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What the Bible says about a child’s future from abortion Babies born can grow up and as adults to do the work of God for his glory or can be workers of evil against God and humanity, only God knows what their future is. The Bible does not use the word ‘abortion.’ Abortion as we know it today was not practiced in biblical times, the ancient world. This is one of those areas not spoken on directly or fully in Scripture, we have glimpses of Gods nature and commands to understand this matter to base our conclusions on but that does not mean we are fully correct; for the Scripture is not explicit on this. This becomes one of those topics as far as I can tell is concealed without a definitive answer. As you read you may be disturbed at some of the points being made, but please hold out to the conclusion. Is a fetus a person? Calling a baby a fetus diminishes the importance of it being a living human creature, it refers to a developing human baby, one that is growing. From the time a baby is created at fertilization, he already have all the DNA he will ever have. ‘Factual Science’ teaches at the moment of conception, there is a new life, possessing 46 chromosomes, which are distinct from both the mother and the father. Genetically, the baby is not the mother's body, it is another person even before it exits her womb. At 21 days, the first heartbeats begin. At 45 days, brain waves are detected. As the child is developing, absorbing food and growing; the thyroid and adrenal glands are functioning. By 12 or 13 weeks. The child develops his own unique fingerprints, growing fingernails, and can feel pain. This developing life needs time and nurturing to become fully what they will be when they exit the womb, a person. All human Life includes the life of a child in the womb. Anyone who intentionally kills another God calls this murder (Gen. 9:6). In his commandments given to Moses thousands of years ago he reiterates "you shall not murder (kill)." The Bible clearly forbids murder" (Exod. 20:13), which means killing. However, the Bible does not forbid all ‘killing’, one of the main exceptions is capital punishment by the government, or for a country in its national defense, or personal defense when attacked. The Bible does allow for capital punishment as an exception of killing . "For it [governing authorities] is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath upon the one who practices evil." (Rom. 13:4). The phrase "innocent blood" is found about 20 times, and always condemns shedding innocent’s blood, (meaning those who are not threatening who are recipients of the activity of murder). God chastised the Jews for shedding innocent blood when they sacrificed their children to the idols of Canaan (Ps. 106:38), copying the pagan nations that did not believe in God or his morals. They were just as punished being chosen and under Gods rule. Six things the LORD hates, one is “hands that shed innocent blood” (Prov. 6:16-17) unborn, human lives are innocent blood. He gave with the commandments of murder a provision of this occurring to pregnant women. Ex 21:22-25 " If men fight, and hurt a woman with child, so that she gives birth prematurely, yet no harm follows, he shall surely be punished accordingly as the woman's husband imposes on him; and he shall pay as the judges determine. But if any harm follows, then you shall give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.” 2 Kings 8:12 And Hazael said, "Why is my lord weeping?" He answered, " Because I know the evil that you will do to the children of Israel : Their strongholds you will set on fire, and their young men you will kill with the sword; and you will dash their children, and rip open their women with child.” Hazael was a murderer, ascended the throne and was soon to oppose Ahaziah, king of Judah, and Jehoram, king of Israel. It is clear from the Scriptures that an unborn baby is known by the Lord. When does life begin? In today’s culture it depends on the feeling of the parents. But God says it begins in the womb at conception. Human life is created and superintended by God in the womb of the woman. We are to cooperate and keep this developing child safe. David describes this developing child’s growth in Hebraic poetry. Ps. 139:13-16 “ 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. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.” Job 31:15 “ Did not He who made me in the womb make them? Did not the same One fashion us in the womb?’ Life does not begin at birth, when the child exits out of the womb to breathe on its own. If that were so than abortion does not bring death to a person. The classical view in nearly all religions is that life begins in the womb or at conception. It diminishes the value of human life. King David writes that God saw our “unformed substance” even before we were conceived, He has already knew the length of our lives. God who knows the future of all things. We are told that God knows the number of our days even before we are born. Job 14:5 states God knows the number of months and days we will live. “ Since his days are determined, The number of his months is with You; And his limits You have set so that he cannot pass .” God tells his prophet Jeremiah 1:5 " Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.” Even before we were even conceived. He has said to us, “ I have loved thee with an everlasting love” (Jeremiah 31:3). He values all of created preborn human beings the same. He specifically names seven men before they were born. Only living persons are given names in the Bible. Their names are; Ishmael (Gn. 16:11); Isaac (Gn. 17:19); Josiah (1 Ki. 13:2); Solomon (1 Chron. 22:9); Jeremiah (Jer.1:5); John the Baptizer (Lk. 1:13); and Jesus (Mt.1:21). The Bibles proof of life is displayed with John the baptizer is said to be filled with the Holy Spirit in Elizabeth’s womb. Lk.1:41 “ When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.” In the Old Testament we see Jacob and Esau as distinct individual persons in the womb of their mother (Gn. 25:23; Rom. 9:11-12). Samson's mother was told not to drink wine, because her son was to be a Nazirite, who would abstain from alcohol (Judges 13:3-5). If a human fetus is stopped from living by an abortion, they who do this are responsible for the death of that human. To remove a child in the womb because of a choice is murder; it is barbaric. Only those ignorant of what is life or one who is godless, whose conscience is seared purposely commits this act. Only in the cause of preserving the life of the mother should this option be considered. If one has been alive outside the womb and is killed they are punished by law, it is called murder, but if they are inside the womb and taken out to be killed by ‘a doctor’ it is not murder? Why is this considered different? Because of the current view of the culture of when one is a person. The law of government is made for those who do harm to others and "practice evil," i.e., murderers, kidnappers, rapists, etc. Citizens are expected to fight and protect themselves in a response to having their own life threatened with bodily harm or death, as a natural act of preservation. A conceived child growing poses no threat. The unborn child, (even from rape) are not in this category deserving the punishment of death. Regardless, those who cause an unborn child’s death will be held responsible for their murder by God, the creator of life. This includes men who may influence women in taking their life into their own hands and have an abortion. With the exception of capital punishment this not sanctioned by God who hates the taking of innocent life. If a mother purposely takes a drug and her fetus dies from it, or someone kills the fetus in the wound from the outside it is called murder. But when an abortion takes place the protective laws are ignored and it not called murder. Why? There is no consistency on this. But what happens when the law itself allows for this evil to be sanctioned? The allowance of an abundance of abortion can be considered an act of judgment upon a nation. God allows wickedness and evil to flourish from mans (and womans) hands when they refuse stop or turn away from it. Evil nations kill their own children, (and also remove the elderly), in this case, abort babies. God in his sovereignty will punish the nation for murdering human beings before they can be born. This is especially true for nations who claim to have his grace and principles in their laws (as was Israel). The leaders who make the laws will be held accountable just as the people who commit the acts. Why is abortion murder? Because it is taking the life of the unborn child, though having a sin nature, they have committed no physical wrong exhibiting that sin. The developing child is being put to death to make someone else's life more convenient (usually the mother who conceived him, or deciding because of other circumstances). Having no commitment to care for the child makes it expedient for this abandonment from the progenitors of its life. Do all babies go to heaven? Here is the question that needs answering. Some say that all the children that are aborted, all who die early before birth go to heaven because of God’s grace or mercy. There are logical challenges to some of these views. Let me present a few that I have wrestled with. Think on this, if this view is true than heaven is just as populated from abortions than with people who heard and accepted the gospel. If that is correct, then why would abortion be considered murder since it would be an assurance of sending a person’s soul to heaven to have eternal life? They would inherit eternal life without ever having to choose to believe in the gospel that delivers this to them. So then they are assured of heaven without making a choice when they grow up. This does seem to not be a good or sufficient answer. Also accompanying this view is the concept that all the children would have believed if they lived. It’s hardly rational to believe everyone who is aborted would have chosen to believe if they lived. In this argument aborted babies automatically go to heaven is not the issue because the end does not justify the means. What of the view that God gives aborted and miscarried babies knowledge after their death so that they may make their own decision about eternity, just as they would have done here on earth. This is hardly feasible because this is unfair to others who lived their lives and make a decision without this ‘definitive knowledge,’ and do not choose right. As I wrestled with these views throughout the time of being a Christian I have found there are many contradistinctions to the views on abortion and I would say that none of us absolutely know how God determines what happens to an aborted child. Scripture says, “ The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” (Deut. 29:29) We also read the illegitimate son of David and Bathsheba were taken by God, David said, “While the child was alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, `Who can tell whether the LORD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’ But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me” (2 Sam. 12:22-23). Here David makes a statement that “I shall go to him,” David testifies that he would be reunited with his dead child afterwards. However, this statement does not completely support the belief that all infants go to heaven when they die. For David was under covenant unlike other unbelievers. Also at this time those who died did not go to heaven but to paradise, where all those who were faithful went at death. Is there a special provision of Gods mercy; are all the unborn under God’s grace is the question that needs to be directly answered. Here is the Bibles view. No one is born with Salvation, but with sin, so when a child comes into the world they are dictated by their sin nature they already possess. A preborn child is obviously innocent of committing sin, though they have the sin nature present from conception, they have not acted upon it. It is God who calls himself the God of the living not the dead. The Lord spoke to Israel in Deut. 30:19 “ I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live. ” God wants us to live. This is one of very few scriptures that speak of grace in this manner, Heb. 2:9 “ we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.” In using this scripture, if this includes the unborn it must include others which does lead toward a universalist view which is explicitly wrong. For It is by grace through faith to be saved, it is by the gospel that grace comes by (Eph.4:7) (Titus 2:11-15). God offers us eternal life through his Son Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins. We are to be conscious recipients of it otherwise no one has to believe. Rev 3:5 “ He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life , which does require one to be born. Rv. 20:15-2:.1 anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. Scripture teaches, only those who born again (spiritually), whose name are put in the lambs book of life are assured of having their names remain in the book of life. Which is a record of everyone who is born. Is there a special provision for those who die or whose life is taken prematurely? I don't know. Abortion ends a life that would be filled with choices, the most important choice, whether one would follow Christ or deny him. In the silence of the Scripture, which comes under the category of Deut. 29:29" The secret things belong to the LORD our God, (that which is hidden from man, for he does not reveal everything that is done or how or why it is done in his Word). Yet there are times, “ he reveals deep and secret things” (Dan 2:22) if he decides it as necessary, as he did to Daniel for us to know, which as far I read, he has not. In conclusion on this matter Romans 5 Paul says, where sin increased, grace abounded all the more. I know the context of this verse, and yet we should consider the nature and character of God. God’s favor, His grace (and mercy) is greater than mans sin. That we can rightly have the hope, the expectation that in the awful increase of sin, i.e. of murder of the innocent we call abortion, that his grace abounds more to the innocent. (Love hopes all things) Both you and I can only trust in Gods grace and mercy, that He is perfectly just in his judgment on this matter that is not revealed to us. Maybe one can show me something more definitive on this, but this is my conclusion studying this from Scripture. This is why I cannot commit to knowing an absolute answer for this dilemma in our world, and I leave it to God who decides whom he will have grace and mercy toward on this matter, for he is perfectly just.
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