What guidance do the Scriptures give concerning abortion?
At the outset, I would like to say that we as Christadelphians are not out to become involved in the debate over the abortion issue. What we state will only be in relation to those who truly believe that they are part of the covenant relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
Does the Bible say anything about abortion?
The Bible does not say anything directly about abortion, but a conclusion can be reached by looking at several different facts the Bible presents to us. We will try to avoid using accusatory terms and emotive phrases during this presentation and just look at the Bible principles. From those principles you can make your decision concerning this subject, as I will at the end of this article.
Principle 1: God has control over the womb.
Genesis 16:2 - "And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing:"
Genesis 20:18 - "For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham's wife."
Genesis 29:31 - "And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren."
Genesis 30:22 - "And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb."
Judges 13:2-3 - "And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not. And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son."
1 Samuel 1:5-6 - "But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the LORD had shut up her womb. And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her womb."
Ruth 4:13 - "So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son."
Genesis 20:18 - "For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham's wife."
Genesis 29:31 - "And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren."
Genesis 30:22 - "And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb."
Judges 13:2-3 - "And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not. And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son."
1 Samuel 1:5-6 - "But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the LORD had shut up her womb. And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her womb."
Ruth 4:13 - "So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son."
Principle 2: God says that the "fruit of the womb" is a blessing from Him.
Deuteronomy 7:12-14 - "Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the LORD thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy fathers: And he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: he will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee. Thou shalt be blessed above all people: there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle."
Psalm 127:3 - "Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward."
Psalm 128:1 - "Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways. For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table. Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the LORD."
Psalm 127:3 - "Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward."
Psalm 128:1 - "Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways. For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table. Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the LORD."
Principle 3: God knows us as we are developing in the womb.
Psalm 139:13-14, 16 - "For thou didst form my inward parts, thou didst knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise thee, for thou art fearful and wonderful. Wonderful are thy works!... Thy eyes beheld my unformed substance; in thy book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them."
Jeremiah 1:5 - "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations."
Job 31:13-15 - "If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me; What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him? Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb?"
Isaiah 44:2, 24 - "Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen ... Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;"
Genesis 25:22-23 - "And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD. And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger. "
Psalm 58:3 - "The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies."
Jeremiah 1:5 - "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations."
Job 31:13-15 - "If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me; What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him? Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb?"
Isaiah 44:2, 24 - "Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen ... Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;"
Genesis 25:22-23 - "And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD. And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger. "
Psalm 58:3 - "The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies."
Principle 4: The fetus is aware of its surroundings.
Genesis 25:22 - "And the children struggled together within her..."
Luke 1:44 - "For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy."
Luke 1:44 - "For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy."
Principle 5: God is involved in the birth of the child.
Psalm 22:9 - "But thou art he that took me out of the womb..."
Psalm 71:6 - "By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother's bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee."
Isaiah 49:1, 5 - "Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength."
Galatians 1:15 - "But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace..."
Psalm 71:6 - "By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother's bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee."
Isaiah 49:1, 5 - "Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength."
Galatians 1:15 - "But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace..."
Principle 6: The Law of Moses protected the unborn child.
Exodus 21:22-25 - "If men who are fighting hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman's husband demands and the court allows. But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise."(NIV)
Principle 7: Scripture calls the unborn by terms like child, son, infant.
Genesis 25:22-23 - "And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD. And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger."
Job 3:3 - "Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a man child conceived."
Luke 1:36 - "And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren."
Luke 1:41-44 - "And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy."
Job 3:3 - "Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a man child conceived."
Luke 1:36 - "And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren."
Luke 1:41-44 - "And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy."
I know that these quotations only touch the surface, but based on these Biblical principles alone we can conclude that the Bible does NOT support abortion.
Written by Matthew Smith