biblical view of abortion
The issue of abortion is one that is full of and continues to draw much debate and controversy since way back in time. Historically abortion has been going on much farther than the 1973 Supreme Court case Roe v.Wade, which deemed abortion legal and regarded it a landmark discovery in public health policy. This was up until the late 1800s where states began passing laws that made abortion illegal. After that, a lot of books and publications have been written on this issue with some advocating for, and others greatly condemning this act. Among these books is the Bible. What does the Bible say about abortion?
Whereas the word abortion is not mentioned in the Bible, a lot of passages contained therein speak volumes to the topic. The Bible goes ahead and shows us why we should value life. In Psalms 100:3 it reads, “Know that the LORD Himself is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture” This particular passage gives importance to the God-given gift of life and even goes ahead to show us we had no role and say whatsoever with regards to being alive. Abortion goes contrary to this.
When does life actually begin? Is it at conception or at birth? This is a common question raised when dealing with the topic of abortion. During the creation of the first man, it was only after God, “Breathed into his nostrils the breath of life that he became alive.” Genesis 2:7. Thus it is this God’s doing that makes an unborn child alive through His breath of life. Abortion here is seen as the destruction of God’s work.
Like any other book, there are passages that have an antagonistic twist on the issue of abortion. Some Christians have gone ahead and criticized the Biblical teaching that considers abortion a sin; they even go ahead to show us examples when God advocates that one take place. This was performed as a form of punishment for parents who had rebelled against God.Among these passages is Genesis 38, where the Bible allows the killing of an unborn child if the child wasn’t conceived in a way the mother’s society approves of.
In conclusion, there is no right way or wrong way at looking at the whole issue of abortion. Advances in medical technology have changed the way we look at abortion. In recent cases, abortions are being done with the sole intention of saving the mother’s life. Today, a section of Christians don’t have a problem with abortion whereas others consider it a sin. I believe our moral values dictate the stand we choose to take on this controversial topic.