INTRODUCTION.

(Series Slide)

Good morning. My name is David Sorn, and I’m the Lead Pastor here at Renovation Church.

This morning we are beginning what is a very important teaching series called “Those We Do Not See”

Here is where we will be headed over the next 3 weeks

(Those We Do Not See SCHEDULE)

Today, we’re going to take a detailed look at what the Bible says about the difficult topic of abortion

Next week, we’ll be talking about infertility, and also how far Christians should go with reproductive technology

And the third week, we’ll look at adoption.

I have spent much of this entire year preparing for this series (reading a ton of books, researching, & interviewing people), and there is so much I want to share with you.

But I can’t cover every angle and question.

If you leave any of these 3 Sundays saying, “Yeah, why didn’t you talk about “x”?”

Trust me, I wanted to!

We will also be releasing bonus teaching content on each topic in our house churches every week.

If you’re not in a house church, now’s a great time to get in one.

We’ve also developed a resource page for you on our website

(Show scrolling video of Resource Page)

…that link is on our homepage or app.

On this page, are 10 books which I personally am recommending to you, and also links to support services, groups, agencies, ways to get involved and more.

Also, the books can be found in our physical and digital libraries as well.

(What Does the Bible Say About Abortion?)

Before we begin, let me say that I know that these are incredibly difficult, personal, and sensitive subjects.

And I know that many of you probably already have an opinion on these topics, and so I want to ask something of you, and then promise something to you.

I want to ask of you that you would have an open mind these next 3 weeks…especially to what God’s Word says.

And then, I want to promise you, that I will strive incredibly hard to balance a teeter totter that Christians often get really out of balance.

And that is to speak the truth in love (as Ephesians 4:15 says)

Sometimes Christians are known for shouting truth, but with no love.

Or just showing love, but shirking back from the truth.

My promise to you is to speak the truth, but to do so in a gracious manner (in love).

And just so everyone knows, here is where we are headed w/ today’s topic of abortion

#1: What does the Bible say?

#2: What does science say?

#3: The reality of what’s happening

#4: Our common questions

 

 

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

(#1: What Does the Bible Say?)

But we start with God’s Word.

Sometimes people will say, “There is no verse in the Bible that says, “Thou shalt not have an abortion,” so it’s fine.

And yet, keep in mind that the Bible also never gives one specific verse that says that drug abuse is sinful, or that pornography is sinful…there’s no one verse that says, “Thou shalt not engage in human trafficking”

Yet we still know that those things are morally wrong because of what Scripture collectively teaches about God’s view of human dignity, holiness, and justice.

So what does the Bible, collectively, say about abortion?

Or even more specifically, what does the Bible collectively say about what is the foundational question underneath every other question for this topic:

What is inside the womb?

Is it a fetus? A clump of cells?

Is it a human life?

And how we answer THAT question will determine how we answer all the other, more difficult questions to follow

And we’re going to talk about some unimaginably painful situations---ones some of you in this room have had to live through.

But if we’re going to address those situations well, we have to answer this foundational question first.

So above all else, what does the Bible say is inside the womb?

Let’s start with a Psalm of David, Psalm 139

(Psalm 139:13-14) – NIV

13 For you created my inmost being;

you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful,

I know that full well.

Here we see that the Holy Spirit inspired David to understand that God Himself is personally involved in our creation.

In another Psalm of David, Psalm 51, we read this

(Psalm 51:5) – NIV

5 Surely I was sinful at birth,

sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

So not only is a baby knit together by God, but notice that David says his nature, his life, began when? At conception.

The New Testament also affirms that life begins at conception.

Matthew chapter 1 tells us that Jesus was “conceived by the Holy Spirit.”

Which means that the beginning of His incarnation (the beginning of God with us as a human LIFE…) was not at His birth,, but at His conception.

And then we see this affirmed in narrative form.

When Elizabeth was pregnant with John the Baptist, she received a visit from Mary (who was pregnant with Jesus at the time), and Elizabeth says this:

(Luke 1:43-44) – NIV

43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.

And so 2 things.

One, Elizabeth recognizes what is in Mary’s womb as a life…as her Lord.

And secondly, the baby in her womb, John the Baptist, miraculously does too, as he leaps, and he is a life.

And there are many other passages in the Bible that affirm these first two truths (that God forms us and that life begins at conception).

I don’t have time to read them all, but here is a list for further study.

Additional Relevant Passages:

Isaiah 44:2

Job 10:8-11

Galatians 1:15

Genesis 25:21-23

Isaiah 49:1, 5

Jeremiah 1:4-5

Job 31:15

Psalm 22:9-10

Ecclesiastes 11:5

The Bible gives us a 3rd foundational point for this discussion, and it’s found in Genesis.

(Genesis 1:27 ) – NIV

So God created mankind in his own image,

in the image of God he created them;

male and female he created them.

And because every human life is made in the image of God, the taking of innocent human life is immoral…

…so serious that God includes it in the 10 commandments.

And so when we put these 4 Biblical truths together, Scripture gives us a clear, systematic answer to our foundational question of “What is inside the womb?”

And it’s this:

The Scriptures Unmistakably Teach:

1) What is inside the womb is a baby created by God

2) Each and every baby is a member of the human race immediately from conception.

3) All humans are made in the image of God.

4) Therefore, to terminate a pregnancy is immoral because it is ending a human life that was created in the image of God.

That’s the Bible’s systematic teaching on this issue.

 

 

WHAT DOES SCIENCE SAY?

Let’s look now at what biology, embryology, and genetics tell us about this issue.

(#2: WHAT DOES SCIENCE SAY?)

Biology affirms that right at conception, when the sperm fertilizes the egg, a new, genetically distinct human life begins.

Right at conception, a completely new DNA sequence appears (different from its parents)---and its DNA that has never existed before and never will be repeated again.

But people often interject here, and they say, “Sure, new DNA is on day 1, and yes, cardiac activity begins even by day 18, but ‘development is progressive’ they’ll say.

And then they’ll often claim, “the fetus isn’t fully human until there’s enough brain activity, or organ development, or self-awareness, or viability outside the womb, etc. “

But you can see the problem here: This type of reasoning is incredibly subjective and entirely arbitrary.

How much brain activity makes you human?

How developed do your organs have to be?

And viability outside the womb?

That changes every year!

Because of medical breakthroughs, babies can now survive outside the womb as early as even 23-24 weeks!

And scientifically, it’s simply inaccurate to argue that a human embryo is not yet a human just because it’s at an earlier stage of development.

We don’t say toddlers are not worthy of living because they’re at an earlier stage of development than teenagers.

A human embryo is not a different kind of species but is merely a human being in its first stage of development.

You didn’t come from an embryo.

You once were an embryo.

And it’s worth noting that when scientists talk about lions, zebras, dogs (you name it), they universally agree that animal life begins at conception.

Just to prove this, in the United States, if you destroy a bald eagle’s egg, you will face either a $100,000 fine or one year in prison.

Why? Because we recognize that the creature in that egg is not potentially a bald eagle, it IS a bald eagle, just at an earlier stage of its development.

And you can see here that all of the latest scientific discoveries align directly with Scripture.

30 or 40 years ago, people would often say, “It’s okay to have an abortion because at this stage (say 10 weeks of development), it’s just a fetus, just a clump of cells,”

And many believed that largely because children in the womb were like the title of this series, “Those we do not see.”

And we couldn’t see.

But now we can see…if we’re willing to look.

I know this may be difficult for some, but it’s important that we DO see.

In fact, I want you to show you a brief 4D & 3D ultrasound of a baby at 12 weeks of development in the womb.

(VIDEO of 12-WEEK OLD in the womb)

This is not just a clump of cells.

This is a precious human being, made in the image of our God.

Right around the time, within a week or two, when most abortions occur

 

THE REALITY OF WHAT’S HAPPENING

(#3: The Reality of What’s Happening)

So let’s talk now about the reality of what’s happening around this topic...even right now in our culture

Let me share with you some sobering statistics

Since 1973, approximately 65 million lives have been taken through abortion.

And that’s just in the United States

To put that in perspective: if abortion had never been legal and all of those babies had been born, they would make up 16% of the entire U.S. population right now

In the latest full year of national data we have, we see that…

In 2023, 1,038,100 abortions occurred. 2,844 every day.

Just so you understand the weight of what’s happening right now…

That’s basically the same number of people who died on September 11th…but happening every day…we just don’t see it

17% of all pregnancies end in abortion.

 

34% of all unplanned pregnancies end in abortion.

Here in MN, the situation is, if anything, even more sobering.

In early 2023, the PRO Act was signed…which codified (into law) abortion as a legal right in our state.

And within the last 2 years, almost every previous abortion restriction has been repealed in this state

Women are no longer warned of any potential medical complications

Think about that: Even minor finger surgery requires pages of disclosures about risks…but not with abortion

In MN today, there is no limit on how far along a baby can be…even a third trimester baby can be aborted.

There is no minimum age for a minor to obtain an abortion.

A minor no longer needs parental permission for an abortion

And in fact, no reason needs to be given at all anymore.

So, if a young girl is raped (say by a relative), that relative could take her in for an abortion with no parental involvement or explanation required.

We’ve lost not only all protections for babies …but also for vulnerable, young women as well.

And the numbers reflect this!

Over the last 3 years, abortions are up 22% in MN.

What I think a lot of people don’t know (and I didn’t until I began researching) is that abortion is now increasing nationally for the first time in since the 1970’s

And that’s wild because in 2022 the Supreme Court overturned Roe vs Wade, which allowed states to make their own decisions on the issue…and now 14 states have near total bans on abortion in effect.

Nationwide, abortions are up 11% despite now being banned in 14 states.

And you say, “How is that even possible?!”

It’s primarily because of 2 main reasons.

One, like we said, many of the other 36 states (including MN) have responded by making abortion even more accessible

And two, the biggest reason for the increase, is the exponential rise of what is called “Medication Abortion” or “Chemical Abortion”

This is a prescription-based abortion where one can take drugs at home to end a pregnancy up to 11 weeks into their pregnancy.

And because these drugs can now be obtained through a telehealth appointment, and then mailed to someone’s door…

… it removes the barrier and public stigma of having to go to an abortion clinic…

Medication Abortions now make up 63% of all abortions.

And they are a massive reason for why abortion is increasing in America for the first time in almost 50 years

 

 

OUR COMMON QUESTIONS

And so I believe, that now, more than at any point in a long time, it’s crucial that churches (and the Christians in them) develop courage to begin speaking about this issue again.

But if we’re going to do that well, we need to walk thoughtfully through the lingering questions that many of us still have.

(#4: Our Common Questions)

So I want to take time to talk through 6 of the most common questions people ask about abortion.

OUR COMMON QUESTIONS:

#1: Shouldn’t we have freedom of choice?

Listen, this is a fair question.

And for many people, it feels like THE question.

“If a baby is in a woman’s body, shouldn’t she have the right to choose what to do with her own body?”

Or sometimes, even Christians will say, “I believe abortion is immoral, but nonetheless I don’t think I (or the government) has the right to tell someone else what to do w/ their body”

Now, in some ways, that sentiment is right.

Freedom is an important, and even Biblical concept.

And humans should have the right choose where they live, how they vote, and mostly, how they live.

But the reality is that all of us believe there are certain areas where people shouldn’t have a choice.

In fact, you don’t believe that people should have the right to use their body to assault you or rob you

This is why laws exist.

Laws, in most cases, RESTRICT choices. They bring consequences to choices.

And honestly, this takes us right back to our primary and foundational question for today’s topic:

What is inside the womb?

If it is just a clump of cells, then YES, every person should have the right to choose what they want to do w/ the clump of cells inside of them, just like you have the RIGHT to have any elective surgery on your shoulder or foot.

It’s your choice!

But if biology tells us that what is inside the womb is actually a distinct human being with its own DNA…

…And technology shows us that video that it is…

…And if the Bible tells us that what is inside the womb is a baby made in the image of God…right from conception…

…then we do not have the moral right (or choice) to take its life any more than someone should have the right (or choice) to take the life of a toddler…

Here is a second common question:

OUR COMMON QUESTIONS:

#1: Shouldn’t we have freedom of choice?

#2: But what if the baby will have special needs?

Nowadays, with the advent of genetic screening, many genetic conditions can be detected as early as 10-13 weeks into a pregnancy, and as a result a massive percentage of kids with anticipated special needs are now being aborted

Take a look at this:

Percentage of Babies Aborted with Down Syndrome by Country

United States: 70%

France: 77%

Spain: 83%

Denmark: 95%

Iceland: 99%

Kids with special needs are quietly disappearing from the landscape under the tragic lie that we are “sparing them” or “eradicating disease”

But think of it this way: If you had a 3-year old who was nonverbal, non-mobile, and incredibly difficult to care for…

…If it were made legal, would it be okay to end her life…simply to ease your emotional or financial burden?

Of course not.

And you wouldn’t even consider it…because you’ve seen her. You’ve held her in your arms.

But when we don’t see the child in the womb, we deceive ourselves, and tell ourselves that they aren’t really human yet…

But they are human.

Every special needs child is an equal member of the human race, fully bearing the image of God

And listen, if as a parent, you ever find yourself facing a diagnosis like this (down syndrome or any other condition)…call us

We will surround you and connect you will families who have walked this road before.

Okay, let’s ask a really hard question

OUR COMMON QUESTIONS:

#1: Shouldn’t we have freedom of choice?

#2: But what if the baby will have special needs?

#3: What about rape and incest?

Should a woman terminate a pregnancy conceived through rape or incest?

This makes up less than 1% of all abortions, but it still happens, so we have to talk about it.

Let me firstly say that rape and incest are both an abomination in the Scriptures.

Clearly sinful, wrong, evil…all of the above.

And incredibly traumatic for survivors.

And Christians must surround survivors with extraordinary care and tenderness.

However, the Bible also clearly states that children are not to be put to death for their parents’ sins (in this case, the father's)

Deuteronomy 24 is just one of many examples

(Deuteronomy 24:16a) – NIV

Parents are not to be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their parents

OUR COMMON QUESTIONS:

#1: Shouldn’t we have freedom of choice?

#2: But what if the baby will have special needs?

#3: What about rape and incest?

Let me give you a challenging thought experiment:

If you inexplicably found out this afternoon that you had a different biological father, and your real biological father had raped your mother…Would it now be morally acceptable for someone to take your life?

No, because you are a unique, autonomous human being, made in the image of God

And so are those we do not see in the womb.

They are the same as you. They are equal to you.

But the argument usually goes: “But if the child is allowed to live, he will be a constant reminder to the mother of her trauma.”

But think about this way:

If a toddler reminded a mother of a traumatic event, would we say, “Let’s end the toddler’s life to ease the mother’s pain?”

Of course not.

And if it’s not ethically okay to end the life of a toddler, it’s not okay to abort the life of a baby.

Because they’re both equally (as we’ve established), human beings created in the image of God.

Let me read you a very challenging quote from author Randy Alcorn on this question:

“There’s a parallel between the violence of rape and the violence of abortion: both are done by a more powerful person at the expense of the less powerful. Abortion doesn't bring healing to a rape victim. Imposing capital punishment on the innocent child of a sex offender does nothing bad to the rapist and nothing good to the woman. Creating a second victim never undoes the damage to the first.” – Randy Alcorn

And if a woman believes that she could not emotionally handle raising the child, this is where the beautiful option of adoption becomes incredibly important.

That brings us to our fourth common question:

OUR COMMON QUESTIONS:

#1: Shouldn’t we have freedom of choice?

#2: But what if the baby will have special needs?

#3: What about rape and incest?

#4: What if I’m not sure I can handle having a baby?

So let’s get really practical.

What if you (or your daughter) find yourself facing an unplanned pregnancy, and you’re not sure if you can do this.

Or you’re the father, and you both feel like it would be impossible economically, emotionally, vocationally.

Let me say this clearly:

If you’re a Christian in this church, and you get pregnant outside of marriage, the people of this church will be here for you with grace and support (we already have…many times)

This is the beauty of House Church…

…where real people know each other and support each through the hard times.

But I plead with you: Don’t let shame or fear decide the future of your child.

And I want you to know (as we’ll talk about in 2 weeks), the National Council for Adoption estimates that there are currently 1.3 million couples waiting to adopt a child.

If you can’t raise that child, I know that 9 months of pregnancy is hard, and in many cases embarrassing, but do not take a life.

There are so many amazing, Christian couples, waiting to raise that baby in a loving Christian home.

And we can help you connect to an adoption agency.

One question I know we’ll get a lot…especially after a message like this

OUR COMMON QUESTIONS:

#1: Shouldn’t we have freedom of choice?

#2: But what if the baby will have special needs?

#3: What about rape and incest?

#4: What if I’m not sure I can handle having a baby?

#5: What can I do to help?

The difficult truth is that most Christians feel bad about this, but we do nothing about it.

So what can you do?

You can get involved at a local Pregnancy Resource Center (like Lex Specialty Clinic & other local clinics on our resource page)

You can volunteer there, serve, and even counsel women thinking about having an abortion.

You can get involved with local ministries that help moms once they get pregnant like Elevate Hope House, or Mom’s Haven of Hope

You can pray.

Every major social evil that has ever been abolished (like slavery) was toppled by millions of Christians…praying!

You can volunteer with Together for Good (our partner ministry) to support single mom’s by watching their kids.

Sometimes Christians are accused of being pro-birth, but not pro-mom

And I just pray that our church (and more & more Christians in general) would be known as people who support life from the womb to the grave.

And honestly, we don’t say this hardly ever here, but get involved politically.

The uniqueness of this particular issue is that we can’t ultimately save all of the lives here in MN unless the laws are changed.

Find pro life candidates and volunteer to help.

Attend a precinct caucus where you can meet delegates, and find out how to help.

Write your representative (like you can on any issue), and share your heart…trust that God can use those conversations!

OUR COMMON QUESTIONS:

#1: Shouldn’t we have freedom of choice?

#2: But what if the baby will have special needs?

#3: What about rape and incest?

#4: What if I’m not sure I can handle having a baby?

#5: What can I do to help?

#6: What do I do with my shame?

I know that in a room this size, many of you feel deep pain today because you have had an abortion yourself…

…or as a man, the woman you were with had one.

And for many Christians, abortion becomes, in their mind, the “unforgivable sin,” – a shame that is almost unbearable.

And maybe today, you’ve been feeling a swirling mix of anger, shame, defensiveness, or grief.

But the answer, my friend, isn’t to get angrier, or to shut down, or bury this again.

…the answer is to bring this to Jesus Christ.

It’s to humble yourself before Him…and name it, honestly.

And then truly receive his forgiveness…I mean actually RECEIVE it.

Remember that when Jesus went to the cross to die for you…He already saw every sin you would ever commit. Everything, even this.

And still, He willingly went and gave his life for you.

There is no sin…NO SIN…that is grace can not cover.

Even this. It’s covered. It’s covered.

And so go to Him, bare your soul, and let His grace wash over every part of your heart, even the parts you’ve never let Him touch.

He loves you. He really loves you.

Okay? Okay.

Let me pray.