Abortion

Robert c. Redden wrote this article which appeared in the March 1975 edition of The Christian Courier which was published by the East Main Street Church of Christ in Stockton, California and edited by Wayne Jackson. Unfortunately, the information presented in this piece is just as important today as when it was first penned.

Abortion is a very sensitive and vital topic. It has been studied from every point of view imaginable. But for the Christian it can never be less than a moral issue. Since abortion is a moral issue, the Bible must be heard. After all, God has given us "all things that pertain unto life and godliness." (II Peter 1:3) No apology is made for the position here maintained. It is the position of this writer that abortion should never be considered as an option for the Christian unless the mother's life is in jeopardy. Biblical evidence suggests that a more liberal view would be very dangerous.

What is the Biblical evidence which makes abortion a "miscarriage of justice?" Though the Bible does not contain a specific statement about abortion, only the poorly read in God's word would conclude that such is concession to do as one pleases. With regard to the silence of the Old Testament, A.E. Crawley says: "The omission is one indication, among many, of the intense regard felt by the Jewish people for parenthood and the future of their race." (Hastings' Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, Vol. VI, p.55.) The Psalmist wrote: "Lo, children are a heritage of the Lord, and the fruit of the womb is His reward." (Ps. 127:3) It would have been unthinkable for Israel to allow abortion. The Old Testament mentions that a person responsible for an accidental miscarriage would not go unpunished: "And if men struggle with each other and strike a woman with child so that she has a miscarriage, yet there is no further injury, he shall pay as the judges decide. But if there is any further injury then you shall appoint as a penalty life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot." (Exodus 21:22-24) Since even accidental abortion received a retribution, it stands to reason that the silence of the Old Testament is not a concession to abort. Deliberate abortions would certainly carry greater responsibility than an accidental miscarriage.

Some scholars however, think the foregoing passage should be rendered thusly; "When men struggle together and one of them pushes a pregnant woman and her children come out but no harm happens, he shall be fined according as the woman's husband may extract from him...But if harm does ensue, then you shall impose soul for soul." ("Is Abortion Biblical?" H.W. Robinson, Christianity Applied, Vol. 1, No. 1.) In this rendering both phrases, "if no harm happens" and "if harm does ensue" apply either to mother or child and would teach that fetal life is as much human life as the mother. The strength or weakness of this translation depends on the phrase, "and her children come out." Does it refer to a live or dead infant? The verse does not say. The passage, thus understood, would make an accidental abortion induced by another a capital offense, whereas the simplest view, presented in the former version (A.S.V.) certainly shows that Hebrew law gives legal rights to the unborn child.

One of the profoundest statements of the Bible about the prenatal state is in Psalm 139:13-15. "For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth." The Psalmist here refers to his prenatal state in terms of humanity. And "while this gives no precise information about the relation of the soul to the fetus, it seems that the Psalmist did not think of his humanity as uniquely tied to the moment of his birth. The events leading up to birth are a kind of primal history of the self." (Paul Jewett, Christianity Today, Nov. 8, 1968, p. 8.) The passage certainly shows God's involvement in forming an infant from conception to birth. In this sense, abortion would be tampering with God's work.

The Bible also associates life with blood. "The blood is the life." (Deuteronomy 12:23) The circulatory system of the embryo is complete four weeks after conception. Dr. William Archer says: "Though it is less than an inch long, the embryo has a head with eyes, ears, and the beginning of a brain; it has a simple digestive system, kidneys, and liver; a heart that beats and a bloodstream of its own." (David Mace, Abortion, The Agonizing Decision, p. 40.) Some, citing Genesis 2:7 concerning Adam, contend that the body has no soul until after its first breath. To this we reply: first, God created Adam full grown and there was no life before he began to breathe. But life does exist for the infant before it takes its first breath. Second, the infant is supplied with oxygen from the mother through the umbilical cord. This brings us right back to life being in the blood and thus, whoever sheds human blood has taken a human life; has committed murder. (Genesis 9:6) Note the reasoning: abortion sheds human blood but the shedding of human blood is murder, hence abortion is murder. If this sounds harsh, think about this. If a woman were taken by force and an abortion performed on her, would the crime be murder? If she consents, does that make it less of a crime? Is an unwanted baby less than human because it's not wanted? Remember this also, "Jehovah hates...hands that shed innocent blood." (Proverbs 6:16-17)

According to the New Testament, John, six months in his mother's womb, leaped for joy when Mary greeted Elizabeth, his mother. (Luke 1:44) To suggest that an unborn child responded in an emotional way is at least to declare his humanity. It should be noted also that Elizabeth was inspired by the Spirit to interpret this fetal movement. (Plummer, ICC on Luke, p. 28) To suggest that the passage should be dismissed because of its uniqueness shows a lack of spiritual insight on the theme being discussed. This verse gives some scriptural insight into the prenatal state. It suggest the humanity of the unborn infant. The incarnation of Jesus suggests the same thing. When Mary visited Elizabeth, she was several weeks pregnant herself and she was greeted by the latter as "the mother of my Lord." (Luke 1:43) Elizabeth viewed Mary as actually carrying within her the humanity and deity of Jesus, the Son of God! And John's prenatal movement "for joy" was a sign of the presence of the Lord.

Lastly, James states that "the body apart from the spirit is dead." (James 2:26) Since death is an evidence of the spirit's departure (Ecclesiastes 12:7), life is doubtless an indication of the presence of the human spirit. The spirit has been present from the moment life began, i.e., since conception. When this verse is given due consideration, abortion will not be considered as an option for the Christian. Robinson says, "Certainly it cannot be stated categorically that the fetus is not a human being, and it could be argued that since doubt exists it would be wise to consider each case in favor of life rather than of abortion. The Scriptures teach the sanctity of human life and abortion for convenience would be repugnant to anyone who takes the Bible seriously." (Op. Cit.)

The Christian who examines the evidence for the humanity of the unborn realizes the cumulative strength of the case. There is too much evidence to trust any other conclusion. To contend that human life does not exist for the prenatal infant is to advocate that which may have tragic and eternal consequences. Those who are concerned about the control of human reproduction must, as Jewett says, find the answer in prevention of conception rather than in prevention of birth. (Op. Cit.)