Moving from Pro-Birth to Pro-Life
A Biblical Understanding of What it Means to Be Pro-Life
Regardless of where you stand on the issue, it is likely that you have heard the debates. You've heard the Scripture quoted from the Old Testament. The verses that go along the lines of “thou shalt not murder,” “You knit me together in my mother’s womb,” “God created man in His own image,” you know the ones. I'm not going to rehash them here. Instead, I want to give you an alternative view of what it means to be pro-life and I want to point you to the very works of Jesus.
The ultimate purpose of Christ's work here on earth was to bring us salvation through His death as the atonement of our sins. He came not to condemn us because we are sinners. No, because we are sinners, he came to save us. This is the value that he placed on every single life. He didn't look on our sin and despise us. He looked on our sin and cried for us. He loved us, as we sat wallowing in our sin, so much, that it caused His very death. But as we examine His work here on earth, we must not dismiss His acts prior His death. Coming to offer us salvation though His atoning death for our sins was the focal point of His mission here on earth. But it wasn't the only reason He came, as is evidenced by His three years of ministry leading up to His crucifixion.
To understand Jesus' views on life, we must also look to his teachings and where He focused His attention during His ministry. He taught and preached the good news of the gospel, setting the foundations of the church and setting for us an example of how we are to live. But he also took time to love and to heal all who came to Him. The Bible says He was filled with compassion for the sick and hurting. He gave sight to the blind, restored hearing to the deaf. He raised the dead back to life, and raised the crippled to their feet. He calmed fears, blessed little children, fed the hungry, and made time for the outcasts and least of these.
It is oh so evident that He did not come just to bring life, but an abundance of life. And He desires the same attitude of mind from us. If we are only concerned about whether or not a child lives to see the light of day, then we have failed to live in the example of Christ. If birth is our only concern we have, in a sense, failed as Christians, because we have not done a very good job at imitating the one we call Christ. If we stop at saving babies from the hands of abortionists, and do nothing to care for that child's life once he/she enters this world, perhaps we should more appropriately refer to ourselves as pro-birth, because we are far from being pro-life.
To truly be pro-life is to have the same compassion that Jesus exemplified. It means placing value on and fighting for the protection and well-being of every single life. To be pro-life requires us to love and care for every pregnant woman, regardless of her marital status or how she became pregnant. And it commands us to love and care for the well-being of her child, both before, and after the child's birth. This is the Biblical understanding of what it means to be pro-life, for this is the very example that Christ left, and that He commands us to follow. Indeed, if we truly desire to love our Lord, we can do nothing less.
Making A Statement of Love
For much of the last four decades the Christian response to abortion has been centered around statements of anger, distaste, and sadly even hate. While most of us would be quick to denounce the acts of violence that have been committed through the years against those who practice abortion, we must also be willing to admit our sins and the words of hate that slip from our lips. We must admit that the sermons we preach from our pulpits and the conversations we have amongst friends are often laced with words of great disdain towards the “murders” and “baby killers.” If we are to become pro-life we must acknowledge our attitudes toward those whom we disagree with, and learn to truly look with the eyes of Christ, who came not to condemn the sinner, but to save the sinner (Jn 3:17). This is the same Jesus who gently silenced the accusers of the woman caught in adultery and by so doing reminded us that, we too, are ALL adulterers and sinners.
In the fall of 2019, you may remember a story that quickly went viral involving the fatal shooting of an unarmed Dallas man by an off-duty police officer. What made this story stand out from the other 209 homicides in the city of Dallas that year was what happened in the court room during the ensuing trial. Brandt Jean, the brother of the victim disarmed the powers of hatred when he spoke these words to his brother’s killer: "I forgive you... I love you as a person, and I don't wish anything bad on you." These are the kinds of statements that the world notices.
When Jesus died upon the cross, He made the loudest statement against sin that the world has ever known. In the ultimate act of love, the sinless One took the place of the sinful. The innocent, for the guilty. There was no hatred coming from the One on the cross; there was merely love, gentleness, and compassion. As they ripped the very flesh from His back and drove nails through His wrists, the only words that could come from His lips begged "Father, forgive them." Over two thousand years later, that same love - boundless, unconditional, selfless love - not hatred, is still the greatest statement that could ever be made against the acts of sin in this world.
And so creation begs a response...
Moving beyond Simply Politics
Through the years, the majority of the Christian response to abortion has been very political, with many Christians advocating for laws to protect the life of the unborn and pledging their support to politicians who will uphold those laws. But what would happen if Roe v. Wade were overturned and abortion became illegal? What would happen to the thousands of kids each year with special needs diagnoses that would be born but then abandoned by their mothers who are not able to give them the care that they need? Would we, as the church, be prepared to care for the influx of special needs kids and the thousands others that would enter the foster care system?
If we are praying that the lives of the unborn would be saved but do nothing to address the needs of those same children, who are born, but then abandoned, we become hypocrites to the core. We cannot sincerely pray that laws would be created to protect these innocent lives if we are not also actively engaged in discussion about programs and initiatives to care for and support these children once they are born. I honestly do not know that God will answer those prayers. God answers the prayer offered in faith, not the prayer of “once you do something, God, then I’ll respond.”
As the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic hit, many of us found that we were thoroughly unprepared to meet the needs of those around us. As shiny new church buildings sat empty, our brothers and sisters around the world were literally starving. If we truly aspire to be God’s hands and feet, as we often pray, then why weren’t we already doing something to address the poverty around us, which was only worsened by the pandemic?
How long will we cry out to God, while by our actions show that we do not actually believe He answers prayer? If we are to be pro-life, we must move beyond simply politics and pray and respond as if God truly answers prayer. As God’s church, we must now be faithful in having these conversations and being prepared for when He does answer. Do we not believe that God wants to see an end to abortion? Then we must also believe that God desires every child in foster care to experience His love through the outpouring love of a family. We must believe that God desires every pregnant woman to know her true worth. We must believe that God desires no child to go hungry because her mother cannot afford to keep food on the table. And we must believe in the importance of the church’s support in raising a family. Could it at all be possible that God is waiting for us to respond? Oh church, if only we lived, as though we believed…
Regardless of where you stand on the issue, it is likely that you have heard the debates. You've heard the Scripture quoted from the Old Testament. The verses that go along the lines of “thou shalt not murder,” “You knit me together in my mother’s womb,” “God created man in His own image,” you know the ones. I'm not going to rehash them here. Instead, I want to give you an alternative view of what it means to be pro-life and I want to point you to the very works of Jesus.
The ultimate purpose of Christ's work here on earth was to bring us salvation through His death as the atonement of our sins. He came not to condemn us because we are sinners. No, because we are sinners, he came to save us. This is the value that he placed on every single life. He didn't look on our sin and despise us. He looked on our sin and cried for us. He loved us, as we sat wallowing in our sin, so much, that it caused His very death. But as we examine His work here on earth, we must not dismiss His acts prior His death. Coming to offer us salvation though His atoning death for our sins was the focal point of His mission here on earth. But it wasn't the only reason He came, as is evidenced by His three years of ministry leading up to His crucifixion.
To understand Jesus' views on life, we must also look to his teachings and where He focused His attention during His ministry. He taught and preached the good news of the gospel, setting the foundations of the church and setting for us an example of how we are to live. But he also took time to love and to heal all who came to Him. The Bible says He was filled with compassion for the sick and hurting. He gave sight to the blind, restored hearing to the deaf. He raised the dead back to life, and raised the crippled to their feet. He calmed fears, blessed little children, fed the hungry, and made time for the outcasts and least of these.
It is oh so evident that He did not come just to bring life, but an abundance of life. And He desires the same attitude of mind from us. If we are only concerned about whether or not a child lives to see the light of day, then we have failed to live in the example of Christ. If birth is our only concern we have, in a sense, failed as Christians, because we have not done a very good job at imitating the one we call Christ. If we stop at saving babies from the hands of abortionists, and do nothing to care for that child's life once he/she enters this world, perhaps we should more appropriately refer to ourselves as pro-birth, because we are far from being pro-life.
To truly be pro-life is to have the same compassion that Jesus exemplified. It means placing value on and fighting for the protection and well-being of every single life. To be pro-life requires us to love and care for every pregnant woman, regardless of her marital status or how she became pregnant. And it commands us to love and care for the well-being of her child, both before, and after the child's birth. This is the Biblical understanding of what it means to be pro-life, for this is the very example that Christ left, and that He commands us to follow. Indeed, if we truly desire to love our Lord, we can do nothing less.
Making A Statement of Love
For much of the last four decades the Christian response to abortion has been centered around statements of anger, distaste, and sadly even hate. While most of us would be quick to denounce the acts of violence that have been committed through the years against those who practice abortion, we must also be willing to admit our sins and the words of hate that slip from our lips. We must admit that the sermons we preach from our pulpits and the conversations we have amongst friends are often laced with words of great disdain towards the “murders” and “baby killers.” If we are to become pro-life we must acknowledge our attitudes toward those whom we disagree with, and learn to truly look with the eyes of Christ, who came not to condemn the sinner, but to save the sinner (Jn 3:17). This is the same Jesus who gently silenced the accusers of the woman caught in adultery and by so doing reminded us that, we too, are ALL adulterers and sinners.
In the fall of 2019, you may remember a story that quickly went viral involving the fatal shooting of an unarmed Dallas man by an off-duty police officer. What made this story stand out from the other 209 homicides in the city of Dallas that year was what happened in the court room during the ensuing trial. Brandt Jean, the brother of the victim disarmed the powers of hatred when he spoke these words to his brother’s killer: "I forgive you... I love you as a person, and I don't wish anything bad on you." These are the kinds of statements that the world notices.
When Jesus died upon the cross, He made the loudest statement against sin that the world has ever known. In the ultimate act of love, the sinless One took the place of the sinful. The innocent, for the guilty. There was no hatred coming from the One on the cross; there was merely love, gentleness, and compassion. As they ripped the very flesh from His back and drove nails through His wrists, the only words that could come from His lips begged "Father, forgive them." Over two thousand years later, that same love - boundless, unconditional, selfless love - not hatred, is still the greatest statement that could ever be made against the acts of sin in this world.
And so creation begs a response...
Moving beyond Simply Politics
Through the years, the majority of the Christian response to abortion has been very political, with many Christians advocating for laws to protect the life of the unborn and pledging their support to politicians who will uphold those laws. But what would happen if Roe v. Wade were overturned and abortion became illegal? What would happen to the thousands of kids each year with special needs diagnoses that would be born but then abandoned by their mothers who are not able to give them the care that they need? Would we, as the church, be prepared to care for the influx of special needs kids and the thousands others that would enter the foster care system?
If we are praying that the lives of the unborn would be saved but do nothing to address the needs of those same children, who are born, but then abandoned, we become hypocrites to the core. We cannot sincerely pray that laws would be created to protect these innocent lives if we are not also actively engaged in discussion about programs and initiatives to care for and support these children once they are born. I honestly do not know that God will answer those prayers. God answers the prayer offered in faith, not the prayer of “once you do something, God, then I’ll respond.”
As the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic hit, many of us found that we were thoroughly unprepared to meet the needs of those around us. As shiny new church buildings sat empty, our brothers and sisters around the world were literally starving. If we truly aspire to be God’s hands and feet, as we often pray, then why weren’t we already doing something to address the poverty around us, which was only worsened by the pandemic?
How long will we cry out to God, while by our actions show that we do not actually believe He answers prayer? If we are to be pro-life, we must move beyond simply politics and pray and respond as if God truly answers prayer. As God’s church, we must now be faithful in having these conversations and being prepared for when He does answer. Do we not believe that God wants to see an end to abortion? Then we must also believe that God desires every child in foster care to experience His love through the outpouring love of a family. We must believe that God desires every pregnant woman to know her true worth. We must believe that God desires no child to go hungry because her mother cannot afford to keep food on the table. And we must believe in the importance of the church’s support in raising a family. Could it at all be possible that God is waiting for us to respond? Oh church, if only we lived, as though we believed…
Next Steps
Ten practical ways you can respond and engage your church in developing a culture of life that cares for every pregnant woman and her child: