This is the fifth and final article in our family newsletter for the Sanctity of Life. It was written by me (David) and shows that the Bible goes far beyond simply being pro-life by upholding children as a gift, a treasure, a reward, and a heritage to be deeply desired.
Why It Is Not Enough To Be Pro-life
There are many Christians that will defend the precious life of the unborn. This commitment to those that are growing within the womb is both good and right, as supported by the many specific Scriptures that can be cited which necessitate a pro-life position. Consider the following wisdom from God’s Holy Word:
“ ... thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.” (Psalm 139:13-16, KJV)
How utterly shameful it is that we are growing up at a time and in a nation where there are approximately 1.3 million of these precious lives that are senselessly discarded each year in the name of a woman’s right to choose. I applaud those that are willing to take a stand on the side of truth by defending these dear and helpless unborn babies. While being pro-life and believing that abortion is explicitly against the sixth commandment that God gave (“Thou shalt not kill”) is a necessary condition to having a Biblical viewpoint on the sanctity of life, it is insufficient. The Bible goes much further and much deeper in upholding the sacred nature of human life than simply being against the atrocity of abortion. As we look at the words of Scripture, please carefully reflect on your own thinking to determine if your view is indeed consistent with the teaching of God Almighty.
“Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.” (Psalm 127:3-5, KJV)
These verses explicitly state that children are a heritage and a reward! Yet, there are many professed Christians that do not speak of children with this same high regard. How often I have heard those that claim the name of Christ speak of children as a burden and say that they have no desire to grow their own families. Those same Christians are rightfully appalled at the tragedy of taking the life of the unborn, but unwittingly have much of the same underlying philosophy as those that are willing to terminate an unwanted pregnancy.
Here are specific analogies between those that are pro-abortion with those that are pro-life, but wish to prevent the initial conception of a child:
- Both view an additional child as undesirable
- Both attempt to control the womb with their actions
- Both place their own comfort above the life of an unborn baby
How it must sadden the heart of the Lord that one of His greatest gifts is viewed not as a blessing to be eagerly desired, but as a curse to be earnestly avoided. Please do not misunderstand the words written in this article to mean that a person is in sin if he or she has fewer than a certain number of children. There is no specific minimum number of offspring that results in achieving favor from the Lord. As is true in so many areas of life, the real issue is a matter of the heart. God Almighty is the source of all wisdom and He can give you His heart regarding the proper view of children, including helping you to overcome your fears, your concerns, and your selfishness. Here are some questions to consider as you evaluate whether your own thoughts, words, and actions are God-honoring with regard to the subject of children:
- Am I thinking Biblically about the fruit of the womb by seeing children as a blessing from the hand of God Almighty?
- Am I upholding the blessing of children through the words that I speak by consistently pointing out to others the amazing gift that God has entrusted to parents?
- Am I acting upon the view of children as a heritage from the Lord by faithfully parenting the incredible trust that God has given me?
- Am I praying to the Lord to bless my family through the gift of many children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and future generations?
- Do I rejoice with those that announce that they are expecting a new baby regardless of the number of children that they already have in their family?
- If I have embraced worldly philosophy on children, am I willing to repent of this sin and humbly bow before the Lord asking for His forgiveness?
As you seek to obey the truth of God’s Word in the area of your perspective on children, may the Lord richly bless you with a faithful legacy involving many descendants that rise up and are mighty in the land!
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