What Abortion Is

I realize it may seem that I’m weighing in late on the Planned Parenthood video scandal, but abortion is not a new phenomenon. What this news story accomplished has been to shed renewed light on the medical procedure of abortion. I’m not going to get into the politics of abortion or when a fetus is viable outside of the womb with or without medical care. And what Planned Parenthood is or isn’t guilty of is secondary to the issue of abortion itself.

What it comes down to is that Americans have knowingly ended the lives of more than one-seventh of our population, usually in the name of women’s choice. Consider this: what would the American economy look like with 55 million more Americans working? What would the church look like? What would our lives be like if there were more people with which to have meaningful relationships? We’ll never know.

So what is the Biblical truth about abortion? God knew us before we were even formed in the womb (Jeremiah 1:5). He also formed us in the womb (Job 31:15, Psalm 139:14). And the shedding of innocent blood is detestable to the Lord (Proverbs 6:17). Abortion kills the life that God created. Can this be any clearer? Not to a rational person, but we’re now dealing with an army of irrational and selfish people.

Let’s just cut to the chase. Abortion is murder. The fact that this is controversial to say is an incredibly sad and troubling reflection of our nation’s rapidly declining culture. I may have just lost some of you, but I hope you will read on.

If you believe in the sanctity of life, then the above is simply a true statement. If you don’t believe it is true, one of two things has happened. You have either drowned out the voice of your conscience if you are not a Christian, or you’ve drowned out your conscience and the conviction of the Holy Spirit if you are a Christian. And the latter is very dangerous. God warns that eventually He lets those who are determined to walk in sin be turned over to their foolish hearts and depraved minds (Romans 1:18-32).

Or perhaps you are one of the many who finally heard their conscience and/or the Holy Spirit, but you are living in guilt and regret. You have either had an abortion, or have helped or encouraged another to have this procedure done. Let me encourage you with this: “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23). God loves you and wants to set you free from past sin. We all have regrets. The key is to use them to pursue God and love Him even more.

Let’s face it – we’re all experts at rationalizing our sin, no matter what sin it is. But this has no effect on what truth is, what is right or wrong. For example, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 clearly states that actions like adultery, drunkenness, homosexuality, greed, etc. are wrong. What your opinion, rationalization, or blindness is towards a particular action doesn’t change anything.

And this is what really bothers me. The silence from a majority in the American Church over matters such as abortion is surely why God’s judgment will soon come upon this nation. Our silence doesn’t sound any different than approval. We are like Saul, holding the coats of those who stoned Stephen to death (Acts 7:54-8:1).

I hope that we as believers would rather be ridiculed, persecuted, and condemned for the cause of Christ than to stand silent as wickedness rules the day in our nation. I’m far from perfect, and so are you. But we serve a perfect God who deserves our best attempt at rejecting sin and living a holy life. This includes taking a stand for those who aren’t given a chance to live.

My bottom line: If you have had an abortion or stood for it, God loves you so much, and will forgive you if you repent. The same is true for all of us with any sin that we commit. But we must turn away from the sin that so easily entangles us in its death grip (Hebrews 12:1). We need to struggle against sin, not embrace it. And let’s choose life, so that future generations can have the opportunity to praise the Lord (Psalm 102:18).