"Open Embrace" Partially Recanted

In this post, I shared my thoughts about the book "Open Embrace" by Sam and Bethany Torode. My main concern about their position (and where I thought they were being inconsistent) was their promotion of Natural Family Planning, i.e., abstaining during certain periods to avoid pregnancy. I questioned if this could really be right, according to 1 Corinthians 7:5, and agreed with the readers who brought up the unfairness of this practice to women.

Therefore, I find it interesting that after a few years of practicing what they preached, Sam and Bethany have recanted many of their previous positions. In fact, it appears they have done an almost complete about-face regarding some of their views on birth control, and now no longer discourage the use of barrier methods. Quoting:

Many Christians believe that the "self" is totally depraved or fundamentally evil (thank you, Augustine and John Calvin). Shades of this influenced our perspective in Open Embrace and our attraction to NFP. We now fully believe in the power of the Resurrection and we no longer live our lives constantly on the alert for "selfishness." Yes, we are marred by sin, but God has given us new hearts with his image strongly growing in them -- which means our deepest desires are true and good (see Waking the Dead by John Eldredge). One example: wanting to make love to your spouse often is a good thing, but NFP often lays an unfair burden of guilt on men for feeling this.

We still believe in the "language of the body"--which informs our rejection of some aspects of NFP. How is it that spouses are saying "yes" to the gift of each other when they end up abstaining for much of their married lives (from the aforementioned breastfeeding cycles, pregnancy exhaustion, or energy being diverted into raising kids)? We also see honest congruity with the language of the body by saying "no" to conception with our bodies (via barrier methods or sensual massage) when our minds and hearts are also saying "no" to conception. We don’t believe this angers God, nor that it leads to the slippery slope of relativism or divorce. We strongly disagree with the Catholic Church that this is a mortal sin.

Am I reading this right? It seems to me the Torodes are now saying it's perfectly fine to say "no" to conception through the use of birth control, because we Christians have new hearts and therefore unselfish motives. So, we cannot choose to disobey God?

Let me just say...I have been a Christian for twenty years. I DO still have a selfish nature. My heart has not been made perfect...the only perfection in my life is what God imputes to me. God in me is perfect. I am not. He has paid the price for all the sin I have or will ever commit, but that doesn't mean that I won't continue to sin.

I am glad that the Torodes now see the incongruity of their old position on NFP. However, their justification of their new position still bothers me. I'm not saying that I either agree or disagree with the use of barrier contraceptives. And honestly, it doesn't MATTER whether I agree or disagree. It matters what God thinks. Whatever we do, we should seek to honor the Lord, not decide what we want and then change our views on the Bible (or switch around to various denominations) to make us feel better. God's grace in our lives is not because WE are perfect and always make the right choices, but because HE is and does. It seems much wiser for us, as fallen beings saved only by HIS grace, to look solely to Him (through prayer and Bible Study) for His direction in our lives. Not to church denominational leaders, culture, or even tradition. Though these things can serve to reinforce God's direction, they should not replace it.