Abortion And The Autonomous Self

Since the overturning of Roe vs Wade, the pro abortion movement has been irate and enraged.  There has been constant talk about the loss of rights and the autonomous self has been on full display.  

The autonomous self basically means self law. The person recognizes no authority higher than the self.  The person is rejecting the authority of God and is trying to be his or her own god.  

We see this in the pro abortion movement.  We constantly hear the argument, that no one can tell me what to do with my own body.  This assertion rejects any authority above the self.  When this argument is made, God is being rejected and the woman is trying to be her own god.  Of course it is not just her own body but also the body of the unborn baby.  

We also hear a lot of talk about abortion rights, reproductive rights, and the right to choose.  The abortion advocates might want to stop and ask where rights come from in the first place.  The concept of rights presupposes truth and justice.  The concepts of truth and justice presuppose the Biblical God.  

God does not give people the right to an abortion.  Scripture plainly teaches that abortion is murder (See Psalm 139:13-16, Jeremiah 1:5, Luke 1:41-44).  Abortion takes the life of an innocent unborn baby.  The notion of the autonomous self and abortion rights rests on the foundation of unbelief.  

(Romans 1:21)"For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened." (ESV)  

Overturn Roe vs Wade?

 Pro abortion forces have been outraged by a leak from the Supreme Court suggesting that Roe vs Wade might possibly be overturned.  If it was overturned then the issue would go back to the states, where it belongs.  Roe vs Wade was a terrible constitutional decision because the U.S. Constitution does not even mention abortion.  

The abortion debate is often framed with faulty reasoning.  We are told that men have no right to tell women what they can do with their own bodies.  Yet Roe vs Wade was decided by Supreme Court justices who were all men.  Based on this reasoning the pro abortion camp would have to favor overturning Roe vs Wade because it was decided by men.  

Some from the state of New York have proclaimed it as a safe place for women seeking an abortion.  Of course if you are an unborn child New York will not be a safe place for you.  Often one side in the debate is portrayed as being in favor of abortion rights or reproductive rights.  Therefore the other side is portrayed as being against someone else's rights instead of being opposed to abortion because it is murder.  We are also told that a woman has the right to control her own body.  But in reality we are actually being told that a woman has the right to take the life of her unborn baby.  

All human beings are created in the image of God including unborn babies.  Abortion is the murder of an unborn baby created in the image of God.  Those who favor abortion are suppressing the truth and rebelling against God.  Abortion is not a right, it is a sin.  

(Exodus 20:13)"You shall not murder." (ESV) 

See also- Psalm 139:13-16, Jeremiah 1:5, Luke 1:39-45. 

The Christian Position On Abortion

Is a abortion really a big deal?  Is it just a woman's right to choose?  Are we talking about a fetus that is just a mass of tissue and not really a human being?  Or is abortion indeed wrong because it is the murder of an unborn baby?  

A heartbeat develops by the 24th day after conception.  There are brain waves as early as 45 days after conception.  At 8 weeks it possesses unique finger prints.  It appears to be clear that this is a baby, a real human being.  

What does the Bible teach about it?  Man was created in God's image (Genesis 1:26-27).  All people have value because they were created in the image of God.  God is the creator of life, all humans belong to him.  The Bible teaches the sanctity of human life. All humans should be treated with respect and dignity.  Life begins at conception, the unborn baby is an actual human life.  The Bible clearly teaches that abortion is wrong (Psalm 139, Jeremiah 1:4-5, Luke 1:44, Exodus 20:13).  God's judgment comes on those who murder unborn babies (2 Kings 8:12, Amos 1:13).  

The early church also opposed abortion.  The early Christian document, the Didache (written around A.D. 100) condemns the murder of a child by abortion or infanticide.  The early church was also known for rescuing and adopting children.  

But what about the feminist argument that a woman has the right to do what she wants with her own body?  First of all it is not just her own body the baby is a separate human being.  And people do not have the right to do as they wish with their own body.  You are not your own you belong to God.  

It gets down to a question of authority.  Who is the ultimate authority, God and his Word or you and your opinion?  The pro choice, feminist movement is simply rebellion against God and his Word.  

All people need to submit to God and his Word as the ultimate authority.  God is God and you are not.  We must view life as God does. The pro choice position is a position of unbelief.  The Christian position on abortion is pro life.  

It must be pointed out that the men involved need to be real men and take care of the children they have fathered.   They should also stop fathering children outside of marriage!  

What about the women who have already had an abortion?  While abortion is a sin there can be forgiveness.  Those who repent of their sins and place their faith in Christ will be saved from their sins.  The death of Jesus on the cross paid for all of the sins of those who believe in him.    

Christians And Abortion

It has been 41 years since the Roe vs. Wade decision that declared abortion legal in the United States.  It was a terrible decision that had no constitutional basis.  The U.S. Constitution says nothing about abortion.  

Evangelicals were largely silent on the abortion issue at first.  But they were eventually awakened by leaders like Francis Schaeffer.  It became a major issue in the 1980's with the religious right movement.  Unfortunately there were some extremists associated with the movement.  The movement did some good things but also did some harm with the approach of some of its members.  

The Bible speaks to the abortion issue in passages such as (Exodus 20:13, Psalm 139:13-16, Jeremiah 1:5, and Luke 1:39-45). It teaches that life begins at conception. It also shows us that abortion is murder and clearly wrong.  Unborn babies are created in the image of God and therefore have great value.  

Some in the evangelical movement say that Christians should avoid issues like abortion and just focus on the gospel.  The gospel is the most important message for Christians to present to unbelievers.  But abortion is a matter of life and death, and justice demands that we take a stand.  Christians must confront the culture and speak the truth to it.  We must tell them that abortion is murder even if it is hard for some people to accept.  

Christians must also speak the truth with love.  We must have compassion for the people involved.  Also adoption should be promoted as an alternative to abortion.  We should stand strong in proclaiming abortion as a sin, but we must also remember the gospel.  People who have had abortions can find mercy and forgiveness in Christ.  All people need to repent of their sins and trust in Christ alone for salvation.   

Why Abortion Is Wrong

Psalm 139:13 "For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb."  (ESV)

Jeremiah 1:5a "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you" (ESV)

Luke 1:41 "And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb." (ESV)


We can see from these Biblical passages that it is a baby in the womb, an actual person. Life begins at conception and even before that we are already planned by God (Psalm 139:16).  From this we can conclude that abortion is murder.  This is not a politically correct statement in our modern culture but it is the truth.  And God commands us not to murder (Exodus 20:13). 

Abortion is pushed by feminists in our society and it often seems they consider it a good thing.  Abortion is called a woman's right by them. But is it really a woman's right to murder an unborn baby?  There are others who say they consider it wrong themselves but do not want to enforce their beliefs on anyone else.  This position is nothing but a cop out because many are unwilling to stand for the truth.  One assumes that the only reason to think abortion is wrong is because it is murder.  So how can you have the position that murder should be legal? 

The U.S. Supreme Court legalized abortion in America in 1973 with the Roe VS Wade decision.  This was a bad decision because the U.S. Constitution says nothing about abortion.  It should be overturned and the decision of whether to have abortion legal or illegal should be decided by the states. 

But what about abortion in the cases of rape and incest?  This is where it gets really tough because of the horrible situation in which it happened.  In these cases the woman is not at fought.  But does the horrible way it happened then justify taking the life of the unborn baby?    I think it does not because it is still a baby, an actual human being.  So what about in the case of the mother's life being in danger?  This is another tough situation.  Does it justify taking the life of the baby to save the life of the mother?  On the one hand you could make the case for self defense and on the other you could make the case for sacrificing your life for that of another.  I think it would be justified in order to save the life of the mother.

But the root problem with most cases of abortion is actually sexual immorality.  God created sex to take place between a man and woman who are married to each other.  When we violate this we cause ourselves many problems, the abortion issue being one of them.