When Does Life Begin?
“…there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.” (Hosea 4:1)
The U.S. Supreme Court legalized abortion on January 22, 1973, but it’s still a hot topic to this day. For those with honest intentions, though, abortion should hinge on one simple question: is what’s about to be aborted a human being? Because if it is a human being, then abortion is the taking of human life with no just cause.
Many social, moral, and medical arguments can be conceived and presented for and against abortion. Yet one source is more authoritative and powerful than man’s word will ever be. That source is God’s Word, the Bible.
The Bible has many references to unborn life: “Before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee;” (Jeremiah 1:5) “…how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child:” (Ecclesiastes 11:5) “…when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb;” (Luke 1:41)
Yet one story shows that life and gender both begin at conception. In Luke 1:26-38, the angel Gabriel told Mary she would be the mother of Jesus. Mary asked, “How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?” (Luke 1:34) She was a virgin. He said it would be an act of God. He added, “And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age:” (Luke 1:36)
Gabriel didn’t say, “she hath also conceived in her old age”, but “…she hath also conceived A SON in her old age:” (capitals added) This child was John the Baptist. His humanity and gender were both established at the time of conception. Interestingly, Luke was also a medical doctor: “Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.” (Colossians 4:14) God’s Word clearly says that life begins at conception, so abortion is the ending of human life without just cause.
This essay is not to demonize women who have had abortions or those who support it but to speak the truth of God’s Word in love. Some may feel abortion is ok because they were never shown what God’s Word says. That’s the idea of the opening verse. They’d never heard the knowledge of God about this issue from God’s Word. Yet now we see what God’s Word says.
God cares about the unborn, but He also cares about those already born. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” Pro-life people are guilty of sin, just like pro-choice people. Romans 6:23 also says, “For the wages of sin is death;” and Revelation 20:14 says, “And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire.”
Yet Jesus, God the Son, died for us, was buried, and rose again so we could be forgiven our sins and be in heaven with Him for eternity. Whatever your views on abortion, if you aren’t sure you’ll be in heaven when you die, please go to www.clevelandbaptist.org, click “Helpful Links,” then “How Do I Go to Heaven?”
Brian Miller 1/27/2022
Cleveland Baptist Church 4431 Tiedeman Road, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144 216/671-2822