In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)

Taken from the Classis Far West Report

As was reported in the May issue of The Banner of Truth, Classis Far West, at its meeting of March 25, 2009, was confronted with the question, “What should be our position regarding the use of In Vitro Fertilization or, as it is commonly referred to, IVF?” Medical technology is becoming more and more complex, and our church members and office bearers are often faced with the difficulty of making far-reaching decisions even about subjects of which one may have little or no knowledge. In trying to answer the question of IVF, Classis used extensive notes, studies, and resources to come to their decisions and recommendations. The medical complexities of IVF were considered, but above all, an attempt was made to assess this technology on the basis of God’s Word which must always have the final authority. Classis also tried to keep in mind during their discussions the very sensitive issue which has brought us to this discussion, viz., the difficulties faced by those parents who have been unable to conceive children in the God-appointed manner. As a Classis, having now formulated our opinion, it is our intention to forward this to the Synod to seek advice on the issue so that an official stand can be taken by the Synod and within the denomination.

What is IVF?

IVF is a method to produce new life outside of the womb in a laboratory setting. The components created by God for the multiplying of the human race are gathered from both male and female and brought together in a glass dish (Petri dish) where, hopefully, conception will take place. The embryo, or embryos, which result from this “union” are then implanted into the mother’s womb after allowing for several days of development in the Petri dish. This process may be performed singly, but commonly an attempt is made to fertilize as many eggs as possible to increase the likelihood of a viable pregnancy since embryos which have defects are usually aborted by the mother or removed medically. In this process excess embryos which are not implanted may be “frozen” for future use if desired, or they may be destroyed.

The embryos which are considered sufficiently viable to be implanted into the mother’s womb can also be tested for defects and genetic traits. This has led to a whole new “industry” where, for the payment of a large fee, people can choose not only the sex but also the cosmetic features of the embryo. A donor bank is available from winners of the Nobel Prize which is but the first step toward the development of “designer babies.” Immense sums of money are expended by the very wealthy to contract for the production of human beings according to their desired specifications.

When it is determined in the examinations which take place prior to attempting an IVF pregnancy that either the husband or wife is infertile, a “donor” or third party may be used to supply the component which the infertile partner is unable to provide. In such a case, when the implantation is successful, the genetic parent of the child will be someone outside of the marriage.

Excess embryos are sometimes made available to other childless couples, single females, males, or gay or lesbian couples. They may even be made available for research such as stem cell research or to women who, usually for a fee, will carry a pregnancy for a person unable to conceive or in the case of gay couples as cited previously. Presently there are more than 400,000 frozen embryos in the United States alone, some belonging to parents who have died as a result of illness or an accident.

It has been stated that some of the pitfalls associated with IVF can be avoided by limiting conception to a single embryo, to abstain from pre-implantation diagnostics, and to implant into the womb of the woman seeking to achieve pregnancy all of the conceived embryos. In this way there is no loss of human life. A married couple can decide not to use an outside donor, to give away their embryos, or to freeze any excess embryos. They can also limit themselves in the number of attempts to achieve a viable pregnancy. Is this technology under such conditions perhaps acceptable?

How should we consider IVF in the light of God’s Word?

Several biblical truths can help us to arrive at a proper view:

1. There is the truth of God as the Creator of life. The act of creation belongs to Him and to Him alone (Genesis 1:26-28, Job 31:15, Ecclesiastes 11:5, Isaiah 44:2&24, Isaiah 46:3, etc.).

2. There is the truth of man as a unity of body and soul (Matthew 10:28). Our forefather Adam did not live until God “breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (Genesis 2:7). Every new human being is a wondrous work of the Creator (Psalm 139). God also gave man a never-dying soul. This soul, the principle of man’s life in a physical, moral, and spiritual sense, is a very precious gift (Matthew 16:26). In theological circles there has been much debate about the question as to when the soul enters the body of a human being. Regardless of the outcome of this debate, the common opinion is that abortion must be rejected. Today, however, the debate has acquired a totally new dimension as a result of the militant and vocal abortion movement. Due to a lack of understanding of biblical truths, many people have come to regard an unborn baby as a “fetus” without personhood, a mere cluster of cells or an appendage to the body of the mother. We should keep this in mind when we discuss the issue of the soul today. According to God’s Word, a human being consists of both body and soul. Denying the unborn child a soul is tantamount to saying that each unborn is not yet a human person in the full sense of the word. Many Scripture verses give a strong indication that every person has a soul from the time of conception (Psalm 139:13-16; Jeremiah 1:4-5; Psalm 51:5; Ephesians 2:3; Luke 1:41; see also Heidelberg Catechism, Question 36). The texts from Psalm 51 and Ephesians 2 are quite direct to this subject. They show that man is considered a sinner by God from the time of his very conception.

Rev. G.H. Kersten writes in his Reformed Dogmatics (1947) that it cannot be known with certainty when the soul enters the body, but in his explanation of the Heidelberg Catechism he writes, “From the hour of conception until we draw our last breath, our sins cry out for the just penalty of death” (page 5). If an embryo or “beginning human life” cannot be called a person in the full and biblical sense of the word, how can it then be considered a sinner under the wrath of God? We fear that every time an embryo is killed, either intentionally or unintentionally, and every time a frozen embryo does not survive the procedure to which it is subjected, not only human life is lost but also a precious soul is lost.

3. There is the truth of children as a gift of God. Scripture calls them a reward and a heritage of the Lord (Psalms 127 & 128). We read about the grief of several women who could not conceive. Some of them were nevertheless blessed with the birth of a child or children as a wonder of God’s goodness. Think of Sarah (Genesis 16:1-5), Rebekah (Genesis 25:21), and Rachel (Genesis 29:31). Rachel told her husband, “Give me children, or else I die” (Genesis 30:1). Jacob’s reply was, “Am I in God’s stead, who has withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?” (Genesis 29:2b). When the Lord graciously gave a child, Rachel called him “Joseph,” saying, “The Lord shall add to me another son” (Genesis 30:24). Her obsession with children became her ruin. She died when she gave birth to her second son (Genesis 35:18). What a solemn warning is contained in this history. How much reason there is for all of us to heed Jesus’ injunction, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33). This seeking as a fruit of grace can be seen, for instance, in the example of Hannah (1 Samuel 1:6-11).

4. There is the truth of God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility. As a responsible creature, man is allowed and even expected to use means for the maintenance of his life, the healing of his body, and his welfare in general. This also applies to examinations to assess a person’s fertility and the managing of any abnormalities which may be found. In this way physical obstacles for conception can sometimes be removed, which is a reason for thankfulness. The question should also be asked, however, “Are all means legitimate? Is everything that is technologically possible also morally justified? Closely connected with this is the truth of God’s providence. We read about this on almost every page of Holy Writ and also in our confessions. Think, for example, of what the Heidelberg Catechism says about the providence of God in Lord’s Day 10, Questions 27 & 28. Is God not the Ruler and Director of all things? Man has an inborn inclination to take matters into his own hands and to make his own decisions without God. It is grace alone when we may learn to bow under God’s sovereign will, also when some of our deepest desires are not fulfilled.”

What should our position be regarding the use of IVF on the basis of God’s Word?

Classis expressed its profound empathy for married couples who yearn for a child and who bear the cross of childlessness. It is impossible to say how much grief is felt by them. It is very important that office bearers have an eye for their needs and approach these couples with tact and compassion.

After lengthy deliberation, and in light of the information reviewed, Classis has expressed great reservations in the use of In Vitro Fertilization to attain pregnancy. This method has been established at the expense of great loss of life and still continues to snuff out many lives. This is in direct conflict with the sixth commandment, “Thou shalt not kill.” Only a small percentage of the fertilized eggs develop into children who survive to term. The possible life of one is achieved at the expense and loss of many. It may be true that this also applies to children conceived in the natural way, but in the case of IVF this is the result of interference with nature and the manipulation of genetic material.

IVF tends to erase the boundary between the Creator and the creature. In that sense it ties in perfectly with the ambitions of modern man who wants to direct his own life and who rejects the idea of a God who stands above us. In our secular world, the beginning and end of life as well as life itself are becoming matters which are made and remade at man’s will. In light of what God’s Word says about the end time, it is frightening to see what is happening in our day and age. When governments give scientists free reign in their attempts to mold human life to their specifications and to discard its weaker forms, we are incurring upon ourselves the fulfillment of the dreadful prophecies of the book of Revelation. Designer babies, embryonic stem cell research, and human cloning are rapid steps towards a society in which there is no place for God and His Word anymore.

Classis also addressed the question whether IVF can be used under strict conditions. Under those conditions IVF would not lead to the transgression of the sixth commandment. If donor components are not used, there would also be no violation of the seventh commandment (forbidding a third party to come in between the two spouses). Classis acknowledged this but also saw great objections to the use of IVF in this way. First of all, IVF eliminates or bypasses the marital act as the means of achieving pregnancy. When IVF is used, new life is not conceived in the sphere of a loving relationship between a husband and his wife but via a laboratory procedure performed by medical specialists. Husband and wife are merely the sources for the “raw materials” or components which are later manipulated by a technician to bring the components together. Children should not be “produced in a test tube” or “manufactured” outside of the womb but conceived as the result of the marital act, in which love is expressed in a God-given and most intimate way. There is definitely a dehumanizing aspect in the use of IVF, for this method of conception is something that contradicts the concept of the dignity of life. If the churches of our day open the door for or embrace the philosophies of “the reproductive technology industry,” then slowly but steadily we will lose this truth that is so closely linked with the confession that God is our Creator.

Using IVF in any form is contrary to God’s Word. If a couple would choose to break through the boundaries placed upon us by God’s Word and still pursue IVF with the intention of using it according to the strict conditions mentioned above, they are likely to face a hard and conflicting path. Is it responsible to tread a pathway with so many pitfalls and temptations, a pathway that has already led to the loss of so much human life and so much heartache? Can one truly ask for the Lords blessing upon such controversial means? To ask the question is to answer it.

On the basis of all these considerations, Classis Far West could only conclude that IVF is an unbiblical, unnatural, and unacceptable procedure to be used by couples to achieve a pregnancy. It crosses the boundaries which God has established for the conceiving and bringing of children into the world. Furthermore, it is a method that has led to the loss of much human life, and this will likely continue. The congregations of Classis Far West are requested to take note of this. They are earnestly warned to stand firm in these dark times and to shun the ways of the world. They are also to be lovingly encouraged to walk in accordance with God’s Word. The Lord not only hears prayer, but He also grants the answer to prayer in His time and manner. What a wonder it would be if parents might be able to repeat the words of Jacob when asked by his brother Esau, “Who are those with thee? And he said, The children which God hath graciously given thy servant” (Genesis 33:5b).

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