Ten reasons why we should not take the lives of unborn children

This text is not a defense of the humanity of the unborn. It is an argument that if the unborn are human, they cannot be aborted. Some doctors who perform abortions recognize that the unborn are human beings—people. Yet, despite this, they routinely perform abortions, believing that the taking of innocent human life, while tragic, is justified by the difficult circumstances facing mother and child. Some of these doctors consider themselves Christians and follow the Bible, but they do not see sin in their practices. I wrote this article to urge such doctors to reconsider their position.

1. God commanded: «You must not murder» (Ex. 20:13). I understand that some forms of murder are approved in the Bible. The word «murder» in Ex. 20:13 is the Hebrew word «rahats,» which is used 43 times in the Old Testament. It always refers to violent, personal killing that is either recognized as murder or is considered to be such. The word is never used to describe murder in war or (with one possible exception in Num. 35:27) in judicial execution. A clear distinction is made between lawful «taking of life» and unlawful «murder.» For example, Num. 35:18 states: «The murderer shall surely be put to death!» The word «murderer» comes from «rahats,» which is forbidden in the Ten Commandments. When the Bible speaks of justified murder, it means that God delegates certain rights to civil authorities. When the state fulfills its God-ordained role of ensuring justice and peace, it has the right to «bear the sword,» as Romans 13:1–7 teaches. This right should always be used to punish evil, but never to attack the innocent (Rom. 13:4).

   Therefore, the commandment "Thou shalt not kill" is a clear and absolute warning against killing innocents, including unborn children.

2. The destruction of conceived human life—embryonic, fetal, or viable—is an attack on God’s unique design for human formation. Can we say anything from Scripture about what happens when life is killed in the womb? Let us consider two texts. Psalm 139:13 says: «You created my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.» The least we can take from this text is that the formation of human life in the womb is God’s work. God is the «You» of whom the verse is speaking. The formation of life in the womb is not simply a mechanical process, but is like weaving or knitting: «You knit me together in my mother’s womb.» The life of the unborn child is God’s creation, and what He forms is a human being, made in His image, unique among all creatures in the universe.

   Another, less well-known text is found in the book of Job. Job emphasizes that he did not despise any of his servants, even though many in that culture viewed servants as inferior or mere property. It is important to note Job’s reasoning here. Job 31:13–15 says: «If I have disregarded the cause of my male servant or of my female servant when they came to me in court, what should I do if God were to rise up to defend them? What answer should I give him? For he who made me in the womb made my servant. He made us in the same womb.».

   Verse 15 explains why Job would be guilty if he treated his servant as an inferior. The issue is not whether one was born free and the other a slave. The issue goes back to birth. When Job and his servants were being formed in the womb, God was the primary agent. This is the basis of Job’s argument.

   Thus, both Psalm 139 and Job 31 emphasize God as the primary Master—the Creator, the Weaver, the Shaper—in the process of fetal development. Why is this important? Because only God can create a person. Mothers and fathers provide only an impersonal egg and sperm, but only God creates an independent person. The Scriptures emphasize that God is the primary Shaper in the womb, emphasizing the uniqueness of this process—the creation of a person.

   One can argue endlessly about what constitutes a «complete» person. But we can say with great certainty: what happens in the womb is God’s unique work of creating a person. Only God knows how deeply and mysteriously the creation of a person is intertwined with the creation of the body. Therefore, it is completely groundless and unjustified to assume that at any stage of this process the destruction of that person is not an attack on God’s prerogatives as Creator.

   Simply put: the destruction of conceived human life—embryonic, fetal, or viable—is an attack on God’s unique work of creation. Abortion is an attack not only on man but also on God. God is uniquely at work in the womb from the moment of conception, as Psalm 139:13 and Job 31:15 clearly testify.

3. Abortion of unborn humans falls under the biblical prohibition of "shedding innocent blood.". The phrase «innocent blood» occurs about 20 times in the Bible. In each case, the expression is used in the context of condemning those who shed such blood, or as a warning against it. Innocent blood also includes the blood of children: «They have shed the innocent blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan…» (Ps. 106:38). Jeremiah speaks of this in the context of refugees, widows, and orphans: «Thus says the Lord: Execute justice and righteousness, and deliver the oppressed out of the hand of the wicked; and do no wrong to the alien, the fatherless, or the widow, and shed no innocent blood in this place.» (Jer. 22:3) Surely the blood of unborn children is as innocent as any other blood shed in the world.
4. The Bible often emphasizes the importance of protection, care, and justice for the weakest, most defenseless, and most oppressed members of a community. Again and again we read of the stranger, the widow, and the orphan—those who are the special objects of God’s care and should be the objects of His people’s care. «You shall not wrong a stranger, nor oppress him; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt… You shall not oppress a widow or an orphan. If you do indeed oppress them, and they cry out to Me… then I will surely hear their cry, and My anger will burn…» (Ex. 22:20–23).

   «He is a father of the fatherless and a judge of widows, God in His sanctuary» (Ps. 68:6).

   «Judge the poor and orphan with justice, defend the rights of the oppressed and needy. Deliver the weak and needy from the hand of the wicked, and save them» (Ps. 82:3–4).

   «They slay the widow and the stranger, they destroy the fatherless… The Lord will not see, the God of Jacob will not regard… He will repay them for their own wickedness… He will destroy them; the Lord our God will destroy them» (Ps. 94:6–7, 23).

   These texts emphasize the special responsibility of God's people to protect those who are most vulnerable—in particular, unborn children who are the helpless victims of abortion.

5. By evaluating difficult and even tragic life circumstances as a worse evil than the deprivation of life, abortionists contradict the widespread biblical teaching that God loves to show His gracious power through suffering, not just through helping to avoid it. This does not mean that we should seek out suffering for ourselves or for others. But suffering, according to the Bible, is a necessary and God-ordained (though not always pleasing) part of this fallen world (Rom. 8:20–25; Ezek. 18:32), and it is especially the portion of those who seek to enter the kingdom of God (Acts 14:22; 1 Thess. 3:3–4) and live righteous lives (2 Tim. 3:12). Suffering is never seen as purely tragic. It is also a means of growth in relationship with God and of strengthening in this life (Rom. 5:3–5; Jas. 1:3–4; Heb. 12:3–11; 2 Cor. 1:9; 4:7–12; 12:7–10), and of preparing for something glorious in the life to come (2 Cor. 4:17; Rom. 8:18). When abortionists claim that taking life is a lesser evil than the hardships that will accompany it, they are making themselves wiser than God, who teaches that His grace can accomplish amazing acts of love through the suffering of the living.
6. What is sinful is the self-confidence that justifies abortion by saying that these children will go to heaven or receive full life in the resurrection. This is a wonderful hope for the repentant seeker of forgiveness. But to justify murder by saying that it will bring eternal happiness to the one who has perished is evil. This same justification could be used to justify the murder of one-year-old infants or any other believer destined for heaven. The Bible asks, «What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?» (Rom. 6:1). And another: «Are we not, as some slanderously accuse us, saying, »Let us do evil that good may come to [us]?’ The judgment of such is just” (Rom. 3:8). In both cases, the answer is a resounding NO. It is presumptuous to take on the role of God and try to appoint someone to heaven or hell. Our duty is to obey God, not to play God.
7. The Bible commands us to rescue our neighbor who is being unjustly led to death. «Save those who are about to die! Will you refuse those who are destined for death? Will you say, »We did not know this?’ For does not He who tests the heart know? He who guards you knows all things. He will repay each person according to his ways” (Prov. 24:11–12). There is no compelling scientific, medical, social, moral, or religious reason to place unborn children in a class to which this text does not apply. Abortion of unborn children is a violation of this commandment.
8. Abortion of unborn children falls under Jesus' condemnation for those who despise children as inconvenient and unworthy of the Savior's attention. «And they brought unto him also little children, that he should touch them: but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called unto them, and said, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God» (Luke 18:15–16). The word «little child» in (Luke 18:15) is the same word that Luke uses of the unborn child in Elizabeth’s womb in (Luke 1:41, 44). «And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them, and took him in his arms, and said unto them, Whosoever shall receive one such little child in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me» (Mark 9:36–37).
9. It is the right of God the Creator to give and take human life, not our individual right to make such a choice. When Job learned that his children had died in a collapsed house, he worshiped the Lord and said, «Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I shall return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord!» (Job 1:21). When Job spoke of coming from his mother’s womb, he said, «The Lord gave.» And when Job spoke of death, he said, «The Lord has taken away.» Birth and death are God’s prerogatives. He is the Giver and the Taker in this great work of life. We have no right to make individual choices in this matter. Our responsibility is to take care of what He gives and use it for His glory.
10. Finally, saving faith in Jesus Christ brings forgiveness of sins, cleansing of conscience, help in life, and hope for eternity. Surrounded by such almighty love, every follower of Jesus is free from the greed and fear that might lead a person to abandon these truths for the sake of money or to avoid condemnation.

My prayer is that everyone involved in the practice of abortion will seriously consider these issues and pray for the faith and courage to stand for life and love in Jesus Christ.