Psalm 139 The Sanctity of Life

Introduction

Opening Illustration: History is littered with sin and tragedy. By far the greatest tragedy and mark on our history is few hundred years of slavery that our country legalized. I’m an American History nerd and I know well the numerous variables that went into slavery endured for so long in our young republic. Two central things kept it going for so long. First, is the perpetuation of the idea that those from Africa were less than human. That was the justification for allowing such barbaric practices on other people. If they’re less than human, then anything is justifiable, we can buy, sell, trade, kill, abuse (which was also was also the justification for the nazis in WW2). Second was the myth that just because something was political, Christians ought to stay out of it. I wrote a paper recently on the historic relationship of Church and State, and as part I read a lot of Pastor’s opinion from that time in American history, and the debate they had as to whether it was within the Church’s perview to preach against civil matters like slavery. There were some that adamently stayed out. But Charles Hodge, who is considered one of the great theologians of protestant history wrote these words.

“The Church as witness of God, is bound to bear her testimony against all sin and error, and in favor of all truth and rightesouness, agreeable to the Scriptures… If the laws of the community under which we live with regard to slavery, the slave-trade, to marriage and divorce, and the like, are contrary to the word of God, then the church is bound so to teach and so to preach.”

To this we say, “Yes!” The Church must preach, and Christians must stand against the injustices of culture around them.

Personal: Don’t you wish you could go back in time and shake the Christians. And say, “You are a Christian. You have Bible. Exodus 21:16 forbids stealing another human and selling them.

Exodus 21:16 ESV

“Whoever steals a man and sells him, and anyone found in possession of him, shall be put to death.

Today, we are going to talk about a topic that is just as divisive today as slavery was back then. And that is the topic of the sanctity of life, particularly the life of the child in the womb. Today, as slavery was back then, this topic is highly politicized, and interestingly the two major talking points that keep Christians out of the conversation is first, that the child in the womb is not fully human. And second, that this is a political issue that the Church should not be engaged in.

Personal Word: Before I go any further, I would like give two preparatory words.

To the Skeptic: First, to the nonbeliever who has joined us today. I know that what I am going to say to you today will be offensive to you. But, my job is to preach the whole council of God as found in the Bible. And I want to appeal to you to consider that, that don’t you think God probably has a different view on issues of morality than our current culture. Wouldn’t you expect the righteous judge of the universe to not bow to whatever culture says. Of course! Today, as you listen in to the Biblical view, I hope you can see the humble compassion with which I speak, as well as the beauty of God’s vision compared to world.

Women In This Church: Second, in this Church we have a number of women who have shared with me that they have had abortions. And I suspect that there are many more in our seats who have had abortions but have not shared with me. Here is my up front word to you. I am going to be preaching today that abortion is sin, and I’m not going to hold back. This may bring up all kinds of pain for you. am here today acknowleding that, and have prayed fervently over my words. I want you to hear today the great hope of Christ. Jesus went to the cross for our sin. If we have repented of our sin and trust in Jesus Christ for his forgiveness, then God does not see you as a woman, or as a man assisted, who had an abortion, he sees you as a beloved daughter of the King, clothed in the righteousness of Christ Himself. And so when you think of that part of your story, we must be able to call it sin, and at the same time, see Christ on the cross, who purchased you. If that is you, I want to invite you to be the strongest boldest advocates for the life of the child in the womb in this Church. You have such an important role to play in many young women’s lives.

Ask Me Permission: And so, I ask for your permission today, to enter into this uncomfortable space, in order that we might be equipped to think Biblically and love holistically. Now, let us turn in our Bibles to Psalm 139 which will serve as our primary text today.

Primary Passage

Psalm 139:13–16 “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.”

Inward Parts: In Hebrew poetry like this, the inward parts are typically the seat of the emotions and the affections, the hidden part of a person where grief may be experienced, where the conscience exists, and where deep spiritual distress can be felt. He saying, “you formed me,” and notice how the whole context is in the womb. My conscience and my soul and my human experience in the womb.

Knit Together: The first thing we see is that God is intimately involved in development of a fetus in the womb of a mother. It is God and God alone who upholds a pregnancy. Every child in womb and out of womb is being molded by God, is being formed by God. We are not just evolutionary accidents. Nor are we random chaotic movements of mass and energy as the materialist argues. Each person is precious because each person is molded and made by God.

Fearfully & Wonderfully Made: The writer uses the words “fearfully and wonderfully made” when referring to the processing of being “knit together in the mother’s womb.” Fearfully because there is a holiness to an unborn child. There is a marveling that takes place over the child in the womb. A “Wow, look at what God has done.” This author cannot approach a pregnancy in a non reverential way. Every time it is a miracle, every time, those fingers… out of a speak and egg. It’s altogether to wonderful for me to think of. He’s lost in the holiness of it all. God forbid we lose the holy factor in this conversation.

Unformed Substance: Verse 16 says you saw my “unformed parts.” The Hebrew term for “unformed substance” is “golem.” It means “embryo.” It’s referring to a child that is between 0 and 8 weeks old, when it is still an embryo and doesn’t quite have the final form of a human being with all the limbs. What verse 16 is saying is that before conception, “when as yet there were none of them” God had already written all the days of his life, including the days of the embryo. The author is glorying in the God that knew Him intimately as a person even in the embryonic stage of life.

Summary: Here in Psalm 139 we have some foundational verses for understanding the Biblical worldview, that each and every life is created by God, not at the point of birth, but in the womb. It is there in the womb where personhood is granted, where an image of God is created, where the dignity of life is begun. This is clearly the teaching from Psalm 139.

Other Passages

Now, I would like to examine a handful of the many other passages that speak in the same way.

Hitting a Pregnant Woman: In the Old Testament law of God, to kill a person was to punished by death: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. In Exodus we read as follows.

Exodus 21:22–23 ESV

“When men strive together and hit a pregnant woman, so that her children come out, but there is no harm, the one who hit her shall surely be fined, as the woman’s husband shall impose on him, and he shall pay as the judges determine. But if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life,

This indicates that God considered the life of the child in the womb to be of exactly the same value as the life of a human outside fo the womb. The same punishment that is given for taking the life of outside of the womb, is to be applied for the life inside the womb.

John the Baptist: In Luke 1 we read of Mary’s pregnancy with Christ. And that she went and visited her cousin Elizabeth who was also pregnant with John the Baptist. And soon as Mary came within sight of Elizabeth, the child in Elizabeth leapt inside of her. And Elizabeth says to Mary.

Luke 1:44 ESV

For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.

John the Baptist experienced joy in the womb! Joy is a human quality. It is an emotion. Again, this affirms the life of the child in the womb. Emma Green, writing for the Atlantic wrote about this not that long ago in an article titled Science Is Giving the Pro-life Movement a Boost.

“The pro-life message has been, for the last 40-something years, that the fetus … is a life, and it is a human life worthy of all the rights the rest of us have,” she said. “That’s been more of an abstract concept until the last decade or so.” But, she added, “when you’re seeing a baby sucking its thumb at 18 weeks, smiling, clapping,” it becomes “harder to square the idea that that 20-week-old, that unborn baby or fetus, is discardable… New science is “instilling a sense of awe that we never really had before at any point in human history,” McGuire said. “We didn’t know any of this.”

Once again, as is always the case, science is proving the Biblical record, in this case, that children feel all kinds of emotions in the womb.

Jesus in the Womb: But most importantly and the centerpiece of Christianity is the incarnation. The journey of Jesus, the second person of the Trinity to incarnate himself among us did not begin at birth, it began as a fetus. Consider that for a moment. God incarnated himself into Mary’s womb. He took on flesh. He was formed. This is part of what it meant for Jesus to take on flesh. The reason this is so important is because the theology of Jesus being fully God and fully human is used to help us understand that Jesus can relate to us in all of our humanness, including the pain and the scars that happen inside the womb. Jesus took on flesh, born of a woman. We cannot remove humanness from the embryo or the fetus because it denies Jesus the majesty and the mystery of the journey he went through into humanity, from womb to tomb.

Quote - Charlotte Lozier: To quote from the Charlotte Lozier Institute,

“The conclusion that human life begins at sperm-egg fusion is uncontested, objective, based on the universally accepted scientific method of distinguishing different cell types from each other and on ample scientific evidence (thousands of independent, peer-reviewed publications). Moreover, it is entirely independent of any specific ethical, moral, political, or religious view of human life or of human embryos.”

Summarize: Let me give a summary of the Biblical perspective on the life of a child in a womb.

All Life Has Dignity: The Biblical worldview is that all human life is worthy of dignity, respect, and value. It is to be protected, and defended. No matter one’s color, one ethnic heritage, one’s level of education, or one’s net worth, every human being is beautifully made in the image of God. Biblically, and scientifically, a life in the womb is a human life, worthy of dignity, respect, value and has a right to be proteted and defended.

Sin: Therefore, to take the life of a child in the womb, is treated in the Scriptures, the exact same as taking the life of any other human outside of the womb. It is a very serious sin. To support the taking of life in the womb, is also a very serious sin because Christians cannot stand by silently while true injustices take place around them. Christians are to hate sin. And Christians are to lead the way in Christ like, sacrificial love and defense of the vulnerable.

Cultural Engagement

THREE REASONS FOR OUR CULTURE’S OBSESSION

Before we move on, I would like to address the question of ‘why.’ I find it a fascinating reality that our American culture has become so hostile and divided on a topic that seems so simple. While Roe v. Wade rightfully, and joyfully, overturned, in Illinois quite the opposite has happened. I was in the room praying what Governor Pritzker signed into law what he hoped to be the most progressive law in America on abortion, and saw a room of Chicago leaders leap with joy and celebration at the signing of Illinois’ new legislation. Illinois now pays for cross state travel expenses if you are coming to get an abortion. You can get an abortion, in this state, up into the third trimester for any reason, including emotional distress. I often spend part of my day on Friday outside an abortion clinic, and it is a nonstop parade of cars dropping off women, many from out of state, to come get an abortion. Why has abortion become such a massive rallying cry for so many. Let me propose three reasons.

#1 Drive for Success: First, is what the idol of success. As the feminist movements grew in the earlier 20th century, it became clear that pregnancy was one of the main differentiators betwen men and women and their potential for success in the workplace. Pregnancy, for many, is a career staller. In fact in the lead up to the 1973 decision of Roe v Wade it was argued that for a “woman to be equal with a man, she had to be able to be as equally unpregnant as a man at any given time.” What is the idol underneath this? It is success. What a sad tragic turn, that we would so value success in this world, that we would be willing to kill in order to obtain it.

Gospel Response: The Bible teaches us wisdom in Proverbs. It says

Proverbs 11:4 “Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.”

Friends, you can have all the success in the world down here, but we will all stand before a Holy God and give an accounting for our life. If we make success our driving value, then others are ultimately there to be used and abused for us to get ahead. What a sad life. But Jesus offers a different vision, not a vision filled with regret, but a vision of a life set to honoring God, even if that means achieving less success on this side of heaven. Is not the greatest measure of success in a person’s life, that they might stand on their judgment day before their God and hear those precious words, “Well done good and faithful servant.”

#2 Independence: Related to the idol of success is the idol of independence. There is a value that our culture places on being able to live a life free of burden and free of anchors that can hold you down. Able to travel whenever you want, go out to eat whenever you want. What could limit your independence more than a child to take care of. And so in order to stay free and independent, we remove the obstacle in our way, taking the life of the child.

Gospel Response: This kind of independence is not dependence at all. It is slavery. A critical passage for this conversation is Romans 6:20-21.

Romans 6:20–21 ESV

For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.

That verse teaches that in trying to obtain freedom, through sinful measures, we only arrive at death. We rob ourselves of the true freedom that is found only in Jesus Christ. We rob ourselves of a clean conscience, and in fact are submitting to slavery. Only in Christ, can the guilt and the shame that so many are walking around with every day be removed. Christians have been set free from the reckless pursuit of independence, and set on a course of the abounding pursuit of godliness, which very often joyfully submits itself to dependence. Far from children being viewed some nuisance, the Bible teaches that,

Psalm 127:3–5 “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.”

#3 Hyper Sexuality: There is a third category that is unfortunately, likely near the top of the list, and that is a culture of hyper sexuality. Abortion, makes it possible to pursue a life of lust, and never the consequences, of the child that is made by such a union. We are a culture that has elevated lust and sex, nearly to the equivalency of salvation. Ernest Becker a sexular author writing on this topic says.

“We still need to feel that our life matters in the scheme of things. We still want to merge ourselves with some higher self absorbing meaning, but if we no longer have god how are we to do this, and one of the first ways that it occurred to the modern person was the romantic solution, the self glorification that we need in our inner most being we now look for in the love partner. What is it that we want when we elevate the love partner to this position. We want to be rid of our faults. We want to be rid of our feeling of nothingness, we want to be justified, we want to know our existence hasn’t been in vain, we want redemption nothing less.”

Hyper sexuality will not fulfill you. It will cheapen your body and your soul, make a person feel like not much more than a very cheap prostitute. Our culture tells us you will be loved if you make sex and sexuality your God. But that will always leave a person empty and hollow. What people are looking for in their pursuit of sex, is love, is worth, is someone who says, “I see you as you are, and I love you.” That is ultimately only found in Christ. Jesus Himself is the great pursuer of our souls, who sees you in all of your vulnerability and sinfulness and weakness, and yet pursued you to the point of death. His love is not cheap. He does not leave you for the next best thing. He has covenant with you, if your faith is in Jesus, and he has spoken value and redemption into your life.

INFANT EXPOSURE & ADOPTION

I have shared what we are against, now let me share what we are for as Christians. Let me share the rich legacy that we stand in.

Illustration: Infant Exposure: In the days of Jesus, particularly in and Rome there was a practice of ancient abortion known as Infant Exposure. It was common practice in that day to discard of newborn infants that were unwanted (for whatever reason, wrong gender, wrong look, bad mood) and to leave them in the gutter alive on the side of the road. This practice of Infant Exposure came to end for one reason and one reason alone. Christianity. Christians had this command from their scriptures to care for the orphan among them. And so what Christian families would do is whenever they would see an abandoned child they would pick them up, take them home, and adopt them as their own child. It frustrated the Romans because they wanted to hate the Christians. But they couldn’t speak against their love. They’re on the record as being so angry at the Christians and yet saying, “They even love our own better than we love them.”

Adoption: Adoption has always been a part of the Christian witness to the world. And I believe it will be a massive witness to the world once again of Christ’s Kingdom. There is a statistic I read some time that said that if 1 family in every 3 churches in the US adopted a waiting child, every waiting child in the US would have a forever family.

Park’s Adoption Fund: At Park, we have gotten very serious about this. As some of you might know, I am a Dad to three little girls. Ruthie our oldest is our biological daughter, and Joy and Mira, our twins eight years old, we adopted out of Chicago’s Foster Care System. because we believe that this is such a powerful statement of the gospel put on display, we put aside close to $100,000 of church funds to help fund willing adoptive parents from this church. To date, we have given out tens of thousands of dollars, and have supported many many more in becoming foster parents as well as safe families (chrisitan short term fostering). I mean this, when I say that, too often the world points the finger at Christians and says “You only tell us what your against, but you aren’t willing to lift a finger to do anything about it.” Yes we are. Historically, this is a movement Christians own. And I believe, it will continue to be a place where Christians put there money where their mouth is.

Adoption And the Gospel: Why are Christians so passionate about adoption? Because adoption is the image that is used in Scripture to describe our relationship to God, once we place our faith in Christ. But in the difficult of adoption we are pointed towards the gospel in full display. Adoption is central to the Gospel and has always been a mark of the real Church. Romans 8:15 says,

Romans 8:15 ESV

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

The Gospel teaches us that simply by being born does mean you are in the family of God, in fact we are born outside the family of God. We are slaves to sin, rebels to God and to his kingdom, and outside of his loving care and protection. But Jesus did not leave us there. Jesus purchase our sonship on the cross. The price of our adoption into God’s family was Christ’s life. And he willingly gave it. And if you place your faith in Jesus you have been adopted into God’s family, and that is a permanent condition. He will not forsake you when you screw up. He will not abandon you when you don’t live up. He is a good father.

See the Gospel on Display: So when we adopt or step into orphan care you are quite literally saying, “Look at the gospel on display.”

Closing

Let me close with a few action steps you can take today.

Worship Issue: First, the conversation of the sanctity of life is a worship issue, far before it is a political issue. I do not expect a culture that is running from Jesus, to get abortion right, I don’t. And so the first thing I want to do is I want to win as many people to faith in Jesus as possible. I want to preach the Gospel, because there is salvation in no other name but Jesus. And as culture sees the beauty and the majesty and depth of Jesus Christ, as a whole they will abandon the culture of death they have created.

Lovelife & Book: For those who are looking to get trained and learn more about how to have a presence in women’s lives who are considering an abortion, I really recommend I really recommend our partner Lovelife who we introduced earlier. If that is too big a step for you, there are many great resources you might consider. One book that comes with many great reviews from trusted sources is called The Case for Life by Scott Klusendorf. You might consider reading.

Be In People’s Lives: Lastly, if ever you or someone you know is considering an abortion, please consider the Lord’s perspective and what we have discussed today. We have resources. We have care and counsel. We have adoption services. And most importantly, we point you to the only one who can truly serve you, Christ.

Church, this is not a light issue. God has spoken. We must speak as well.