ABORTION AND THE BIBLE
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT ABORTION?
Key Facts
In a 2014 study that questioned 8,593 evangelical Christians on their views concerning abortion, 33% stated that they believed it should be legal in all or most cases. [1]
In the same study, 60% of 6,083 mainline protestants also drew the same conclusion. [2]
Christians are divided on this issue and it seems this division partly results from the responses from religious leaders. While Pope Francis and others speak against abortion, several reverends and clergy members are cited in favor of it. [3]
Key Scriptures
Psalm 139:13 –“For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb.”
Luke 1:41-43 –“When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. And she cried out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord would come to me?”
Matthew 1:21-22 “for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
Luke 1:15 “For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.”
Application
The abortion debate in America is often characterized by emotion and passion. From both sides, it is not uncommon to hear aggressive rhetoric calling one side murderers and the other side misogynists. While this is a difficult debate, it is best to analyze the Scriptures calmly and clearly with love for those on both sides of the debate. The Bible does not speak directly to the abortion procedure; however, it does reveal abundant teachings about whether the fetus should be valued as a human or as a clump of cells.
There are a few verses that have differing interpretations and are in question as to their application to the abortion debate. However, outlined below, there are verses that show the biblical themes and understandings concerning fetuses. The Bible is united in its message and an overview of the Scriptures will better show the biblical teachings concerning the value of a fetus.
Psalm 139:13-16
The language used in Psalm 139:13-16 is strong to say the least. The author writes “You [God] knit me together in my mother’s womb,” “Your eyes saw my unformed body.” These verses show continuity between the unformed body in the womb and the author of this Psalm. He claims that the fetus was his own body and shows that God has been caring for him through all stages of his life –even the earliest stages. It is clear from this passage that the psalmist viewed his soul as being present in his mother’s womb. This passage is also incredibly significant in showing God’s conscious care for the fetus while in the mother’s womb. God is not cited as a passive overseer of the growth of the fetus. Instead He is the primary creator—bringing about the growth and development of the fetus. If God is actively working to create each fetus inside the womb, what good can come from destroying it?
Matthew 1:21-22
Matthew 1:21-22 records the immaculate conception of Jesus. When the angel comes to Joseph, the fetus in the womb is prophesied about. The angel reveals that this fetus is the One that would save His people from sin. There are multiple passages in which unborn children are prophesied about. Prophecy shows continuity between the fetus and Jesus’s redeeming works. This continuity is not just between the fetal tissue forming in the uterus of Mary and the tissue that makes up the body of Jesus. His body is significant, but the person of Jesus is what is important. The redeemer of His people is inside of Mary and will one day fulfill those prophecies. There is continuity between the fetal tissue inside Mary and the body of Jesus, yes. But the significance is that the person and soul of the fetus is the same person and soul of Jesus.
Luke 1:15
In describing John the Baptist, Luke 1:15 states that He will be filled with Holy Spirit while in the womb. The filling of the Holy Spirit is an experience exclusive to humans in the Scriptures. It is an event which takes place in Christians; they are filled by the Holy Spirit to accomplish miraculous acts for the Kingdom. This is the same word that is used to describe the filling of the Holy Spirit in the new believers at Pentecost. The Holy Spirit filling John the Baptist when he was still a fetus reveals the soul that existed even inside his mother’s womb. When John the Baptist was filled by the Holy Spirit, he was a distinct person that the Holy Spirit filled to fulfill a godly purpose. The spirituality of the fetus seen in this instance, reveals the significant value of fetuses in the kingdom of heaven.
Luke 1:41-43
There are many passages throughout Scripture that refer to a fetus as an “unborn child.” The humanity of the child is often assumed by the writers of Scripture. Authors often use terms which refer to the humanity of the fetus and give the fetus human attributes. Luke 1:41-43 is distinctive among all other passages that employ the term ‘unborn child.” It is distinctive because John the Baptist leaped in his mother’s womb as a pregnant Mary approached them. Unborn John the Baptist was able to experience the approaching of the Messiah. An unborn fetus was the first to recognize the significance of the coming of the Messiah. This shows the spiritual value of the fetus as well as the continuity between who John the Baptist was in the womb and who he grew up to be.
Conclusion
Many people argue that only scientists can have an opinion in the questions of when a human becomes a human. However, the value of a fetus in the womb is actually not a scientific question at all. While the processes of life are a concern of scientists, the value of life is inherently unanswerable by science which deals with observable, repeatable data. One must consult their worldview in order to address questions of value and personhood. A Christian’s worldview should be a result of biblical study. The biblical literature appears to argue for the humanity of the fetus and thus the sanctity and protection of its life. The biblical example reveals a care and concern for those in the womb that Christians can apply as they contend with the abortion debate.