The primary purpose for my blog is to spread the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ and to explain what the Bible actually says about the issues of salvation, the church, and the application of biblical truths to real life. For that purpose, I try to avoid making direct references to politically related issues. [i]
But sometimes silence is not very effective. That is especially true in the case of abortion. My beliefs may not be popular, but I believe they are true to the word of God.
Leviticus 20:1-5 [ii]
The Lord said to Moses, “Give the people of Israel these instructions, which apply both to native Israelites and to the foreigners living in Israel. If any of them offer their children as a sacrifice to Molech, they must be put to death. The people of the community must stone them to death. I myself will turn against them and cut them off from the community, because they have defiled my sanctuary and brought shame on my holy name by offering their children to Molech. And if the people of the community ignore those who offer their children to Molech and refuse to execute them, I myself will turn against them and their families and will cut them off from the community. This will happen to all who commit spiritual prostitution by worshiping Molech. [iii]
The battle lines are becoming more and more distinct in the abortion war. Abortion supporters made it very clear in the last two weeks that they are not only in favor of abortion, but even infanticide. The statement by the governor of Virginia concerning post-birth abortions (a euphemism for justifiable homicide) clarified the argument better than any previous statement or action, including those of the governor of New York praising full-term abortions.
The most recent efforts to approve full-term abortions also shines more light on Roe v. Wade and its sister ruling, Doe v. Bolton. In these two decisions, the Supreme Court of the United States not only legalized abortion on demand, but also determined that abortion is legal all the way up until birth. The latest legislative actions are an attempt to codify these rulings out of fear that a future Supreme Court will overturn these rulings from 1973.
In 1896, in the infamous Plessy v. Ferguson case, the Supreme Court established separate but equal as the law of the land. In 1954, the Supreme Court, in Brown v. Board of Education, began the judicial and legislative process of overturning Plessy, declaring that separate but equal violated the Constitution of the U.S.
If we assume that this is a precedent, we might be patient and wait for the Supreme Court to overturn Roe and Doe near the year 2031. However, by that time, millions more children will have been slaughtered with the support and the encouragement of the government who should be protecting them.
Silence is consent. Christians who do not speak out and take a public stand on the issue of abortion silently consent to the murder of unprotected babies. You cannot support abortion on Saturday or be silent on the issue and then sing Jesus Loves Me on Sunday morning. You cannot support or be silent on the issue of killing unborn children and claim to be a child of God.
There are many in the Catholic community who are calling for the excommunication of the governor of New York. Since the church is an organism and not an organization, may we equate this to an abortion of the governor with eternal consequences? Such a process is not necessary, however, since the governor of New York cannot possibly be a member of the family of God while at the same time supporting the murder of unborn children created in the image of God.
As we watched the State of the Union Address this past week, my wife and I were amazed that when the President made reference to abortion and the ripping apart of the unborn child, not one woman in white stood to defend the life of the child. You would think that at least one of them would choose life over rights, but the universally stated by their response that they believe that the rights of the individual override the right to life of any individual who might interfere with the practice of those rights.
The Israelites, the chosen people of Jehovah, turned their backs on their God and began to offer their own children as sacrifices to the fires of the false god, Molech. God severely condemned this practice on multiple occasions (Leviticus 18:21; 20:2-5; 2 Kings 23:10; Jeremiah 32:35). How is abortion-on-demand or abortion-for-convenience any different from such a horrendous practice as burning your child alive to appease the gods?
And make no mistake, abortion is an issue of religion and idolatry. The support of abortion is not about rights or freedom or health or politics. Abortion is a bold and arrogant statement by its supporters of their disdain and hatred of Jehovah God, and a statement of the worship of the god of self. Abortion is an issue of the heart, and those who support it forfeit their hearts to the judgment and the wrath of God.
The church must never turn its back on any person seeking salvation and never stand in the way of the grace of God. The gospel message of redemption through Jesus Christ is available to all people, even those who believe in ripping apart human bodies in the womb. God’s offer of grace is available to all people of all nations and of every morality.
The church is the instrument by which God makes himself and His offer of grace known to the world. We must never think in terms of retribution or of hatred toward those who choose to rebel against the will and the laws of God. We must be willing to open our hearts to them and to share the love of God with them at all times.
Nevertheless, the church cannot remain silent on the issue of abortion, especially its codification by state legislatures. We must take a public and biblical stand on abortion and call the nation to repentance for forgiveness for our support and encouragement of such an egregious sin. We need to quit trying to be politically correct and quit trying to couch our protest in language that does not offend. The gospel is offensive by its very nature.
God is patient and longsuffering, but He will not tolerate sin forever. He destroyed the nation of Israel – His chosen people – for the sin of idolatry and the rejection of the law of God. We, the church, as followers of Christ and members of the kingdom, must not tolerate it either, and we must not continue to be silent. We must make known the truth of the gospel and the penalty for sin. We must begin now to speak loudly against the horror of abortion.
It’s time.
NOTES
[i] Picture credit: 1280px-Thomas_Cole_-_The_Voyage_of_Life_Childhood,_1842_(National_Gallery_of_Art). Wikipedia.com
[ii] From the New Living Translation
[iii] This reference does not speak specifically of abortion, but it does speak of sacrificing children for personal gain. There are many who equate today’s abortion practice to the practice of sacrificing a child to the fiery god named Molech.
Pastor Dan's Post 