Love
in Action is NOT Abortion
Folks, abortion is a heinous act. The vast
majority of abortions are not done to protect the life of the woman. [1]One study showed that the health of the mother
was the reason for abortion in 12% of the cases. The two most common reasons
given for having an abortion were “The baby would change my life,” (74%), and “I
can’t afford to have a baby now” (73%).[2] As we will see below, abortion is not something foreign
to the Christian community. Indeed, over half of those getting an abortion
identify as “Christian.” I pray if you are a Christian considering abortion the
Lord gets ahold of your heart and changes your mind. Abortion should be the
very last option for a Christian. While an argument can be made for abortion as
an option when the mother’s health is in question, abortion should never be an option
for reasons of convenience. You may take offense at such a statement, but I encourage
you to seek the Lord in such admittedly difficult situations. I pray this
article is instrumental in helping you or a loved one or friend to reconsider
the abortion option.
No Christian should ever vote for someone
or support someone involved in the abortion business. And that is what it is, for the most part, it’s a
business. Do your research. If you’re one of those “woke” people who respond,
“Abortion isn’t the only issue you know,” when it comes to voting or supporting
organizations or a political party affiliation, well, that’s true. There are
“other issues.” But abortion is the only issue that tears a human being
literally limb from limb or poisons a child to death and horrifically takes a
life every time an abortion is done. Abortion is the only issue that traffics in human body
parts and organs at the expense of another human being too weak to resist the
violence of it.
Those who
claim to be “woke,” especially those who claim to be “woke-Christians,” who are
accepting of abortion on demand for whatever reason, need
to watch a video of an abortion. You’ll never be the same. Watch an abortion and you’ll never
think superficially again that abortion is anything but a life and death issue.
If watching an abortion is too much for you, just
visit your local clinic or hospital and watch a sonogram of the living human
being in a womb. Abortion truly is a contemporary holocaust, and the only worse tragedy is the
casualness of “Christians” to relegate it to anything less than the most
important issue of our times.
Now that the SCOTUS is possibly going to,
not even end abortion on demand, but make it a state’s rights issue, where is our Christian
voice to support this limiting of abortion? We need to be praying and standing
up for the little ones that Jesus loves. And yes, we need to practically
support women who are financially needy to help them mother their children. We
need to promote ADOPTION NOT ABORTION. We need to minister to them and extend a
helping hand from the family of God. We need to stop preaching a greedy
self-serving prosperity “gospel” or getting our church talking points from the
trendy world. We need to love our neighbors, most importantly, those in the
womb. There’s no excuse for silence let alone minimizing the severity,
importance and priority of exposing the darkness of abortion in our world. This
issue is truly the epitome of having nothing to do with unfruitful works of
darkness but rather expose them (Ephesians 5:11). Where are you “Christian”?
Why are you silent?
Abortion is a real hot button issue. Given the advances in
sonogram technology it’s clear and undeniable that the womb contains a real
living person, a baby. Those who believe the Bible to be God’s truth and
revelation knew that already (e.g. Psalm 139:13-16). Honest true science is also
on the side of those who speak against abortion-death and for birthing these
children to life. Unfortunately, supporting abortion is not only a matter of
seeing and believing, but also a very emotionally charged issue. The world and
too many “Christians,” focus entirely on the life of the woman to the abject
neglect of the human life in the womb. In so doing, they disregard science as
well as the truth of the Bible.
I encourage you to look at a sonogram of a child in the womb
to see the clear scientific evidence of the reality of human life in the womb. Anyone
who has been pregnant or been around someone who is pregnant knows that the
child in the womb responds to our voices, touch, what is eaten by the pregnant
woman, and other external stimuli. Recent statistics on abortion indicate:
- Based on more
recent data, about 1 in 4 women (24%) will have an abortion by
age 45.
- Additionally, nearly
half of all U.S. abortion patients are in their twenties.
- Adolescents make up
around 12% of abortion patients.
- About 6 out of every 10
women who have an abortion (59%) already have one or more children.
- 51% of abortion patients
were using contraception during the month they became pregnant.
- It’s estimated that about
half of the patients who receive an abortion pay for it out of pocket.
- Over half of abortion
patients (54%) identify as Christian (30% Protestant, 24% Catholic).[3]
That over half of abortion patients identify as “Christian”
is a telling indication of the state of the church in our day. We are warned
that “in the last days perilous times will come.” These times will be marked by
people who love themselves over everything else, and as a result become, “unloving,
. . . without self-control, . . . lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
. . .” They will have a form of godliness but deny its power (2 Timothy 3:1-5).
We are living in perilous times, especially for the yet to be born. That is because
much of the “Christian” church has only a” form of godliness” that in reality denies
the power of the gospel (Romans 1:16).
As far as Biblical evidence relating to abortion is
concerned, the secular and superficially spiritual world should guard against
dismissing its truth on this issue. Even if you don’t believe or appreciate the
Bible, it has been around for millennia, and a vast proportion of the world
still values its contents. Many still see it as “God’s word.” Having said that,
what does the Bible say about life and abortion?
Jesus warned, "Take heed that you do not despise one of
these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the
face of My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 18:10). The phrase
“little ones” (Greek mikra) means small, little, short. It is a
word to describe those short in height (Luke 19:3), young in age (Matthew 18:6,
10, 14), of little influence (Matthew 10:42; Mark 9:42; Luke 17:2), small in
size (Matthew 13:32; James 3:5), small in number (Luke 12:32), little in influence (Revelation 3:8), and short
length of time (Hebrew 10:37). In the context of Jesus use of the word it is
used endearingly of the children around Him. The word “despise” (Greek kataphronesete)
means to possibly despise, think against, to look down upon, to disrespect
someone who deserves respect. Putting it all together, Jesus is warning
against being disrespectful or not appreciating the value of children even
though they are small and have little influence. Jesus taught the sanctity of
human life. The littlest child is the newly conceived child. We should respect
and appreciate them even in their preciously vulnerable delicate weak small
state of life.
In the Old Testament we see destinies determined for those
in the womb. Jacob and Esau struggled within Rebekah while in the womb (Genesis
25:22-23). Jacob was named the “Heel-catcher” because he grasped his brother’s
foot upon his delivery (Genesis 25:24-26). Those who injured a pregnant woman
so that she miscarried were subject to penalty (Exodus 21:22-23). We are told
that it is God who makes human beings in the womb (Job 31:15). This is an
allusion to the sacred recreative process God has designed for humanity. God
oversees children from conception onward (Psalm 22:9-10; Isaiah 44:2, 24). One
of the clearest descriptions of the value of life in the womb is found in psalm
139 where it states:
Psalm 139:13–16 (NKJV)
13 For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me
in my mother’s womb.
14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and
wonderfully made;
Marvelous are
Your works,
And that
my soul knows very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made
in secret,
And
skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet
unformed.
And in Your book
they all were written,
The days
fashioned for me,
When as yet
there were none of them.
A human being, once conceived, is conceived as part of God’s
will. That is true even when conception takes place in an immoral context. Understanding
why God allows conception is some instances may escape us. But if we believe God
is in control, always, it would be wise to consider our circumstances and seek
out His will and plan even when those circumstances are difficult. God is able
to take what was meant for evil and use it for good (e.g. Genesis 50:20). God
is able to cause “all things” to “work together for good to those who love God,
to those who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). This is
true even in the seemingly darkest of situations. With this in mind, in respect
to abortion, consider the call of God, “Do not be overcome by evil, but
overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21).
Children are “a heritage from the LORD” (Psalm 127:3). “Children’s
children are the crown of old men, and the glory of children is their father”
(Proverbs 17:6). What a tragedy it is that so many fathers abandon their
children. What a tragedy it is that so many “fathers to be” are not even
considered in deciding the destiny of children in the womb. Abortion is a
heartbreak all the time for all involved. Even those who see abortion as relief
will one day look with regret over what might have been. Abortion leaves
lasting scars in many ways.
From the start human beings are distinguished from animals,
evolution not withstanding (Genesis 1:20-27). Human beings are distinguished
from animals because of their “spirit” (1 Thessalonians 5:23). Animals are
composed of physical bodies and a degree of working mind. Human beings have not
only bodies and minds that are far more complex than animals, but they also
have the capacity for a spirit that can relate to God. That “spirit” comes to
life when we are born spiritually.
When we look at the Biblical account of history we see that
God called many “from the womb” to serve Him. We see this in the case of Isaac
(Genesis 21), Jacob (Genesis 25), Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1:5), John the Baptist
(Luke 1:15), Paul (Galatians 1:15), and of course, Jesus Himself (Isaiah 49:1,
5; Psalm 22:9-10). The Bible also tells us that the wicked “are estranged from the
womb” (Psalm 58:3). All of this is evidence of life beginning at conception and
that God is working in the lives of those in the womb.
From the beginning the taking of another’s life, murder, has
been prohibited by God. Cain was judged by God for his murder of his brother
Abel (Genesis 4). After the Flood God made a clear statement against shedding
innocent blood (Genesis 9:5-7). God said, “Surely for your lifeblood I will
demand a reckoning.” God instituted capital punishment as a just deterrent for
taking innocent human life. The heart begins pumping blood 21-24 days after
conception. Who could be more innocent than a child in the womb? To take such
an innocent life does not go unseen by our Creator.
For the church or Christians or anyone to speak out against
abortion while offering no practical help to the pregnant mothers in question
is at best Laodicean lukewarmness and at worst a misrepresentation of Christian
love. To speak against abortion and not provide a viable alternative is a
hollow gong. Love, true Christlike love, not only speaks truth in love (Eph.
4:15) but takes action to sustain and support truth in life. The apostle John
wrote: “By this we know love,
because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our
lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his
brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God
abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in
deed and in truth.” (1 John 3:16-18). It’s interesting that John uses the
endearing reference to “My little children.” Perhaps the recipients of John’s
letter were childlike spiritually, immature in their faith and talking a good
talk of love but not walking a walk of love. The church needs to listen up in this
regard.
The spiritually
mature know that love is an action. Love acts. God’s brand of love is
sacrificial; it lays down its life for others. It not only speaks out against
or about injustices, it does something to alleviate them. As John points out,
it’s about the condition of your heart. If you shut your heart to those in need
around you, “how does the love of God abide” in you? A shut heart is a loveless
heart. And that is a big problem. Why? Because the prime sign of a person
genuinely saved and born of the Spirit is love.
A person must be born of the Spirit. Jesus said
that just as we are born physically, we must be born spiritually (John 3). Spiritual
life comes from God’s regenerative work in us. When a person acknowledges their
sin, turns from it to God and by faith asks God to forgive their sins based on
the atoning cross work of Christ, that person will be forgiven by God. And once
forgiven the Holy Spirit indwells the believer giving them spiritual life (Rom.
8:9-11; 1 Cor. 3:16). I want to encourage those of you who have had an abortion.
GOD WILL FORGIVE EVEN ABORTION. We shouldn’t use such truth to abuse God’s
grace to have an abortion for whatever reason (cf. Romans 6:1ff.). Instead we
should understand the depth of the grace of God who will forgive abortion. You
can be freed from your guilt relating to abortion. As one who was involved with
an abortion in my early years, there is forgiveness, there is relief from guilt,
there is grace, amazing grace (see Romans 8:1).
How do we know if
we are born of the Spirit? We know by the witness of the Spirit in our hearts
(1 John 3:24). There is a tangible change in our lives (2 Cor. 5:17). The
person born of the Spirit is a new creation with a new way of life (Rom. 6:4).
And the evidence of that new life is God’s love. God pours His love into the
heart of the person who has been born again (Rom. 5:5). God’s love is a
sacrificial active love (e.g. Rom. 5:8).
Love is an
action. All that we do needs to be done in the love of God if it is to be worth
anything (1 Cor. 13:1-7). That done without love will fail. That which is done
in love “never fails” (1 Cor. 13:8). If we are to experience victory in this
battle against abortion, both individually, nationally, and even globally, we
will have to take loving action. That may mean enlarging our families to by
way of adoption. It could mean supporting those who are financially challenged
to help them with their family. Another opportunity to act in love could
be volunteering at a crisis pregnancy center. I would encourage you to consider
such a ministry in your local community. On Long Island where I write from I
would encourage you to support Soundview
Pregnancy Services (www.soundviewpregnancy.com).
Soundview Pregnancy Services
provides a viable Spirit led link between truth spoken in love and that love in
practical action. This ministry provides counseling on sexual health, abortion
education, pregnancy, abortion recovery, parenting skills and referrals. They
provide free pregnancy tests, diapers and other supplies and services to those
who are pregnant and in need. And all of this is provided from a
Christ-centered world view. This is a ministry Christians should get behind and
support. Pastors can preach about the evils and tragedy of abortion from the
pulpit, but unless they are encouraging a real alternatives with real help, it
is an impotent message. We need to speak the truth about abortion in love and provide a loving Christlike
alternative to those who are pregnant. If you would like to learn more about Soundview
Pregnancy Services, volunteer,
offer financial support, or just learn more about this ministry visit their
website at www.soundviewpregnancy.com
.
Pray about this. Pray about adoption. Pray about getting
involved. Pray about having that baby. Pray about helping someone in a crisis
pregnancy situation. Pray for Soundview Pregnancy Services. What would
the Lord have you do in order to not only speak about love but act in love? I
think God’s answer to that prayer just may be found in Soundview Pregnancy Services
or some other similar ministry. Christian where are you? Christian, what will
you say? What will you do? How will you express your love of Jesus? I pray you
find the answers to those questions. In the end, love is an action not
abortion. God bless, lead, and provide for you all.
in His service, by His grace, for His glory,
Pastor
Claude
Pastor Claude T. Stauffer
Calvary Chapel of Hope
803 County Line Road
North Amityville, N.Y.
Web.: www.calvarychapelofhope.org
Blog: www.shepherdofhope.org
Now hope does not
disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the
Holy Spirit who was given to us. - Romans 5:5
For the love of Christ
compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and
He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but
for Him who died for them and rose again. - 2 Corinthians 5:14-15
[1] I say
“woman” because if you’re aborting your baby you’re anything but a mother and I
say “woman” because the reality is men can’t naturally birth children.
