Abortion: The Shedding of Innocent Blood

I am going to go out on a limb here and sound like a jerk—I was called much worse this weekend—I am also going to sound like the typical Liberty University graduate, though my motives and beliefs don’t stem 100% from my religious background, nor my educational background. For those that know me, know that at 25 years old I was diagnosed with Premature Ovarian Failure and by 33, I was told that I had went through Premature Menopause. So in other words, I can’t have children. So what brings this up?

On 19 January 2018, President Trump broadcast an address from the White House Rose Garden in conjunction with the pro-life group March for Life’s 45th annual rally. Lending his support to that movement (even though he was once squarely on the opposite site of that issue), the president told the audience that he was committed to building “a society where life is celebrated, protected and cherished.”

The president raised some eyebrows, however, when he proclaimed that “Right now, a number of state laws allow a baby to be born from his or her mother’s womb in the ninth month. It is wrong. It has to change.”

However, a quick search showed that the speech writers actually wrote “Right now, a number of state laws allow a baby to be torn from his or her mother’s womb in the ninth month. It is wrong. It has to change.”  Of course, the faux pas had people online ranting and raving about what an idiot our president is; and while I agree he’s not the best president we’ve had; many knew exactly what he was saying.

This led to a huge fight and exchange of words between myself and a lady I don’t know. So let me just tell you all why I think abortion is wrong—morally, ethically and spiritually wrong.

Abortion is simply murder. In its most basic definition, it is the ending of a life. I wish I could tell you that the first trimester “oh, it’s just a lump of cells.” but it’s more than that. It’s a living and breathing miracle. And you are choosing to discard it like it is nothing.

Since 1970, over 44 million babies have been aborted—murdered. Abortion has become a slippery slope. Abortion has opened the door to new sciences that can tell if a child will have a birth defect or disability. We are at the point where we can now use amniocentesis to find out if a child will be born with Down syndrome or a number of other genetic mutations and if we choose we can murder that child because it’s not perfect—it’s simply not what we want or what we want to deal with. We are truly embarking on the possibility of creating a perfect race of people.

So I know you are thinking “Rachel, seriously? What does the Bible say? Can you tell me the Bible says abortion is wrong?” While the Bible doesn’t address abortion technically, there are numerous teachings in Scripture that make it abundantly clear what God’s view of abortion is. Jeremiah 1:5 tells us that God knows us before He forms us in the womb. Psalm 139:13-16 speaks of God’s active role in our creation and formation in the womb. Exodus 21:22-25 prescribes the same penalty—death—for someone who causes the death of a baby in the womb as for someone who commits murder. This clearly indicates that God considers a baby in the womb to be as human as a full-grown adult. For the Christian, abortion is not a matter of a woman’s right to choose. It is a matter of the life or death of a human being made in God’s image (Genesis 1:26-27; 9:6).

The first argument that always arises against the Christian stance on abortion is “What about cases of rape and/or incest?” As horrible as it would be to become pregnant as a result of rape and/or incest, is the murder of a baby the answer? Two wrongs do not make a right. The child who is a result of rape/incest could be given in adoption to a loving family unable to have children on their own, or the child could be raised by its mother. Again, the baby is completely innocent and should not be punished for the evil acts of its father.

The second argument that usually arises against the Christian stance on abortion is “What about when the life of the mother is at risk?” Honestly, this is the most difficult question to answer on the issue of abortion. First, let’s remember that this situation is the reason behind less than one-tenth of one percent of the abortions done in the world today. Far more women have an abortion for convenience than women who have an abortion to save their own lives. Second, let’s remember that God is a God of miracles. He can preserve the life of a mother and a child despite all the medical odds being against it. Ultimately, though, this question can only be decided between a husband, wife, and God. Any couple facing this extremely difficult situation should pray to the Lord for wisdom (James 1:5) as to what He would have them to do.

Over 95 percent of the abortions performed today involve women who simply do not want to have a baby. Less than 5 percent of abortions are for the reasons of rape, incest, or the mother's health at risk. Even in the more difficult 5 percent of instances, abortion should never be the first option. The life of a human being in the womb is worth every effort to allow the child to be born.

For those who have had an abortion, remember that the sin of abortion is no less forgivable than any other sin. Through faith in Christ, all sins can be forgiven (John 3:16; Romans 8:1; Colossians 1:14). A woman who has had an abortion, a man who has encouraged an abortion, or even a doctor who has performed one—can all be forgiven by faith in Jesus Christ.