With regard to the issue of whether the woman's right to control her body is the paramount consideration in determining whether she should be able to terminate the life of the unborn person, those who believe in God and His Word should consider the following questions and related Scriptures:
1. At what point, if any, does God recognize the "viability" of the unborn person?
Consider the following examples and Scriptures that touch on this issue:
Jesus - Luke 1 – Note from the following passage the fact that Jesus was identified by name, gender and purpose before He was even conceived:
26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.”
38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.
39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 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. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”
Of course, in considering this pre-conception announcement, it is reasonable to acknowledge that (a) Jesus is God, (b) God had to plan for Jesus to come into existence so that He could be the savior of the world that God knew would become fallen, (c) since God ordained the existence of Jesus, it wasn’t unusual for God to have announced Jesus’ birth even before he was conceived, and (d) Jesus is otherwise certainly unlike anyone else. Thus, perhaps it’s simply not fair to consider the birth of Jesus in relation to the issue of the viability of the typical unborn person.
John the Baptist - Luke 1 – However, note from the following passage the fact that someone who is not Jesus was yet identified by name, gender and purpose before he was even conceived:
5 In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. 6 Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. 7 But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.
8 Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.
11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. 16 He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
Of course, it is reasonable to acknowledge that (a) perhaps God wanted a special forerunner for Jesus, and (b) because of John’s special purpose, God would ordain the existence of John and announce his birth even before he was conceived. Thus, perhaps it is simply not fair to consider the birth of John the Baptist in relation to the issue of the viability of the typical unborn person.
Samson - Judges 13 – However, note from the following passage the fact that someone who is not Jesus and who is not a forerunner for Jesus was yet identified by name, gender and purpose before he was even conceived.
2 A certain man of Zorah, named Manoah, from the clan of the Danites, had a wife who was childless, unable to give birth. 3 The angel of the Lord appeared to her and said, “You are barren and childless, but you are going to become pregnant and give birth to a son. 4 Now see to it that you drink no wine or other fermented drink and that you do not eat anything unclean. 5 You will become pregnant and have a son whose head is never to be touched by a razor because the boy is to be a Nazirite, dedicated to God from the womb. He will take the lead in delivering Israel from the hands of the Philistines.”
Of course, it is reasonable to acknowledge that (a) perhaps God wanted to select a judge for Israel for a special purpose, and (b) it is not surprising, therefore, that God would ordain the existence of Samson and announce his birth even before he was conceived. Thus, perhaps it is simply not fair to consider the birth of Samson in relation to the issue of the viability of the typical unborn person.
Isaac – Genesis 17 – However, consider from the following account the fact that someone who is not Jesus, who is not a forerunner for Jesus, and who was not a judge for Israel was yet identified by name, gender and purpose before he was even conceived.
15 God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. 16 I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.”
17 Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?” 18 And Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!”
19 Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.
Of course, it is reasonable to acknowledge that (a) perhaps God wanted to identify a particular descendant of Abraham, namely one born of his wife, Sarah, for the special purpose of carrying the line of future Israel, and (b) it is not surprising, therefore, that God would ordain the existence of Isaac and announce his birth even before he was conceived. Thus, perhaps it is simply not fair to consider the birth of Isaac in relation to the issue of the viability of the typical unborn person.
Note, however, from the above passage God’s detailing the fact that nations and kings will issue from Sarah. It thus appears at this point in time that many descendants were ordained to be born, and certain of those future persons had already been ordained by God to serve as kings. Presumably, God was speaking about persons who would be born hundreds of years in the future.
Jeremiah – Jeremiah 1 – The following passage reflects an account wherein God advises a prophet that before he was conceived, he was known by God and appointed by God for a particular purpose:
4 Now the word of the Lord came to me saying,
5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
And before you were born I consecrated you;
I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
And before you were born I consecrated you;
I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
Of course, it is reasonable to acknowledge that (a) God probably needed a particular prophet for the special purpose of confronting the nations, and (b) it is not surprising, therefore, that God would ordain Jeremiah’s existence even before he was conceived. Thus, perhaps it is simply not fair to consider the birth of Jeremiah in relation to the issue of the viability of the typical unborn person.
Paul – Galatians – The following passage reflects Paul’s understanding of his own appointment by God before birth:
15 But . . . God, who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, was pleased 16 to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles.
Of course, it is reasonable to acknowledge that (a) God probably needed a particular person for the special purpose of bringing the Gospel to the Gentiles, and (b) it is not surprising, therefore, that God would ordain Paul’s purpose even before he was born. Thus, perhaps it is simply not fair to consider the birth of Paul in relation to the issue of the viability of the typical unborn person.
Ishmael – Genesis 16-17 – However, consider from the following passage that someone who is not Jesus, who is not a forerunner for Jesus, who was not a judge for Israel, who was not carrying the line of future Israel, was not a prophet and was not otherwise set apart for a special message to special people was yet identified by name, gender and purpose before he was born (although after he was conceived).
16b So Sarai treated [Hagar] harshly, and she fled from her presence. 7Now the angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur. 8 He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where have you come from and where are you going?” And she said, “I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.” 9 Then the angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself to her authority.” 10Moreover, the angel of the Lord said to her, “I will greatly multiply your descendants so that they will be too many to count.” 11 The angel of the Lord said to her further,
“Behold, you are with child,
And you will bear a son;
And you shall call his name Ishmael,
Because the Lord has given heed to your affliction.
12 “He will be a wild donkey of a man,
His hand will be against everyone,
And everyone’s hand will be against him;
And he will live to the east of all his brothers.”
* * *
17:20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation. 21 But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year.”
There is not much to acknowledge here as any special reason that God would ordain the existence of Ishmael and announce his name and purpose before he was born. In fact, given the nature of the conflict that has since existed between the descendants of Isaac and Ishmael, it’s curious that God would ordain Ishmael’s existence at all. Further, given what we know about the violence caused by Ishmael’s descendants through the ages—even to the destruction experienced by the United States in the attack that occurred on September 11, 2001, many may have advised God, at that time, to consider aborting Ishmael as opposed to allowing him to be born. After all, why should God allow His chosen people to be so troubled? Yet God, knowing full well the future strife, committed not only to allow Ishmael to be born, but also to make Ishmael into a great nation.
Note here, too, that God announced the existence of a specific number of rulers that will issue from Ishmael even before Ishmael was born. Again, this passage reflects that God already knows the particular persons who will be performing the particular role of ruler.
Believers - Ephesians 1 – Consider, further, the fact that even believers themselves have been chosen—and not just chosen; we were chosen before the world began. To be “chosen,” our existence had to be first ordained.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.
See also Psalm 102:18 - This will be written for the generation to come, That a people yet to be created may praise the LORD.
It thus appears that we have been ordained not only to exist, but to be chosen in Him and to praise Him. We were not only identified, but we were also selected prior to creation.
2. Does God really know the details of each person that exists?
Matthew 10:29-30 - (Jesus) "Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows."
Psalm 139:1-4 - (David) "O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. You scrutinize my path and my lying down, and are intimately acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O Lord, You know it all."
Thus, God is intimately acquainted with us while we exist.
3. Is God really involved in human development?
Consider the following passages that recount the details of God’s involvement with the origination and development of humanity:
Genesis 4:1 - Adam made love to his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “With the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man.”
Job 10:8, 10-12a - (Job) ‘Your hands fashioned and made me altogether .... Did You not ... clothe me with skin and flesh, and knit me together with bones and sinews? You have granted me life ...."
Job 31:15 - (Job) “Did not He who made me in the womb make him, and the same one fashion us in the womb?"
Psalm 119:73 - (David) "Your hands made me and fashioned me."
Psalm 139:13-16 (David) "For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth. Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them."
Isaiah 42:5 - Thus says God the LORD, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread out the earth and its offspring, Who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it.
Isaiah 44:24 - Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, and the one who formed you from the womb, "I, the Lord, am the maker of all things, stretching out the heavens by Myself and spreading out the earth all alone."
John 1:1-3 - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
John 1:1-3 - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
Revelation 4:11 - “Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.”
Revelation 5:13 - And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.”
Revelation 10:6 - And swore by Him who lives forever and ever, WHO CREATED HEAVEN AND THE THINGS IN IT, AND THE EARTH AND THE THINGS IN IT, AND THE SEA AND THE THINGS IN IT, that there will be delay no longer.
Thus, we are knit together and we exist and have spirit by the hand of God.
4. Is God involved in human disability?
Consider the following passage from Exodus 4:
11 The Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes him mute or deaf, or seeing or blind? Is it not I, the Lord?
Thus, it appears that God is even the author of disability—which many consider to be an error in genetic composition.
Conclusion: From these passages of Scripture, it appears that God ordains the existence of each person before the person is even conceived, fashions each person at his or her appointed time, and then observes and knows each person as they exist. Abortion, then, can be nothing less than one or more human beings’ deliberately contravening the will of God by destroying the life of a person whose very existence had been ordained by God.
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