The Sanctity of Human Life
The Sanctity of Human Life
Dr. J. Mike Minnix, Editor, www.pastorlife.com
Introduction
Psalm 139:13-15
As we come to Celebrate Life today, I want us to think of the great value of every human being. After all, we are all created in the image of God and that means that each human life on earth is valuable and worthy of being protected, even in the mother’s womb.
Listen to what some children said about their little siblings.
“Dear God: Please send a new baby for Mommy. The new baby you sent last week cries too much." (Debbie, age 7)
"Dear God: Who did you make smarter? Boys or girls? My sister and I want to know." (Jimmy, age 6)
"Dear God: This is my prayer. Could you please give my brother some brains? So far he doesn't have any." (Angela, age 8)
"Dear God: Please help me in school. I need help in spelling, adding, history, geography, and writing. I don't need help in anything else." (Lois, age 9)
"Dear God; I am saying my prayers for me and my brother, Billy, because Billy is six months old and he can't do anything but sleep and wet his diapers." (Diane, age 8)
Though each child brings with it the difficulty of incredible dependence, remarkable cost, constant guidance, and irritating responsibility, each child also brings joy, happiness, meaning, purpose, and a reminder that God cares enough to send into this world another generation. It is a shame that we have reached the point in America where some decide for no other reason than their own comfort to destroy a life before he or she even gets to enjoy a single day in the sunshine of earth.
Let’s look at what God says about life today. First, note …
I. The Conception of Life
Psalm 139:13-14 reads:
“For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother’s womb.
14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.”
We must ask the question, “When does life begin and when does it end?” Clearly the Bible reveals more than once that God considers the unborn infant in the mother’s womb to be a person – a human being. David states that he was known in his mother’s womb.
David stated that he was fearfully and wonderfully made. What does that mean? It speaks of the wonder, the individual distinctiveness, and uniqueness of David’s being. The word “fearfully” speaks of the amazing manner in which God makes each of us alike and yet not alike. We all carry a form that is unique to humans, but no two of us are exactly alike.
Almost 30 years ago our daughter gave birth to twin girls – Natalie and Kelly. They were so alike that no one but Sherry, our daughter, could tell them apart. Even our son-in-law was confused, and certainly Jayne and I had trouble knowing one from the other. We were able to keep them a few days when they were very small, so Sherry painted the fingernail of Natalie so we would not mix them up. Yet, as they grew we could see the differences. Slight as they were, they were absolutely unique individuals and they are today.
A baby in its mother’s womb is a one-of-a-kind human being and there will never be another exactly like that person. How terrible is it that we take it upon ourselves to decide if that tiny human gets to live or is torn to pieces and removed from what should be one of the safest places on planet earth.
Another thing about abortion that troubles me, and ought to trouble every person, is the fact that around the world female babies are aborted at a rate incredibly higher than males. Some years ago I saw an article that stated that in one country 8,000 female babies were aborted to every 1 male baby.
Some people say that abortion is a good thing because it keeps us from bringing into the world unwanted children. They say that it is likely that a greater amount of child abuse will occur if those children are given a chance to live. A study was done in England looking at the child abuse cases reported prior to the approval of abortion there. The report revealed that prior to abortion there were 167,000 cases of child abuse reported, while 711,000 cases were reported the year after abortion became legal. That was more than a 400% increase after abortion became legal. But listen to this, ten years later the annual reporting of child abuse reached 1 million children. Why? The answer is simple. If you show no regard for the unborn child, why should you show regard for the child that is born. Abortion causes us to disregard the value of all children.
If we expect to treat children properly, we must see each life as a gift from God. We owe it to the Creator and the child to treat the unborn and those who have a right to be born with respect, dignity, and the right to a life of opportunity and blessing.
Kay James, a former Secretary of Health and Human Resources in the Virginia state government, loves to turn the tables on those who don't think it's possible to be middle-class, conservative, educated, and still be black. Once, during an abortion debate, a woman in the audience angrily told James she was so middle-class she didn't have a clue about real African American life. “If you understood what these women go through,” the woman said, "you would realize that abortion is their only choice." James then asked the woman to consider a poor black mother on welfare. She already has four children and an alcoholic husband who had all but abandoned the family. Now she discovers another child is on the way. “How would you counsel that woman" asked James? "Have an abortion," the woman responded. "That child would have a very poor-quality life." "I have a vested interest in your answer," James said. “The woman I described was my mother. I was the fifth of six children born into poverty. And, in case you're interested, the quality of my life is just fine!”
Note secondly …
II. The Continuation of Life
In Psalm 139 David says that God “covered him” in his mother’s womb. In other words, God intended for David to be protected there. He was covered from harm and was meant to be protected.
Yet, there are some who say that most children who are aborted have been identified as having physical problems that would cause them to live horrible and unhappy lives. Let me share a story with you on this subject.
A professor at UCLA spoke to his class one day about abortion. He asked the class to consider whether a particular unborn child should be aborted. He asked the students to consider a baby whose father had syphilis at the time of conception and the mother had tuberculosis while carrying the child in her womb. The mother had already given birth to one child that was born blind, a second who died, third child who was deaf, and a fourth child who was born with tuberculosis. Now she is pregnant again. Do you think that mother ought to abort the child? The class voted almost 100% that the fifth child should be aborted in such a case as was described. After the vote, the professor said, “Congratulations, you just aborted Beethoven.”
Friends, you and I do not know what each child may become. We have no right to make those decisions. The child ought to be “covered” and “protected” in the mother’s womb.
Now, let me share one more thought with you …
III. The Conveying of Life
In Psalm 139:23-24 we read:
“Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
24 And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.”
Note that David knew that this life is not all there is. There is an everlasting life that God makes available to those who place their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. You see, it is not God’s will that any perish but that all come to faith and have everlasting life. A parent ought to think of a child or children as a forever life. Our lives don’t end here – we will meet God one day. We need to have our children and not destroy our children,t and we need to live for Christ in a way that helps them come to faith in Christ.
In a church like this, we must be looking out for little ones. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and forbid them not.” We must reach out to children, love them, and teach them about God’s love seen in Christ. Our desire is that each child grows up to place his or her faith in Jesus. Yes, I know children can be a handful. I am reminded of the mother and wife who said to her husband, “Do you think we ought to take our son to the zoo?” The father answered, “No, if they want him, let them come and get him!”
Sometimes raising children and taking care of them in church can seem like a zoo, but we were once like they are now - you were once a handful yourself! We must love the little ones and bring them to Christ.
Years ago a little boy showed up at Dwight L. Moody’s church on a cold, snowy day. The snow had fallen for hours and it was very difficult to get around in it. When the little boy came to door of the church he looked half frozen and was covered in snow. The usher who saw him come in asked, “Son, are you here alone?” The little boy replied that he was and that he had walked all the way. When the usher asked where the little boy lived he realized that the child had trudged a long way to get there. The usher said, “Son, you came a long way in the snow and passed a lot of churches on the way, why didn’t stop at one of them?” The boy smiled and said, “I came here because you know how to love a boy at this church.”
Oh, that is what I want our church to be like. Let us love our children in the womb, in the house, at the school, and especially at the church.
Conclusion
When you think about abortion, remember the Bible and you will note that Satan always attacks the little ones.
- Look at Moses – the Pharaoh ordered the sons of the Jewish people killed. If he had succeeded, there would have been a Moses.
- Look at Jesus – Herod ordered the male children of Bethlehem to be destroyed.
When you think about children, always remember that you are on the devil’s side when you attempt to kill them, but you are on God’s side when you work to protect them. Let's make a new commitment today, as God's people, that we will love children, seek to protect them, and help always to bring them up in the fear and admonition of the Lord.