Question 1

When does human life begin?

Accepted Answer

Exodus 21:22-25“Now suppose two men are fighting, and in the process they accidentally strike a pregnant woman so she gives birth prematurely. If no further injury results, the man who struck the woman must pay the amount of compensation the woman’s husband demands and the judges approve. But if there is further injury, the punishment must match the injury: a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.”This passage describes legal penalties for harming the unborn. If a man accidentally strikes a woman causing her to give birth early, then the man must pay a fine. This fine compensates the family for the stress and trauma of the event. However, if the woman or the unborn child are injured or killed by the event, the penalty is “a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.” Such severe penalties for harming an unborn child affirm that life begins in the womb.Some pro-choice advocates dispute this interpretation. They consider that this passage refers to a miscarriage and say punishment only applies if the woman is injured. However, that interpretation is not as well supported by the meaning of the original Hebrew language. For instance, the author does not use the common Hebrew word for miscarriage. Instead, the author uses a word that most often describes a live birth. Second, the phrase “if there is further injury” (Exodus 21:23) is applied generally to both the woman and the child. It is not gendered to refer to the woman alone (as some translations imply).Psalm 51:5I [David] was born a sinner—yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.David’s famous psalm of confession indicates that sinfulness—an unmistakably human quality—is present in a person not only at birth, but even at conception. This seems to indicate the humanity of the fetus from the very beginning of pregnancy.Luke 1:41-44At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. . . . When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy.”In the presence of the unborn Jesus, the unborn John the Baptist leapt for joy in his mother’s womb. This implies that an unborn child can receive and appropriately respond to communication from the Holy Spirit, showing qualities of a person made in God’s image even within the womb.Psalm 139:13-16You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.Jeremiah 1:5“I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.”God is present continuously during the nine months of pregnancy—forming, watching, creating, and even scheduling each day of an unborn baby’s life. Before we were born, God knew us personally and intimately, and he had already established a special purpose for each of us. The value of an unborn child is priceless because he or she is already a friend of God and created in his image.

Question 2

Is the unborn a part of a woman’s body to do with as she pleases?

Accepted Answer

Psalm 139:13-16You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. . . . You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.If the unborn were simply clumps of cells, a woman could do with those cells whatever she pleased. However, God does not view an unborn child as a clump of cells. He sees them growing together as a human being carefully crafted by him.Proverbs 31:8Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed.Philippians 2:4Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.If the woman were the only one affected by an abortion, the issue would be clear-cut. However, if the unborn child is a human being, a mother’s actions affect another living person who has his or her own human rights.1 Corinthians 3:16-17Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.1 Corinthians 6:12-20You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. . . . Don’t you realize that your bodies are actually parts of Christ? . . . You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.Our bodies were created by God and designed by him as places where his Spirit can live. Even though we can choose what to do with our bodies, we ought to make choices that are honoring to God and life-giving to others.Luke 9:24“If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.”Philippians 2:4-7Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being.Doing what is right often comes with a cost. A woman who keeps a child she wasn’t prepared for faces a long pregnancy, financial burdens, a social stigma, and the difficult task of arranging for the child’s care. Even if the mother gives the child up for adoption to make sure the child is well cared for, such a decision isn’t without emotional costs. Yet this is precisely the kind of self-sacrificial love Jesus modeled for us. At great burden and pain to himself, he paid the price on the cross so we could have life.

Question 3

Is abortion absolutely wrong in God’s eyes?

Accepted Answer

Genesis 9:6“If anyone takes a human life, that person’s life will also be taken by human hands. For God made human beings in his own image.”Since human life is a reflection of God’s own image, it is held up in Scripture as profoundly precious, requiring our protection. This demands that we wrestle with the implications of abortion and the destruction of human life that comes with it.Exodus 20:13“You must not murder.”Exodus 21:22-25“Now suppose two men are fighting, and in the process they accidentally strike a pregnant woman so she gives birth prematurely. If no further injury results, the man who struck the woman must pay the amount of compensation the woman’s husband demands and the judges approve. But if there is further injury, the punishment must match the injury: a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.”Psalm 139:13-16You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb . . . You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.The Bible states that murder—killing another person—is sin. In the abortion debate, the issue becomes this: Is the unborn child really a person yet? If the unborn child is a person, then aborting—killing—that child is murder. Exodus 21:22–25 strongly implies that an unborn child is a human life and that killing the unborn is murder. Murder ends a human life and cuts short that person’s potential. It puts into our hands authority over human life rather than leaving it in God’s hands. If you have had an abortion or encouraged someone to have one, don’t despair or turn away from God out of guilt. God’s amazing grace and mercy still comfort and restore us if we ask his forgiveness (1 John 1:9).

Question 4

Abortion has nothing to do with me, so why should I worry about it?

Accepted Answer

Proverbs 24:11-12Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to die; save them as they stagger to their death. Don’t excuse yourself by saying, “Look, we didn’t know.” For God understands all hearts, and he sees you. He who guards your soul knows you knew. He will repay all people as their actions deserve.James 1:27Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress.In the United States, about one in four women will have an abortion. Whether we realize it or not, we know many women who have had an abortion—or who will one day consider one. This issue may have nothing to do with you, but it has everything to do with the people God has placed in your life. Don’t be unprepared to support women facing an unplanned pregnancy. God may put you in a place where you can help a struggling mother and save a child’s life.

Question 5

How can I pursue justice and mercy with the abortion issue?

Accepted Answer

Matthew 2:16Herod was furious when he realized that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, based on the wise men’s report of the star’s first appearance.Romans 13:4The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong.Governments have a God-given responsibility to carry out justice here on earth. However, governments are run by humans, and humans are often foolish, corrupt, or evil (as in Herod’s killing of the infants). As Christians living in the age of democracy, we can use our voice to inspire change.Matthew 5:44“But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!”Luke 18:7“So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?”1 Timothy 2:1-4I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.Prayer is powerful. Pray over elections. Pray for those who are in office—whether you wanted them to be in office or not. Pray even for those who oppose the right to life, that they would understand the truth.Psalm 82:3-4“Give justice to the poor and the orphan; uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute. Rescue the poor and helpless.”Isaiah 1:17“Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows.”God calls each of us to stand up for those who are weak, helpless, and oppressed—such as the unborn. For some of us, that may mean political activism. For others, it may mean volunteering at a crisis pregnancy center. For others, it may mean adoption or getting involved in foster care. For still others, it may mean teaching a respect for human life to our children.Matthew 26:51-52One of the men with Jesus pulled out his sword and struck the high priest’s slave, slashing off his ear. “Put away your sword,” Jesus told him. “Those who use the sword will die by the sword.”Luke 22:51Jesus said, “No more of this.” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him.John 18:36Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.”The early church experienced persecution from the leaders in government and society. However, Jesus did not call his followers to bring change through violence. Harming or threatening others in the name of Jesus only hardens hearts that he wants to change.Matthew 28:19-20“Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”Luke 6:45“A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.”Philippians 3:20We are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.Hebrews 13:14This world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come.Scripture makes a clear distinction between earthly governments and God’s heavenly Kingdom. It is good for Christians to inspire reform in earthly governments and promote just laws. However, the great commission is not a command to build an earthly kingdom. Earthly governments enforce laws on citizens, but they cannot change citizens’ hearts. God’s heavenly Kingdom grows when its laws are written in its citizens’ hearts and each citizen freely chooses to live them out.Ephesians 4:14-15We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.Ephesians 6:12We are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.Colossians 4:6Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.When it comes to the abortion issue, many well-meaning people—even Christians—are sucked in by clever lies. Genuine respect and empathy for women becomes twisted into apathy toward the unborn. The people who believe these lies, however, are not our enemies. There is danger in those lies. When we speak the truth, speaking it with love and grace will help lower our listeners’ resistance. Sharing God’s truth with boldness will help untangle the lies.John 5:43-44“I have come to you in my Father’s name, and you have rejected me. Yet if others come in their own name, you gladly welcome them. No wonder you can’t believe!”1 Timothy 1:15“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners.Jesus ministered with truth and love, yet even his perfect words were often rejected. Sometimes, no amount of words or actions can change a stubborn heart. Still, there is hope. Paul—a violent persecutor of Christians—had his heart completely changed. It is impossible for us to know who will reject or accept the truth, but it is always our duty to preach that truth patiently.Matthew 25:45“He [the Lord] will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’”Galatians 6:2Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.1 Peter 3:8All of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude.It isn’t enough to preach that abortion is wrong. We have to care about the mothers too. We have to empathize—to understand what may have driven her to this point—in order to help her. Many women are afraid to share about an unplanned pregnancy for fear of being rejected. The first thing they expect to hear is “Why did you have sex outside of marriage?” and “How could you even consider abortion?” The first thing they ought to hear is “How can I help?” We can’t change anyone’s past actions or control their decisions, but we can provide support so they won’t have to make those decisions afraid and alone.Malachi 4:6His preaching will turn the hearts of fathers to their children.Matthew 27:24Pilate saw that he wasn’t getting anywhere and that a riot was developing. So he sent for a bowl of water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. The responsibility is yours!”1 Timothy 5:8Those who won’t care for their relatives, especially those in their own household, have denied the true faith. Such people are worse than unbelievers.There is a man involved in every abortion. Maybe the woman never told him. Maybe the man abandoned the woman to deal with her pregnancy on her own. Maybe he pressured the woman to have the abortion. Maybe he “washed his hands” of the matter. Maybe he tried to persuade the woman to keep the baby, but she had the abortion anyway, and now he struggles with guilt from that. When addressing the subject of abortion, we also have a responsibility to speak to the men involved—both to encourage them to take responsibility and to support them in their grieving.

Question 6

Will God forgive me for having an abortion?

Accepted Answer

Psalm 51:9-14Remove the stain of my guilt. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. . . . Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves; then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness.1 Timothy 1:15-16This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners.David, God’s anointed king, committed adultery, then murdered someone to cover up that adultery. Paul murdered and imprisoned believers before his conversion. Sin leaves scars. Paul and David’s actions both harmed many lives, and that harm could not be undone. Yet Paul and David both recognized that harm. They sincerely repented, and God forgave them, restored them, and used their lives for good. In the same way, abortion is a sin with lasting consequences, but it is not a sin outside God’s grace.1 Corinthians 6:9-11Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.The early church had a great deal of baggage: sexual sin, abusive behavior, and likely abortions and infanticide (common in ancient Rome). Yet God still called these people to himself. Their baggage didn’t disqualify them—and your baggage doesn’t disqualify you, either.Psalm 51:1–2, 7Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. . . . Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.Psalm 51:16-17You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering. The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.Isaiah 1:18“Come now, let’s settle this,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool.”Ephesians 3:18May you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.1 John 1:9If we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us.King David wrote Psalm 51 as he wrestled with the guilt of his adultery and murder. We, too, can know God’s forgiveness—for any sin—when we confess our sins to him. God can cleanse and heal us from any and all sin, no matter how big or terrible it might be. No matter what we may have done in the past, God can restore us to wholeness through his amazing, boundless love.Psalm 51:1-2, 17Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. . . . The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.Psalm 103:12He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.Isaiah 1:18“Come now, let’s settle this,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow.”You may experience great guilt and shame over your abortion. You may wonder if God feels that shame about you too. Take heart. If you have repented and trusted Jesus as your Savior, your record is clean and spotless in God’s eyes. Your sins are as far from you as the East is from the West.

Question 7

How do I show love to someone who has had an abortion?

Accepted Answer

Psalm 51:1-3Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night.Ephesians 4:31-32Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.Colossians 3:13Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.Many women experience lasting grief and shame over their abortion, and they are afraid to share about their abortion for fear of being judged and rejected. This isolation makes the burden of grief and shame all the harder to bear. As Christians, we recognize the severity of sin—but we also recognize the depths of God’s mercy. Offering a grieving woman the same grace God offers us is a wise place to start.Galatians 6:2Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.James 1:19Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.1 Peter 3:8All of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude.If a woman trusts you enough to share that she has had an abortion, don’t take that trust lightly. Abortion is a terrible sin—but she likely already knows that and feels that guilt. What she needs most is someone who cares enough to be there for her in the aftermath. Listen to her heartache, and take time to ponder what she tells you. Show her that you still love her. Through you, she may begin to realize God still loves her too.Psalm 51:2-3Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night.Malachi 4:6His preaching will turn the hearts of fathers to their children.Matthew 27:24Pilate saw that he wasn’t getting anywhere and that a riot was developing. So he sent for a bowl of water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. The responsibility is yours!”Abortion is considered a women’s issue, but men also experience guilt and grief for abortion. Some men encouraged—or pressured—their wives or girlfriends to abort. Others “washed their hands” of the pregnancy, leaving the woman to sort it out herself. Others tried to persuade the woman to keep the baby, but the woman had the abortion anyway. In either case, men often feel guilt, shame, grief, anger, and helplessness because of an abortion. This pain is rarely acknowledged, leaving men isolated and unsure of how to process their emotions. Many get the impression that their feelings on abortion don’t matter, so they try to stifle those feelings, which is unhealthy. If you are given the opportunity to listen to the pain of a man whose child has been aborted, respect that pain. Encourage him to process it with you. He may not be getting that opportunity anywhere else.Matthew 13:15“For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes—so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.”John 14:6Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”1 Corinthians 5:12It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders.Unbelievers do not have the same convictions and accountability as believers. Often, people are bold and unrepentant about abortion. Sometimes, this is a false front meant to stifle guilt, but other times it’s a genuine belief that abortion is good and right. When facing such a hardened heart, arguing about abortion may not be the best way to love that person. That person’s greatest need is to know Jesus. If they come to truly know Jesus, everything else will follow in time.Genesis 3:7-8At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame . . . So they hid from the Lord God among the trees.2 Corinthians 7:10The kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.1 John 4:18Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.It’s healthy and normal to feel guilty about sin. However, abortion is a heavy sin to carry—and many fear it’s too heavy a burden for God to take away. Due to fear and shame, people who have had abortions often distance themselves from God just as Adam and Eve did in the Garden of Eden.2 Samuel 12:9“Why, then, have you despised the word of the Lord and done this horrible deed? For you have murdered Uriah the Hittite with the sword of the Ammonites and stolen his wife.”Psalm 32:3-5When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. . . . Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.Psalm 51:1-3Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night.Psalm 51:16-17You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering. The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.Women who have had an abortion—and the men who encouraged them to do so—often struggle with deep guilt and shame. Like David, they are haunted by regret. But regret is pointless if it never leads to repentance. God doesn’t want us to punish ourselves for our guilt. He wants us to confess our sin, learn from our mistakes, and move forward with fresh commitment. Encourage your friend who has had an abortion to approach God as David did: humble, grieving, repentant, and trusting God’s forgiveness.Matthew 26:74-75Peter swore, “A curse on me if I’m lying—I don’t know the man!” And immediately the rooster crowed. Suddenly, Jesus’ words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.” And he went away, weeping bitterly.Philippians 1:6I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.1 Timothy 1:15-16This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life.David committed adultery and murder. Paul killed and imprisoned Christians. Peter abandoned Jesus at his darkest hour. Each of these people could have lived lives consumed by guilt and regret, but instead they embraced the forgiveness they were offered—and because of that, God used them to bless many people. It’s impossible to change our past mistakes, but we can still choose to trust God with our future. We can confidently encourage our friends that God is still at work in their lives, even after an abortion.