosophical answers since I don't think this is directly addressed in the Bible. I would love to see some verses if it is).

[Fiosh]

I thought this might spin off into an abortion debate. What you believe about when a person becomes a person, with a soul, and all the rights due to a person, really determines a lot about what you believe about abortion.

One of the questions originally posted, though, was why are some lives removed from this world before they ever get started? It was answered biologically, and of course there are plenty of biological answers. I am looking more for theological answers (or maybe you would call them philosophical answers since I don't think this is directly addressed in the Bible. I would love to see some verses if it is).

Hi bg,

Many years ago, I too lost a baby thru miscarriage, in the early months of my pregnancy. Each life God creates has a purpose and is precious to its Creator. I believe that God uses those tiny precious lives to touch those around it in some way. In His wisdom, He knows what we need to grow in our love and faith; what we need to die to self and to sin. Each challenge we face changes us, and forces us to change. But, as He said to Paul, "My grace is sufficient for you".

It's the age old question which may not be fully answered till we meet Wisdom face to face........."why do babies suffer and die?"

As Dr. Luke said, at times like these we need to trust that hand that we cannot see. We need to rest secure in His arms, even in our pain and confusion. God's will is perfect and His love is everlasting. He is full of gentleness and compassion for His children....that much we can be sure of.

May our loving Lord bless you, and heal you and your wife,

Fiosh

[Carter]

I could not disagree more with my friend Carter.

I didn't say it was a test. I said that some people say it is one, hence why I said it's a common anwser. My own opinion is not to be found in my previous post here.

This is clearly not in league with what the God of Heaven and earth has to say about this either.

It is in league with science. Carefully tested science based on observations.

Not all sperm cells are the same. Otherwise differnt twins would never be possible.

That's not to say that God doesn't choose wich sperm cells hit the eggcell. He'd still be the crafter of the universe, but there's no way to prove that.