My niece was born just 6 days ago.
There’s something special about a new baby, isn’t there?
Slim, wrinkled, not-yet-dimpled hands.
Dainty toes topped with impossibly tiny nails.
Arms stretching…reaching.
Plump face that resembles daddy here, mommy there – leaving no emotion hidden, whether waking or sleeping.
That’s my favorite.
A sweet mouth, sometimes puckered, sometimes distorted by a wayward yawn.
Fuzzy hair smoother than silk.
And that fresh, clean baby smell…
that’s my favorite.
It smells like innocence and possibilities.
Purity and hope.
And those spontaneous smiles that I like to attribute to my delightful company but are probably just impulse responses to tummy rumblings…
that’s my favorite.
Perhaps this arrival of our little bundle made the Planned Parenthood video all the more heart-wrenching.
All the more devastating.
To hear a warm-blooded, flesh and bone human being speak so callously about her profession as a murderer was disturbing.
To listen to her rattle off the names of body parts as though she were an auto mechanic taking inventory was sickening.
To imagine my own newborn niece “crushed” in this way –
life stolen carelessly with high-dollar parts guarded –
It’s unfathomable.
There’s something particularly chilling about hearing it described so heartlessly in such detail.
But make no mistake, abortion is abominable, whether or not I hear the details.
Whether or not evil perpetrators are taped discussing it.
Whether or not parts are sold like boxed-up, formaldehyde-soaked frogs awaiting middle school science experiments.
“…every abominable thing that the Lord hates they have done for their gods, for they even burn their sons and their daughters in the fire to their gods.” Deuteronomy 12:31
Dare we think that sacrificing our sons and daughters to the god of self-rule is less abominable than burning them on Molech’s altar?
We offer them to the god of convenience.
We offer them to the god of sex.
We take on the dark haze of the angel of light, Lucifer-now-Satan, who sought to usurp God’s authority.
Here are his words:
I will ascend into heaven,
I will exalt my throne above the angels of God:
I will sit upon the mount of the congregation . . .
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;
I will be like the Most High, Almighty God Himself. (Isaiah 14:13-14)
How dare we snuff out life God has created?
How dare we show such despicable cowardice by supporting “women’s rights” while brutally murdering millions and millions of would-be women?
How dare we refuse to oppose abortion politically because “it’s not directly affecting me”?
How dare we shirk our responsibility to take a stand on behalf of the defenseless because “I ought not impose my religious beliefs on others”?
If you are a true Christ-follower, you must be against abortion.
There is no other alternative.
You cannot belong to the life Giver (I Timothy 6:13) and side with those who annihilate life.
You cannot claim “the Resurrection and the Life” (John 11:25) and approve of those who crush life.
You cannot approach God through “the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (John 14:6) and refuse to condemn the practice of destroying life.
Praise God, if you’ve performed abortions in the past, there is redemption.
If you’ve had abortions in the past, there is forgiveness.
If you’ve supported abortion in the past, there is absolution.
But if you’ve put your hand to the plow and claimed the name of Christ, you cannot look back without being declared unfit for the kingdom of God. (Luke 9:62)
And so if you identify as a Christian and are ambivalent or in favor of abortion, I implore you to search the Scriptures to learn what God has to say about it.
If you’re a Christian who is against abortion, will you cry out to God on behalf of the unborn? On behalf of your nation with bloodied hands? And perhaps even on behalf of your own heart and mine that tend toward lukewarmness more than zeal?
God, help us! You’re our only hope.
Thank you for upholding the sanctity of human life. Something very sad indeed is that in the country where I live, many MARRIED women have several abortions because their husband’s don’t let them use birth control. So heart wrenching. Years ago, one of my best mslm friends had one. We considered seriously offering to adopt her child, but the laws here make that near impossible.
Heart wrenching indeed, Betsy. It must be extremely difficult for you to be so “up close and personal” with circumstances like you describe. Thank you for shining your light in hard places! May God allow it to shine oh-so-brightly.
I shared this post on my Facebook page yesterday, and I said we as followers of Christ need to lock arms in unity against such atrocities. It’s my hope that articles such as this motivate and empower other believers to no longer be silent.
Hi, Trena, and welcome! Thank you so much for reading, and for sharing! That means so much to me.
Amen… Such precious lives, created in the image of God… we must fight for them.
Indeed we must, Lois! Thanks for reading.
Oh, I agree. We have been on a slippery slope and it is time for all believers to search the scriptures and their own hearts. As moms and grandmothers we have a role in educating the young people that have been inundated with distorted views of sexuality.
Amen, Carol! Thank you for contributing to the discussion here, and for using your influence for the glory of God.
I love this post Jennifer. Thank you for saying what needs to be said!
Thanks, Trisha! I’m glad you stopped by – it means a lot to me. Thank you for sharing God’s heart and for being a voice of truth on this topic.
So good! And so sad that it needs to be written. I would only add, let us be doers of the word – how can we get involved? Beyond prayer? There are lots and lots of ways!! Rescue the perishing – it’s an action! (Prov 24:11) <3
A very good point, Jennifer – I’ve got a follow-up post planned that will dig into how we can get involved, as the Lord leads. Thank you for pointing us toward a faith that works, and for taking the time to join in the discussion. 🙂
First I am a Christian so please don’t stop reading after the few paragraphs.
Am I crazy or did that the Planned Parenthood video turn out to be fake and the people responsible for it are currently awaiting trial. More than likely going to prison for life. There was a news story the other day about this that a weird political group was responsible trying to make people get angry for political gain.
We are as Christians not suppose to be on different sides but of one accord.
In heaven there will be no democrat section, republican section or independent section just Christians.
I’m not for the murdering of babies please don’t miss understand but recently when someone asked about this issue I prayed and the answer I received was one I wasn’t prepared for.
God gives all human beings the right to chose Him or deny Him. This is the same freedom of choice that God gave Adam and Eve. So if God can give us all the freedom to chose or deny Him or simply sin or not to sin then I can’t tell someone else you don’t have the freedom of choice.
We must remember there are people who committed murders listed in the Bible and God forgave them. Some went on to be amazing Christians. Murder is murder.
The problem I have with churches today on this issue is. They condemn the women and young girls for this action however are not a part of the solution.
I see churches building gyms for the kids to play in and fellowship halls to fed their ever expanding waist bands and yes gluttony is a sin too.
But what I don’t see are educational programs but even more important how about turning those big gyms into free day care centers for these young women so they can have the babies and know good free day care will be there if needed.
I see Christians with their bumper stickers Pro Life but not really doing any thing to help the problem. Because I find this problem is one that is mostly in areas that are not full of Christians and churches on every corner.
Aren’t we all as much to blame for this if we are not willing to become a part of the solution???
When I worked as a youth leader I found lots of girls who were raised in church and said they were Christians but when they went to college they drank. She gets drunk and one thing lead to another and poof she’s knocked up and didn’t feel like she could tell mom and dad or raise the kid alone so they (or just she) goes to have a secret abortion and later in life finds she can’t have kids because of the damage done.
Can you imagine being in college out of state and afraid of your parents and feeling like your only option is the guy and you have an abortion? So sad.
I am asked all the time if say an 11 year old was raped would you force her to have that baby? Would any Christian force their 11, 13 or 16 year old to keep a baby if she were raped???
If any of the Christian women on this site were raped would you have enough grace to keep the baby and raise it??? Tough questions.
There are far too many what if’s what if a mother has 2 kids and wants a third but something goes wrong and the only way to save her is to end the 7 week or 4 month pregnancy or they both die???
This is such a heart breaking thing. I am thankful we all have not had to make such a decision. We must remember that those babies are all in heaven when someone does this. That doesn’t mean it’s right.
But what about all the born babies that are then abused, drug addicted and mistreated because they were born and yet we allow this to happen as Christians???
There is no easy fix to a world problem of young girls and women being raped, abused or simply they are lost and don’t know the love and grace of God and feel so worthless that she is looking for love from any source trying to feel fulfilled. Because they were not raised as we were with the love of God.
We seem to have become as Christians compassionate toward say the sin of being gay and are compassionate to transgenders which God says in the Bible both are an abomination.
It is so sad but we as Christians have to be careful not to judge those who may find themselves in the position to have to make this decision. I don’t think any woman I have meet in the outreach ministry who has had to do this thought I’m just going to kill the baby. They are so damaged from this. The guilt of being raped and feeling they couldn’t handle it is heartbreaking.
May none of our girls be raped and have to make or endure such a horrible choice.
Most of all my experience is the women who have had to make this choice do not use this as a form of birth control but as a last resort because they have no support or often times no family to help them.
Truly one of the world’s saddest problems. Instead of us making these women feel condemned we should extend the same grace that Christians extend to gays, transgenders and all the other sinners as well since in the eyes of God sin is sin.
We can’t extend grace to some and not to all.
I AM THANKFUL TO GOD THAT I HAVE NEVER HAD TO BE TESTED IN THIS AREA.
I pray we never have to walk in the shoes of these women nor our Christian daughters.
I am pro life but we need to be pro help as well.
Great post as always you rock!
Hi there, and thank you for raising such thoughtful questions and such pertinent points. This isn’t an easy topic, is it? We are in agreement on some key points. First, that sin is an abominable offense against a holy God. That’s true of homosexuality. It’s true of transgenderism. It’s true of taking innocent life. It’s true of a host of other sins that are too numerous to list here. Second, we agree that grace is available to all.
Your passion comes through loud and clear, and I love that about what you’ve shared here, as well as the thoroughness with which you’ve considered this topic. I’m having a hard time discerning whether your passion is directed against specific aspects of my post, or toward this issue in general.
Regarding some of the questions you’ve raised, I can tell you that I agree that the Church must be much more proactive about helping women who are in crisis. To answer your question about a woman being raped and whether I would keep the baby and raise it, my answer would be a resounding yes. A thousand times, yes! We are a foster family and currently have a sibling set of three through foster care, in addition to our own three biological children; but though our home is full, we would certainly make room for more, should the Lord grant that opportunity. I say this only to give you some background about my perspective, and to let you know that I try to engage this issue without the hypocrisy of one who condemns the killing of babies without offering to help babies and children in need.
You’ve brought up rape several times, and I appreciate your sympathy for rape victims, but the fact is that less than one percent of abortions are a result of rapes. There are many pro-life advocates (though I am not one of them) who would be in favor of allowing abortion in cases of rape. That doesn’t make them pro-choice, however. It makes them pro-life with few exceptions.
Regarding the videos, they have not been proven to be fake. Those who are responsible for the videos are awaiting trial for tampering with a governmental record, presumably because they used fake ID’s in their research. The other charge, ironically, is in regards to the sale or purchase of human organs, because they posed as people who wanted to purchase fetal tissue and organs. But whether or not they are convicted and whether or not the tapes are valid is completely irrelevant. Killing babies is killing babies, whether or not I see a video of baby parts and organs discussed over lunch.
When it comes to sin and choice, you are correct that individuals have the freedom to choose sin. That has never been an issue, nor is it the issue here. My primary problem isn’t with women who would choose abortion, either the very few who choose it in cases of rape or the vast majority who choose it because of their own convenience. My primary issue is the legality of killing babies in this country, and the so-called “Christians” who support it. Being “pro-choice” is essentially a position which states: “I believe we should live in a land where killing babies is largely unrestrained.” My point in this post is that one cannot have that opinion and be a Christian. The two cannot coexist.
To follow your argument to its logical conclusion, we ought to do away with all criminal law. Because using your logic, we would have to say, “If God can give us all the freedom to sin or not to sin, then I can’t tell someone else that they don’t have the freedom to steal or murder or rape.” I don’t believe that’s a healthy or a godly approach to matters of the law. The law exists for the protection of its citizens, and I would contest that our law fails miserably in achieving its purpose for the unborn.
In closing, I’ll reiterate these words from the end of my post: There is redemption for those who have performed abortions. There is forgiveness for those who have had abortions. There is absolution for those who have supported abortion in the past. But for Christians who have put their hand to the plow and claimed the name of Christ, they cannot look back without being declared unfit for the kingdom of God. (Luke 9:62)
Thanks again for reading, and for sharing your heart here!
Hello again. 🙂 Forgive me, but one important point is still pressing on my mind. The Holy Spirit does lead God’s children in His ways, but He never does so in a way that contradicts His Word. Praying and listening are good things for Christians to do, but they must be accompanied by saturation in God’s Word and discernment in the Scriptures. Thanks again for reading the blog! I look forward to more interactions with you in the future. 🙂
Hi you said, “I’m having a hard time discerning whether your passion is directed against specific aspects of my post, or toward this issue in general.”
I am so sorry I did not mean to direct any thing toward you. I love your blog and pretty much agree with you 99.9% of the time.
I have worked with an anti-abortion group in the past that goes into the schools, churches and communities to teach the young girls and women DON’T have sex before marriage but if you have we have services available to help them and that there are young families just like yours that would welcome a foster child or adoption.
The fear that some of these young girls feel from their families is very strong. Many are beat when they go home and tell their parents they are with child. Hard so hard to know how to help some times.
I felt helpless often times in the past talking with the girls and I praise God I was raised with a Christian upbringing and learned how to make Godly choices. I am so blessed as I know you feel you are too.
I simply just wanted to share some of the experiences I have had in talking with young girls and women. Abortions happen a lot in very wealthy and middle class college age girls. Their families never know. I know a lot of Christian families that have no idea their daughter had an abortion or their son was the father. But if we look at abortions as a world problem it is mostly from rape. Also there are wealthy people who actually pay off girls to have abortions it is so awful.
First there are actually more rapes in America than reported I found in talking to young girls and women that most never report it. Why people ask. I have been told this. I am a woman calling the cops and most cops are men and then I have to go to the hospital go through a rape kit which more than likely will never get tested. (This I learned is very true because of the high cost of the test.) Why go through a rape and then have to keep reliving it. Also the women don’t want to have to go to court again in front of mostly men and tell their stories of being raped to put their rapist in jail. So they lie and have abortions. They also live in fear of the man returning if they can’t move.
I have checked into this issue in the past and have been told by doctors, nurses, aid workers and others that yes rape is a huge part of this problem and most women do NOT report this crime because of the shame and feeling as though they did some thing to cause it. That’s very sad. It is not a low number due to rape sorry it is much larger. These young girls and women will not tell if they are raped.
I didn’t explain the issue of choice clearly, AT ALL! My point was simple actually but some how it didn’t come out that way so let me explain hopefully better. No excuses my fault! (but could be lack of sleep sitting with a relative who is near death) I like to sit and read your blog while sitting with them. I love strong Christian women who are not afraid to say I love Jesus. That’s wonderful and we need more.
This is what God said to me in my prayer. Let ye without sin cast the first stone.
Who am I to tell someone else how to live or what do to. You have to understand I’m talking with lost people mostly. They do not know the love and grace of God. I’m trying to show it to them. It was not about law.
You see these women look at women like you and I and think wow they have it made. They have a great husband, house, jobs, money, clothes and any thing they want. They think we don’t know their struggles and that we don’t understand. You and I both know that we don’t have every single thing perfect in our lives but it looks that way to a lost poor person.
Now to expand on this issue we both agree any one can be forgiven for any sin if they believe and accept Christ. End of story.
I was trying to show how I try to explain to rape victims or those who have had abortions and also to young girls who have babies that who am I to judge them. I am a sinner saved by the grace of God. I can’t and will not throw stones at you. Only God can judge someone’s heart.
I failed at making my point greatly. So sorry for the misunderstanding. I was not talking about criminal law or God’s law I was talking about God’s love and grace. I was talking about the freedom of choice that God does indeed give each of us in hopes that they will not feel I don’t understand them.
I was trying to show that people tend to be very hard on women who have had abortions as if this sin is greater than any other sin. They tend to some how slap others on the wrist like shame on you for doing this or that and we forgive you but not women who have had abortions.
For example there was a time in our country if a young girl was going to have a baby they simply sent her away and gave the baby up for adoption or went out of the country to have an abortion and said she’s gone to the spend the summer with her grandparents or she’s studying abroad. They were shamed it was considered a big sin. Now if a girl gets knock up there is almost no mention of it at all as being a sin they just love them and the church supports them and the family and all is well.
We as Christians often treat sins differently when all sins are sins.
I am with you on keeping the baby. I thought I knew enough about you to know your answer on that one. Others might feel very different from us.
I am sorry I didn’t fully explain my way of answering these women who ask me these questions like if your 11 year old was raped would you make her keep the baby. That’s a hard question for even strong Christians. Because what if that really did happen? The reality of that is quite different than simply a question.
You also said, “Praying and listening are good things for Christians to do, but they must be accompanied by saturation in God’s Word and discernment in the Scriptures.”
I hope that my explanation above about let ye without sin cast the first stone helps explain what I was trying to tell these young girls and women. There is no discernment needed it is as simple as that. I am not going to cast the first stone at others. I don’t just believe part of the Bible I believe it all.
Each person is responsible for their own sins and I will not judge them but pray for them and try to extend the love and grace of God to them in the hopes that they will accept Christ the way that Christ extended his love and grace to me.
The same way I extended grace when I forgave the man who shot and killed one of my parents in a break-in. One of only two crimes in 70 plus years in that town.
I understand the Bible clearly. The greatest commandment is love one another. Yes this is first to be extended to our Christian brothers and sisters but also to our neighbors as well and we all know how God described who our neighbors are.
I have been a Christian all of my life as I get older I just think we have to be careful pointing out others sins so harshly because we are all sinners saved by God. My goal is not to run people off from God but to draw them to Him. People in poverty who often are the ones making these choices feel they have no other choice I am thankful I have never had to walk in their shoes. It does not mean I agree with their choice.
I am pro-life and I agree with you about abortion.
God said once we are saved we are to go and sin no more. So basically what I was trying to explain is I don’t understand some Christians getting so upset with certain sins but brush other sins under the rug so to speak.
Some big ones for me are child abuse, child slavery, sexual sins against children. We allow men and women to get away all the time with harming children. Why don’t we get as up in arms about that as we do about abortions?
God said if we have committed 1 of the 10 commandments we have done them all. We all have and do sin daily saved or not.
Big sins little sins does God care?
You said, “Being “pro-choice” is that one cannot have that opinion and be a Christian. The two cannot coexist.”
So if a Christian is pro-choice on other issues such as being gay, transgender, drug addict or an alcoholic is there a difference in the sins?
Some Christians are pro-choice on cheating on their taxes or spouses.
Some Christian parents are pro-choice on talking awful to the very child they prayed to God for.
Some Christians are pro-choice on looking down their noses at the poor.
Some Christians are pro-choice on being addicted to prescription pain pills but think that’s o.k. because a doctor gave them to them.
Can we have those opinions and be a Christian. Can a Christian have any of these opinions and the two coexist? Or should I say shouldn’t coexist?
Do you think God looks at pro-choice on one sin differently than pro-choice on another sin just because we can some how justify in our hearts or minds that one is not as horrible?
P.S. if none of this makes sense remember no sleep. I love great conversations about issues in today’s world from different Christians who have had different life experiences. Sorry my words were confusing even when I went back and read them. Sorry 🙁
Thank you for your thoughtful reply and the clarity you brought to the issue. I do understand your position more clearly now, and as I suspected, you and I are largely in agreement.
Though the focus of this particular post is abortion, I’m in agreement with what the Bible teaches repeatedly in I John that it is impossible for Christians to continue in sin. I don’t mean that Christians are perfect or sinless, but that the pattern of their lives is one of confession and repentance. Christians with a pattern of being comfortable in their sin (of any type or degree) are not Christians. Jesus said that many people who claim His name will be shocked to hear from Him in heaven, “Depart from me. I never knew you” (Matthew 7:23), and I believe that’s true of many who claim to be “Christians” today, whether we’re talking about pro-choice Christians, pro-cheating Christians, pro-addiction Christians, pro-promiscuity Christians, pro-drunkenness Christians, or pro-any-sin Christians.
My intention in this post was not to shame women who have had abortion, but to call out so-called Christians who are in favor of it, and to shame our country which has allowed the legal killing of millions upon millions of its children. Like you, I have no desire to cast stones, but to point toward a better Way through faith in Jesus Christ, by Whom we are free to “Go and sin no more.” For women who feel that they have no other choice besides abortion, I have compassion, though I do condemn the act of abortion. I think you would appreciate this article, as I did, which refers to abortion as “a Band-Aid® solution for hemorrhaging injustices done against women.” Women deserve better than abortion. May we earnestly pray for and work toward a society and a Church that strive to eradicate injustice, including that of abortion.
Thank you for engaging with me on this subject! I have appreciated our dialogue, and I want you to know that I have prayed for your relative, and for you as you care for him/her. That person is very blessed to have you with them, praying for them and caring for them to the end. May God bless you both with a particularly strong sense of His presence and His peace.
Thank you for remembering my mother-in-law in your prayers.
I look forward to reading the article you suggested.
Sorry I did get off topic. I just thought the idea of calling all sins pro-choice interesting. We should be pro-life for all things that honor and glorify God.
God bless and keep on fighting the good fight of faith! Well done.