Yes, words matter. It’s fascinating the affect that one’s choice of words has had on the abortion debate—especially when it comes to those who profess Christianity. If you’ve spent some time over the last 100 days to reflect on the Supreme court’s ruling to overturn Roe V. Wade (giving states the right to outlaw the genocide of unborn children), then you likely would have noticed the very intentional use of peculiar language. For example, The PCUSA office of Public Witness released this statement on twitter, “The Supreme Court overturned the historic Roe v. Wade decision. We are deeply outraged, saddened, and mortified by this decision!” Now, imagine for a moment that they released this statement instead, “The Supreme Court has voted to give states the right to ban parents from murdering their unwanted children by dismembering them limb by limb. We are deeply outraged, saddened, and mortified by this decision. We must protect a mother’s right to murder and dismember her unwanted children.” Oddly enough, these two statements are nearly identical in their meaning. Sadly, it seems as if nobody opposing the Supreme Court’s ruling wants to speak plainly about the nature of abortion.
What we are seeing from many professing Christians is language like the statement made by the PCUSA office of Public Witness. Instead of jubilation at the prospect of young image bearing children being spared from murder, the decision has been met with anger and disappointment by many professing believers. The language being used is vague, hypothetical, indirect, and unbiblical. However, the Lord’s language is not so indirect or unclear. God’s Word is clear that a baby is an image bearing human being in the womb just as much as out of the womb. God’s Word is clear concerning taking the life of another human being unjustly. God’s word is also clear that the solution to sin is never abortion and that committing murder will never help anyone heal. The solution to healing from sin is the found exclusively in gospel of Jesus Christ. Yes, words matter. Therefore, let us speak of such things as our Lord has spoken of them. So, how does God define terms as it relates to the abortion issue?
Thankfully, we are not left in the dark on such matters. In God’s infinite goodness, he has left us with 66 books revealing all that we need for Christian life and practice. (2 Timothy 3:15-17) Therefore, since words matter, let’s start define our terms biblically. What is a human life? Human life is God’s pinnacle act of creation. (Genesis 1:27) Man & Woman are distinct from the rest of God’s creation in that he has granted us the incomprehensible privilege of bearing the image of God. Unlike the animals, God has given humanity immortal souls, endued with knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness. (WCF 4.2) Furthermore, humanity has been given dominion over the all the earth. (Genesis 1:26) (WSC Q. 10) This is why we are born with an innate awareness of the value of a human being (although it is suppressed by the pseudo morality of our culture). We see this in Jesus’ own statement, “You are of more value than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:31) The point Jesus is making is that if God cares for the birds of the sky, how much more will he care for the crowning act of creation which is of far more value. So, here’s our starting point—human life is the crowning act of creation. It is distinct from the rest of creation in our inherent value as image bearers made up of both body and soul.
Now that we have the basic framework for understanding how God defines human life, the next important question is when this life begins? After all, if we are to prove that the two previous statements have essentially the same meaning, we must define our terms biblically. The bible is clear that life begins at conception. David writes, “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.” (Psalm 139:13,14) The Psalmist does not say the Lord knit him together at his first heartbeat, nor does he say he was made wonderfully at his birth. No, it was in the womb—from the moment of conception. The prophet Jeremiah clarifies this when he writes, “Then the word of the Lord came to me saying ‘Before you were born, I knew you.’” (Jeremiah 1:4-5a) Then, there is the forerunner of the savior who was filled with the very Spirit of God as he was nestled in his mother’s womb. (Luke 1:15) Human life begins at the moment of conception. Therefore, a child shares the same image bearing value inside the womb as outside the womb. Once we understand this very basic biblical idea, the rest is quite simple.
We began with answering the “what” and “when” questions surrounding human life, but now will answer the “how.” Who is the author of life? Where does it come from? These are both answered with the great “I Am”—creator God. God alone has authority over life and therefore God alone has the authority to take a life. We see God’s authority over life inherit in creation. The fact that God gives life should not surprise anyone. He is the maker of every living thing. It is because of him that they have life and strength (Acts 17:24-25). They could not exist without him, and they depend on him for their life, their food and everything else that they need (Psalm 104:27-29). Life itself exist in and through him as God is both creator and sustainer of life. (John 1:4) God also has authority over death. We see this in Christ’s own resurrection but also in the resurrection of Lazarus. Christ displays the Lord’s authority over death when he shouts at Lazarus’ rotting corpse and Lazarus gets up and walks out of the tomb alive. (John 11:38-34) God alone has the authority to take a life because God alone is the author of life.
To summarize, a child in the womb bears the image of God as His unique creation (no two human beings are the same). An abortion is to usurp God’s authority and violate his law by murdering and dismembering a child. This is evil in the eyes of the Lord and thus must be outrightly condemned by His people. As Christians, we should be repulsed by the legality of murdering little image bearing children. May we never obscure God’s law and nod our heads in agreement for the sake of appealing to our culture. Yes, words matter. Therefore, let our words reflect the words of the God that purchased us with his own blood. We are called to speak the truth plainly in love. Our words should be both biblical accurate and seasoned with grace. The way we show grace to others is not by lying to them about their sin for the sake of tolerance and acceptance—that is not love. The way we show grace is by speaking honestly, directly, and clearly with conviction, compassion, grace, and humility. The duty of the Christian is not to make people feel better about their sin, nor is it to win an argument. The duty of the Christian is to expose the wickedness of our sin and beg sinners to flee from their sin to Jesus for reconciliation. That is how the church loves. If you’ve had an abortion, repent, and run to Jesus! It is there at the foot of the cross that you will find forgiveness, peace, hope, joy, and best of all—God himself! That is the most loving thing I can tell you.