Years ago my mother was encouraged to have an abortion. She struggled with her health. She had two previous pregnancies. Her first resulted in a child with severe mental handicap and her second resulted in a miscarriage. This new pregnancy would certainly be difficult and the doctors could not guarantee the health of the mother or the child. Yet, here I am. Everyday I thank the Lord that my mother believed in the sanctity of human life, even if it meant her own life. She loved me enough to risk everything just to give me a chance at life.
Yes, I am Pro-Life. I want every child to have the chance at life that I was granted. I make no apologies for that. I stand for life. Every child is precious. Every child is made in the image of God and therefore has purpose, value and worth. Every single child. Every single human being without exception.
I also am not ashamed of the fact that my pro-life views are deeply rooted in Scripture. The Bible is the ultimate standard of truth, it is the standard by which all things are judged. So, let’s take a very brief look at what three principles the Scriptures teach.
Number 1 – Children are A Gift from God
Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. – Psalm 127:3
Children are not accidents or punishments. Children should be seen as precious gifts from the Lord. In our fallen world, this may be difficult to grapple with. When we consider economic struggles, shame, rape, or incest, it hard to see something anything as a gift in some situations. But the Word of God is still true. The blessing of a child often overcomes such struggles. I have spoken to many moms who thank the Lord that they were able to make the right decision in a bad circumstance.
By the way, church, this is where we come in. The birth of a child is commitment. We are insisting women carry their pregnancies to term, we ought to be the first to place our arms around them and help as much as we can. Let’s make sure daily needs are met along with spiritual and emotional needs are addressed as well. This means real ministry in awkward situations. It also means getting to know those around us instead of merely hanging out in our holy bunkers hiding from the rest of the world. Loving your neighbors first involves knowing your neighbors.
Number 2 – Life in the Womb Comes From God
Thus says the Lord who made you, who formed you from the womb and will help you – Isaiah 44:2
No one is an accident. No child who is conceived is an accident. What a horrible thing to say. Every child is a creation of God – a purposeful creation of God. God does all things through His own will. Children are created by design and purpose from God Himself. We are also promised His help. I understand that not all children are born into ideal situations. But we do have the promise of God’s help. Every child has hope. No child has to grow up thinking he or she is trapped in a particular situation.
Again, church, this is where we come in. I grew up in less than ideal situations including poverty and abuse. But there were many within my local church who took an interest in me and invested their lives into mine. That was what made all the difference. Let’s get into our communities, congregations and spheres of influence. We can drop the judgmentalism and show some compassion and genuine love.
Number 3 – Those in the Womb are Called Children
And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, – Luke 1:41
Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. – Matthew 1:18
As you do not know the way the spirit comes to the bones in the womb of a woman with child, so you do not know the work of God who makes everything. – Ecclesiastes 11:5
The baby. The child. When Scripture refers to what is inside the womb it always uses human terms. This world will tell you this merely a clump of cells or a fetus or something less than actual human life. The Bible rejects all of that. We are talking about real life. When a mother miscarries, there is oftentimes great sorrow and mourning. Why? These women are not mourning a mere clump of cells. They mourn the loss of a child.
Of course this little blog post barely even scratches the service of a very deep and complex issue. There are many great resources out there for those that want to dig a little deeper but I thought I would at least put a few thoughts down here to get the ball rolling
The Thompsonian Times 