can children of unmarried parents be accepted by the church/God?

Question

As a new christian with a child i had a number of years ago, i was distraught to learn that according to DEU my child is condemmed for the next ten generations. Is that really the case?

Just wanted to add that my church has been fantastic and i have never felt that we are excluded in any way. Just purely from a biblical perspective, does it state anywhere that the quote from Deutronomy has been overruled since Jesus came? Sorry, am still abit green and dont know the meaning of the law and its relevance.

Answer 1

For Christians, Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament and has given a new law (which is not altogether "new"): Love God above all things; love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus teaches that God is Father -- Daddy! -- and cares for each of us. The example of the lilies of the field and the birds of the air is meant to teach us how much God cares for each of us.

In the Acts of the Apostles, when the Church community gathers at the Council of Jerusalem to decide whether gentile converts to Christianity must first become Jews and accept the Mosaic Law, the decision is "No." Deuteronomy no longer has force among the followers of Jesus.

If it is true that parents provide the body of a child but God provides the immortal soul, it is only reasonable that God would not condemn any such child He has helped to create.

Reason as well as Faith help us to know that no one is rejected by God simply because of the conditions of birth.

Answer 2

It's important to not just go with your feelings on questions like this. If the Bible appears to say that the child is condemned, then it's important to understand why, according to the Bible, that statement doesn't apply to you. It's not enough to say, "Well my church would accept you." You need to have a biblical basis for acceptance. After all, you're citing a biblical basis for condemnation.

So the answer to your question is the fact that the Old Testament Law was given to the Jews, not to Christians. Jesus came to fulfill the Law (Matthew 5) and the Law doesn't apply to Christians (Galatians).

I appreciate the fact that you're concerned about this because of what you read in the Bible. Make sure to keep the Bible your focus and don't just go with what people tell you here or even in your church. Read and understand the Bible and allow it, through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, to guide your decisions.

Answer 3

Julie,

NOT AT ALL!

Those Old Testament peculiarities passed away when Jesus ushered in a NEW Testament. One that invited in even the much loathed Gentile.

So unless you are into killing a lamb each year for your sins, just know that "whosoever will" (John 3:16) means just that!

I would advise you to get out of a church (or get away from a person) that would condemn a child to hell. The Great Savior is the One Who said, "Let the little children come unto Me."

If God can accept a murderer (the Apostle Paul, Moses, David), He will welcome a precious child into His fold.

Find a good Pentecostal Church (Assembly of God, Church of God, or larger non-denominational church) or a solid Baptist church and learn about grace and forgiveness and love.

Just know that your precious child is beloved of the Father....

Answer 4

Dear julie,

The Bible tells us that ALL men are sinners. We have all broken God's commandments and under the wrath of God. The penalty for breaking God's commandments is to spend eternity in hell. That is where ALL mankind is headed, UNLESS Christ becomes their substitute or Saviour. This means that Christ had to endure the equivalent of spending eternity in hell condensed into the hours between the Garden of Gethsemanae and when He said, "It is finished" on the cross.

Christ did NOT pay for the sins of every person because the Bible tells us that there will be many in hell. He did pay for the sins of a great number of people that the Bible calls "His sheep" or "the elect" or saints. We read in Revelation 7:9, "After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;"

As for your child, the Bible tells us that God is no respector of persons. God saves people on an individual basis-He knows how many hairs are on our heads. David's child that was born out of wedlock and then died went to heaven as 2 Samuel 12:23 states: "But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me."

Also remember that Ruth (a moabitess) was saved by the Lord. Moabites were not to enter the congregation for 10 generations but she was saved and married Boaz and had a son that was a progenitor of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Answer 5

I don't know what DEU (Deuteronomy?) is but I hope that is not the case as my mother was not married when she had me 47 years ago. I have children who are at the age of having their own children.
One of the definitions of condemned is "To express strong disapproval of" I liken that to the frustration of a parent when the child does something wrong. Like God does w/ us. Also, since the bible was written so long ago, sometimes we interpret it in a different way than it was meant to be interpreted. Jesus came to do away with the "law". I appreciate my freedom in Christ. I consider myself to be more of a New Testament Christian. There are good things in the OT but like I said, Jesus came to do away with all those OLD ways of thinking so that we COULD have freedom in Christ. :)

Answer 6

According to who?? Who is DEU.

Most Christian Churches believe in the grace of God. If your child was concieved in sin, then you ask God to forgive you. There some great accounts in the Bible of men who were born out of wedlock...like King David..he said he was concieved in sin. But God loved him and blessed him and used his life in a mighty way.

Maybe find a different church.

The whole curse thing...well, you need to pray about that. There are generational curses on families but they can be broken. Think of these curses more like reoccurring situations. For example, you're great grandmother became preg. before she was married. Then your mom did, then you had a child. (not saying this is the case, just an example). Somewhere along the way, in your family, the value of being married before having sex was not taught or not considered importnant. It's like, no one in your family went to college...it was not something that was expected or education wasn't considered valuable. You want to change that with your family. Teach them the values you want them to have, even if they were not the values you were taught. Somewhere along the way, some one has to decide to change things.

Answer 7

No, that's not the case. Your child is covered by the grace of God through a relationship with Jesus Christ. If your church doesn't treat you just as it treats everyone else, then find a different church.

Our church attracts a large number of single parents because our goal is to have people "come as they are" and we understand it's not our job to change people!

Answer 8

We are not under the law anymore- but under the grace of Jesus Christ. If you are a born again christian and want to go to church, your child is always welcomed in a bible teaching church that holds to the truth.

Answer 9

GOD is not a respecter of persons, and would NEVER hold a child's birth circumstances against him/her.

The CHURCH can be a different story. Some will feel the same as God, others will not.

Answer 10

The, "church of 'GOD'", believes no such thing. This teaching is not Biblical. It is actually ANTI-CHRIST, in thought and doctrine. I am thankful that I am a member of the, "church of 'GOD'", and defy anyone to show me where in the New Testament it says such a thing.