Abortion, Birth Control, and the Issue of Life
From the first book of the Bible to the last book, God’s Word is concerned about the lives of His creation - not only the spiritual life and one’s relationship to God, but also the physical life and one’s relation to his fellow man (Genesis 1:26,27). Moses wrote to the Israelites in Genesis 9:6: “Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed; for in the image of God He made man.” Again, in the law, God instructs man not to “shed innocent blood” (Deuteronomy 19:10). Jesus’ teachings and example stress the importance of life (Luke 9:56). When our Lord walked the streets of Palestine, He ministered to the lame, blind, downtrodden, and social outcasts, of whom the world thought it best if they had never been born. He showed that these individuals were human, created in His image. So it follows that Christ’s disciples, the people making up His church, would strive in all ways to live and teach as the Master does. Thus, on issues such as abortion, our hearts should break when we think of the millions of innocent lives that have been extinguished in the name of “choice” and “freedom”. Our stomachs should churn when we hear of programs such as Planned Parenthood cutting up and selling aborted baby parts (or even that such a foundation as Planned Parenthood exists). Many want to ride the fence of the abortion issue and appeal to the worst-case scenario (such as rape, incest, etc.) as a reason abortion should be acceptable. The facts are, however, that most cases of abortion are not the result of a woman who has been forced in some way. Most abortions occur from a woman who willingly had sex, but did not want the responsibility that comes with it ( https://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/journals/3711005.pdf ). The legalization of abortion has promoted more individuals to live promiscuous lives and think it is morally acceptable because it is legal. Therein lies the problem with such sinful activity (such as legalization of homosexual “marriage”) due to the lack of knowledge of God’s Word among the populous.
Attitude Of Thankfulness
A wise, older preacher once told me, “Your attitude determines your altitude.” The older I have gotten the more I understand this and the truer it has become. What we think in our minds and hearts affects our actions and lives. “Out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45). Many days end (good or bad) depending on our mindset that day. Many situations could have turned out differently if an attitude check had preceded the event. The overall mindset we possess in life will ultimately determine where we end up. This applies in the physical realm with our careers and earthly endeavors, but also, more importantly, it applies in the spiritual realm – where we will be in eternity. So, what kind of attitude should a child of God exhibit? We should have an attitude of thankfulness. God’s Word stresses the importance of having a disposition of thanksgiving. Thankfulness is key to possessing and maintaining an overall attitude that is pleasing to God. Having gratitude as our foundation will help us to continue to appreciate the love God has shown toward us and not take His blessings for granted; it will helps us keep in remembrance the sacrifice Christ paid for us, thus “setting our minds on things above” (Colossians 3:2, 15; Ephesians 4:23-24). With thanksgiving at the center of our mind, we will have the attitude of the Psalmist (Psalms 100:4) and live a Spirit-filled life as commanded in the New Testament (Ephesians 5:15-21).
Children’s Church – Is It Authorized?
The practice of taking the young children out of the worship assembly has come to be called “children’s church” in many corners. The purpose of this is to train and teach the children in a less formal setting that encourages them to “enjoy” church while allowing their parents to worship without distraction. This may sound good on the surface. However, it is important to ask some questions before giving in to any practice that involves worship to our God. Firstly, and most importantly, what does God’s Word teach on the subject? Is it authorized in the Scriptures? Does the Bible give us examples or principles to draw from that may help us come to a conclusion as to whether this is acceptable in God’s sight? Why would we separate children from the worship assembly in order to teach them about worship?
Gossip: Let Your Speech Always Be With Grace
Why do we as human beings feel the need to always be speaking about something new or interesting and have itching ears that long to hear some alluring piece of information? Maybe that is a question for psychology, but it certainly plays a part in our spiritual walk on this earth as God’s people. One cannot go through a checkout aisle without seeing the gossip magazines the media produces on a daily basis. Maybe as Christians we are not concerned with that type of gossip as much as the everyday hearsay of a coworker, neighbor, or brother/sister in Christ. Many times we can get caught up in what others are saying about someone or a particular situation involving another, and even if we do not have all the facts, we feel compelled to give “our two cents” worth. How often do we stop before we speak and think, “Will this help the person or hinder them?” “If the person in question were here would I say this to their face?” “Am I trying to be sincerely helpful or unfairly judgmental?” In other words, before we join in a conversation about another person who is not present we need to firstly examine our own motives. How we use our tongues everyday reflects upon the church of which we are a part and the God whom we serve.