Post by Les Brewer on Apr 23, 2016 14:32:28 GMT
Is abortion murder?
The subject of abortion is perhaps one of the most highly charged issues of our day. Finding an honest answer the question “is abortion murder?” takes courage for those who have performed abortions or have had abortions themselves. The Bible is clear about the fact that murder is wrong (Exodus 20:13). However, in some cases, the Bible does not forbid killing. Soldiers representing their country were expected to kill soldiers on the opposing side (Joshua 11:20). That is not murder. Animals were killed for food and for sacrifice (Exodus 24:5; Genesis 9:3–4). That is not murder either.
Murder is defined as “the unlawful, premeditated killing of one human being by another.” Murder is unlawful killing—that is, killing that is done by the judgment of one human being against another, for personal (rather than national) reasons. The Bible condemns murder repeatedly as a characteristic of a wicked society (Deuteronomy 5:17; Isaiah 1:21; Hosea 4:2; Matthew 5:21). Determining whether or not abortion is murder involves two considerations: first, whether or not a fetus in utero is actually a human being, and, second, if a fetus is a child, whether or not abortion can be rightly called murder since it is legal. If murder is unlawful killing, it would follow that a lawful killing would not be murder.
One reason murder is outlawed is that it is unethical for one person to unilaterally decide the fate of another. Under the Old Testament Law, a murderer was not put to death unless there were multiple witnesses: “No person shall be put to death on the testimony of one witness” (Numbers 35:30). In war, soldiers do not decide to kill for their own purposes, but they kill out of obedience to a national interest—if they fight for an honorable nation, the national interest will be to protect innocent civilians from some threat. Abortion is different. Abortion is killing based on a mother’s unilateral judgment and choice, which defines it as murder. But if the fetus is not yet human—if the fetus is just a mass of impersonal tissue or an animal—ending its life would not be considered murder.
So, is a fetus a human? Or is it something else? Biologically speaking, human life begins at conception. When the mother’s egg and the father’s sperm come together, they combine and create a new string of DNA that is personalized and totally unique. DNA is coded information, the blueprint for the new human’s growth and development. No more genetic material needs to be added; the zygote in the womb is as human as the President in the White House. The difference between a fetus and any one of us is one of age, location, and level of dependence. When a mother aborts the process of fetal development, she is destroying a unique life.
The Bible clearly points to conception as the beginning of human life. Samson said, “I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother’s womb” (Judges 16:17). He refers to his unborn self as having already been what God planned him to be—a Nazirite. David says, “You formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb” (Psalm 139:13). Again, we see David referring to himself as a person in the womb. Then, he says, “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” (Psalm 139:16). David is saying that God had all of his days planned out for him while he was still in the womb. Again, this evidence points to personhood beginning at conception, rather than at the moment of birth. We see God had a similar plan for the life of the pre-born Jeremiah: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations” (Jeremiah 1:5).
The Bible considers a fetus to be an unborn child, a planned human being that God is forming from the moment of conception. This being the case, it doesn’t really matter what human jurisprudence says or how socially or politically acceptable abortion is. God’s law takes precedence. A mother who decides to abort her child is unilaterally making a decision to end another person’s life—and that is and always has been the definition of murder.
The question is from that How can a mother experience healing and recovery after an abortion?
Abortion healing and recovery is possible. Having an abortion and regretting it later is a common experience felt by women. While what has been done cannot be undone, you can experience healing and recovery after an abortion. The God of all comfort and healing is more than able to ease the sorrow and pain of an abortion and can restore you to life and joy.
An unwanted pregnancy can be a frightening experience for someone who is not financially, emotionally, or physically prepared for such a responsibility. Perhaps you are one of the many women and teenage girls who are scared, confused, and desperate. In your search for answers, perhaps you were fooled into believing that your unborn child was an expendable "lump of tissue," not really a pre-born human being. Often the realization of the truth comes later, in the form of post-abortion stress syndrome, guilt, and depression. This is where abortion healing and recovery is essential.
There is good news for anyone who has had an abortion, and that is that God offers forgiveness to anyone who asks for it. Romans 3:22 says, "We are made right in God's sight when we trust in Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, no matter who we are or what we have done." It is never too late to come to God for healing. There is nothing we can do that is so bad it is unforgivable. God offers this forgiveness, and He also offers peace of mind and heart, if we will only receive it by putting our faith in Jesus, allowing Him permanent residence and authority in our lives.
Perhaps you are already a Christian, yet you decided to have an abortion, perhaps out of fear of how you would be perceived by the Christian community. Even if you understood how God feels about abortion, you may have felt, out of desperation, that you must get rid of the "evidence." This is perhaps, in part, the responsibility of the church, which often does not support women in this situation as well as we should. Please understand that God is ready to offer forgiveness, redemption, and healing. Yes, having an abortion was wrong, it was the taking of a life, but it is not unforgivable. The Bible says that there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1), and so when we ask Him for forgiveness, He freely gives it. This is not because we deserve it, but because this is the loving nature of our Lord.
When you realize the repercussions of having an abortion, you may find it difficult to forgive yourself. But God does not want us to live with perpetual guilt; He wants us to learn from our mistakes and use them to His advantage, as well as our own. It will require a lot of prayer, which is simply conversation with God. This and studying the Bible help us get to know God better so that we can trust Him to heal us and be better equipped to do His work. Instead of dwelling on the act, be encouraged to use your experience to help others. You may first need to go through Christian counseling to help get through the experience, as it can be traumatic. But in the aftermath, if you trust in the Lord, you will be stronger and more spiritually mature. You can experience abortion healing and abortion recovery! You will have gone through an experience that God is able to use to strengthen your character and prepare you for ministering to others.
The subject of abortion is perhaps one of the most highly charged issues of our day. Finding an honest answer the question “is abortion murder?” takes courage for those who have performed abortions or have had abortions themselves. The Bible is clear about the fact that murder is wrong (Exodus 20:13). However, in some cases, the Bible does not forbid killing. Soldiers representing their country were expected to kill soldiers on the opposing side (Joshua 11:20). That is not murder. Animals were killed for food and for sacrifice (Exodus 24:5; Genesis 9:3–4). That is not murder either.
Murder is defined as “the unlawful, premeditated killing of one human being by another.” Murder is unlawful killing—that is, killing that is done by the judgment of one human being against another, for personal (rather than national) reasons. The Bible condemns murder repeatedly as a characteristic of a wicked society (Deuteronomy 5:17; Isaiah 1:21; Hosea 4:2; Matthew 5:21). Determining whether or not abortion is murder involves two considerations: first, whether or not a fetus in utero is actually a human being, and, second, if a fetus is a child, whether or not abortion can be rightly called murder since it is legal. If murder is unlawful killing, it would follow that a lawful killing would not be murder.
One reason murder is outlawed is that it is unethical for one person to unilaterally decide the fate of another. Under the Old Testament Law, a murderer was not put to death unless there were multiple witnesses: “No person shall be put to death on the testimony of one witness” (Numbers 35:30). In war, soldiers do not decide to kill for their own purposes, but they kill out of obedience to a national interest—if they fight for an honorable nation, the national interest will be to protect innocent civilians from some threat. Abortion is different. Abortion is killing based on a mother’s unilateral judgment and choice, which defines it as murder. But if the fetus is not yet human—if the fetus is just a mass of impersonal tissue or an animal—ending its life would not be considered murder.
So, is a fetus a human? Or is it something else? Biologically speaking, human life begins at conception. When the mother’s egg and the father’s sperm come together, they combine and create a new string of DNA that is personalized and totally unique. DNA is coded information, the blueprint for the new human’s growth and development. No more genetic material needs to be added; the zygote in the womb is as human as the President in the White House. The difference between a fetus and any one of us is one of age, location, and level of dependence. When a mother aborts the process of fetal development, she is destroying a unique life.
The Bible clearly points to conception as the beginning of human life. Samson said, “I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother’s womb” (Judges 16:17). He refers to his unborn self as having already been what God planned him to be—a Nazirite. David says, “You formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb” (Psalm 139:13). Again, we see David referring to himself as a person in the womb. Then, he says, “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” (Psalm 139:16). David is saying that God had all of his days planned out for him while he was still in the womb. Again, this evidence points to personhood beginning at conception, rather than at the moment of birth. We see God had a similar plan for the life of the pre-born Jeremiah: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations” (Jeremiah 1:5).
The Bible considers a fetus to be an unborn child, a planned human being that God is forming from the moment of conception. This being the case, it doesn’t really matter what human jurisprudence says or how socially or politically acceptable abortion is. God’s law takes precedence. A mother who decides to abort her child is unilaterally making a decision to end another person’s life—and that is and always has been the definition of murder.
The question is from that How can a mother experience healing and recovery after an abortion?
Abortion healing and recovery is possible. Having an abortion and regretting it later is a common experience felt by women. While what has been done cannot be undone, you can experience healing and recovery after an abortion. The God of all comfort and healing is more than able to ease the sorrow and pain of an abortion and can restore you to life and joy.
An unwanted pregnancy can be a frightening experience for someone who is not financially, emotionally, or physically prepared for such a responsibility. Perhaps you are one of the many women and teenage girls who are scared, confused, and desperate. In your search for answers, perhaps you were fooled into believing that your unborn child was an expendable "lump of tissue," not really a pre-born human being. Often the realization of the truth comes later, in the form of post-abortion stress syndrome, guilt, and depression. This is where abortion healing and recovery is essential.
There is good news for anyone who has had an abortion, and that is that God offers forgiveness to anyone who asks for it. Romans 3:22 says, "We are made right in God's sight when we trust in Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, no matter who we are or what we have done." It is never too late to come to God for healing. There is nothing we can do that is so bad it is unforgivable. God offers this forgiveness, and He also offers peace of mind and heart, if we will only receive it by putting our faith in Jesus, allowing Him permanent residence and authority in our lives.
Perhaps you are already a Christian, yet you decided to have an abortion, perhaps out of fear of how you would be perceived by the Christian community. Even if you understood how God feels about abortion, you may have felt, out of desperation, that you must get rid of the "evidence." This is perhaps, in part, the responsibility of the church, which often does not support women in this situation as well as we should. Please understand that God is ready to offer forgiveness, redemption, and healing. Yes, having an abortion was wrong, it was the taking of a life, but it is not unforgivable. The Bible says that there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1), and so when we ask Him for forgiveness, He freely gives it. This is not because we deserve it, but because this is the loving nature of our Lord.
When you realize the repercussions of having an abortion, you may find it difficult to forgive yourself. But God does not want us to live with perpetual guilt; He wants us to learn from our mistakes and use them to His advantage, as well as our own. It will require a lot of prayer, which is simply conversation with God. This and studying the Bible help us get to know God better so that we can trust Him to heal us and be better equipped to do His work. Instead of dwelling on the act, be encouraged to use your experience to help others. You may first need to go through Christian counseling to help get through the experience, as it can be traumatic. But in the aftermath, if you trust in the Lord, you will be stronger and more spiritually mature. You can experience abortion healing and abortion recovery! You will have gone through an experience that God is able to use to strengthen your character and prepare you for ministering to others.
