According to Yale Medicine, “Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy before the fetus can survive outside the uterus. It can occur spontaneously, often called a miscarriage, or be induced intentionally through medical or surgical procedures.”
On the surface, an issue like is abortion a sin appears to be very black and white. However, if you peel back the layers, you recognize there’s complexity to this query. This query forces us to not only consider the act of abortion, but we must also think in regards to the women who’re contemplating this or can have even had abortions.
To hammer home the purpose that abortion is a sin might be condemning, but to not address it in any respect could make it seem that you just are being permissive. I don’t think either of those positions is where we should always land. I have to say I’m not attempting to advocate for abortion, but I don’t wish to demonize a lady who can have had one either. While we cannot ignore the fact of what abortion is, we cannot forget our responsibility shouldn’t be simply to indicate sin, but to supply hope for many who could also be trapped in it.
While it is vitally easy simply to say abortion is a sin, we must do greater than that. I don’t think we do that conversation any justice without considering the explanations people imagine abortion is their best choice. This is even further magnified by a study by Care Net that identified that 4 out of 10 women who had an abortion attend church not less than once a month. This means some women who’re considering abortion could also be sitting right next to you within the pew on Sunday morning. So, where is the road that we must navigate between identifying sin and offering hope, because that is how we must approach this discussion.
What Does the Bible Say in regards to the Sanctity of Life?
It is evident from scripture that God values human life. This does not only mean the lifetime of a baby within the womb, however the lives of each human once they’re outside the womb as well. This also includes the lifetime of the mother, even when she has had an abortion. In God’s eyes, every life is very important, and when Jesus got here to die, he died for everybody. There is not any life that’s more worthwhile than one other because God sees all of them the identical.
Here is what the Bible tells us about human lives.
Every human life is created within the image of God:
- “So God created mankind in his own image, within the image of God he created them; female and male he created them” (Gen. 1:27). Life begins contained in the womb and has purpose.
- “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I’m fearfully and splendidly made; your works are wonderful, I do know that full well” (Psalm 139:13-14).
“Before I used to be born the Lord called me; from my mother’s womb he has spoken my name” (Isa. 49:1).
God values humans above all other creation:
- Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not certainly one of them will fall to the bottom outside your Father’s care. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you’re price greater than many sparrows (Matt. 10:29-31)
Does the Bible Specifically Mention Abortion?
The Bible may not specifically mention the word abortion, but it surely speaks volumes in regards to the value of human life. Throughout Scripture, we see the sanctity of life upheld, even from the very starting. God’s intimate involvement in creation is evident in the way in which he fastidiously created man. Any conversation about abortion must start with this fundamental truth as its foundation. When we understand that each life is precious to God and is understood by God, it gives us a transparent lens through which to view this issue. In God’s eyes, life is sacred, and this attitude shapes how we approach and understand the complex conversations surrounding abortion.
How Do Christian Beliefs Influence Views on Abortion?
After the sanctity of life, perhaps the best Christian belief that influences the view on abortion is the taking of an innocent human life. One scripture that is commonly referred to is in Proverbs, where one thing God hates is hands that shed innocent blood (Prov. 6:17). I don’t imagine this was written on to people having abortions, but it surely applies in this example. If you take a look at it just from that perspective, then the one conclusion you possibly can come to is that abortion is a sin.
Even if we all know this to be true, the message shouldn’t be getting through because 4 in 10 women who go to church once a month are having an abortion, so clearly something is amiss. That’s why I feel we must address the problems which can be leading women to make this decision and never just stop with saying abortion is a sin.
The commonest Christian arguments against abortion flow out of the assumption of the sanctity of life, which is the muse for lots of these arguments. Here is a brief list of a few of those arguments.
- Life begins at conception
- You shall not murder
- We must protect the vulnerable
- God has a purpose for each life no matter how they were conceived
- Children are a blessing from the Lord
These arguments highlight the essential value of human life from the moment of conception until that person breathes their last breath. All these arguments are valid. However, there continues to be an issue that is still. How can we address this issue that has effects on so many ladies, and the way can we do it in a way that transforms behavior and never just condemns it? These are the harder questions that move this beyond a political talking point. This is a heart and individual issue and we cannot look past those that are wrestling with this decision. This is where grace, empathy, and compassion need to come back to the forefront from those that follow Christ.
How Should Christians Approach the Topic of Abortion?
As Christ followers, we have now a responsibility to deal with this issue, but I might add that how we do it matters just as much. Pastors screaming and yelling from pulpits or people picketing outside abortion clinics shaming the people going into the clinic simply doesn’t work. These methods often lack the grace and compassion this topic deserves. So, how can Christians take care of this issue effectively? Here are just a few suggestions:
Avoid the extremes
Too often we attempt to make this a left-right issue only. Those on the left are against families and are promoting the killing of babies, and people on the proper are pro-family and trying to save lots of the lives of innocent babies. Not only is that this an extreme position, it’s foolhardy to imagine that the one people having abortions are those on the left. When we make broad generalizations like these, they are sometimes unfaithful, hyperbolic in nature, and so they rarely result in productive conversations.
Don’t forget in regards to the person
When issues like abortion turn out to be political talking points, often the people having to make these tough selections usually are not a part of the equation. They almost turn out to be collateral damage within the political game, and it is simple to forget who they’re. One thing I feel we must stop doing is making it look like the alternatives listed below are easy because they aren’t. Whether you select to finish a pregnancy, keep the child, or give the kid up for adoption, these are all life-altering decisions. The very last thing a lady or couple needs in this example is someone brow-beating them over the top, telling them how evil and wicked they’re. This rarely, if ever, works.
In John 8, there was a lady caught within the act of adultery. The indignant mob was able to stone her for her actions. Jesus bent down and wrote something on the bottom after which said, allow you to who’re without sin throw the primary stone (Jn. 8:7). With that, everyone dropped their stones and walked away. What Jesus showed on this instance was compassion for the lady. We must do the identical thing. Not glossing over the sin but offering hope and restoration for many who are contemplating abortion or who can have already done it. While it’s okay to have passion for a selected issue, we want to have compassion if we’re going to succeed in those that are coping with this.
This is a spiritual issue, not a political one
Changing laws won’t change people’s attitude towards abortion. Since Roe v. Wade was overturned, peoples’ positions and attitudes towards abortion haven’t wavered. If anything, people have turn out to be more entrenched of their position. That’s why we will’t get sucked into the politics because it is a heart issue. We must recognize that hearts don’t change through laws; they alter through transformation. God has positioned us here to be agents of transformation by reconciling people to Christ, and that needs to be on the forefront of all the things we do.
This shouldn’t be a recent issue
We often consider abortion as a 20th or 21st century concern, but the fact is that this has been a difficulty in our country for hundreds of years. The complexities of this issue existed well before Roe v. Wade was ever tried in a courtroom. America’s long and sophisticated history of coping with abortion has been baked into the history and fabric of our country. That’s why the conversation goes beyond radical left vs. conservative right and why we must get past the politics of all of it and take care of the people having to make these selections.
A concluding thought
At the tip of each abortion decision is an actual woman who faces a tremendously difficult decision. Unless you may have needed to face this decision, it shouldn’t be at all times easy to feel the flood of emotions that fills a lady’s heart as she is making this alternative. This means we will’t be quick to evaluate or throw stones, but we should be quick to listen and understand why. The work of coping with abortion is certainly one of grace, compassion, and empathy, not certainly one of anger and judgment. Anger and judgment can feel like the better road to travel down, but they don’t solve the issue because they rarely get to the foundation of the difficulty. When you concentrate on what abortion is, as a follower of Christ, the conclusion is abortion is sin. However, with that being said, that mustn’t change how we address those that are facing this alternative. We can never forfeit our love and compassion. If we lose that, then it doesn’t matter what the law says; we have now probably lost the person, which might have more far-reaching consequences.
Further Reading:
What Does the Bible Say about Abortion?
What Does the Bible Actually Say about Abortion?
20 Bible Verses about Abortion – What Does Scripture Say?
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