As a Christian there is no conceivable, truthful way to advocate for abortion. Our bodies are not our own. We didn’t create them or purchase them, and we have no idea how long they will last. Our own conception and birth we also had nothing to do with. These were not our choice. So our beloved Constitution gives us no voice regarding our “right” to abort an infant, no matter its gestational age or condition. There is only One God and Creator and Savior of our world, One God who gives and takes away life. The entire universe is in His hands, not our own. The “My Body; My Choice” approach simply does not fly; it has no wings.
But at the same time I’ve never been attracted to the Right To Life or pro-Life organizations or movements because of their radical and often violent approaches to abortion providers and participants. The so-called pro-life movement also fails in that it provides no ethic for all of life, from beginning to end, and for that reason it cannot call itself pro-life. As Christians we must defend all of life, otherwise we fall into the trap of defending and contributing to the enduring proliferation of moral principles that needlessly destroy life. If we are pro-life then we must be pro-life against all policies that destroy life — abortion, war, capital punishment, euthanasia, poverty itself, racial and sexual prejudice and degradation, and the selfish destruction of the earth and the environment and all its creatures.
The 5th Commandment, “Thou Shall Not Kill,” covers all policies that are anti-life, and clearly this commandment of God is convincing evidence of God’s view of life. Consider this non-violent teaching and example of Jesus Christ: “38 You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; 40 and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; 41 and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. 42 Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.
43 You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” Matthew 5:38-48.
How can we expect the world to be non-violent when most of our churches have not taught and practiced non-violence for most of its history?
We not only need to be consistent with individual morality and social morality, but we also need to be consistent with all of the various life issues. We must stop pandering to the cultural values of the Left or the Right, for the Gospel challenges all these arguments that end up pleasing nobody completely. In John’s Gospel we remember well the tragic epilogue to the crucifixion and death of Jesus: “23 When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, one for each soldier. They also took his tunic; now the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from the top. 24 So they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see who will get it.” This was to fulfill what the scripture says,
“They divided my clothes among themselves, and for my clothing they cast lots.”
25 And that is what the soldiers did” John 19:23-25.
The interconnections between the Gospel and the policies of the church and state are like the tunic of Jesus that was seamless. You cannot favor abortion without favoring all other forms of the destruction of life. I love the fact that this truth, as we see above, was the fulfillment of Scripture!
Certainly pro-life advocacy for ALL of life is the Word of God! So spend some time in prayer today considering how you can be completely pro-life!
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner.
From the Bible:
“You shall not murder” Exodus 20:13.
“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them” Psalm 139:13-16.
“Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature”
Genesis 2:7.
“Whoever sheds the blood of men and women, by men and women shall your blood be shed, for God made man and woman in Meditation 75is own image” Genesis 9:6.
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