Topic # 7: Abortion

Abortion permeates our culture today. It is estimated that as of 2008 some 45 million abortions have taken place in the United States since Roe v. Wade. 45 million babies! 45 million people would be nearly equivalent to Spain the 28th largest country in the world.

While the term 'abortion' does not occur in the Bible, God's Word is still very clear on the subject when you examine it's teachings on unborn children. Bill Shannon, a pastor at Grace Community Church, does a wonderful job in the book of compiling these verses. Here is a sample of what the Bible says about unborn babies:

*Job 10:8-12 shows that unborn babies possess human qualities
*Jeremiah 1:4-5 shows that God can work in the lives of humans before they are born
*Luke 1:41-45 shows that the unborn John the Baptist lept with joy, a human emotion, in the womb of his mother
*Psalm 51:5 even points to the fact that we are sinful beings not from birth, but from conception

There are even points in the Bible when both children and unborn infants are referred to in the same way. In the New Testament the author Luke used the same Greek work to describe an unborn baby in Luke 1:41, 44 as he used to describe a child in Acts 7:19.

The Bible makes it clear that from the moment of conception the fetus possesses human qualities and should be treated as such. Any taking of an innocent life equates to murder (Exodus 20:13).

As a church I think we know that we are to oppose abortion, but I think we lack in our understanding of how to lovingly handle the situation. Too often we forget that there are real human beings involved in the process. When we speak out against the process we too often speak out against the pregnant mothers as well. As a church we must be firm in our stance and yet provide a safe place for pregnant mothers to come when faced with the decision of abortion. Mothers who have an abortion often want to be empowered to make decisions regarding their own lives. As a church we should give them that power to make an informed decision about the tiny life growing inside of them. We ought to come beside Biblically-based organizations that seek to be a safe place for pregnant mothers. We ought to offer hope and forgiveness for mothers who have gone through an abortion.

God loves all humans: the unborn, the scared, the helpless. As the church we must never forget that and strive to love everyone with the love of God.