God's Creation of Sin and Universal Salvation

God did not create sin, nor is the purpose of His creation the universal salvation of every individual human. While Scripture and the Reformed tradition affirm that God is sovereign over all things, He is not the author of sin [2, 3]. Rather, He permitted the introduction of sin for wise and benevolent reasons that remain largely unrevealed to us [5].

It is important to clarify that God is perfectly holy and incapable of tempting anyone to sin [2, 3]. When we consider why God allowed the existence of evil, we must acknowledge that our finite minds are incapable of a complete explanation [2, 3]. We know that God could have prevented the fall of man, yet He chose to permit it [3, 5]. In doing so, He is not rendered the author of sin, nor does He lack power or benevolence; instead, He demonstrates His glory, righteousness, and mercy in the way He disposes of the consequences of sin and brings good out of the misery caused by it [1, 3, 6].

The existence of sin is not a failure of God’s plan, but an occasion which God uses with wonderful skill for His own holy ends [4]. As Augustine notes, God’s goodness is showcased through His ability to crown those who stand, set right those who fall, and bring forth a race of saints who worship Him with an ingenuous inclination rather than by slavish necessity [1].

---

For context: While Reformed theology emphasizes God's sovereign permission of sin for His own glory, Thomas Aquinas approaches this through the lens of God's justice, noting that God does not take pleasure in the loss of man itself, but in the manifestation of His justice and the greater good that ensues [6]. Arminius, writing from a different tradition, suggests that God prevents sin in ways that do not violate the primitive constitution of man’s free will, framing the discussion around the necessity of preserving human freedom [4].

The provided sources do not contain a direct word from God or specific theological instruction regarding those who choose not to have children.

The texts provided focus on the understanding that children are a blessing and a gift from God, rather than the result of human strength or nature [2, 4, 5]. Authors like Luther and Manton emphasize that both the ability to conceive and the blessing of children should be acknowledged as the work of God’s providence, cautioning against viewing children as merely a natural occurrence [2, 4, 5]. While these texts speak to the blessing of fruitfulness, they do not address the conscience or the standing of those who choose to remain childless [2, 4, 6].

I hope this helps clarify what the provided material says—and does not say—on this particular topic.

The provided sources do not offer a direct list of specific Scriptures, as their primary focus is discussing the nature, necessity, and challenges of doing theology itself.

While you are asking to look at Scripture instead of theological systems, the authors in this collection—such as Richard Baxter and Pope Leo XIII—actually argue that the two are inseparable [3, 5]. They emphasize that theology should be "pervaded and animated" by the Word of God, and that for the Christian, holding to the language of Scripture is essential for understanding the truth [3, 5].

These writers suggest that when we attempt to separate our understanding of God from a systematic study of His Word, we risk falling into "religious haziness" or "moral laziness" [4]. According to this view, it is not a matter of choosing between Scripture and theology, but rather the duty of the Christian to use their reason to realize the revelation found in Scripture [4, 5]. In this sense, these sources contend that theology is simply the effort to put the truths we know about God into a coherent system [1].

The Reformed tradition warns against using one's faith as a justification for taking unnecessary risks, specifically cautioning that those who do so may be guilty of "tempting God." Rather than relying on God's providence to justify impulsive or reckless financial decisions, Scripture teaches that we are to act with wisdom and responsibility [1].

According to James Ussher, those who "thrust themselves upon unnecessary dangers" are guilty of tempting God, as is anyone who depends on God's immediate providence without any warrant from His Word [1]. When you take risks—such as investing all of your money into a business venture—with the assumption that God is obligated to protect you from the consequences, you are essentially demanding that God intervene in a way He has not promised [1, 6]. Wilhelmus a Brakel notes that when we face difficult or doubtful decisions, we are not to seek extraordinary signs or tempt God; instead, we must "abide by the Word of God" and act only in accordance with what we can do by faith, rather than by reckless chance [6].

Thomas Watson further addresses the heart behind such financial choices, pointing out that if a person risks everything—or engages in sinful means—out of a distrust that God cannot provide for them through lawful, diligent work, they are revealing a serious spiritual misalignment [5]. Seeking to improve one's livelihood is a duty, but it must be done with care, as we are called to be faithful stewards of the resources God has given us [1, 4]. William Law reminds us that money is a "talent" from God, and spending or risking it without reason and religion effectively turns a useful tool into a means of corrupting oneself [4].

The underlying principle here is that we must not conflate presumption with faith [1]. We are called to "give charge" to trust in the living God, not in uncertain riches, while simultaneously practicing stewardship and good works with what we have [3]. I hope this helps you consider how to align your decisions with the wisdom of the Word rather than the temptation of high-stakes risk.

The word of God speaks of debt primarily as a metaphor for our sin, illustrating that we owe an insurmountable debt to God that we are entirely unable to pay on our own [1, 2, 3].

When we pray, "forgive us our debts," we are acknowledging our transgressions against God’s commandments [5]. This debt of sin is described as "inexcusable" because it cannot be denied—God records our sins in the book of conscience, and we have no means to satisfy the justice that our disobedience requires [1, 2, 3]. Because the penalty for this sin is death, we are compared to captives imprisoned by a "strong one" or a child born in distress, utterly unable to liberate ourselves [3].

However, the Scriptures point to Christ as our Surety who has paid this debt in full [6]. By His obedience, He satisfied the Father, meaning that once our debts are forgiven through Him, they are truly canceled [5, 6].

Regarding financial or "pecuniary" debts between people, the Bible teaches us to act with mercy rather than an oppressive spirit [4]. While there is a right to claim what is owed, the spirit of Christianity requires that we do not push for payment when it would cause severe distress to others—such as to widows, orphans, or those who have been struck by calamity and truly cannot pay [4]. In this way, our interactions with others regarding money should reflect the same mercy that God has shown us in forgiving our far greater debt of sin [4].

The Bible teaches that we must be careful not to mistake our own intense or headstrong impulses for the leading of the Holy Spirit. When people follow their own spirit and ideas while claiming they are from God, they often end up running toward their own destruction [10].

The Spirit’s motion is never "absolute or peremptory," but is always submissive to the way of trial prescribed in the Word of God [6]. Motions that are "head-strong and irregular"—those that aim for an end without respecting the prescribed means—are not from the Spirit, but originate from ourselves or the devil [6]. Scripture confirms this by showing that the Spirit never divides the end from the means; for example, Paul instructs Timothy to give himself to reading and study as a way of fulfilling his ministry [6].

If you push your own intense, unsupported desires onto others, you risk driving them away or deceiving them, as many "seducing spirits" can appear as an angel of light to stir people up to use essentially good thoughts in an erroneous manner [10]. As the prophet Zechariah warns, when people refuse to hearken to God’s actual voice and instead follow their own stubborn counsels, they "pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears" [3, 4]. It is a dangerous error to claim that one's own wrath or irregular impulses are the "zeal of the Spirit," and doing so is an injury to the Spirit that God will not tolerate [8].

The surest way to avoid these pitfalls is to keep the Word of God as your infallible rule and to ensure that any "call" you perceive carries with it a corresponding capacity and suitability for the task, as the call of the Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit always go together [6, 10].