Subsequent to the repeal of Roe v. Wade, several states in America have codified unrestrained abortion on demand in either the state constitution or state law. Advocates of abortion are ecstatic! A common rallying cry, for women who support abortion, is: “My body, my choice.” But does this have a strangely familiar ring?
Turn back the pages of history to Karl Marx who denounced every religion as, the illusory sun around which man revolves, until he begins to revolve around himself... A being only considers himself independent when he stands on his own feet; and he only stands on his own feet when he owes his existence to himself. (Marx, quoted by Colson and Pearcey, p 235). Progressive Christianity, the kindred spirit to Woke Christianity, teaches essentially the same thing (See Section 2.27 of Theology Corner). But what does it really mean?
Oswald Chambers unpacked the true implications of this idea a century ago:
“The Bible does not say that God punished the human race for one man’s sin; but that the disposition of sin, viz. my claim to my right to myself, entered into the human race by one man, and that another Man took on Him the sin of the human race and put it away (Heb 9:26) – an infinitely profounder revelation. The disposition of sin is not immorality and wrong-doing, but the disposition of self-realization – I am my own god. This disposition may work out in decorous morality or in indecorous immorality, but it has one basis, my claim to my right to myself.” (Chambers, October 5th)
Without using a specific name for it, Satan introduced Adam and Eve and all their progeny to humanism. A humanistic culture is one embracing the concept that men and women can begin from themselves and derive the standards by which to judge all things. There are, for such people, no fixed standards of behavior, no standards that cannot be eroded or replaced by what seems necessary, expedient, or fashionable. There is no essential difference in legitimacy between ‘good’ and ‘evil.’ Any perceived difference between good and evil is an illusion, an aberration for the puzzlement of limited intellects; what one might call evil, another might call good. Embracing humanism means following your own intellect, your own will and your own heart despite the Scripture teaching that: The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it? (Jer 17:9) To say “My body, my choice” is just a modern way of saying “I claim my right to myself “ or “I am my own god.” But there is a sticky problem as that claim relates to abortion.
Murder is defined as: the killing of one person by another person for personal gain and with premeditation. (See Section 8.2 of Theology Corner) Without question most abortions are conducted for personal gain (i.e. convenience); few abortions are performed because of rape, incest or the life of the mother. Furthermore, nearly all abortions are premeditated. But the abortion advocate says, “Not so fast, when abortion takes place, a person is not being killed! The fetus has no soul and is, therefore, not a person and cannot be murdered.” Many pro-abortion Christians take the position that an infant receives a soul at birth; if that infant is destroyed at any time prior to birth, no homicide has occurred.
However, Scripture takes a different view. John the Baptist leapt for joy in his mother’s womb (Luke 1:44) where he was filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:15). These indicate the humanity of the unborn John the Baptist. The psalmist assumes the humanity of the unborn child at conception: Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me (Psalms 51:5). This indicates the unborn child possesses a sinful, fallen nature at the time of conception. A sinful nature indicates a spiritual nature and thus a soul, making the child a complete human from conception. The Old Testament refers to individuals existing in the womb: I knew you in the womb (Jer. 1:5; Job 10:8-12; Ps. 139:13-16; Isa 44:2). The Didache (70 AD) states: You shall not procure an abortion, nor destroy a newborn child (2:1). The Letter of Barnabas (74 AD) states: You shall not murder a child by procuring abortion; nor, again, shall you destroy it after it is born (19). (See Section 8.5 of Theology Corner)
If you say, “My body, my choice,” you are correct. God will generally not interfere with your choice. But when you make that choice, will it give you a sense of great freedom and relief? Or will it place a great burden upon your soul that you have to bear for the rest of your life? Your choice is a matter of your own free will; but the emotional and physical consequences of choice are generally out of your control.
If you find a great burden upon your soul, there is only one way to find peace. You must pray this prayer:
Almighty God, I come into your presence
Confessing my sin nature and behavior,
Having remorse in my heart,
Wanting to repent,
Asking Your forgiveness,
Forgiving those who have sinned against me
And believing I am saved from eternal damnation
By faith, the grace of God and the Substitutionary Atonement of Jesus Christ
I pray that the Holy Spirit will
Occupy and purify my heart,
Make known to me the will of God,
Help me discern the truth,
Be Lord of my life
And keep me on the path of repentance, faith and obedience,
Continually reaffirmed and renewed.
Amen
