Abortion and homosexuality seem to be the moral topics of our age. Many Christians disagree on how to address these issues, while many non-Christians don't see any problem with either. Part of the struggle among Christians is that the Bible's thesis is not necessarily abortion or homosexuality. I, however, would argue that the thesis--God's love for humanity and disgust with sin, perfectly demonstrated in the Cross--touches both of these topics. Scripture is sufficient in addressing every topic we can think of, but Scripture is not necessarily about every topic. For instance, abortion is not specifically named in Scripture. "Maybe there was no abortion in Bible times," one may say. Not true. From my understanding of the Roman Empire, infanticide and abortion, in fact, were fairly common and innocuous.
But, despite abortion not being mentioned in the Bible, Scriptural principles can be used to make a case against abortion. The trouble is, the evidence for a case requires some logic and work to put together, which indicates something. What this indicates is that the Bible treats abortion as a secondary issue. I am not insinuating abortion is right, but I am suggesting Christians can get in trouble if they center their faith around fighting abortion. More about this later. For now--a Biblical case against abortion.
Murder is wrong
The Bible unequivocally denounces murder--the premeditated unlawful killing of another person. Genesis 9:6 gives us some logic for this: "God made man in his own image". A Biblical worldview tells us why killing cattle for hamburgers and killing babies for avoidance of responsibility are completely different issues. Humans are made in the image of God; cattle, trees, and lions are not. Humanity is truly, according to the Bible, the pinnacle of God's creation, and murdering humans is one of the gravest sins--as the Ten Commandments teach us.
Is abortion murder?
When one looks to the Bible, he learns that God clearly considers murder wrong. The question is then: Is abortion murder? This is truly the question at hand when we discuss the morality of abortion. Fortunately, I would have a hard time finding anyone that believes murder is a good thing, but it would not be very difficult to find someone that believes abortion is a social good. The social good crowds' justification will probably center around the woman's right to do as she pleases with her body. Or maybe the justification will come through statistics about abortion's positive effects on crime rates.
To the women's rights group, I would present the truth that we are not our own. Yes, the baby is in the mother's womb, but the mother is a steward of both her body and that baby. God has given us many gifts--mental, physical, material, spiritual--that we are called to tend responsibly. This is a paradigm shift. If my body belongs to God, I better figure out how God wants me to use it. If my mind belongs to God, I better figure out how God wants me to use it. If my time belongs to God, I better figure out how God wants me to use it. If my sexuality and reproductive capabilities belong to God, I better figure out how God wants me to use them. As a male, will I ever comprehend the responsibility and gift it is to carry a life in my womb for months? No, but the truths are still true, and I can communicate them regardless of whether I will ever intimately experience their application.
To the social good crowd, I would present the truth that the end does not always justify the means. What's to stop me from eliminating your race (the means) if doing so will create a "better" society (the end)? That's what we are talking about here. Is a dip in robberies (the end) worth killing the unborn (the means) before they are given a chance to make right decisions? Are children born to poor unmarried teenagers going to be more likely to commit crimes? Probably. This is logical, but we must not jump to the easiest solution. The easiest solution is spending a morning ending this child's life, the more difficult, and correct, solution is putting structures in place to support these children when they are born. Is this going to be easy or cheap? No, but properly dealing with problems is often difficult and expensive.
Before I go any further, I do want to explain that abortion decisions are not always black and white. What about in the case of rape? Is it fair for the female to go through more suffering (having the child) after her initial suffering? I don't know, and would only feel comfortable speaking into these situations on a case by case basis. What about if there is a 95% chance that the mother and baby will die if the mother goes forward with the pregnancy? I don't know, and like rape, would feel more comfortable thinking it through on a case by case basis. The Bible does not give us any case studies that are incredibly prescriptive in these instances, but I do believe the Bible condemns murder, and speaks of fetuses as humans, and therefore condemns abortion. We must approach the potentially grey situations--rape, maternal fatality--with an understanding that there is a real black (abortion) and white (life) or we will not prayerfully think through the grey.
I mentioned that I believe the Bible speaks of fetuses as human, there are 4 passages that I want to cite to support this.
But, despite abortion not being mentioned in the Bible, Scriptural principles can be used to make a case against abortion. The trouble is, the evidence for a case requires some logic and work to put together, which indicates something. What this indicates is that the Bible treats abortion as a secondary issue. I am not insinuating abortion is right, but I am suggesting Christians can get in trouble if they center their faith around fighting abortion. More about this later. For now--a Biblical case against abortion.
Murder is wrong
The Bible unequivocally denounces murder--the premeditated unlawful killing of another person. Genesis 9:6 gives us some logic for this: "God made man in his own image". A Biblical worldview tells us why killing cattle for hamburgers and killing babies for avoidance of responsibility are completely different issues. Humans are made in the image of God; cattle, trees, and lions are not. Humanity is truly, according to the Bible, the pinnacle of God's creation, and murdering humans is one of the gravest sins--as the Ten Commandments teach us.
Is abortion murder?
When one looks to the Bible, he learns that God clearly considers murder wrong. The question is then: Is abortion murder? This is truly the question at hand when we discuss the morality of abortion. Fortunately, I would have a hard time finding anyone that believes murder is a good thing, but it would not be very difficult to find someone that believes abortion is a social good. The social good crowds' justification will probably center around the woman's right to do as she pleases with her body. Or maybe the justification will come through statistics about abortion's positive effects on crime rates.
To the women's rights group, I would present the truth that we are not our own. Yes, the baby is in the mother's womb, but the mother is a steward of both her body and that baby. God has given us many gifts--mental, physical, material, spiritual--that we are called to tend responsibly. This is a paradigm shift. If my body belongs to God, I better figure out how God wants me to use it. If my mind belongs to God, I better figure out how God wants me to use it. If my time belongs to God, I better figure out how God wants me to use it. If my sexuality and reproductive capabilities belong to God, I better figure out how God wants me to use them. As a male, will I ever comprehend the responsibility and gift it is to carry a life in my womb for months? No, but the truths are still true, and I can communicate them regardless of whether I will ever intimately experience their application.
To the social good crowd, I would present the truth that the end does not always justify the means. What's to stop me from eliminating your race (the means) if doing so will create a "better" society (the end)? That's what we are talking about here. Is a dip in robberies (the end) worth killing the unborn (the means) before they are given a chance to make right decisions? Are children born to poor unmarried teenagers going to be more likely to commit crimes? Probably. This is logical, but we must not jump to the easiest solution. The easiest solution is spending a morning ending this child's life, the more difficult, and correct, solution is putting structures in place to support these children when they are born. Is this going to be easy or cheap? No, but properly dealing with problems is often difficult and expensive.
Before I go any further, I do want to explain that abortion decisions are not always black and white. What about in the case of rape? Is it fair for the female to go through more suffering (having the child) after her initial suffering? I don't know, and would only feel comfortable speaking into these situations on a case by case basis. What about if there is a 95% chance that the mother and baby will die if the mother goes forward with the pregnancy? I don't know, and like rape, would feel more comfortable thinking it through on a case by case basis. The Bible does not give us any case studies that are incredibly prescriptive in these instances, but I do believe the Bible condemns murder, and speaks of fetuses as humans, and therefore condemns abortion. We must approach the potentially grey situations--rape, maternal fatality--with an understanding that there is a real black (abortion) and white (life) or we will not prayerfully think through the grey.
I mentioned that I believe the Bible speaks of fetuses as human, there are 4 passages that I want to cite to support this.
- When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Luke 1:41
- This verse describes a fetus--in this case John the Baptist--as a baby, and other translations use the word children.
- As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Luke 1:44
- This verse closely follows--in the sequence of Scripture--the one previously cited and goes a step further. It attributes a personal attribute, in this case joy, to a fetus. Much of the discussion with regards to abortion revolves around which stages are justified. Can an embryo be aborted before 5 weeks? Can a fetus be aborted before 12 weeks? Can a fetus be aborted right up until birth? I imagine, thankfully, that the killing of a newborn is morally repulsive to most, so where do we draw the line? We are not just an amalgamation of cells, we are capable of love, joy, and hope. When do babies take on these attributes that transcend anatomy? I don't know, and would rather err on the side of caution--no abortion at any time--than liberty--righteous abortion before a certain stage in the pregnancy. It should be noted that the fetus, in this passage, was about 6 months old at the time of his leaping for joy.
- "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as prophet to the nations." Jeremiah 1:5
- In this verse God is speaking directly to the prophet Jeremiah. From it we learn that God knew Jeremiah even before Jeremiah was a fetus. Now I am not comfortable making the leap to an application that says God knows every single one of us before conception, but it is at least within His power. If God can know us before we are even fetuses, can a fetus be anything less than a human?
- "Anyone who strikes a person with a fatal blow is to be put to death....If people are fighting and hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman's husband demands and the court allows. But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise." Exodus 21:12;22-25
- This passage describes a component of the law God gave to the nation of Israel. The law given to the Israelites is no longer binding for Christians but is nevertheless filled with wisdom. I included verse 12 to illustrate the prescription of death for one that is tried and convicted justly of murder. This is instructive for our current view of the death penalty, but not the focus here. The focus is on abortion, which can be informed by verses 22-25. These verses illustrate that the same punishment was issued to those who harmed the unborn as the born--a life for a life, an eye for an eye, so forth. It seems God deemed the unborn equally eligible for legal protection as the born.
What should be our response?
Hopefully these passages provide strong evidence that God views the unborn as fully human and significant. If this is God's view, then killing them is synonymous with murder of adults. If not synonymous, then probably worse because the Bible commands the protection of the weak and defenseless. The question is then: How do we, as those who view abortion to be morally wrong, respond? When we are asking this question I believe it is helpful to differentiate between the roles of the individual and church from that of the government.
Personal/church
When thinking on the individual's and church's role in confronting abortion, I want to present 4 words for consideration:
Abstain
Abstinence is a word one may recoil from due to his skepticism of its effectiveness in addressing teenage pregnancies. Within sex education, some people encourage abstinence--complete avoidance of premarital sex, while others encourage safe sex. The safe sex folks point to the failure of abstinence. But the failure of us to achieve God's standard does not mean His standard needs to change, we need to change. God calls for abstinence from premarital sex and abortion, therefore we should abstain.
Inform
It is plausible that aggressive anti-abortion tactics have escalated the tensions surrounding this topic. I commend the courage and devotion of those that take to the streets and visit abortion clinics to protest abortion, but I am not convinced this is the best approach. We must be sure we are presenting grace and forgiveness with our condemnation and judgment. Is abortion wrong? Yes. Do people know that Christians typically believe this? Yes. Do people know that we and God love them? I am not so sure. It is my opinion that informing trumps protesting and arguing. Informing is one of the most loving things we can do. Inform people that Jesus loves them. Inform people that Jesus died for their sins. Inform people that they have a Heavenly Father if they accept His gift of Jesus. Inform people that the Heavenly Father has standards. Inform people that abortion violates the Father's standards. Inform and show people that you love them like your Heavenly Father loves you. A loving and informative posture will probably be more convicting than a forceful and judgmental one.
Adopt
As I try to put myself in the shoes of a 15 year-old pregnant girl, I empathize. Imagine not being rooted in loving community while facing an unwanted pregnancy. Abortion may look like the only option to a girl that is staring at a teenage pregnancy. As Christian individuals and as churches we can give hope by opening our homes wide to adopted children. Do we need to adopt 20 children per family? No, let's be realistic. But how much unused capacity do we have to give a loving home to society's unwanted? An adoptive church is an answer to the adoption as a social good argument and gives options to the strong women that want to avoid abortion but lack the means to care for a child.
Love
The previously listed words are summed up by love. The loving child of God abstains from things that detest Him. The loving friend and citizen informs those around her of God's truth. The loving friend and citizen tells people God loves them and hates abortion. The loving friend and citizen tells people that they can be forgiven even if they were involved in a past abortion. The loving friend and citizen also does what is in their power to promote adoption. These issues are complicated but thoughtful action motivated by love is always the answer. Christians are Christ's ambassadors, and it is our call to spread truth and unselfishness into areas infested with lies and selfishness. We are truly not our own.
Government
I think we must be clear that a Christian's personal response to abortion is not necessarily going to be the response of the government. Now, should we strive for godly laws in our land? Yes. Should we expect the laws to always mirror our convictions? No. This is the reality of living in a democracy that protects freedom of religion. If you want to worship freely, then you mustn't become indignant when society does not share all your views. If you want your society to share all your views you may want to move to a place where the government prescribes the entire citizenry's opinions. In a land that permits freedom of opinions, we must strive to inform others why our views are best. We must inform people why abortion is wrong, and also strive for government to be an institution that does two things:
1) Government has been uniquely granted the responsibility of promoting good and punishing bad (Romans 13:1-4). Whenever we are thinking through an issue related to government we must ask ourselves if good is being rewarded and bad is being punished. In other words, is justice being promoted? With the issue of abortion, what can realistically be done to suppress bad (abortion) and promote good (life)?
2) Government has a unique responsibility to protect life and property. As illustrated in Exodus 21, God explicitly gave the Israelites laws and just punishments for this purpose. With the issue of abortion, it is pretty clear--supposing we define a fetus as living--that life is not being protected. We should work to rectify this.
Lastly, we must recognize values influence laws as laws influence values. One of the reasons that certain laws do not exist is because it is too costly and difficult to enforce them--think the failure of alcohol prohibition and the current struggle to prohibit marijuana. If the citizenry largely holds abortion to be an abomination, then the citizenry will police itself and make a law prohibiting abortion enforceable. If the majority of the citizenry holds abortion to be acceptable, enforcing its prohibition is going to be costly and discouraging and the practice will not necessarily go away but become more dangerous as it moves underground. Hearts and minds are much more malleable under the influence of love and logic than under law and force. If you truly want the laws of the land changed, it is better to lead with love and logic. Law and force should be the last resort and will be much more effective is love and logic have run their course.
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