Issues Of Life 1: Abortion Series

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those who are perishing" -Proverbs 31:8, NLT

"The pro life movement did not begin as the result of Roe v. Wade. The pro life movement began in the first century A.D....(The first Christians’) unified opposition to child-killing was unwaveringly and entirely unquestioned." -George Grant (1)

Abortion is perhaps the most divisive social issue of our time. The news media is loaded with images of angry, and unfortunately, sometimes violent conflicts that arise over this issue (2). The emotion behind the abortion debate is understandable to a certain degree. The issue cuts to the heart of how people view life, sex, privacy, politics, religion, and so many other areas.

The genius of the Bible is that it touches on all of these areas. The Bible teaches us that God is the author of life. The sanctity of human life is a prominent theme throughout the Bible. This teaches us principals of compassion that show us how to relate to those in need, which certainly includes both unborn children, as well as women who are faced with crisis pregnancies. As we shall see, the message of the Bible is unequivocally pro life. This is the first of three messages examining how the message of life relates to issues which face us today. Part one deals with abortion, part two with Capital Punishment, and part three with firearms and the military.

The purpose of this message is not to throw stones. If you have had an abortion, there is certainly forgiveness in Jesus. If you, or someone you love, if facing an unwanted pregnancy, there are plenty of compassionate options available.(3) While we must always be ready to show the mercy of Jesus to those in need, our stand for the Biblical pro life message must never be compromised.

This message is also not intended to be a partisan political statement. Life is an issue which transcends political parties and agendas. If you are a Republican, the message of life fits well into your party’s message of family values and personal responsibility. If you are a Democrat, your emphasis on equality and compassion for the needy and oppressed is perfectly consistent with the pro life position. If you are a Libertarian, your philosophy of individual rights and non-aggression could easily extend to the unborn. (4)

"But isn’t it the woman’s choice what to do with her own body?" Contrary to popular belief, being pro life is not about oppressing women. In fact, many early feminist leaders such as Susan B. Anthony, Matilda Gage and Elizabeth Cady-Stanton were staunchly pro life, regarding abortion as an act which devalues human life and in doing so, hinders the progress of women. In a compassionate society, no one, male or female, has the right to use their body to harm an innocent person. This is the key issue of the entire abortion debate. Once all of the political posturing and angry rhetoric has faded, we are still left with the key question: Is the unborn child a living person?

If the unborn child is simply a "cell mass", and abortion is truly a "victimless crime," then of course it should be legal. However, if the unborn child is a living human being, then the whole scenario changes. It is no longer a simple matter of the woman’s body, but it is an innocent human life, created in God’s image, and is entitled to the same rights and protection as any other person. As the adage goes: One person’s right to swing his fist stops at another person’s nose. Similarly, if the unborn child is a person, the rights stop at the edge of the womb, where the innocent life dwells. With this in mind, we strongly encourage you to consider the following:

The unborn child has a completely separate genetic code than that of its mother.

The heart begins beating about 18 days after conception.

After around 40 days, brain waves can be detected.

By two months, all body systems are functioning, and ultrasounds have shown babies sucking their thumbs.

The child is capable of hearing at three months, and by five months, can kick hard enough for the mother to feel it. (5)

Ultimately, the "pro choice" viewpoint is based on logic that is both scientifically and medically obsolete. The more prenatal research technology grows and expands, the more difficult it becomes to argue that there is no life there. One prominent media figure who has embraced the message of life is supermodel Kathy Ireland. On the TV show "Politically Incorrect" she shared how she came to her conclusion:

"I was once pro-choice. And the thing that changed my mind was, I read my husband’s biology books, medical books and what I learned is simply what it states -- this isn’t even morally -- this is pure biology. At the moment of conception, a life starts. And this life has its own unique set of DNA, which contains a blueprint for the whole genetic being. The sex is determined. Now people ask the question, well, is it a human being? We know there’s a life, because it’s growing and changing." (6)