Abortion in America (Part 1)

For the next 2 weeks we are taking a break from 1 Corinthians and talk about Abortion in America and How We Can Make a Difference. It is likely that we will hear of the overturning of Roe vs. Wade sometime this month and next week we will give more insight into what that means for our nation, for our state, and what we can do to help get a HEARTBEAT BILL on the 2024 ballot. But today I have 3 goals in mind...

First, Christians need to know what the Scriptures say about life in the womb & protecting the unborn. I have taught on this several times and you can dig much deeper on WHY and HOW Christians should stand up for the unborn: “The Abomination of Abortion” or “Sanctity of Life Sunday”.

Second, Christians need to know what the Scriptures say about repentance and forgiveness for those who have disobeyed our Creator. And that INCLUDES ABORTION. If you have participated in an abortion, you need to know that this is a great evil, but you also need to know you can genuinely be FORGIVEN. Hang with us, and you will hear about this great hope in a moment!

Finally, I want to give you some practical ways that WE can make a difference in defending the unborn and loving people considering abortion or those who have already had abortions.

What the Scriptures Say about the Unborn

The Bible and biology are NOT in disagreement.

Biologists recognize that life begins at conception in the womb. - it IS a human being with half of the chromosomes from momma and half from daddy.

The Bible recognizes human life in the womb as well, as we will see in just a moment.

The Scriptures teach that human life is different from all other kind of animal or plant life, because of whose image we are created in.

Genesis 1:27 (NIV)

So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them.

That includes the smallest baby in the womb to the oldest person on the planet. As Christians, we need to be those who treat people - all people -with that kind of VALUE. Let’s not be those who just SAY IT with our lips, may we SHOW IT with our lives.

God later reminds Noah and his family of human value, as they reboot creation. And this time, there’s a warning attached.

Genesis 9:5a–6 (NIV)

And from each human being, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of another human being. “Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made mankind.

God is serious business about people treating others with value. Those who are guilty of harming other humans are held accountable by God by human governing leaders.

There is even talk of what to do if a pregnant woman or her baby is harmed by others.

Exodus 21:22–25 (NIV)

If people are fighting and hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman’s husband demands and the court allows. But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.

Why? If you harm a human being (mother or child), made in the image of God - then justice should be served.

A full grown man who causes the death of the baby in the womb, would be killed!

What does that tell you about God’s view of a baby in the womb?

With all that said, what do you think God would say to those who support the killing of innocent human beings inside their mothers’ wombs?

Those who say He’s okay with this better REPENT, or they will face HIS JUDGEMENT.

King David wrote about the significance of God’s work in the womb in Psalm 139.

Psalm 139:13–14 (CSB)

For it was you who created my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I will praise you because I have been remarkably and wondrously made. Your works are wondrous, and I know this very well.

Just after Mary was told that she was pregnant with Jesus, we find an intriguing story as Mary travels to see her cousin, Elizabeth - who was further along in her pregnancy with John the Baptist.

Luke 1:41–44 (NIV)

When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby [bréphos] leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby [bréphos] in my womb leaped for joy.

The Greek term translated as baby (bréphos) is used for the child in the womb as well as infants or small children. [William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 183.]

That’s the same term that is later used when Jesus is born.

Luke 2:12 (NIV)

This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby [bréphos] wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.

Luke 2:16 (NIV)

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby [bréphos], who was lying in the manger.

In other words, the New Testament writers recognized the BEING in the womb to be a HUMAN BEING. After all, what other kind of being could it be - a cat, dog, or camel?

And changing the terms to “fetus” (Latin for BABY) doesn’t change the truth. It was a HUMAN BABY in the womb and a HUMAN BABY outside of the womb.

And NO…this is NOT a woman’s body - it’s a separate, living, growing, human being (separate DNA, heart, brain, etc). That’s what the BIBLE teaches AND it’s what we know to be true BIOLOGICALLY.

That’s easy to dismiss & dilute UNTIL YOU SEE IT. So, here are couple of pictures to give more proof of what IT is…a tiny, unborn, HUMAN BEING.

If you need to look away for the next minute, I’ll tell you when we’re done.

PICS - 8 weeks

PICS - 10 weeks

PIC - 22 weeks

What IS that? That’s a HUMAN BEING - at exactly the same size and stage YOU were at the moment of YOUR life in your mother’s womb.

You can look up now. WHY are we putting up with this EVIL? Why are we allowing SMOKE SCREENS like pointing to the less than 2% of abortions that supposedly occur due to molestation or rape? What about the other 98+%?

Who will stand up for these unborn human beings!?

If YOU - men or woman - have participated in an abortion - I want you to know that you CAN be FORGIVEN of this wicked sin. We cannot sugar-coat that reality that abortion is the taking of an innocent human life. That’s the truth.

Those who recognize that truth, admit that this is sin before God, turn from it and turn to Jesus - CAN BE FORGIVEN! The reality is that there ARE men & women in this room who HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN for many wicked sins - including abortion.

Listen to Tim’s Story

Tim said it right - “I’ve been forgiven” - and he has been...BUT the consequence of his sin has repercussions 40 plus years later.

That’s what sin does - sin offers a short term fulfillment that leaves you with a lifetime of regret.

That was true for King David - forgiven for his adultery and murder of Uriah - yet dealing with the consequences of his sin - the child born to Bathsheba died within days and David’s own family imploded around him.

Are there consequences to your sin that God might not take away? YES. Will God FORGIVE you in you genuinely turn from your sin and confess it to the Lord, like King David did? YES! Let’s take a look at what REPENTANCE looks like.

What the Scriptures Say about Repentance & Forgiveness

Psalm 51:1–4 (NET) Have mercy on me, O God, because of Your loyal love! Because of Your great compassion, wipe away my rebellious acts! Wash away my wrongdoing! Cleanse me of my sin! For I am aware of my rebellious acts; I am forever conscious of my sin. Against You—You above all—I have sinned; I have done what is evil in Your sight. So you are just when You confront me; You are right when You condemn me.

Could David be any more repentant with his words? Is he diluting the wickedness of his sin? NOPE. David certainly isn’t denying his sin against Bathsheba nor Uriah. He is recognizing the ultimate impact of his sin against God. He is an adulterer and a murderer. He can’t shake the shame of his sin before God.

Psalm 51:5–9 (NET) Look, I was guilty of sin from birth, a sinner the moment my mother conceived me. Look, You desire integrity in the inner man; You want me to possess wisdom. Sprinkle me with water and I will be pure; wash me and I will be whiter than snow. Grant me the ultimate joy of being forgiven! May the bones you crushed rejoice! Hide Your face from my sins! Wipe away all my guilt!

This is a hyperbole - sinner the moment my mother conceived me doesn’t mean David was a practicing sinner in his mother’s womb. This is an exaggeration to make the point that David knows that he has sinned throughout his life. Is there any hope after all the sins he has committed against God? YES! God can make Him clean, whiter than snow. God can blot out his iniquity and never bring it up again!

This is what David longs for! Isn’t it what WE long for as well?

Psalm 51:10–13 (NET) Create for me a pure heart, O God! Renew a resolute spirit within me! Do not reject me! Do not take your Holy Spirit away from me! Let me again experience the joy of your deliverance! Sustain me by giving me the desire to obey! Then I will teach rebels your merciful ways, and sinners will turn to you.

That’s what Tim is doing with Celebrate Recovery as he leads and pleads with sinners to turn to God.

That’s what YOU and I have the privilege to do - to be beggars telling other beggars where to find the Bread of Life.

Psalm 51:14–17 (NET) Rescue me from the guilt of murder, O God, the God who delivers me! Then my tongue will shout for joy because of your deliverance. O Lord, give me the words! Then my mouth will praise you. Certainly you do not want a sacrifice, or else I would offer it; you do not desire a burnt sacrifice. The sacrifices God desires are a humble spirit— O God, a humble and repentant heart you will not reject.

David asks God to forgive him from the guilt of murder. He asks God to forgive him for murdering another human being, and God does. HOW? David is humble & repentant before God. He turns from his sin and turns to God for forgiveness.

1,000 years after David writes these words, Jesus comes to earth to become our substitute sacrifice.

1 Peter 2:24–25 (NIV)

“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Those who turn from their sin and turn to Jesus are FULLY FORGIVEN because Jesus really bore our sins! And those who are forgiven should be GRATEFUL to walk away from sins and live for righteousness. Have YOU genuinely TURNED from your sin and TURNED to Jesus - trusted Jesus to take your sin and change your life? If not, today could be your day.

STAFF

DEACONS

Finally...

How Can We Make a Difference to Defend the Unborn?

4 Ways to STEP UP & MAKE A DIFFERENCE:

1. GIVE to Fellowship OR give directly to Women’s Pregnancy Center. Our church gives $2,500 a year to this worthy cause, while many individuals from our church give more.

Baby Bottles - The Churches in our association collected over $7,000 in baby bottles! That helps provide for women and unborn & newly born babies in our community through “The Women’s Pregnancy Center”.

2. SERVE valuable people - the unborn to the most elderly - they are VALUABLE! We must SHOW people God’s love, by treating them with value! When we CARE for people, it gives us an opportunity to SHARE with people WHY we are treating them with value. And if you want to help with our Women’s Pregnancy Center...

Contact Jenny Starling (850-973-6970) and how you can serve.

3. SPEAK. Speak against abortion. Yes, you will catch flack - that’s what happens in battle. Prepare how you can speak truth in our mixed up world - more and that next week.

4. VOTE your values. Remove representatives who support abortion and replace them with representatives IN who support LIFE from the womb to the tomb. Elections have consequences. STOP VOTING for people who support abortion - the MURDER of innocent humans.

Next week we will look into what it means WHEN Roe v Wade is overturned and what we can do to prepare for that in Florida.

5. PRAY. Our nation is on the edge of minimizing the number of human babies ABORTED, and might eventually outlaw abortion all altogether! We need to PRAY that our Supreme Court and other governing leaders will do the RIGHT thing. We need to PRAY for opportunities where WE - beggars - to tell other beggars to the find the bread.

After we pray, make sure to come by and encourage Tessa.