"The Lenses of Reformation Concerning Abortion and Gatekeepers"
by Dr. Patti Amsden
In the very first verse of the scriptures, the reader meets God as the Creator. “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” (Gen. 1:1). Although many other aspects, attributes, and abilities of God are described and demonstrated in the remainder of the Bible, the first – and therefore the primary feature – that the reader is to ascertain about God is that He alone existed before He created and that all that exists is a result of His work. Another way of phrasing this concept is that life on every level only existed in God until He give life to that which He created.
Reformation lens #1 – All life exclusively originates from the Creator and exists to serve His eternal purposes.
God created all things in mature form. He created all plant life, animal life, and human life with each creation containing within it the seed for the next generation of its kind. Any plant that has seed in it is fully developed; any animal that can reproduce has reached an age of maturation; any human that can procreate has attained puberty. Maturity is necessary before reproduction is possible. Therefore, God created all things mature because all things had the ability to reproduce.
Reformation lens #2 – Original life and continuation of life originates from the Creator and exists to serve His eternal purposes.
Because life is God’s original possession and given to His creation as a gift from God, no person can use God’s asset of life as though it is his or her personal possession. God is the owner and giver; mankind stewards God’s property. Stewardship means at least two things: 1) The means to handle the owner’s asset is defined by the owner; and 2) The steward will give an account to the owner as to his or her stewardship.
Reformation lens #3 – All life must be honored as the Creator has defined, and all persons will be accountable to the Creator for stewardship of life.
Certain aspects of life, such as plant life and animal life, are part of God’s life-giving sustenance for human life. Therefore, all that is eaten must be received with thanksgiving and by other requirements that are set forth in the scriptures. Human life is unlike plant or animal life in that it is uniquely representative or imaging of the Creator. Scripture clearly states that human life may not be assaulted. Human life at every age and in every physical condition must be honored and protected. No individual may murder; no collective agency can murder; no governing body may murder. Civil agencies may be given the power of the sword to execute justice against those who transgress their neighbor and God’s laws but taking innocent life is strictly forbidden in the Bible. Everyone, including the civil realm is to be his brother’s keeper, meaning protector of the life of his brother.
Reformation lens #4 – All individuals and all civil agencies must protect life and are accountable to God should they fail to honor life by the stipulations set forth in the Bible.
As reformers, we must raise our voices when we see injustice. We must cry out against murder and against every assault upon the person or dignity of our neighbor. This shared responsibility is especially important when the victims of injustice are unable to seek justice for themselves. God places great emphasis on the responsibility of the righteous to protect and to aid the defenseless. (Deut. 10:12-19; 24:17-22; 27:19; Job 22:7-10; Ps. 68:4-6; Is. 1:16-17; Zech. 7:8-13; James 1:27) The passages cited refer to widows, orphans, and strangers. How much more do these admonitions apply to defenseless babies in the womb? Reformers must take seriously the duty of the church to influence culture by biblical mandates. Reformers must stand for the rights of the unborn. Reformers must reject all legislation and all legislators who promote a culture of murder. To aid a criminal (through our vote) in his or her criminal activity makes the one aiding and abetting an accomplice and equally deserving of punishment. Again – reformers must reject all legislation and all legislators who promote a culture of murder!
Reformation lens #1 – All life exclusively originates from the Creator and exists to serve His eternal purposes.
God created all things in mature form. He created all plant life, animal life, and human life with each creation containing within it the seed for the next generation of its kind. Any plant that has seed in it is fully developed; any animal that can reproduce has reached an age of maturation; any human that can procreate has attained puberty. Maturity is necessary before reproduction is possible. Therefore, God created all things mature because all things had the ability to reproduce.
Reformation lens #2 – Original life and continuation of life originates from the Creator and exists to serve His eternal purposes.
Because life is God’s original possession and given to His creation as a gift from God, no person can use God’s asset of life as though it is his or her personal possession. God is the owner and giver; mankind stewards God’s property. Stewardship means at least two things: 1) The means to handle the owner’s asset is defined by the owner; and 2) The steward will give an account to the owner as to his or her stewardship.
Reformation lens #3 – All life must be honored as the Creator has defined, and all persons will be accountable to the Creator for stewardship of life.
Certain aspects of life, such as plant life and animal life, are part of God’s life-giving sustenance for human life. Therefore, all that is eaten must be received with thanksgiving and by other requirements that are set forth in the scriptures. Human life is unlike plant or animal life in that it is uniquely representative or imaging of the Creator. Scripture clearly states that human life may not be assaulted. Human life at every age and in every physical condition must be honored and protected. No individual may murder; no collective agency can murder; no governing body may murder. Civil agencies may be given the power of the sword to execute justice against those who transgress their neighbor and God’s laws but taking innocent life is strictly forbidden in the Bible. Everyone, including the civil realm is to be his brother’s keeper, meaning protector of the life of his brother.
Reformation lens #4 – All individuals and all civil agencies must protect life and are accountable to God should they fail to honor life by the stipulations set forth in the Bible.
As reformers, we must raise our voices when we see injustice. We must cry out against murder and against every assault upon the person or dignity of our neighbor. This shared responsibility is especially important when the victims of injustice are unable to seek justice for themselves. God places great emphasis on the responsibility of the righteous to protect and to aid the defenseless. (Deut. 10:12-19; 24:17-22; 27:19; Job 22:7-10; Ps. 68:4-6; Is. 1:16-17; Zech. 7:8-13; James 1:27) The passages cited refer to widows, orphans, and strangers. How much more do these admonitions apply to defenseless babies in the womb? Reformers must take seriously the duty of the church to influence culture by biblical mandates. Reformers must stand for the rights of the unborn. Reformers must reject all legislation and all legislators who promote a culture of murder. To aid a criminal (through our vote) in his or her criminal activity makes the one aiding and abetting an accomplice and equally deserving of punishment. Again – reformers must reject all legislation and all legislators who promote a culture of murder!
