For the Christian

Some of you may assume that I am writing a political post. Certain people or parties take passionate stands on the abortion issue as either pro-life or pro-choice. This is the first of a two part discussion on abortion: the first part will address the topic from a Biblical standpoint; the second will address it from a non-Christian viewpoint.

Before I start to address this, I want to give a disclaimer. Any time I speak or write on this subject I want people to know that there is grace, love, and forgiveness from Jesus Christ for anyone who has had an abortion, including fathers. Too often Christians speak about this topic (and many other topics) with only condemnation, and forget to offer the grace and mercy that come from Jesus.

If you confess your sin, Jesus will forgive you of every sin you have committed. Remember that even the Apostle Paul himself at one time was not only a murderer, but a murderer of Christians. He was confronted by God, confessed, repented, and  became one of the most well-known Christians used by God in the history of the world.

David had Uriah killed. He later grieved over it, and repented deeply, which we find in Psalm 51. David was also called “a man after God’s own heart.” These are the transformational stories we need to hear when we talk about grave sins, compete with  repentance and renewal. In regards to this topic, I want to point you back to my post on justice.

How should a Christian view  abortion? Let’s lay out several points. God is our ultimate Creator, and we do not have business unjustly destroying His creation. Both Job and the Psalmists reflect on how God made them as individuals. Job 33:4 says, “The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.”  Psalms 100:3 says, ”Know that the LORD, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.” Then the psalmist says in Psalm 139:13 “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.” Not only is our God a Creator, but He is a caring Creator. I love how the Psalmist uses the phrase “you knitted me” in Psalm 139:13. This poetic phrase has the idea of someone that not only made us, but did so carefully, artistically, and specifically.

Because God is our Creator, we are made in His image. Genesis 1:27 says, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”  Much like Psalm 139:13, this God is not just producing something in factory fashion. God is making us in His image. We are divinely created to reflect Him (our Heavenly Father). To unjustly destroy a being made in God’s image is to destroy God’s image itself.

Christians are called to defend the weak. Psalm 82:3 says “Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute.” Christians need to be active in ending this horrific sin. Although the number of abortions has decreased over the years, I would still call a fetal holocaust.

It is unfortunate that there are very few good books available on abortion. A lot of times Christians are very emotional about this issue, and rightly so. That being said, we need to be able to rightly think about issues, and then discuss them with those who have opposing views both rationally, logically, and in a way which is emotionally sound.

If you were to only read one book on the subject, I would highly recommend Abortion: A Rational Look at An Emotional Issue by the late R.C. Sproul. It is well thought-out, and looks at the logical and rational side of things in regards to this issue, and is where I have gleaned a lot of information regarding this series.

Christian, my question to you is this:  What do you know about abortion? How are you working to defend against this great sin? Would you be able to Scripturally defend your reason against it? Would you be able to rationally and logically discuss the issue with someone who does not believe the Bible? If not, I hope you will read next week’s article to glean that information.

I want to leave you with a quote which William Wilberforce gave to the House of Commons in 1791 concerning  the need to end slavery. I believe this could be an inspiration to those who would fight for the lives of the unborn. “Never, never will we desist till we…extinguish every trace of this bloody traffic [slavery], of which our posterity, looking back to the history of those enlightened times, will scarce believe that it has been suffered to exist so long as disgrace and dishonor to this country.”

Thanks for taking time to read this Maddening Theology post. If you enjoyed this content you can find Pastor Tim’s sermons at www.cornerstoneforestcity.org. You can also join us at 520 Marion St. Browndale, PA 18421 on Sundays at 10:45 AM. To make following the blog easier you can also register to have it sent directly to you. You can also join us on Facebook at Cornerstone Forest City. Also, don’t forget to download our APP on iTunes  or Googleplay.