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IT'S AN ISSUE OF LIFE AND DEATH
The penalty for killing an unborn eagle in the United States is a fine of up to $5,000 and/or one year in prison.
by Eric Pement
It’s an Issue of Life and Death!
What happened to the sacredness of human life?
THE ISSUE
Consider this: The penalty for killing an unborn eagle in the United States is a fine of up to $5,000 and/or one year in prison. But killing an preborn human is not considered a crime, as long as the mother approves and goes to a licensed medical professional for an abortion.
Doesn’t this fact anger you? What happened to the sanctity (sacredness) of human life? In the paragraphs that follow, let’s examine this heated subject, explore a few arguments and pinpoint how God wants Christians to stand for what’s right — despite what’s popular or “politically correct.”
WHAT SOME PEOPLE ARGUE
The reasons people support abortion, infanticide and euthanasia are far more numerous that we could list here. Yet most of the arguments revolve around two main points:
1. The first is usually called “quality of life.” This viewpoint asks, “How can life be worth living if someone is severely crippled?” If a child or an adult becomes so profoundly retarded that he doesn’t even know his own name, some claim the person isn’t even as good as an animal. “Suppose the baby’s mother didn’t want him or love him?” some ask. “It would be better for all concerned if the child were aborted or dead.” (A similar argument is used to support euthanasia.)
2. The second point centers on “freedom of choice.” This argument claims that the choice to bear a child or to abort should be left up to the mother. Those who hold this viewpoint often say things such as, “A woman should have the right to control her own body and determine her own future.”
WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be” (Psalm 139:13-16).
WHAT CHRISTIANS BELIEVE
Humans are unique because we were created by God and bear His image. From the greatest thinker to the homeless man in the gutter, each person carries a spiritual nature that comes from God — a soul, a character that bears the imprint of the Creator. In Genesis 1:27 we find that God created mankind, both male and female, in His own image. This “image” was not erased by Adam and Eve; according to James, we still retain God’s likeness (James 3:(9).
To most of the world, people’s importance depends on who they know, what they can do and how much they possess. But in the eyes of God, each person is of enormous importance. God does not value us because of our looks, our strength, our IQ or our money; He loves each person individually. Each person is unique and has value, even if that person is unloved by his mother. Jesus Christ loves that person regardless. In fact, each person has a right to life, even if he or she can’t “contribute” to society.
Seen in this light, the humanity of an preborn baby can never be doubted. God declares that He has ordained a purpose and a course of life for each person, orchestrating a human’s formation in the womb. God is involved in our growth and development from the very beginning.
TAKE A STAND FOR LIFE
A Christian view of abortion, infanticide and euthanasia is one that begins from the most basic platform: the value of human beings.
Respect life. As we read in Scripture, humans are made in God’s image, and life is a special gift given to us from the Lord. Jesus himself identified with the outcast, the weak and the powerless — not with the in crowd. In Matthew 25:40 He said, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”
Hold to the truth. Don’t let anyone fool you into thinking that because something is legal, then it must be right. The two are not the same. It’s legal in North America to be a drunk, a pornographer, a racist and a Satanist. However, just because something is permissible under national law doesn’t mean it’s acceptable in the eyes of God.
Speak up. Counter the arguments you often hear with the truth. Say something like this: “Because preborn children are truly human, abortion is wrong for the same reason murder is wrong. God gives life to humans and He forbids murder. If we have no right to kill people simply because they are ugly, poor or of the ‘wrong’ color or language, how can we justify killing people because they inconvenience us financially or do not meet our standards for intelligence?”
This article appeared in the January 2005 issue of Breakaway magazine. This article was adapted from Hot Buttons (© 1986, Gospel Light) and is used with permission. All rights reserved. International copyright secured. |
