Pro-choice stands for a woman’s right to have an abortion on demand. This term undermines what it means to have rights. A right is a just claim to carry out an activity or fulfill a certain goal. There is no just claim in taking the life of the unborn. We never think of a drive by shooting as a right. The supporters of abortion would never support a thief’s right to steal from them. Why is this? Actions must be curtailed when it is a matter of harm to self, to others, and to society. Pro-choice contradicts this. It denies the harm done to self, others and society. Pro-choice has nothing to do with rights. Pro-choice really means freedom of preference. It claims that giving birth or having an abortion is equally significant, that no moral conflict is involved. By this reckoning, pro-choice is on par with whether or not we want a new car. The life of the unborn is not an issue of preference or taste. All the laws of God and most laws of man do not grant us the right to destroy human life at leisure.

We applaud laws which enhance our security. It is ironic that within the benefit of law, we undermine the same. Our nation upholds the right each individual has for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The law often makes a broader provision for these rights than what is truly lawful before God, especially in matters of individual liberty. For example, many states have adopted gambling to raise revenue and create jobs. However, the winnings come from another’s loss. Highway advertisements for so called “Gentlemen’s Clubs” are compounding. We see pornography shops festooned with American flags, reminding us that we have the liberty to enter. Legislation sometimes goes beyond the liberty to satisfy illicit pleasure. Abortion on demand is the law of the land. This miscarriage of law is not without precedent. In the past, many of our states permitted slavery with all of its abuses. Enforced segregation is a sad blot on this nation’s history. Mistreatment was heaped upon the American Indians in the name of what, Manifest Destiny? Even though abortion is allowed by the State, it is still wrong.

God’s way and the liberties of human law have something in common. God does not always redress wrong when it is committed. Not every Ananias and Sapphira are struck dead. He allows man to sow and to reap. Solomon wrote, “I said in my heart, ‘God shall judge the righteous and the wicked, for there shall be a time there for every purpose and for every work.’” (Eccl. 3:17) God permits man to carry out foolish plans. This is similar to the indulgence liberties of our land. For example, we can be drunk as long as we don’t drive. However, what is permitted, and what is just are not always the same. If we love the Lord, we must beware of beguiling advertisements about pro-choice. They make abortion appear noble. Approval and permission from the world do not make a thing clean. The soul who loves the Lord has an obligation to look beyond what is permitted. He must walk by faith, and regard the Judgement Day’s consequence. Just because the law of the land grants a thing, does not mean that God is winking, and it does not mean that He won’t remember.

The Bible shows that an expectant mother carries a living human being. When Rebecca conceived “. . the children struggled together within her; and she said, “If all is well, why am I like this?” So she went to inquire of the Lord. And the Lord said to her: “Two nations are in your womb, two peoples shall be separated from your body; one people shall be stronger than the other, and the older shall serve the younger.” (Gen. 25:22-23) Not only does the Bible declare the unborn to be children, but God also indicates the great potential they possess, ‘two nations’. It was prophesied of Jesus: “I was cast upon You from birth, from my mother’s womb You have been my God.” (Ps.22:10) From within His mother, Jesus had an accord with God. Psalm 139 gives an elegant description of the unborn; “My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.” Notice the pronoun “I”. It denotes life. (Would a pro-choice advocate say of their own conception, “When ‘it’ was formed in my mother’s womb?”) When Elizabeth was pregnant with John, she met Mary who was pregnant with the Word of God; “For indeed as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.” The unborn child was not only called a babe, he also gave an expression of joy.

Ex. 21:22-23 declares that a man could be put to death for causing a premature birth which brought about the death of the child. “But if any harm follows, then you shall give life for life . . . ” Even the world weeps when a teenager is cut off before his time. We lament because he has not yet realized the full potential of what life has to offer. So should we weep for the unborn, who will not be held in his mother’s arms. The unborn child is filled with promise and meaning. He is more than tissue.

According to statistics compiled by the Center for Disease Control, “Over three fourths of women who have legal induced abortion are unmarried.” A report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human services shows that in 1995 79.7% of all women having abortions were unmarried 1. This means that the so-called issue of choice has little to do with the birth endangering the mother’s life in delivery. Often it is decried that poor women and minorities are forced to endure the burden of an unwanted pregnancy. Even if minorities and poor women were the chief beneficiaries of abortion’s legal status, poverty and ethnicity are never a justifiable reason for wrongdoing. These arguments are really a blind in light of the main reason why abortion is carried out. If we look at the statistics, when people speak of being pro-choice, they are talking about getting rid of a baby because they don’t want the responsibility. To willfully end the life of a child is murder, whether the child is inside or outside the womb. Paul wrote that “. . in the last days perilous times shall come.” (II Tim.3:1-3) Paul stated the perils would be of fierce people without natural affection. This certainly describes the brutality of abortion. We are not talking about the ethical considerations of a mother’s life being endangered. We are looking at the statistical reality. The majority of abortions occur out of wedlock. The child is killed due to the failure of its parents to take responsibility for their actions.

The real issue of pro-choice is one of responsibility. The root of responsibility is ‘response’. The idea is that a person can respond in an appropriate way to a given choice. For example, if you were to tell your one year old to clean up the crib, the baby could not respond to that, so he would not be responsible. On the other hand, when a couple is tempted to commit fornication, they can respond by abstaining. If they fornicate, they are responsible for its outcome. Humanity can say no and avoid this sin. Life is the natural product of sexual union. Shunning to recognize the responsibility of this is sin indeed. Abortion only makes matters worse.

Pro-choice is a misnomer when used as a byword for freedom. Whenever we are in a position to choose between right from wrong, we are free to make that decision. However, when we choose to do wrong, our freedom diminishes. Through a series of bad choices we can lose all capability to choose. For example, we can make a decision of whether or not to steal. At that point we are free to keep our innocence and abstain from thievery. However, if we choose to sin, we lose our innocence and we become trapped in a number of ways. First of all, we have to live with the guilt of our sin, then we have to worry about the possibility of getting caught. If we do not get caught, we have to deal with an even stronger desire to steal again. If we are caught, we then are subject to losing our rights to one degree or another. The end result could be prison. Finally, without repentance, there is hell. Jesus said, “. . whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.” (John 8:34)

When a baby is aborted, those responsible lose their freedom in ways not counted. From that time forward there can only be either self justification or repentance. Self justification is a perpetual wrestling match with guilt. Self justification causes us to blame any intrusion into the conscience which might awaken feelings of remorse. Why did Cain kill Abel? “... Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous.” (I John 3:12) When we perpetrate abortion, we follow this pattern. A person’s life continues the spiral downward. Jesus said, “..whoever desires to save his life shall lose it.” (Mark 8:35)

Repentance is the watchword. It is how we can gain entrance to the presence of God, and know the freedom of renewal. “. . whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s, shall save it.” (Mark 8:35) Losing our life is to surrender to God. We have no excuses. The privilege of repentance is founded upon God’s grace. “Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?” (Rom. 2:4) Repentance is also commanded by God. “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.” (Acts 30-31) Whether we have committed the sin of abortion, or any offense in the sight of God, repentance is the only choice we have a right to make.