January was the month in which pro-life Americans recognize in a special way the sanctity of human life. Several times last month, I found myself considering what it means for Christians to be pro-life. What follows are my thoughts, certainly not exhaustive on the issue but I trust they remind us that being pro-life is more than being against abortion, as important as that is.
Being pro-life means, having a firm, unwavering commitment to the biblical truth that God is the author of life. It is believing that human life is by God’s design, not through any evolutionary process. Being pro-life is believing that every human being bears the image of God. God’s Word clearly tells us “God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He them.” (Gen. 1:27). Being pro-life is believing that purposefully taking a human life, unless in self-defense, war, or via capital punishment, is murder. It’s hard to imagine New York’s governor and other state legislators who passed the law allowing abortion up until the time of birth have somehow convinced themselves they aren’t murdering a baby—who could be just days or hours from being delivered.
Being pro-life is believing the very best environment for children is to be conceived by and brought up in the home of their married male dad and female mom. Statistically, the safest place for an unborn child is in the womb of a married woman. In Wisconsin nearly 90% of abortions are done on single women. And that is pretty much the norm nationwide.
Being pro-life is children are a gift from God, even those with special needs. Tragically pre-born babies diagnosed in uterowith down syndrome are very likely to be aborted today—statistics range up to over 90% of those babies. God doesn’t determine value based on how perfect a person is physically.
Being pro-life is believing life begins at conception and ends at natural death, that at the moment of conception, when the egg is fertilized by the sperm, that a new human being is created. All it needs is time and the right environment to grow—but it will never be more human than it is at the moment of conception.
Being pro-life is believing that anything that harms or destroys a human life, from conception on, is wrong, including Human embryonic stem-cell research, which requires the destruction of a human embryo for the research to be conducted. Related to this, being pro-life is believing even aborted human babies should have their remains treated with respect, not traded or sold to the highest bidder for research that to date has yielded no gains in treatments or cures for human illnesses or diseases.
Being pro-life is believing pregnancy is not an illness but an amazing gift. And a corollary to that statement is being pro-life is believing abortion is not health-care.
Being pro-life is understanding that real science supports the pro-life position because real science acknowledges that life begins at the moment of conception.
Being pro-life is believing that women deserve to have as much information as possible about the truth of abortion. That’s why we need to zealously safeguard Wisconsin’s Women’s Right to Know law, which liberals are always seeking to change.
Being pro-life is believing that adoption is an incredible option to abortion.
Being pro-life is believing that assisted suicide or euthanasia is murder. Perhaps you heard about the 27 patients in an Ohio hospital who were euthanized by a doctor over the last few years—a health-care provider who took matters into his own hands when it came to determining quality and end-of-life choices and care.
Being pro-life is believing that God can, through Jesus Christ, forgive abortion—just as He forgives any other sin. The Gospel is the answer to the need of every human heart, and post-abortive women need our compassion and support—they need our Gospel witness to the salvation available only in Jesus Christ. I praise God for our Baptists for Life-affiliated Pregnancy Care Centers that treat all who come through their doors with compassion and offer them God’s forgiveness through Jesus Christ.
Being pro-life is believing children of every age deserve care and protection, because they are gifts from God. Parents are stewards of these precious gifts. Children aren’t accidents, trophies, inconveniences, objects to be abused in any way, or slave labor.
Being pro-life is believing that all people, regardless of age, race, sex, political persuasion, education, social status or whatever deserve to be treated with respect. We as Christians need to set the example here, always.
Basically, being pro-life means believing God’s Word – from Genesis 1:1 through Revelation 22: 21—and acting in accordance with God’s Truth at all times, in all ways. Do we really believe that what we believe is really real? When we do, it will change how we act when it comes to the pro-life issue.
Article submitted by:
Julaine K. Appling
Board Member of Baptists for Life of Wisconsin
