Abortion

Though abortion has been practiced since ancient times, the Bible does not directly address the issue. Perhaps the closest it comes to doing so is in the Law of Moses, which states, “When people who are fighting injure a pregnant woman so that there is a miscarriage, and yet no further harm follows, the one responsible shall be fined what the woman’s husband demands, paying as much as the judges determine” (Exod. 21:22, NRSV). Though some versions, such as the NKJV, translate “miscarriage” as “gives birth prematurely,” “miscarriage,” the death of an unborn child, is the more accurate translation. This text reveals that under the Law of Moses an unborn child was not a legal person, as the penalty for killing a person was death, not a fine.

Nonetheless, it is clear that God cherishes human life at every stage. King David wrote, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be” (Ps. 139:13-16, NIV). Human beings are precious and valuable to God.

In an ideal world, all children would be healthy, welcomed, and loved. Followers of Christ should work to ensure that all children receive excellent healthcare and enjoy a strong, stable, nurturing family environment. They should advocate on behalf of young women, empowering them to make wise choices, and educate both males and females about sexuality, health, and wellbeing.

What young women thinking about abortion need to learn, too, is that abortion can have both short-term and long-term negative effects—mentally, spiritually, and physically. Besides a host of possible complicated physical side effects from abortion (infection, sepsis, organ damage), many women have struggled for years with guilt, remorse and sorrow for having made that decision.

In a broken world, people often face hard choices, as they consider risks to the mother’s health and other difficult issues relating to pregnancy. Recognizing that God is the Source and Author of life and that each person is accountable to God, Christians must meet the challenge of abortion with love, caring, and concern.

For a deeper understanding of the issue involved, we suggest people go to the following link: https://www.adventist.org/en/information/official-statements/guidelines/article/go/-/abortion/