Before we start, lets take a moment to recognize that for many this is a deeply emotional issue. Pregnancy is a life changing event and many women wind up pregnant before they are ready to have a baby. Most women who have an abortion wrestle with the decision and don't make it lightly. Many of these women go on to struggle with the decisions they have made wondering what could have been. This is a sensitive issue. My heart truly goes out to women who find themselves in a situation where they face this decision. And shame on the boys who claim to be men in their lives who have left them with so few options that abortion seems to be best.
With that said, let's address the question. As Christians, our view of right and wrong must come from the Bible. On issues not directly addressed by the Bible, we must allow the Bible and its principles to guide us. So let's ask the question and look to the Bible for answers. Is abortion a sin?
Human Life is Sacred
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. -- Genesis 1:27
First and foremost, all human life is sacred. Human life has a dignity, worth, and value that goes beyond anything else in all of creation. A single human life is worth more than any animal, plant, or even any number of stars. This is because God made humanity in His own Image. Theologians have pondered for ages exactly what that Image is. But regardless of exactly what it is, the point remains that all human beings bear God's Image. This Image gives us incredible value and worth at our very core.
"Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man." -- Genesis 9:6
"You shall not murder." -- Exodus 20:13
It is based on this very Image of God that murder is such a heinous crime. Attacking a human life is comparable to attacking God Himself because we bear this special Image of our Creator. With that being abundantly clear, it might seem obvious that killing a baby in the womb is a sin.
Is the Baby a Real Human Life?
Sadly, it is not obvious to many people. The waters are muddied when people begin asking, "When does human life begin," and "Is a 'fetus' really a human life?" If the baby in the womb is not really yet a human, then our own laws and God's laws wouldn't apply to him/her. Let me just point out that this is the same logic that was used in 18th century America to justify the terrible abuse of African slaves. The 'negro' was not considered human and therefore no laws applied to him/her.
Let's examine these questions scientifically by breaking down the question. "Is the baby a real human life?"
Is it real? Yes. Ultrasounds, urine tests, and more can all be done to show that the baby is actually and really there in the mother's womb.
Is it a life? Yes. At the very moment of conception, the very first cell that forms from the sperm meeting the egg is scientifically considered a living cell. It has a cell membrane, DNA, and it divides. There is no doubt that this is indeed a living cell.
Is it human? Well, let's face it, it surely is not a giraffe! The cell's DNA is unmistakably human. It has 23 pairs of chromosomes. Put it under a microscope and any scientist will tell you that this is a human cell.
So is the baby a real human life at the moment of conception? Well, scientifically, what else could it be considered? It is a real, living cell that is unmistakably human. It is also not a part of the mother's body as many claim. Let's pretend a woman named Anna is pregnant. Take any part of Anna's body and test the cells. The DNA will conlusively show that these cells came from Anna and no other human being on the planet. This works whether you examine cells in her cheek, foot, arm, leg, liver, etc. Now, take a cell from the baby in her womb and test it. The DNA will conclusively show that these cells did NOT come from Anna. It will show that they are related, certainly, but this DNA will be unique to the new individual developing within Anna's womb. Scientifically, this baby is not a part of Anna's body.
Biblical Support for the Unborn Baby Being a Real Human Life
So, what does the Bible say? Well, the Bible doesn't come right out and say that, "A mother shall not terminate her pregnancy," as if it were the 11th commandment. However, let's take a look at the following passages briefly.
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. -- Psalm 139:13
Some will claim that this passage is purely figurative and doesn't teach that the baby in the womb is a human life from the moment of conception. But what we must certainly take away from this is that God is intimately involved in the development of the baby in the womb, so much so, that His part in growing the baby can be compared to knitting the baby together.
Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. -- Psalm 51:5
Some will say that this passage is simply an exaggeration from King David to declare that he was sinful at his very core. From the context however, I don't think that's the case. I believe David is stating a plain fact, that he was sinful at the moment of his conception. The quality of being sinful implies humanity because it implies having a moral life. For example, a rock can't be considered sinful because it is not alive. A deer can't be considered sinful because it doesn't have a moral life. So if the newly concieved cell in the womb is just tissue, then how could it possess the moral life needed to be considered sinful?
As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. -- Luke 1:44
When Elizabeth heard that Mary was pregnant, John the Baptist was still in her womb. When she heard the news, the baby within her leaped or kicked for joy. Two things are noteworthy here. First, the baby is said to have leaped out of joy. Joy is an emotion that a mindless mass of tissues cannot feel. This indicates that this baby was indeed a real human life in the womb. Second, the Greek word used in this passage for "baby" is "brephos" which is the same word used to describe newborn babies, infants, and toddlers. In other words, the Bible doesn't use a different word to distinguish the baby in the womb from the newly born baby which indicates that the Bible views them as the same thing.
"If men who are fighting hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman's husband demands and the court allows. But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise." -- Exodus 21:22-25
This passage demands that if a man hurts a pregnant woman and causes the baby to be born prematurely, that man is to be punished. Don't get bogged down by saying its different if the baby isn't wanted by the mother. The key part to pay attention to here is that if the baby dies due to the premature birth, the Bible demands life for life. Did you catch that? LIFE for LIFE. The unborn baby is considered a real life by the Bible. Whether or not this is a real life cannot be dependant on the opinion of the mother. The Bible lays it out quite plainly here.
I Can't Cover it All
There are soooo many more things to discuss on this issue. If I had the time and could hold your attention long enough, I might talk about the development of the baby's fingerprints or heartbeat. I might discuss at length the brutality of the methods of abortion that we would never even consider using on death row inmates today. I might discuss a variety of other passages that shed light on this subject. But for now, I hope this has been enough to get you thinking.
Both scientifically and biblically, the case is pretty clear to me that from the moment of conception we are dealing with a real human life. That human life bears the Image of God and therefore has incredible value, dignity, and worth. As such, it would be murder and sin to kill it.
If you are still on the fence on this issue, consider the stakes if you make the wrong decision. I would urge Christians to error on the side of caution on this issue. Choose life and at best you have defended a human life while at worst you have allowed non-life to become a human being with great worth. Choose abortion and at best you have spared someone of the invonvenience (and joy) of having a baby while at worst you have murdered an Image bearer. We can't afford to get this one wrong!
Finally, for those who still believe in the right for a woman to choose, please consider this. Medical research has made it plainly clear that there are a multitude of physical and emotional dangers that result from abortion. Abortions can cause hemorrhaging, laceration of the cervix, disturbed menstrual cycles, perforation of the bladder and bowel, permanent infertility, increased risks of breast and cervical cancer, and more. Additionally, women who have abortions are four times more likely to abuse alcohol and drugs, 61% more likely to suffer from mood disorders, and 59% more likely to contemplate suicide. Women who go through with abortions are not freely choosing a good solution. Rather, they feel forced into participating in a brutal and life-threatening procedure. Frederica Mathewes-Green said in her 2002 article in Evangelical Catholic, "...Like an animal in a trap, trying to gnaw off its own leg, a woman who seeks abortion is trying to escape a desperate situation by an act of violence and self-loss. Abortion is not a sign that women are free, but a sign that they are desperate."
There is Hope and Forgiveness
Abortion is a sin because it is the ending of a human life and an utterly helpless and innocent one at that. For those of you who are reading this who have had an abortion or are close to someone who has, please hear this. Sin, guilt, and shame do not get the last word. God sent His Son Jesus to carry the weight of our guilt and shame and to pay the just penalty for our sins on the cross. God offers you and your loved ones forgiveness and new life through faith in Jesus Christ, a new life that is free from guilt and shame. Please trust in Him for forgiveness and salvation and seek help from your pastors or local church in overcoming any hurts you still carry from the abortion.
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. -- Romans 8:1-2
As always, please let me know if you have any comments or questions and make sure you vote for next week's topic at the top right. I normally don't do bibliographies, but I would like to extend a special thanks to my friend Dr. Michael White for our conversations and some of his writings on this subject.
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