Third, to buy into the guiding principle of the Quiverfull Movement is to focus on one purpose for marriage alone to the neglect of others. Yes, Christians are to bear godly offspring, but marriage is not solely for the purpose of procreation.

For example, marriage is a picture of Christ and His relationship with His bride, the church (Eph. 5:22f). Among other dynamics on display in Christian marriage is the headship of Christ, the love of Christ for His bride, His servant leadership, His sacrificial love for His bride, the church's loving submission to her head, and the process of sanctification, etc.

Further, in marriage, a man and woman are brought together to complement one another (Gen. 2:18). They are to share life together for the sake of the gospel as fellow heirs of the grace of life (1 Pet. 3:7). They are to be partners in life. God brings a man and a woman together in marriage for mutual companionship. Indeed, it is not good for man to be alone (Gen. 2:18).

Of course, Paul is very clear that one of the primary purposes for marriage is sexual fulfillment (1 Cor. 7:1f). Paul speaks of desire, duty, and regularity in this area. While making an allowance for the cessation of conjugal relations in marriage for a brief period of time for the purpose of prayer, Paul gives a positive affirmation of conjugal relations in marriage. In light of his practical comments, one may not overlook the fact that it is not always practical, that is beneficial, to cease from those relations. As married couples engage in proper relations they display their faithfulness to one another, fulfill their duty toward one another, submit to their proper authorities in this context (one another), avoid temptation, and in so doing glorify God.

While other purposes for marriage could be listed, the point is that bearing children is not the only purpose. A woman nursing a couple of babies with another on the way would be hard pressed to fulfill her sexual responsibilities to her husband let alone enjoy them at that point.

Fourth, some object to contraception arguing that it is unnatural. The obvious response is that we do many things that are unnatural and not sinful. We wear clothes to keep us warm; we remove diseased organs from our bodies; men shave their beards and women shave their legs, etc. In some of these cases we are preventing our bodies from doing what they do naturally. But, these things are not sinful.