1. Abortion How should Christians respond?

2. Murder  “You shall not murder.”—Exodus 20:13  "You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.'”—Matthew 5:21  Murder is the unlawful killing of a person (in this case, violating God’s law, regardless of Man’s).  “You shall not murder.”—Exodus 20:13  "You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.'”—Matthew 5:21  Murder is the unlawful killing of a person (in this case, violating God’s law, regardless of Man’s).

3. The Personhood of the Unborn  “ 13 For it was You who created my inward parts; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I will praise You because I have been remarkably and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, and I know this very well. 15 My bones were not hidden from You when I was made in secret, when I was formed in the depths of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw me when I was formless; all my days were written in Your book and planned before a single one of them began.” —Psalm 139:13-16  “I chose you before I formed you in the womb; I set you apart before you were born. I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” —Jeremiah 1:5  “ 13 For it was You who created my inward parts; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I will praise You because I have been remarkably and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, and I know this very well. 15 My bones were not hidden from You when I was made in secret, when I was formed in the depths of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw me when I was formless; all my days were written in Your book and planned before a single one of them began.” —Psalm 139:13-16  “I chose you before I formed you in the womb; I set you apart before you were born. I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” —Jeremiah 1:5

4. The Personhood of the Unborn  The first person to recognize the divinity of Jesus was an unborn child.  “For he will be great in the sight of the Lord and will never drink wine or beer. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit while still in his mother’s womb.”—Luke 1:15  “ 39 In those days Mary set out and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judah 40 where she entered Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped inside her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 Then she exclaimed with a loud cry: ‘You are the most blessed of women, and your child will be blessed! 43 How could this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For you see, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped for joy inside me! 45 She who has believed is blessed because what was spoken to her by the Lord will be fulfilled!’”—Luke 1:39-45  The first person to recognize the divinity of Jesus was an unborn child.  “For he will be great in the sight of the Lord and will never drink wine or beer. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit while still in his mother’s womb.”—Luke 1:15  “ 39 In those days Mary set out and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judah 40 where she entered Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped inside her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 Then she exclaimed with a loud cry: ‘You are the most blessed of women, and your child will be blessed! 43 How could this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For you see, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped for joy inside me! 45 She who has believed is blessed because what was spoken to her by the Lord will be fulfilled!’”—Luke 1:39-45

5. Is abortion wrong?  The Bible says murder is wrong.  The Bible makes it clear that the unborn are persons.  Therefore, abortion, which is the killing of a person in violation of God’s law, is wrong.  The Bible says murder is wrong.  The Bible makes it clear that the unborn are persons.  Therefore, abortion, which is the killing of a person in violation of God’s law, is wrong.

6. What’s so bad about abortion?  First and foremost, it intentionally kills babies.  It harms women and causes irreparable damage to families.  Most post-abortive women suffer silently from the emotional trauma. It also puts a strain on familial and romantic relationships.  Many others also suffer physical complications, including (but not limited to) uterine perforations, sterility, hemorrhage, increased risk of breast cancer, increased risk of miscarriages in future pregnancies, and sometimes even death.  It demeans the unique role of women and our ability to nurture life in a way that men were not created to do, and it tells women that they must sacrifice their God-given gifts and abilities in order to be equal to men by feeding them the lie that they cannot have both the life they want and the child they carry.  It flies in the face of God’s will and desire for humanity.  It is the result of a worldview that contradicts the worldview we should hold as Christians—that God lovingly created all human beings for a purpose and with a plan for their lives.  First and foremost, it intentionally kills babies.  It harms women and causes irreparable damage to families.  Most post-abortive women suffer silently from the emotional trauma. It also puts a strain on familial and romantic relationships.  Many others also suffer physical complications, including (but not limited to) uterine perforations, sterility, hemorrhage, increased risk of breast cancer, increased risk of miscarriages in future pregnancies, and sometimes even death.  It demeans the unique role of women and our ability to nurture life in a way that men were not created to do, and it tells women that they must sacrifice their God-given gifts and abilities in order to be equal to men by feeding them the lie that they cannot have both the life they want and the child they carry.  It flies in the face of God’s will and desire for humanity.  It is the result of a worldview that contradicts the worldview we should hold as Christians—that God lovingly created all human beings for a purpose and with a plan for their lives.

7. Why should we care?  As Christians, we are called to love our neighbors.  We have a duty to the victims—mothers, fathers, and children.  “He has told you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of man but to seek justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” —Micah 6:8  “ 17 If anyone has this world’s goods and sees his brother in need but closes his eyes to his need—how can God’s love reside in him? 18 Little children, we must not love with word or speech, but with truth and action.” —1 John 3:17-18  Because 1 in 3 women in the US have had an abortion.  Because one quarter of our generation is missing, and at least 55 million Americans have lost their lives to abortion since 1973. That’s over 3000 every day.  As Christians, we are called to love our neighbors.  We have a duty to the victims—mothers, fathers, and children.  “He has told you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of man but to seek justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” —Micah 6:8  “ 17 If anyone has this world’s goods and sees his brother in need but closes his eyes to his need—how can God’s love reside in him? 18 Little children, we must not love with word or speech, but with truth and action.” —1 John 3:17-18  Because 1 in 3 women in the US have had an abortion.  Because one quarter of our generation is missing, and at least 55 million Americans have lost their lives to abortion since 1973. That’s over 3000 every day.

8. Why should we care?  Because it discriminates based on sex, race, ability, and convenience—none of which are things that the unborn victim chooses.  Because it gives rapists and pimps a way to cover up their crimes, perpetuating rape and human trafficking.  Because in a crisis pregnancy, the woman needs the crisis eliminated, not the child.  Because no matter who you are, you have been affected by abortion. We all are.  Because it discriminates based on sex, race, ability, and convenience—none of which are things that the unborn victim chooses.  Because it gives rapists and pimps a way to cover up their crimes, perpetuating rape and human trafficking.  Because in a crisis pregnancy, the woman needs the crisis eliminated, not the child.  Because no matter who you are, you have been affected by abortion. We all are.

9. What can we do about it?  James 1:22-27  Speak out on behalf of the unborn.  Reach out to women and families in crisis  Pregnancy support  Post-abortion care  As Christians, we need to recognize that women are not the perpetrators of this evil—they may actively choose it, but they have been deceived and manipulated, and God desires their restoration and healing like anyone else. We need to have compassion for them and show them the truth of God’s love, mercy, and redemption, because their lives matter too.  James 1:22-27  Speak out on behalf of the unborn.  Reach out to women and families in crisis  Pregnancy support  Post-abortion care  As Christians, we need to recognize that women are not the perpetrators of this evil—they may actively choose it, but they have been deceived and manipulated, and God desires their restoration and healing like anyone else. We need to have compassion for them and show them the truth of God’s love, mercy, and redemption, because their lives matter too.

10. Support the cause!  Pray for women, their children and families, and abortion providers  Protest at Planned Parenthood  Educate yourself and the people you know  Social media is your friend!  Expose the horrific practices of the abortion industry  Participate in local and national pro-life events  Planned Parenthood protests  40 Days For Life  March For Life  Tweetfests  Pray for women, their children and families, and abortion providers  Protest at Planned Parenthood  Educate yourself and the people you know  Social media is your friend!  Expose the horrific practices of the abortion industry  Participate in local and national pro-life events  Planned Parenthood protests  40 Days For Life  March For Life  Tweetfests  Volunteer with pro-life organizations  Live Action  Save the Storks  Feminists For Life  Online For Life  Vote for pro-life candidates  Join Students For Life!  Financial support

11. So, how should Christians respond to abortion?

12. tells us that tells us to abortion kills a