By Kenneth D. Sits
It appears the debate about abortion in America is over. Recently, America spoke in the national election and various state elections to continue the practice of abortion. Abortion may be defined as: the wanton destruction and elimination of: (1) viable tissue mass or (2) a baby in the womb of a: (1) woman or (2) mother. Regardless of what people may say, abortion is the wanton destruction and elimination of a baby in the womb of a mother. Since 1973, America has witnessed the killing of 1.5 million babies a year within the wombs of their mothers. That calculates to 30 million babies by the end of this year which is approximately 1/10 of our current population in the United States. The trumpet sound of the “modern person” now boldly and assertively blows that this practice of pre-meditated murder and slaughter is what we want in our society. For them, it is a great day of victory for the “rights” of women across the land.
Many groups proudly display their legislative victory as a woman’s “right” to choose. I can remember reading about a woman’s “right” to choose in the Bible. The very first woman had a “right” to choose in Genesis chapter 3. It was there that Eve recalls God’s command for her not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. However, Satan told her that she had a “right” to that tree. Satan said in Genesis 3:4, “You shall not surely die. For God knows in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” There is no doubt, Eve had a choice. It was up to her. Would she obey her Creator, or eat the fruit she truly wanted to eat? She exercised her “right” to choose and disobeyed God by eating the forbidden fruit. The story in Genesis goes on to tell us that the results of Eve’s choice brought heartache, pain and suffering. She had a “right” to choose, but it surely wasn’t the right choice.
Our country has made it legal for women, without regard to the father, to slaughter a child in her womb. It is her choice to exercise legally, but it isn’t a choice without consequences. Consider some of the consequences of this “right” to choose to have an abortion.
The same God who created and punished Eve has spoken to people concerning his hatred of the shedding of innocent blood (Prov. 6:17). Man would like to tell you that this “tissue mass” is not a human being, but God, in the Bible, completely contradicts this idea. In Ecclesiastes 11:5 the wise preacher says, “As you do not know what is the way of the wind, or how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child.” God calls the fetal mass within a woman’s womb a child. In Luke 1:44, the Scriptures tells us that “the babe (brephos) leaped in the womb for joy.” Clearly God has taught us that a babe becomes a babe at its creation which can only be fertilization. Isaiah said this in Isaiah 49:1, “The Lord has called me from the womb; from the matrix of my mother he has made mention of my name.” God called Jeremiah in a similar fashion in Jeremiah 1:5, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; and I ordained you a prophet to the nations.” When a woman exercises her legal right to “choose” to abort her “viable tissue mass,” she is actually choosing to murder a child in her womb!
We are beginning to be exposed to a great deal of data from emotionally shattered women who exercised their “right” to choose. There are many, many women who have come out of the closet confessing various kinds of emotional distress a past abortion has done to their lives. Some women have committed suicide. Some will never be able to forgive themselves. Some have divorced their mates and left their other children. On the positive side, some have turned into the most ardent campaigners and champions of the “pro-life” movement. Why do women continue to have these types of reactions if they were just removing an inconvenient, unwanted growth? They knew conscientiously, and later knew biblically, that they destroyed a life which God created. They were beginning to feel the impact of Eve’s con-sequences for their “right” to choose.
What is the bottom line to the modern holocaust of abortion? It is the ancient battle of Satan verses God. It’s the battle of big money verses God’s righteousness. It’s the battle of self-seeking verses sacrifice. It’s the battle of good verses evil. It’s the battle of our personal choices verses what God wants me to do. Sadly, it appears that truth and righteousness are losing.
One must have his head buried in the sand not to notice that the sin of abortion is destroying the moral fabric of our society. Abortion’s overt wickedness is affecting the minds of our next generation by encouraging them to pro-mote self-seeking and self-proclaimed “rights” the constitution and God never extended to Americans. Abortion is even affecting those who would call themselves Christians. There are several denominations who have officially taken pro-abortion stands such as the: Episcopal, United Methodist, United Presbyterian, Disciples of Christ and United Churches of Christ. Today, there are members of the blood bought body of Christ, the church of Christ, who are “closet believers” in a woman’s “right” to an abortion. There are disciples of Christ among us who have had no conscientious problem in voting and electing people who have advocated a pro-abortion stance in our last election! Consider what God said in Romans 1:32, “Who knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.” Brethren, we need to repent and pray God if we have knowingly supported one who publicly advocates a pro-abortion stance! Where is our love for the truth of God gospel?
Since God is the Creator of life, he is the only one who has the right to destroy life. God has decreed to extend this authority to the government to bear his sword on the evil doer (Rom. 13). This godly principle known as “capital punishment” continues to be fought against by the same people who demand their “right” to bear the sword on the innocent babe in the womb. God will not be long in his punishment. In Revelation 21:7-8 God has said, “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be my son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake of fire which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” Abortion often results from sexual immorality and tries to cover up lies, idolatry (covetousness), cowardly action and other abominations. The act of abortion is one of the ultimate acts of unbelief. How can Christians be even remotely connected or endorsing such a heinous action?
Brethren, we must be prepared. The time seems to be drawing near that our cries to end abortion in America will no longer be an acceptable protest against this abomination. In the future, we may all be challenged to state our views and we may have to publicly suffer for speaking the truth of God’s word on this subject. Are you prepared to stand up as a soldier of the cross and accept persecution for the truth? Abortion is a sin against God and humanity. No amount of legislation can change the truth of God or make a wrong a “right.” Choose to accept God and our forefathers’ plea for “life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.”
Guardian of Truth XXXVII: 2, p. 3
January 21, 1993