{"id":16338,"date":"2019-12-02T16:55:49","date_gmt":"2019-12-02T22:55:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/?p=16338"},"modified":"2019-12-03T15:42:25","modified_gmt":"2019-12-03T21:42:25","slug":"should-couples-knowing-they-have-a-high-probability-of-passing-on-a-genetic-disease-try-to-have-children","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/should-couples-knowing-they-have-a-high-probability-of-passing-on-a-genetic-disease-try-to-have-children\/","title":{"rendered":"Should couples knowing they have a high probability of passing on a genetic disease try to have children?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\t

Question:<\/h2>\n

Hello Sir, I came across your notice\/ Q&A on this subject. I will attach images of the Q&A I’m commenting about. I would like to know personally why would you imply that would would hope parent would trying to have their own kids knowing there is a possibility that they can birth a sickler? As believers we cannot put a limitation on God and our ability to walk as Christ. Are you a sickler? Did you give birth to a sickler. I have seen amazing sicklers and parents of sicklers. You should try hearing the amazing testimonies that’s available. Those couples would not have children out of fear. God did give us a spirit of fear. There are so many people that have been born with what the world a considers lifetime disease. There are countless testimonies of God’s Love, grace and healing. The enemy would want couples not to try, to have kids which becomes a curse and makes them a slave to their thoughts and fears. Don’t limit what God can do in the parents life and the kids life. You are speaking to one of his testimonies right know. Never teach from a place of doubt\/fear. God holds us accountable for all that we feed his sheep. God put it on my heart to let you know to fully operate in him and not from a place of traditional mindset. He Loves you very much!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\t

Answer:<\/h2>\n

The question above was left unedited because the writer believes she is a prophetess. Her frequent typos and grammar mistakes show that she is delusional.\u00a0 God knows perfect English and when He gives prophecies, He gives the very words to record (I Corinthians 2:12-13). While God has said that prophecy came to an end (I Corinthians 13:8-10), there will always be people who claim to be prophets.<\/p>\n

This person feels the need to bolster her position. While she alludes to a few biblical ideas, she believes that claiming that her words come from God will give her credence. All she managed to do is undermine her position.<\/p>\n

Still, she makes some arguments that are worth addressing. The original question that got her upset is\u00a0How can someone with sickle-cell anemia be convinced of God\u2019s love?<\/a><\/p>\n

Christians cannot put limitations on God<\/h3>\n

A decision to not have children is not limiting God. For that matter, no one can limit God. “For the LORD of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, and who will turn it back?<\/em>” (Isaiah 14:27).<\/p>\n

Children are a blessing from God (Psalm 127:3-5), but this doesn\u2019t imply that every couple should have as many children as is possible. God has blessed us with many things, but these blessings can and sometimes need to be limited. Wives are a blessing from God (Proverbs 18:22), but men must limit themselves to only one wife. Food and drink are a blessing from God (Matthew 6:11,\u00a025-32), but we cannot gorge ourselves. Sunshine and rain are blessings from God (Matthew 5:45), but we prefer limited amounts. Sex is a blessing from God, but it is limited to married couples (Hebrews 13:4).<\/p>\n

If a couple decides not to have children, that is within their rights as granted to them by God.<\/p>\n

You can’t advise about something you haven’t personally experienced<\/h3>\n

This should be clearly false because we are teaching God’s word and not personal experience. Personal experience only gives illustrations to help clarify what God teaches on a matter. I don’t have to experience drugs to advise people that it should be avoided. God teaches us the value of being sober-minded. I don’t have to experience every form of suffering to advise people on how to deal with suffering because that advice is found in the Bible.<\/p>\n

God could heal them if He wanted to<\/h3>\n

The question is not what God is capable of doing. God was capable of protecting Jesus, but when Satan suggested jumping off a building, Jesus pointed out that it is wrong to put God to the test (Matthew 4:5-7). Having children whom you know will have a genetic disease that will make their lives miserable and then saying that God can heal them is putting God to the test.<\/p>\n

People should not fear possibilities<\/h3>\n

The answer was not based on fear. I pointed out that people should consider the life of their children. It is one thing to deal with a genetic disease that you had no idea would happen, it is another thing to deal with a genetic disease that you were fairly certain would strike your children. Some consideration must be made about what is being imposed on the child.<\/p>\n\t

Question:<\/h2>\n

Alot of christians limit God, it is very possible for people to limit God in their lives, they do it all the time. The children of Israel saw all that he could do and atill limited him. God will never go against our will, you are right, we do have the choice to make decisions not to have kids but what are the intentions of making a choice not to have kids is the main concern. There is no guarantee that the child will come out a sickler, but the chances are very high. Recalling God’s word to him is testing and reminding him, we are not talking about spiteful and being foolish testing God. You don’t have to have certain experiences to speak god’s word. We are more effective becoming God’s word and living our life in that manner. God is the word. Sometimes when others know that you have an personal experience and you can relate to them they will Sometimes receive you because they know you can relate and you now become inspiration and hope. “If God did it for you, he can do it for me”. People are looking for God’s word with results. The problem is they hear God’s words but they don’t see results. When leaving the four walls of the building we realize that we are the church and the only bible that some people will ever read. No matter how long or short we have on earth we have a purpose. Some of us get long assignments and some short assignments and some of us with our decisions may shorten or prolong them.Really I wouldn’t recommend couples not to have children but to seek God. Only God’s will be done. When you have a peraonal relationship with the father he will make things possible for you. Abraham and Sarah could have been concerned about birth defects, although they took matters into their own hands. God didn’t go back on his promise to them. It’s about personal relationship. Our Father is coming back for believers of Christ not “Christians”. It’s impossible to please God without faith. It’s about Kingdom! The kingdom of God. As a Kingdom Citizen he will take care of those who believe. He has given us the keys to the Kingdom! The people is that some people have keys but waiting for a door to be locked. Sometimes God will place a thorn in our side and wont remove it because his grace is sufficient. Glory belongs to God for sicklers also. God created us all from the beginning. I’m Thankful that my parents desired to have a child regardless of the possibilities that man claim there might people. I have a personaln relationahip with God and I desire for others to let him take the wheel in their lives . It’s been a nice time chatting with you, I hope that having couples consult with God before considering the idea or decision not have children based on fear of making a sickler child. I know that some believer’s faith is not to the extent that our father will supernaturally heal and break curses, but he will according to your faith. Just a mustard seed of faith can move mountains. What can a mustard seed of faith do for a sickler or parents who carry the trait? I’ve enjoyed chatting, find it in yoour hear to really think outside the box and speak with sicklers around you and parents that are trait carriers. Some things you will have to cast away no matter how much the world or doctor say it is permanet and it will affect you. In the spiritual realm we live for eternity.<\/p>\n\t

Answer:<\/h2>\n

What I notice is that the writer continues to use biblically sounding phrases but never references the Scriptures. The results are statements that contradict the teachings of God, which she doesn’t notice because she believes God speaks through her.<\/p>\n

I’m sorry she suffers from sickle-cell anemia, but that doesn’t excuse misusing the Word of God. What is particularly odd is that apparently she suffers from this genetic disease but believes that God will heal her or that if parents have enough faith that God will override their DNA. I’m glad she doesn’t let her disease get her down but truth needs to be stated and not wishful thinking.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Question: Hello Sir, I came across your notice\/ Q&A on this subject. I will attach images of the Q&A I’m commenting about. I would like to know personally why would you imply that would would hope parent would trying to have their own kids knowing there is a possibility that they can birth a sickler?…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[741,29,182],"class_list":["post-16338","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-diseases","tag-parenting","tag-suffering"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":16335,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-can-someone-with-sickle-cell-anemia-be-convinced-of-gods-love\/","url_meta":{"origin":16338,"position":0},"title":"How can someone with sickle-cell anemia be convinced of God’s love?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 4, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Should couples who have sickler children be condemned for being selfish in their love by marrying despite a medical warning about genotype incompatibility? How can a sickler be convinced of God's love? Answer: A \"sickler\" is a person who has sickle-cell anemia or carries the trait for sickle-cell anemia.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":16584,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-purpose-of-fear\/","url_meta":{"origin":16338,"position":1},"title":"The Purpose of Fear","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 9, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Lamentations 3:39-66 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0It started out as an observation in Bible class: \u201cTemptation comes because fear is removed.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0How true that is! \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0God had warned that death would come if the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was eaten -\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":64646,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/luke-and-the-birth-of-jesus\/","url_meta":{"origin":16338,"position":2},"title":"Luke and the Birth of Jesus","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 15, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"by Doy Moyer Luke's intent to \"compile an account of the things accomplished among us\" as handed down by eyewitnesses begins with the birth of John the Immerser. John's role would be to \"turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God\" by going \"as a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":64504,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/matthew-and-the-birth-of-jesus\/","url_meta":{"origin":16338,"position":3},"title":"Matthew and the Birth of Jesus","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 9, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"by Doy Moyer Matthew describes the birth of Jesus succinctly and factually: \"Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way\" (Matthew 1:18). This is after he has spent time on the genealogy of Jesus, showing that He is the rightful King descended through the line of David.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":67407,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/must-married-couples-have-children\/","url_meta":{"origin":16338,"position":4},"title":"Must married couples have children?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 11, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hello Mr. Hamilton! I hope this finds you well! I have a question and wanted to hear your thoughts on it. I don't know of any verse that says Christians, if married, should have children. However, in I Timothy 5:14, Paul says he wants widows to bear children. Does\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":18096,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-are-the-differences-between-catholicism-and-christianity-in-regards-to-sex-abortion-and-stuff\/","url_meta":{"origin":16338,"position":5},"title":"What are the differences between Catholicism and Christianity in regards to sex, abortion, and stuff?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 10, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Ok. The thing is, I was baptized Roman Catholic. The information on the Internet is kind of confusing on the views of sex, abortion, and stuff.\u00a0 Is there any difference in these topics between Christianity and Catholicism? Answer: There are differences between what the Roman Catholic church teaches and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16338","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16338"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16338\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16338"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16338"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16338"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}