“Abortion and the Case for Life”
(Proverbs 24:10-12)
Series: Hot-Button Issues
Rev. Todd A. Linn, PhD
First Baptist Church Henderson KY
(3-4-07) (AM)
- Take God’s Word and open to the book of Proverbs, chapter 24.
This morning we are beginning a short series of messages during the morning worship services in the month of March, a four-part series on social and ethical concerns called, “Hot-Button Issues.” The title of the series reflects the fact that some of the things we’ll be talking about are often viewed as controversial outside the church. I do not think these should be hot-button issues inside the church because the Bible guides evangelical Christians and gives them the framework for properly understanding these issues and engaging others in the truth about these issues.
So we begin this week with a message that promotes the sanctity of human life. I have chosen a text that clearly applies to this issue. The beautiful thing about the Book of Proverbs is that the proverbs are general enough so as to be applied to a variety of issues. Whatever the immediate context and concern on Solomon’s mind, whether he is talking about captives in war, or crime in the streets, or the horrors of child-sacrifice, or something else, you really cannot read these verses without concluding that God expects His people to take a stand for life. So we read these verses this morning considering how they apply to the issue of abortion and the case for life.
- Stand in honor of the reading of God’s Holy Word.
10 If you faint in the day of adversity, Your strength is small.
11 Deliver those who are drawn toward death, And hold back those stumbling to the slaughter.
12 If you say, “Surely we did not know this,” Does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?
- Pray.
Introduction:
I struggled with how to begin this message because I feel certain that many who listen to this message, particularly on radio and audio recording, will have had some part in an abortion. According to the Alan Guttmacher Institute (AGI), the research arm of Planned Parenthood, 43% of women obtaining abortions identify themselves as Protestant Christians, and 27% identify themselves as Catholic. And if I understood the speaker correctly at last Thursday’s annual banquet for Marsha’s Place Pregnancy Resource Center, some 20% of those Protestants are Evangelical Christians.
So how do you begin a message when you know many of your hearers will have had a direct or indirect part in abortion? How do you begin a message when you know some who are listening will have had an abortion themselves and others will have assisted in that decision whether by being actively or passively involved—a boyfriend who pushes for abortion, a mother or grandmother who insisted on abortion, or a host of others who simply chose to “not get involved” and left a young pregnant mother with nowhere to turn?
Well, you begin with grace. And you say, “Thanks be to God that no matter what we may have done in the past, God’s grace is sufficient to cover every transgression.” Where sin abounds, grace abounds much more (Romans 5:20). By God’s grace our past sins can be forgiven. God cleanses us, forgives us, and changes us. We need fear nothing. The only ones who should fear standing before God are those who remain in sin, those who have not turned to God in repentance. So remember that truth as we study together and ask God to continue to change us for His greater glory.
In my study God led me to a website that is dedicated to the case for life. The website is called Abort73.com. The website was created last year on the 33rd anniversary of the historic 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision that legalized most abortions in America and has resulted in over 40 million abortions since that law was enacted. I want to share with you a video clip from the site that illustrates the need for Christians to be actively engaged in delivering those who are drawn toward death, and holding back those who stumble to the slaughter.
**Video, 1 minute 50 seconds.
I commend that website to you. Again, it’s called Abort73.com. You see the way it ends: “We dare you to know.” They say that because they do not cover up the truth about the horrors of abortion. Some of the images and descriptions are graphic, but they are provided so that an honest inquirer, someone who does not believe “ignorance is bliss,” will receive the truth. There is also a wealth of medical information and statistics that instruct us in the study of this issue.
Our text in Proverbs assumes that God holds dear the sanctity of human life and so should we. There are many passages that make this clear. The psalmist praises God in Psalm 139:13-14, where he says, “For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” Mark that verse down and memorize it if you haven’t yet. Psalm 139:13-14; the psalmist says, “You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”
Jeremiah 1:5, God calls the prophet Jeremiah into the ministry and He says, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you.” That’s another good text for us to memorize. Write that down: Jeremiah 1:5. God says, “Before I formed you in your mother’s womb I knew you. Before you were born I sanctified you.” When does life begin? According to that text, we are seen in God’s eye before we are even conceived in our mother’s womb. It’s a kind of “Life before birth.”
So we turn to our passage here in Proverbs 24 and we read another instance where God expects His people to be engaged in the promotion of the sanctity of human life. Look at these verses again as I read them. Proverbs 24:10-12:
10 If you faint in the day of adversity, Your strength is small.
11 Deliver those who are drawn toward death, And hold back those stumbling to the slaughter.
12 If you say, “Surely we did not know this,” Does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?
From these verses I want to talk about our role in promoting life. These verses, three in total, call for three actions. Number one, as we promote life:
I. We Must be Courageous in Adversity (10)
10 If you faint in the day of adversity, Your strength is small.
This verse assumes that you and I will be in adverse situations that will require the greatest amount of spiritual strength and moral courage. Promoting life is a contentious issue. When you take a stand for anything you will face adversity. Leadership is found in those who take stands. It’s really easy to offer criticism to a leader. Watch the way people treat political leaders, business leaders, or even church leaders when leaders bring about necessary change. It’s really easy to sit on a bench on the sidelines and offer criticism. There’s no threat in that. You’re relatively safe and secure; you’re seated comfortably on the bench. But people who sit on a bench on the sidelines are not in the game. They are not the ones carrying the ball in the face of adversity. They are not, in a word, leaders. Leadership requires courage in the face of adversity. Look again at verse 10:
10 If you faint in the day of adversity, Your strength is small.
This verse anticipates the action of the verses following it. It assumes that promoting the sanctity of life can be a hot-button issue, a contentious issue that calls for strength and courage in the face of adversity. It assumes that you’re going to be a leader and get into the game. To sit on the sidelines and choose to do nothing is the way of the faint; the way of those whose strength is small.
One of the best ways to be courageous in adversity is to prepare for adversity, to prepare to battle with those who hold an unbiblical worldview. See, we can quote Scripture all day, but to the unbeliever, Scripture is just an old book. So it behooves us to be armed with the facts and the facts are on your side.
For example, there really is no debate within the medical community as to when life begins. The overwhelming majority of medical doctors believe that life begins at conception. You can go to the website I mentioned earlier and read direct quotes from leading medical doctors on this issue of life. We learned it in high school biology: At the moment of conception a unique human being comes into existence complete with its very own distinct genetic code. 23 chromosomes from the mother and 23 chromosomes from the father combine to make for a brand new, unique genetic combination of life in a new baby. Abortion is an act of violence that kills a living human being.
Sometimes philosophical arguments are helpful. For example, we often hear that it is a woman’s right to choose what she wants to do with her own body. “Pro-choice” as the mantra goes. This argument is used when its advocates do not wish to talk facts or science. It sounds really great, “Freedom of choice!” But it really depends upon what we’re choosing.
If my neighbor’s dog keeps me awake in the middle of the night I can’t simply choose to get my gun and shoot it (much as I may want to!). If you choose to drive 75 miles per hour in a 55 mile per hour zone, your cry, “Freedom of choice!” won’t get you out of a ticket.
Someone says, “But abortion is legal. So it’s okay.” But just because abortion is legal in a human court does not mean it is right in God’s court. It is legal in America to do a lot of things that are contrary to Scripture.
“But can’t a woman do what she wants with her body?” How do you answer that? You remind the person that a baby in its mother’s womb is not a part of its mother’s body. The baby is biologically separate from its mother; a separate human being.
Now we could go on and on here and time will not allow us to address all of the arguments for and against abortion. Anyone with any interest at all in this issue can get on the internet or read some good articles written with a biblical worldview and have enough information to promote the sanctity of human life. We must be courageous in adversity. Secondly:
II. We Must Commit to Action (11)
11 Deliver those who are drawn toward death, And hold back those stumbling to the slaughter.
This verse assumes that you and I will be involved in promoting the case for life. We will not be passive. We will be active in delivering those drawn toward death, holding back those stumbling toward the slaughter.
Proverbs 31:8 says, “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves.” We must commit to action, committing to getting involved and speaking up for those who cannot speak for themselves, those being drawn toward death, holding back those stumbling to the slaughter.
Sometimes it means just stating the facts. Don’t sit idly by allowing someone to say, “Well, abortion is a matter of personal opinion.” Be quick to remind them that the matter of “opinion” is a matter of what one thinks about the killing innocent life. Talk to them about facts and science. That forces people to really think through this issue. Speak the truth in love.
Tell them that few women really want an abortion. They would choose not to have an abortion if they had the support of their boyfriend or a loving mother or grandmother. They are often pushed into having an abortion because someone else thinks it’s best for them.
When we call for the overturning of Roe v. Wade or some other legal action, committing to action means we will not shrink before cries of, “You can’t legislate morality.” We will be quick to remind those who cry this that any piece of legislation, any law, is an imposition of someone’s morality. Every single law you can think of is a law based on someone’s morality; someone’s idea of right and wrong.
Committing to action means we’ll get intentionally involved in promoting life. We have a wonderful pregnancy resource center right here in Henderson called Marsha’s Place. Most of you know that Marsha’s place was founded and is led by one of our members here at First Baptist Henderson, Jeanmarie Parrot. Last Thursday’s spring banquet was another wonderful testimony to how God’s people can make a difference by promoting life in so many different ways.
There’s an informative insert in your copy of First & Foremost. It gives you the location of Marsha’s Place and I would encourage you to commit to action this morning by praying for this ministry. You can get involved in other ways, such as by giving to this ministry or volunteering your time at the ministry. You’ll never know how God can use you there until you go and find out.
Marsha’s Place not only offers free pregnancy testing, but also free ultrasounds. I think the number is something like 97% of all those who see their baby in an ultrasound choose life. I recall hearing the former governor of Georgia, Zell Miller, saying that his view on abortion changed after he looked at an ultrasound a family member showed him. Once he saw the picture of that baby he became pro-life.
Commit to action by always speaking out on this issue. Don’t allow someone to misrepresent science, facts, or the Bible. Speak up whether the misrepresentation comes from a friend, a co-worker, another Christian, or a teacher in school.
You can also commit to action by determining yourself to always choose life. Help your friends and family to choose life. Be the kind of young man, father, mother, grandmother and grandfather who promotes life and is there to put an arm around a pregnant young mother and offer love and support.
We must be courageous in adversity, we must commit to action, thirdly:
III. We Must Consider our Accountability (12)
12 If you say, “Surely we did not know this,” Does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?
This matter of promoting life is an issue for which we give an account one day when we stand before our Lord Jesus Christ to be judged for how we lived our lives on this earth.
We cannot simply say, “Well, I just couldn’t do anything.” God will hold us each accountable for our actions. That’s what this verse is teaching. Let me read it again:
12 If you say, “Surely we did not know this,” Does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?
We must consider our accountability; our accountability for our own actions before an all-seeing, all-knowing, and all-wise Judge of the entire universe; before God Himself.
We began this message talking about grace. No matter what we may have done in the past, God’s forgiveness is available. We may receive the same forgiveness that came to Beverly Smith McMillan, a woman who opened up the first abortion clinic in Jackson, Mississippi. After her life-changing experience of becoming a Christian, Beverly resigned from the clinic. She said, “The good news that makes the Gospel so relevant today is that God forgives. I know from personal experience that the blood of Jesus can cover the sin of abortion” (Paul Fowler, Abortion (Multnomah, 1987, p. 198).
We may receive the same forgiveness a woman received who shared with me after our 8:40 service. She said she was one of the statistics of those who had had an abortion. She was 17 years old and had an abortion and regretted it dearly. But she has since received God’s forgiveness through the Lord Jesus Christ and knows the hope of His redeeming love.
- Stand for prayer.
Invitation:
Maybe you have had had an abortion or you’ve assisted with an abortion, either passively or actively. With your heads bowed and eyes closed would you just talk to God? Just ask Him for forgiveness through Jesus Christ. Tell God you believe in Christ Jesus and what He accomplished for you on the cross 2,000 years ago. Turn to Him in faith and turn away from your sin and self. Trust Christ.
Others of you, ask God for courage to commit to action. Commit to praying for pregnancy resource centers such as Marsha’s Place. Consider how God can use your prayers, giving, and time. Commit to taking a stand for life.
God is certainly pro-life. He came in the Person of His Son to make eternal life possible for you. Trust in Him alone for salvation this morning.
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