Our Creator God Series

Concluding Thoughts

As we wrap up this service and our focus on God as our Creator, several concluding thoughts come to mind.

1. If we say that we’re pro-life, we must strive for consistency. We need to value all human life ­ the preborn, orphans, widows, the physically and emotionally challenged, the homeless, those with AIDS, those in prison, and older people.

A professor in a well-known medical school once posed this medical situation ­ and ethical problem ­ to his students: “Here’s the family history: The father has syphilis. The mother has TB. They already have had four children. The first is blind. The second is dead. The third is deaf. The fourth has TB. Now the mother is pregnant again. The parents come to you for advice. They are willing to have an abortion, if you decide they should. What do you say?”

The students gave various individual opinions, and then the professor asked them to break into small groups for some consultation. All of the groups came back to report that they would recommend abortion.

To which the professor responded, “Congratulations, you just ordered the murder of Beethoven!” (This originally appeared in an Ann Landers column).

2. We need to watch our attitudes. Satan is the enemy of life, not doctors, the women who are in favor of abortions, or politicians. It’s way too easy for us to become self-righteous and condemning. As I’ve said before, we’re prone to get angry with people who sin differently than we do. We are often more caustic than Christian in our dealings with people.

A couple years ago, a National Public Radio commentator did a satire on Christians and their views on how the world will end. Not only did he ridicule the varieties of millennial views, but those of us who believe in the Rapture received a special spanking. As far as he was concerned, he said, “The evaporation of 4 million who believe in this would leave the world a better place.” NPR has since apologized to the Christian community. The commentator has refused. Do you know why?

It’s because he is more convinced than ever that he is right. Instead of receiving letters filled with grace or the gospel message, he received thousands of pieces of hate mail from Christians. He’s even received death threats. Friends, as far as I’m concerned, the only thing worse than this commentator’s views is the hate-filled response of believers.

We have to be vigilant in guarding our attitudes on this one, folks. Instead of building bridges with those who are lost, our venom can erect long-standing barriers that keep the gospel message isolated from those who need it most.

3. We need to balance our “prophetic” and “priestly” roles as believers. While we need to speak out against moral concerns in our society, we must also offer love and compassion to those who need help. We need to remember that the primary biblical call is to make disciples, not win arguments.

I’ll never forget an experience I had when I was a student at Moody Bible Institute. Every Saturday, several students from Moody would walk to an Abortion Clinic near the school to provide some sidewalk counseling to women who were headed to the clinic. Whenever we would go, there would be other pro-life groups gathered out in front as well. Some would be picketing, some would be shouting, while still others just came to pray.