Fight for Life

Weekly Update – May 5th, 2022

The major news story of this week has been the leaked document from the Supreme Court about the upcoming overturning of Roe v. Wade.  In 1973, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Norma Leah Wilson (Jane Roe) essentially allowing abortion on demand.  On the same date, the Supreme Court ruled in Doe v. Bolton defining health as “anything that a woman defines it to be, even if it is nothing more than her discomfort about her pregnancy.”  That means that since January 22, 1973, the ruling has stood that a woman can obtain an abortion for virtually any reason. 

Earlier this week there was a drafted document that stated that Roe v. Wade would be overturned.  Essentially that means that the federal allowance of abortion would be sent back to the states to determine their own policies.  Therefore, we rejoice in a shred of light coming to our nation, but we must understand that this is only one step in the battle for life.  At the same time, we also realize that though policy may change, the deeper issue deals with the spiritual state of our nation and the outrage that comes from this idol of death slowly being torn down.  Let us never rejoice in thinking that we have “won” when policy changes.  Instead let us only rejoice when we see others repent of their sin and turn to Christ.

Regardless, as we continue in the fight for life, even still in what is very much a culture of death, let us be faithful to tell the truth.  Scripture is clear in calling all Christians to “expose the deeds done in darkness” as Ephesians 5:11 says.  We are called as the sons of light (1 Thess. 5:5) to walk or to live as children of the light (Eph. 5:8).  Therefore as light bearers, we shine and proclaim the truth in the midst of a world that denies the truth, promotes evil and hides in the darkness.  And as we proclaim these truths we do so, not only at rallies, but we seek to carry the sword of truth with us as we proclaim the gospel and as we seek to make all truth known to those around us.

In shining the light of truth in the midst of darkness here are 8 truths about abortion that should be clear to us as we continue to fight the battle for life in our day and age. 

1. We should expose the truth that there are just shy of 1 million abortions in America every year— over 60 million since the Supreme Court overturned the public conscience of 50 states almost 50 years ago.
2. We should expose the truth that 19% of all babies conceived in America are killed by abortion.
3. We should expose the truth that less than .5% of all abortions are performed because of the rape of the mother.  Only 7% are performed for health issues.  The rest are performed because of inconvenience to the mother. 
4. We should expose the truth that “There is inescapable schizophrenia in aborting a perfectly normal 22 week fetus while at the same hospital, performing intra-uterine surgery on its cousin” (Steve Calvin).
5. We should expose the truth that viability outside the womb is not a criterion of personhood and right to life, because we ourselves don’t want to give up our personhood and our right to life if we must be sustained on a respirator or dialysis machine the way a baby has to be sustained by a placenta.
6. We should expose the truth that the size and reasoning power of a tiny person is irrelevant to human personhood because if it were, we might allow tiny and unthinking newborns to be killed.
7. We should expose the truth that when two legitimate rights conflict—the right not to be pregnant and the right not to be killed—justice demands that we give place to the greater right, the right that does the least harm—the one that does not willfully kill.
8. We should expose the truth to their being options for unwanted children.  Here in Missouri, Missouri Baptist Children’s Homes have locations all throughout the state and are more than willing to take and house many orphaned children. 

As people who stand for truth, we not only proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ for salvation, but we proclaim the truth that all people bear the image of their creator regardless of age and that destruction of that image is not only unjust but it is a direct assault upon a holy God.  I pray that as children of light, we will continue in this fight to expose the truth in all circumstances for the good of humanity and for the glory of God

Serving Him with You,
Pastor Michael Nelson