“[The] exceedingly foul deed of Onan, the basest of wretches follows [Genesis 38:9, 10]. Onan must have been a malicious and incorrigible scoundrel. This is a most disgraceful sin. It is far more atrocious than incest and adultery. We call it unchastity, Yes a Sodomitic sin. For Onan goes in to her; that is, he lies with her and copulates; and, when it comes to the point of insemination, spills the semen, lest the woman conceive. Surely at such a time the order of nature established by God in procreation should be followed. Accordingly, it was a most disgraceful crime to produce semen and excite the woman, and to frustrate her at that very moment. He was inflamed with the basest spite and hatred. Therefore he did not allow himself to bear that intolerable slavery. Consequently, he deserved to be killed by God. He committed an evil deed. Therefore, God punished him....That worthless fellow...preferred polluting himself with a most disgraceful sin to raising up offspring for his brother.”
Luther, Martin Luthers Works, Volume Seven
“ Today you find many people who do not want to have children. Moreover, this callousness and inhuman attitude, which is worse than barbarous, is met with chiefly among the nobility and princes, who often refrain from marriage for this one single reason, that they might have no offspring. It is even more disgraceful that you find princes who allow themselves to be forced not to marry, for fear that the members of their house would increase beyond a definite limit. Surely such men deserve that their memory be blotted out from the land of the living. Who is there who would not detest these swinish monsters? But these facts, too, serve to emphasize original sin. Otherwise we would marvel at procreation as the greatest work of God, and as a most outstanding gift we would honor it with the praises it deserves.”
Luther, Martin Lectures on Genesis
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Thanks again, God Bless, Soli Deo gloria,
Von
I appreciate the offer but I'm not gifted in that way. I do understand, and agree with, your point about not lightly abandoning the teaching of the elders. That said, I am very concerned about hanging weighty doctrine on small nails. The Levirate law was not about fruitfulness, it was about the physical welfare of widows and the integrity of property. The death of Onan at God's hand was prequel to NT teaching about true righteousness being the care of widows and orphans.
I'm pronatal, 4 kids... With all due respect to Luther, this is no more than deliberate disobedience to God in refusing to produce a son to continue his brother's name. God placed an obligation on His people to protect the widow. and orphan and providing a son to the widow was the best security she could have. Onan rejected the lovingkindness of God in order to protect his own wealth, which itself was a gift from God.
There is plenty of support for God's intent that we be fruitful and fill his good earth. I believe it is unwise, if not dangerous, to repurpose a text to support a cause, no matter how worthy. It is enough to say that God expects to be obeyed and will not overlook rebellion.
Blessings.