Introduction
Abortion is no more purely a medical problem just because the physician wields the curette than chemical warfare is purely a problem for pilots because they press the lever releasing the chemical. It is an issue we all must accept is a part of modern day life. It is an issue with a definite moral aspect.
How many children are aborted? Worldwide, 55 million unborn children are killed every year. Around the world, every day 150,685 children are killed by abortion; every hour, 6278; and every minute, 105. Those are the reported cases.
These are the figures for the USA: Let me break the abortions down to a national statistic: 1,600,000 babies are aborted in the United States every year. Per day, that's 4,383; per hour, that's 183; per minute, there are 3.
How about closer to home, what is happening in the UK:
- 25% of all pregnancies are aborted.
- And 3% of those aborted are born alive
- That’s 57,000 in the last 10 years
- Abortion is legal in the UK up to the 24th Week – which is beyond viability
- Abortions are legal later if the fetus is disabled
In 2004, for women resident in England and Wales:
· the total number of abortions was 185,400
· 1,900 abortions (1%) were under ground E, risk that the child would be born handicapped
Northern Ireland:
- In Northern Ireland in 2004 there were 22, 318 babies born
- In the same year 1,280 were aborted (6%)
I. The Sanctity of Life
II. The Slippery Slope
III. The Scriptural Support
Introduction:
Why are we considering abortion today?
- To glorify God by defending the sanctity of life
- To highlight the tragedy and attempt to save lives
- To help those who may be considering abortion
- To show the truth and tackle the propaganda and lies of the pro-choice movement
- To help those who have had abortions
- To glorify God by defending the sanctity of life
This evening we will consider more about the sanctity of life but we must start with the foundational truth of the sanctity of life. In all bioethical matters the sanctity of life serves as our premise. We cannot and must not approach the matter of abortion, euthanasia, DNA manipulation, cloning, organ transplant or any other biological or medical effect upon human beings without realising our origin.
God created everything and gave life to all living things. But we must realise that the life of the plant is different to that of the life of the pigeon and both are crucially different to the life of a human being.
God created us with a soul, spirit and body. He breathed life into us and gave us self-consciousness, a spiritual dimension and ultimately created us in His own image.
Many commentators have noted that in the violent death of any human, including babies in the womb, we see in a sense Satan attacking God. Satan cannot hurt God and so he attacks those created in God’s image.
God is the giver of life, but Satan is a murderer and the father of lies. As in all matters our prime goal is to glorify God and we do that today by defending and promoting the sanctity of our God given life.
- To highlight the tragedy and attempt to save lives
I defy anyone to study the topic of abortion and not have their heart broken. In researching this topic I have read stories, seen pictures and viewed video that broke my heart, brought tears to my eyes, made me despair of this sin-sick world and provoked anger.
Though the images of a fully developed baby dying may strike a more prominent chord in our hearts any abortion at any stage is the wilful murder of an innocent child, our most vulnerable members of society.
What ought to be the safest place in the world for a baby, his mother’s womb, has become one of the most dangerous. One author noted that you are safer on the front lines in Iraq than you are in a mother’s womb in the United States.
If we as believers can grasp God’s truth on this issue then maybe by His grace we can impact those around us.
- To help those who may be considering abortion
A recent survey in the US found that 64% of abortions involve the mother being coerced. (www.unfairchoice.info)
It is beyond doubt that many more mothers would give birth to their children if they had the right information and the right support. Lives could be saved if the abused wife or girlfriend knew she had somewhere to turn if her partner abandoned her. Lives could be saved if the young teen knew she would have support and a place to live if her parent’s threw her out.
As a church we ought to condemn abortion but as a church we ought to support the needy and vulnerable.
- To help those who have had abortions
In any abortion there are always at least two victims and in some cases many more. The two constant victims are the baby who loses her life and the mother who knowingly destroys her own child.
Multitudes of women testify to the fact that after they have had an abortion they suffer physically, mentally and emotionally.
As Christians we can point them to Christ. In Christ they will find forgiveness and healing. Certainly a terrible action has been taken, but God’s grace is sufficient.
- To show the truth and tackle the propaganda and lies of the pro-choice movement
The pro-choice movement has put out numerous and persistent lies. Early in the pro-abortion movement they claimed many thousands of women died each year in botched illegal abortions. They claimed that legalising abortions would save lives. Years later the truth has been uncovered that the figures were grossly exaggerated. This lie is now being used in Mexico to try and bring about changes in the abortion laws there.
We cannot go into this point in too much detail but there is a lot of false teaching about this matter around and we have a duty to get to the truth.
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