GRADUATION COUNTDOWN!!!

Loving Those Who are Suffering

Should Christians promote the distribution of condoms and birth control in order to alleviate the suffering of the world?

This question was a subject of much debate in one of our previous Intervarsity Christian Fellowship meetings. My initial response was that we should not. However, I quickly rejected the notion of drawing a hasty conclusion. I believe that due to the immense suffering that results from diseases such as STDs this is something that deserves fervent prayer and thought. Why do I reject my quickly formed opinions? I say this primarily because the suffering that is caused when an individual contracts an STD is so severe that we should wish this on no one. It should pain us as Christians to see people suffer. It is indeed a consequence of sin. But so is famine, hunger, cancer and so on. Should we cease trying to cure cancer because it is a consequence of our sin and we deserve it? Certainly not. Nor as Christians should we ever place ourselves in a position of judgment over someone with one of these diseases. What they deserve for their sins is nowhere our business. All sin is equal in that it is an eternal sin against an eternal and loving God. The punishment of STDs is no more deserved than a consequence to a sin that any and every one of us has committed (say lying or pride). Do we comfort an individual that has recently gone through a divorce as a result of sin? Yes. We are to love all men. As Christians we should care very much about the suffering of the world. We are told over and over again to aid the sick, the homeless, the widows, and those who have less physical blessing than we have. ‘Humanitarian aid’ started first and foremost as Christian aid. The majority of Christ’s activity on earth was curing people from the tangible consequence to sin (as he went about healing the masses). So the question arises, is there a difference between condom distribution and humanitarian aid (or even Christ’s action)? This is why I thought it important to question any opinion that is superficially or hastily formed and approach the matter through prayer and Spirit-led discernment. Upon further thought and prayer I am led to agree with my original conclusion that it is not right for Christians to distribute condoms. Let me explain why.

1. There are tangible and intangible consequences to our sin. Our sin is against a Holy God; one who is infinite. There are physical (tangible) consequences for our sin and because it is against a wholly spiritual being, there are spiritual (intangible) consequences to that sin as well. To explain this let me use the example of burns. This example is flawed in that both levels of consequence are in fact tangible but it will give you an idea of the multi-dimensional consequences that take place when we sin. Should an individual place his/her hand on a stove that has been running they will severely burn themselves. The tangible consequence to this ‘sin’ is the pain. The burn causes excruciating pain. The intangible consequence in this example would be the burn itself. It is destruction of flesh; a wound that will take longer to heal than the pain and has deeper physical residual effects than the pain itself. These are indeed separate consequences. In the real world STDs are the tangible consequence of sin. The deeper first level consequence is the damage that is done to the soul when an individual sins against almighty God.
   
2. The intangible consequence of sin is far more damaging than the physical, 2nd level consequence. David says in Psalm 51 “against You and You only have I sinned.” He obviously doesn’t deny that he sinned against Bathsheba, Uriah her husband, or the child that died as a result of David’s sin. But the sin against God was so far more severe than his sin against humans that in comparison it was not even worth mentioning that he also sinned against these other individuals (two of whom died as a result of his sin). The Bible says that we should not fear him who can destroy the body (the tangible consequence to sin) fear Him who can destroy soul and body in hell (result of the intangible consequence to sin). In the context of this discussion, the spiritual consequence to sin is by far more damaging than the physical consequence (such as STDs etc.).
   
3. This said, we must strictly prefer the physical consequence over the spiritual consequence. This does not say that we want people to physically suffer! But if we have to choose between the physical and the spiritual consequence, the physical is much less damaging (severe though it may be). This demands the question then does condom distribution increase the likelihood that someone will have sex. Or, in other words, does removing the tangible consequence increase the likelihood that the sin will take place and incur the intangible consequence as well? If no, then condom distribution may be our Christian duty. If yes, than condom distribution would be a conscious choice of curing the physical result of sin over the spiritual result. This is the key question in this discussion. People argue that if someone is going to have sex, then they are going to have sex regardless of whether or not they have protection. I find this argument to be false.
   
4. God instituted physical consequence as a determent to committing sin. Absent consequence and working of the Spirit an unsaved person would have no rational reason not to commit sin. This would be extremely detrimental to their spirit! Going back to our stove-top example: if the pain was removed from the equation, individuals would not know not to touch the stove again. The pain signals to people that touching the stove is bad and hurtful to their being. The Bible says men look on the outward but God looks at the heart. Usually when this verse is used the emphasis is on the fact that God looks on the heart. I do not think this is wrong but I would like to highlight here the fact that man looks on the outward. People are motivated more by what they can tangibly see. For the unsaved, they are far more likely to resist sin due to the physical consequence (STDs) than they are to resist it from the spiritual consequence. This is why God in His grace instituted physical consequences (painful burns). These undeniably act as a determent from the act of sinning. People across the board respond to this tangible result over the intangible result of sin.
5. Removing the physical consequence to sin is rendering ineffective a God-instituted determent mechanism. There is no basis then by which to claim that removing the physical consequence to sin (supplying condoms and removing the likelihood of STDs) does not increase the likelihood of sin taking place. Why else would God institute this mechanism when He clearly hates physical suffering? We can only be left with the conclusion that removing God’s mechanism will most likely increase the instances of sin. This sin’s spiritual consequence is far more severe than the physical consequence. Therefore in an effort (noble though it may be) to alleviate the suffering of the world, we would in fact be greatly harming them. This is an improper demonstration of love. True love must take a biblical form! If it is not, than it is an improper and ultimately selfish love (although I acknowledge fully that the intentions are pure). Therefore I strongly believe that Christians should have no part in condom distribution.
   
6. Let me make one more point to clearly articulate that we must love those around us unconditionally. Working to alleviate the suffering of those who have STDs is indeed a biblical action. Preventing it when doing so would increase the likelihood of sin taking place is not. There is nothing except for the grace and love of Christ that separates those who sin from those who don’t. There should be no judgment then from Christians on people who have this disease. We are called to love and serve as Christ did. Not distributing condoms out of a sense of pride or judgment is a sinful response to the problem. ‘They deserve it’ is also a condemnation on oneself for all and every sin ever taken place. This sin (all sin) demands death. This is why Christ in His love offered Himself as a payment for our sin. Ultimately we cannot judge the consequences of others actions for in doing so we claim the punishment that we deserve – a punishment that we cannot endure. By the grace of God may we grow in true love for one another.