The changes in our cultural worldview over the past several decades have been profound. It isn’t hard to see how thoughts and attitudes in our nation have become decidedly more secular and far less biblical.
One way that this ominous trend can be observed is in our national birth rate, which has been steadily declining for seventy years now.
The United States’ total fertility rate — the average number of children women have over their lifetimes — now sits at 1.786. While slightly up from last year’s numbers, we are experiencing the lowest rates recorded since the government began tracking these stats in the 1930s.
We are well below the so-called “replacement-level fertility” — which is between 2.1 and 2.4.
The U.S. is well off of the 1958 level of 3.582, but we are not alone. Countries around the world are having fewer children. This is something Elon Musk has been vocal about, saying he believes declining birth rates are a major threat to civilization.
It is also something Dr. Albert Mohler has addressed frequently, and it was the subject of his podcast back in May, which I highly recommend to you. He claims that “all of current global civilizations are endangered by a falling birth rate.”
He continues to talk about the looming crises we are facing globally, and points out:
… far too many Christians have bought into a frankly secular understanding of the question of children rather than really thinking through these things biblically. Remember this, that the charge that was given to Adam and to Eve was to be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth.
…but we didn’t do that.
We are warned in 2 Timothy 3:1-9 that in the last days, “people will be lovers of themselves…” and in Jude 17-19 “there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” In Matthew 24:12 we are told that the love of many will grow cold.
It is not hard to see how these verses have relevance to our day and this issue of childbearing.
Our culture doesn’t understand God’s purpose for marriage and family, nor do we understand the infinite value of children.
Yet it is our duty as Christians not only to teach our families and churches these biblical truths but also to teach all nations to observe (to do) all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:19-20).
We have much work to do — all for the glory of the Lord!
Read more:
VIDEO: Birthgap (documentary)
The Fertility of the Religious (Breakpoint)
American Fertility Rates Plummet to New Historic Lows (The Sentinel)
U.S. Birth Rate Hit Record Low Last Year, Signaling Surge in Childlessness (LifeSiteNews)
