Steve Jack considers the abortion issue from a Christian perspective
Fear, Indifference, Ignorance – the churches of Christ
I first became involved in Pro life work in 2006 when I read in a national newspaper, a double page spread. In this it was reported that an aborted baby was born alive and gasping for breath was left to die. It broke my heart and in a flood of tears I thought “how can a civilised and just society sanction such barbarity?”
Since then (from 2006) I have contacted Churches right across Britain and this is what I have found:
1 – Fear
2 – Indifference
3 – Ignorance.
Fear:
Because of fear this remains a ‘taboo issue’ in Church. It is like having teeth pulled! My experience over these past 14 years is that trying to get people in to talk about this issue is virtually impossible. No matter how gracious and sensitive Christian leaders may be in their pulpits, they are in large part, resolutely closed to the slaughter of the unborn.
Some in Christian leadership have expressed to me that, knowing or suspecting that folk in their congregations have had abortions, they do not want to “hurt” any already wounded heart. They desire to be pastorally “sensitive”, but I struggle to remember when our Lord Jesus ever asked anyone to be pastorally sensitive! A wounded heart surely needs healing and if so, surely silence is not the answer. Abortion, then, as a social, moral, and indeed a spiritual issue, cannot be raised as clergy remain fearful of the consequences. One Pastor confided that he simply did not feel equipped to deal with this issue. I believe he speaks for many.
Could it be, also, because we do not want to suffer the reproach, rejection and yes, the sheer hatred that will inevitably come when we make a stand on this issue?
Indifference:
In the 14 years that I have been contacting Churches, whether it is because abortion is so deeply embedded in our society and Christians just follow the cultural norms, I have found that the issue of abortion is not on the radar of the overwhelming majority of Churches for discussion in any serious and meaningful way. Whilst I do understand that we each have specific burdens laid on our hearts by The Lord, it is tremendously sad, and very telling, to see the level of indifference on this question in ‘the Church’.
Because of this indifference in ‘the Church’, can it be said we do not perceive unborn babies in the womb as human? Perhaps indeed we see them as inhuman? It is a hard thing to say, but there must be an element of truth in this, otherwise I think Churches and individual Christians would be standing fast for their right to live.
Ignorance of the whole counsel of God:
Back in 2010 (there has been no study since) 17,000 evangelicals were asked their opinion on abortion. A staggering 68% said that they had no clear view on this matter. Surely this is a clear indication that the full counsel of God is not being delivered, because as I see scripture there are innumerable verses pertaining to the sacredness of human life, including from the womb. So why is there no teaching on this in our Churches today?
Ignorance of the status of the baby in the womb:
When you see a baby in the womb at even 8 weeks gestation, you will be truly amazed. In 2019 a study conducted by a Prof Stuart Derbyshire (and he is “pro choice”) – suggested that babies feel pain in the womb from 12-13 weeks. In America a neuroscientist, Maureen Condic, said that in her opinion babies feel pain at a much younger age in their gestation. Britain’s abortion limit is 24 weeks – and right up to birth if the baby is Downs, club foot, cleft palate or has ‘severe’ fetal abnormality. Readers might like to watch the amazing video of Nick Vujicic (link below). Surely Nick would have been ripe for aborting by modern ‘standards’, yet he has an amazing positive life, career and witness. Praise God indeed for Nick’s wonderful testimony of our God Who sustains. But too many doctors would have aborted Nick.
Nick Vujicic
Nick is an American who has overcome huge disabilities. Yet he is both a Christian evangelist and motivational speaker. Praise God for a life so well redeemed. This is 4 minutes but if you open YouTube there are other videos, including some of his church work. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6HnFuzSJdQ
Knowing all this should we still be indifferent?
Daily Slaughter
As I write this there will be 800 abortions today in Britain, nearly 17,000 per month. In 2019 there was a total in excess of 209,000 abortions, the highest annual total since abortion was made “legal” in 1967. Eight and a half million babies have been aborted since 1967. Ironically, since that time 8 and a half million folk have immigrated to Britain from around the world. Are these two facts linked in God’s economy?
Have we ever asked ourselves what God thinks about the baby in the womb? That baby is, after all, His creation. I am not one for throwing about scriptures to manipulate people! Far too much of that goes on! But I would ask people to remember that:
1) the baby in the womb is made in the image of God.
2) God hates the shedding of innocent blood. What could be more innocent than the baby in the womb?
3) Israel paid a very high price when it sacrificed its children to Molech. Is “abortion” the modern day equivalent?
Beautiful song
I recently listened to the beautiful song – UK Blessing – where 65 Churches united to produce this lovely blessing over our nation. It got me thinking – if only our Churches would fully embrace the right of the unborn to life – and see them as God sees them, and offer hope and a righteous way out to women suffering a pregnancy crisis. What a wonderful difference could be made!
If only our Churches would extend the hand of hope and restoration to those women (and men) who have been deeply scarred by abortion. For heaven’s sake, the Church is a hospital for sinners, not a showcase for saints! If Churches across our land would have the compassion and courage to stop and offer – even a cup of tea and a listening ear – to a woman in crisis and support her and tell her that we as a Church will be with her all the way through her pregnancy. That we would never forsake her. If only we were to proactively support oganisations like SPUC, Christian Concern, CARE, CBR UK, Right to life, The Christian Institute, then we might yet see abortion ended in our day. If only we had the resolve to do this.
Three short videos you may want to watch are:
A most beautiful clip of a new born clinging to his mothers face-“fearfully and wonderfully made”indeed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUs1FGp1djA
Peoples’ reaction to seeing an abortion (you don’t see the abortion).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UD5QMGtdrE8
Window on the womb – a baby at 8 to 11 weeks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwhIx-QZkB0
Home abortions
One final thing – because of Covid 19 the UK Government, under pressure from pro abort groups, have agreed to DIY abortions at home, where women take pills without medical supervision to abort their child supposedly up to 10 weeks. This will result in 44,000 babies losing their lives in the next three months – just another sign that the value of life as God intended is being so wantonly treated with contempt in this generation. Already it has come to light that a woman who was 28 weeks pregnant took pills at home that resulted in the still birth of her baby – (yes-you read that right – 28 weeks – a fully formed baby with at least a 90% chance of living) – and there are another 8 cases that have come to light which are pending investigation. Should we not be exposing this horror?
Can we not be that prophetic voice and voice of conscience to the nation once again?
I am not frustrated in all this. I have been on this journey for 14 years now, am 66 and gone way past being frustrated. I realize something like this has to be “caught rather than “taught”. So my earnest hope and prayer is that many more Christians will catch it. I really do believe that this issue is of tremendous Spiritual significance.
Thank you for reading my journey. I hope it has been helpful. Shalom and Blessings.
EDITOR’S COMMENT
The second reading of the private members bill sponsored by Fiona Bruce MP to have abortions prohibited on babies with cleft lip/palate and club foot will have its second reading on 11th September (there will be a debate).
The international pro-life movement is presently planning to design a pro-life flag. Let’s pray they come up with a God-given design. Details here: https://www.prolifeflag.com/?mc_cid=c03b4bf3c1&mc_eid=aca4013d9c
Steve Jack is the Pro Life rep for his Church – Ambassador Bible Church, Ashbury. (charismatic/evangelical). He has been on a public presentation regarding abortion with CBRUK in Oxford, and was part of a team that took part in the first ever 40 days for life prayer vigil (Oxford) in 2012.
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