January 17, 2014

"Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-39

I am convinced that every problem at its root is a spiritual problem. Why do I believe this? I believe it because the spiritual part of you is the part that will live for ever because the spiritual part of you is what connects with God.

So, as I address this evil thing called abortion, I want to approach it at the spiritual level. Actually, I am not going to address it but I will let Jesus address it.

"I didn't know Jesus said anything about abortion," you may be thinking, "I didn't know Jesus said anything about abortion."

When he was asked to identify the most important thing Jesus replied, "Loving God and loving others is most important." So, according to Jesus, love is the gold standard by which all things should be evaluated.

Let's see what happens if I take the three most common arguments for abortion and hold them up against this Great Commandment of God!

We will do the first one in this post and one per day for the next few days.

Argument One: It is my body and no one should tell me what to do with my body!

In fact, there are an increasing number of government laws and regulations that DO tell you what you can and cannot do with your body!

But that aside, God would say, "Is it really your body?" I remind you that He is your Creator! I remind you that all life begins and ends in Him. If you love Him with all your heart, and all your soul and all your mind you will realize you belong to Him. 

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God--this is your true and proper worship." Romans 12:1

"Or don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you? Don’t you know that you have the Holy Spirit from God, and you don’t belong to yourselves? You have been bought and paid for, so honor God with your body."  I Corinthians 6:19-20

Whether you like or not. Whether you want to admit it or not you are accountable to God! He is keeping a permanent record and there will be a day when you will give an accounting to Him for what you did with your body while you are in your body.

"Because it is written, As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to me and every tongue will give praise to God. So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God." Romans 14:11-12

So, if you belong to Him and if you are accountable to Him, don't you think it matters what you do with your body? 

If you are facing a life altering decision like an abortion, shouldn't you consider what He would want you to do? 

As the source of life and as the source of love, what do you think He would want you to do?

Doesn't that make sense?

There is another question you need to ask, "What about the body forming within my body?"

Think about that! If your body belongs to God then the body forming within you belongs to God, right?

The second part of the commandment says you need to love others like we love yourself. 

How do you love yourself?

You want the best for yourself, right? 

You want to live! You guard and protect your life, don't you?

Apply that to the life growing within you.

One big reason why women consider abortion is for selfish reasons. It seems easier to end the pregnancy rather than to deal with the complications and responsibilities of a child.

Is that really what it means to love yourself? Is it what means to love another?

If you deal with this "pro-choice" argument at the level that really matters - the spiritual level - and measure it against the Great Commandment, the argument sort of dissolves.

Life gets better when you live it according to God's loving laws.