Today we conclude our series of bulletin articles on abortion. My articles initially focused on the Biblical evidence against abortion. Then we saw that God’s people have usually understood abortion to be a sin, including first century Jews, the early church fathers and the Reformers. Last week we saw that two of the common reasons for abortion are not valid arguments. This week I want to finish by encouraging you to speak out against the sin of abortion.

Speaking against abortion in our Australian culture is not easy. From my experience, most people are either for abortion or try to remain neutral by not taking a side (or at least not verbalising their position). Meanwhile our government is obviously for abortion through their legalisation of it.

But if abortion is clearly condemned by God, then Christians need to be courageous and affirm that it is wrong for a few reasons. Firstly, Christians need to affirm that abortion is wrong to non-Christians in an effort to get them to recognise their sinfulness. Then the good news may be shared that if they believe in Jesus’ death for their sin they will be saved.

Secondly, Christians need to affirm that abortion is wrong to other Christians in order to encourage obedience to God’s law – not to be saved, but because they are saved. If someone contradicts the plain teaching of the word of God by their practice by aborting children, they show that their faith may be dead.

Thirdly, Christians need to affirm that abortion is wrong so that it may go well for people in this life. God made us. And as our creator he knows how we should live in order to experience happy and fulfilling lives. Thus, God’s laws are a blessing to know. When we sin, we set ourselves up, and others around us, for serious pain. When it comes to the sin of abortion, this pain may be seen in the women who have deeply regretted aborting their child and the pain experienced by the infant itself as its life is destroyed.

Fourthly, God’s people have always been called to protect those who are defenceless, such as widows and orphans. Proverbs 31:8 encourages us to ‘Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves’. This protection must extend to very small children in the womb who cannot defend themselves against the surgeon’s knife.

Will you speak up against the sin of abortion?

Joel Radford