After forty years of focused opposition, the church seems on the verge of overturning Roe vs Wade. While every Christian should oppose abortion, there are scriptural reasons to reconsider overturning Roe vs Wade.
Life Does not Begin at the Moment of Conception but the Moment of Conversion
In the 1980’s, powerful fetal images showing human features generated outrage over abortions, particularly late-stage abortions. These images supported that life began before birth. That life begins at the moment of conception seemed common sense. It has been the foundation of pro-life arguments for the last forty years. It is evident in numerous Christian pro-life websites. Consider the ACLJ website of Jay Sekulow, celebrating “finally” that HHS made it their official policy that life begins at conception.
But Scripture says, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you” (Jeremiah 1:5, emphasis mine). Paul adds, “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world” (Ephesians 1:4). Both verses show that in God’s eyes, life does not begin at the moment of conception. We were known and chosen long before our conception.
A search for these verses in a survey of Christian pro-life websites is instructive. Focus on the Family holds that life begins at conception. They provide countless resources including a pro-life argument that is medical rather than scriptural. In “An Honest Look at Abortion in the Bible”, many Bible verses are cited but without mention of Jeremiah 1:5 or Ephesians 1:4.
Family Research Council also holds life begins at the moment of conception asserting Psalm139 as affirmation life extends to the womb. Among its many resources is “Biblical Principles for Pro-Life Engagement”. In this article, Ephesians 1:4 is not found but Jeremiah 1:5 is quoted. Yet FRC claims Jeremiah was called “in utero”, a clear misreading of the text that hardly seems accidental.
The failure to fairly consider these verses is unsurprising as they undermine the narrative we seek to advance. It is not that there isn’t life in the womb. It is that God knew us before we had life. It makes it irrelevant to define when life begins! God is not a legalist, carefully defining the moment life begins because He has no intention of limiting life. He created life to bring forth life without limitation (Genesis 1:28).
For God, what is important is not when life begins but when it ends, as life’s end determines one’s fate – whether one’s place is in heaven or hell. Hence why it is critical for the church to seek converts before their deaths. It suggests our focus upon defining when life begins is misplaced. Life does not begin at the moment of conception but the moment of conversion.
Christians are Not to “Lord it Over” Others but Respect that God Granted Everyone Free Will
Christians are not to “lord it over” others (Matthew 20:25-26; Mark 10:42-43; Luke 22:25-26). Paul certainly didn’t lord it over the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 1:24). Every Christian knows that God sovereignly granted everyone free will to make their own choices.
Christians are not to outlaw poor choices but to warn against their consequences. God knew Cain intended to kill Abel but did not stop him. Rather He warned him of coming consequences (Genesis 4:7). Similarly, God did not tell the Israelites to stop the Canaanites from sacrificing their children to Baal. He simply insisted the Israelites not behave like them, commanding them to be driven out so Israel would not become like them.
The reality is that God knew when He granted free will that many would suffer and die. He also knew abortions would occur. Yet He did not place restrictions upon free will, nor should we. Requiring the world live to our standards strips others of their God-given free will. Worse, we are telling God that He does not know what He is doing. We know better than He does what ‘s best for our world. No one should think God must tolerate such arrogance from His people.
Illegalizing Abortion will not Change the Hearts of Those who Favor it
Making abortion unlawful will not prevent it, as it will not change people’s views concerning abortion. Scripture proclaims that law is incapable of producing righteousness or changing a person’s heart (Romans 3:20; Galatians 3:21). Only God can do that.
Israel had the greatest laws and moral code on earth yet it did not make them holy. To the contrary, the prophets complained that Israel became worse than Sodom (Isaiah 1:10; Jeremiah 23:14; Ezekiel 16:46). If laws could bring righteousness, there would be no need for Christ’s sacrifice.
This tenet is fundamental to Christian faith, taught to all new converts. It is universally known and believed within the church. One must ask why so many Christian leaders are attempting to change laws as if it will not bring righteousness?
Scripture Reveals a Better Way
God loves life. He created it and blessed all life-forms to bring forth life and fill the earth. Filling the earth with physical life foreshadowed the greater blessing of Christ that His people fill the earth with spiritual life. Yet this greater mandate does not necessarily obsolete its shadow. In truth, bringing forth spiritual life can result from parents having physical progeny to whom they teach God’s Word.
Many Old Testament’s dramas involved parents anxiously awaiting children. They did not plan or limit family size. Large families were a sign of God’s blessing and barrenness a curse. It militates against birth control. One must ask if God intended that we decide when and how many children to have, or if He is the better judge to decide these questions? If we truly love life, why limit our family size? Why decide when life has value and when not? Why not freely love our spouses and trust that God knows best when and how many children we should bear?
This was accepted belief for generations prior to World War II, before low cost, effective birth control became widely available. Today, family planning seems judicious and wise, necessary to escape poverty and build financially secure families. But Scripture promotes life, promising the land will be sufficiently fruitful for our families. We must only be obedient (Deuteronomy 28:1-4).
Examining the Spiritual Fruit of our Efforts
But true fruitfulness is restoring others to God (Mark 16:15), making them spiritual children within God’s family. This “fruit” seems lacking in the debate regarding Roe vs Wade. Priority has been upon preserving the physical lives of the unborn without commensurate commitment to their spiritual lives once born. If we truly love life, we should promote adoption of those at risk of abortion. Though such programs exist, historically they have not been a focus in many churches.
Worse, church efforts to overturn Roe vs Wade are lacking the “fruit” of conversions. There are no testimonies that people became Christians because the church sought to overturn Roe vs Wade. In forty years of this fight, there are none.
If anything, the church has driven those favoring abortion further from God as our efforts have been lacking love. The fruit we produce is too often bitterness, anger and alienation from the church. Some may argue this is not a legitimate measure of success but we would argue the opposite. If our efforts don’t lead either the unborn or born to God, why pursue policies that drive them further from Him?
A Closing Challenge
If we love the world as God does, then we must allow others choice, warning them of consequences to follow. Yet critically, we must also stand ready to bring restoration, regardless of personal cost. This was the way of Christ. It means no sin is beyond forgiveness for those willing to repent. It also means that we must be willing to be deeply wronged to win their reconciliation, and isn’t this exactly how we feel when abortions occur? We must get past the personal offence and affront we feel, and work to win all the lost to Christ.
A final thought: The author made the decision early to forego children, and now in his later years, has come to question the scriptural wisdom of this decision. There is no greater witness of church love of life than to promote life without restriction in our own families. It means large families, adoption and commitment to win and disciple others, no matter the cost.
To those who may find this idea radical, consider the example of our grandparents. Each knows exactly how many children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren they have, and knows each by name. None ever complains their family is too large. For them, it is a legacy and a blessing. It suggests that the true value of large families is not realized until well after our decisions regarding family size are made. Perhaps we need their perspective, for they have come to realize the true blessing of countless descendants.