I absolutely love children. From feeding my little 15 month old nephew Cheerios to telling riveting Bible stories to the wide-eyed, enthusiastic 3-4 year olds of our Tykes Preschool, I’m able to catch a small glimpse into Jesus’ words, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for such belongs the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 19:14, ESV). Children portray a beautiful innocence to the sordid details of our twisted planet. If children are among the defenseless ones (mentally challenged, physically handicapped, etc.), in a savage world, then how much more the ‘littlest’ children?
We intuitively know that children should be protected against those who would do them harm. So then why do so many in enlightened, 21st century, Western culture defend the barbaric practice of abortion in which the most defenseless ones among us are deprived of life, liberty, without due process? Regardless of religion or political affiliation, here are a few thoughts to consider:
- Abortion goes contrary to American jurisprudence which errs on the side of life – Simply put, if there’s a doubt that the unborn are fully human, then why not err on the side of protecting life? In other words, is human life valuable? If so, then why take a chance? Human life is something worth protecting.
- Abortion is not a side-show religious issue but one of justice – R.C. Sproul writes, “Do pro-life laws establish religion? The church is not asking the state to baptize human beings, but to protect the lives of unborn humans.”1
- Abortion should take into account current science, not that of 1973 – The only difference between a zygote or embryo and that of a fully grown human, genetically speaking, is that of development. The unborn are fully human given that they have all the genetic information that, if not aborted, will result in a full grown human. At the time of Roe v. Wade (1973), ultrasound technology was about as developed as the Dallas Cowboys defense (very poor…and I’m a Cowboys fan). In their book, “Imaging and Imagining the Fetus: The Development of Obstetric Ultrasound,” Malcolm Nicholson and John Fleming write that ultrasound technology “has probably reached more or less the pinnacle of its acuity.”2 Thankfully to the advance of medical technology, this pinnacle is indeed one of crystal clear lucidity. Everything from unborn infants smiling, sucking their thumb, and flashing the “peace sign”3 (a telltale sign of a future hippy) is easily observable via ultrasound. Given these data, arguing that the unborn are merely masses of tissue is a symptom of a serious need for a scientific update.
- Abortion is not the unpardonable sin – The power of the Gospel is stronger than any sin. Through the forgiveness of Jesus, Hebrews 8:12 can become a reality, “For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.”
It’s one thing to pontificate on seemingly abstract concepts related to the abortion debate, doing something about it is another. Here are a few concrete action steps to uphold the value of human life in our culture:
- Consider volunteering at a crisis pregnancy center or financially supporting such ministries.
- Consider becoming involved in the Pro-Life movement.
- Refuse to support politicians or political groups that advocate abortion or euthanasia.
- Look for ways to show grace of Jesus to women who have had abortions.
- Look for ways to encourage the ill, aging, and unemployed who feel their worth is dwindling.
1. R.C. Sproul & Trevin Wax, “Do Pro-life Laws Establish Religion?” The Gospel Coalition, January, 18, 2014, http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/trevinwax/2014/01/18/do-pro-life-laws-establish-religion/
2. Tanya Lewis, “5 Fascinating Facts about Fetal Ultrasounds,” Live Science, May 16, 2013, http://www.livescience.com/32071-history-of-fetal-ultrasound.html
3. “Sign Baby is Born to be Wild,” The Sun, July 9, 2009, http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2525252/Baby-makes-V-sign-in-womb.html