Why Abortion Must Be Abolished: Part Two

In part one, I addressed the need to abolish abortion because it is unjustified and indefensible for a woman to murder a child, regardless of where that child is. I also made the point that I believe there must be legal deterrents up to and including the death penalty for rapists and murderers. I imagine this might be difficult for some to stomach, but this is the result of a culture that celebrates, excuses, and allows murder to be perpetrated under the guise of healthcare. If the New Testament church will not take a stand for life, are we not failing the Creator of Life? Does not the God of Heaven hate hands that shed innocent blood (cf. Prov. 6:17)? So how can we take a stand for life? 

Change the Culture in Our Homes and Congregations

You may say, we do not have a culture problem in our home and/or congregation when it comes to abortion. If that is true, I am grateful for that, and I encourage you to keep up. We need to discuss regularly how our culture must be transformed by Christ. Paul recorded, 

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service. And be not fashioned according to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

(Romans 12:1-2)

First, the culture of our homes, while influenced and directed by the child’s parents, can be undermined by outside influences. As noted in the last installment, conservatives and liberal political groups have different tolerances for abortion in different times and situations. A Christian cannot agree with either position because abortion is murder and must be abolished. The life of any child must never be lost to abortion. We must first teach this and uphold this in every congregation of the Lord’s church. 

We also must make sure to preach and teach about sexual purity and abstaining from fornication. The Lozier Foundation notes that 95.9% of abortions were classified as elective or unspecified reasons. I would guess an overwhelming majority are from out-of-wedlock, unplanned pregnancies. When sexual morality is taught and practiced by believers and unbelievers alike, the abortion rate will plummet. We are being transformed by the renewing of our minds, so we must teach things that are aligned with God and opposed to the conformity of the world. Our young ones and visitors alike will recognize our consistency as a strong point, as they often do on other issues where the religions of man and the overall world do not. The Gospel is the cure to man’s sin. Let us remain faithful in dispensing this cure for all of society’s ailments. 

Change the Culture in our Communities 

How influential are you among your coworkers, neighbors, and fellow citizens? I imagine that many members of the Lord’s church are diligent and hard workers. Christians hold to a standard of ethics and honesty that many others do not. In turn, this gives us an audience with many people who will frequently listen to our views on issues. This is an opportunity to teach what the Bible says about salvation first, and additionally, concerning God’s view of life. We live in this world, and we must do as the Lord describes. Jesus said, 

Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a lamp, and put it under the bushel, but on the stand; and it shineth unto all that are in the house. Even so let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

(Matt 5:13-16)

We do a very good job teaching and preaching about the essentiality of baptism for the remission of sins, worship, and other important doctrines, and that is vital. However, can the average member explain to the unbelieving friend or neighbor what the Bible says about the value of life, blood, murder, etc.? We must be equipped to teach on other issues in order to shift the culture of the communities in which we live. The Roman Catholic religion has made abortion a major issue that they have taught about for decades. They have used all manner of platforms to talk about the value of life. While they teach damnable heresies, it is certain they have swayed the thinking of many individuals to consider the sanctity of life. The church of Christ must be a vocal defender of life. We are either too preoccupied or think we cannot do it. I, for one, know we can do right on this issue and use the opportunity to not just save innocent lives but save condemned souls in the process. The Gospel is the cure to the ills of our coworkers and neighbors. We must dispense it freely. 

Change our Politicians and Courts

In the United States we have the right to vote, the right to petition our government, and the freedom of speech. We need to remember some things. First, we can vote for candidates who support moving toward abolition. There are a few politicians who hold the abolitionist philosophy. Should we throw our hands up in the air and say we cannot vote for any politician who is not at that point yet? Perhaps there is someone who might be considered traditionally pro-life, meaning that they generally want limits on abortion, and allowances for extreme situations (rape, incest, life of the mother). 

Did our American forefathers give up when they wrote, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness?” Was this completely true in the United States at this time? I must say it was not. Any land where a man can own another man is not a land where the realization of liberty is present. I contend today that we have not lived up to the ideals that these imperfect men espoused.  For as long as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are denied to innocent children created in the image of God, we have missed the mark. Should the abolitionists of the 19th century have given up and not vote for candidates because they supported the Missouri Compromise and not complete abolition? 

Have we forgotten the fact that Presidents nominate Supreme Court justices who interpret the law? This allowed for the Roe and Casey decisions to be overturned. Moreover in many states the people directly elect judges up to and including the State Supreme Court. Incremental change is not the end; complete abolition is the end we seek today, but it will not come if we do not move our nation in our time. We must elect abolitionist judges who recognize that state sanctioned murder of children under the guise of healthcare is an affront to the God of Heaven. 

Have we forgotten how God used Joseph in the service of Pharaoh, Daniel in the service of Nebuchadnezzar, and others in captivity (cf. Genesis 41-42, Daniel 2,5,6,7,10)? Could we not give our input to our state representatives and senators, who have the opportunity to move toward abolition? After all, the Dobbs decision held that there is no Constitutional right to an abortion, so the authority to regulate abortion is returned to the people and their elected representatives. Plain and simple, we can encourage abolition in each state in this union. 

So what can we do? Write, call, get a meeting with your local state representative, senator, and governor, and make the plea for the Biblical view of life with them (and share the Gospel with them while you are at it). We have many opportunities that are before us. The Gospel of Christ compels us to stand against all forms of unrighteousness and dispense the cure that saved us from condemnation.