Category: Suffering

Made in God’s Image: A Radical Truth in a Confused World

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In a world increasingly shaped by confusion and conflicting ideologies about our identity, it’s essential to return to the truth of Scripture to rediscover who we truly are. The profound and foundational truth that we are made in God’s image is not only the key to understanding our purpose but also the antidote to the confusion and despair that many face today. At the same time, we see a striking contradiction in society. On one hand, there is a growing emphasis on mental health and well-being, particularly for children and young people—a focus that is undeniably valuable. Yet, on the other hand, these same individuals are often taught that they are merely the accidental products of random, unguided processes. This disparity raises urgent questions about where our true value and sense of purpose come from.

This prevailing worldview, commonly seen in schools and even showcased in places like the Natural History Museum, suggests that humans originated from a “molecule-to-man” evolutionary process through natural selection. Under this framework, human beings are stripped of intrinsic value or ultimate purpose. If we are merely “rearranged atoms,” no different than the chairs we sit on, why should we consider ourselves more valuable than those objects? One bleak perspective even puts it this way: “It’s a fluke that you were born, all is futile while you live, and you’ll be fertilizer when you die.”

Environmental concerns, often valid, further deepen this narrative by portraying humanity as the planet’s primary problem. Influential figures like David Attenborough have even referred to mankind as a “plague on the planet.” These ideas contribute to widespread struggles among young people—challenges with identity, worth, and purpose—often leading them to cling desperately to fleeting causes.

The Bible’s Antidote: Our True Identity

Amid this cultural confusion, we find hope and clarity in the Bible. Genesis 1:26-27 teaches us a radically different truth about who we are. Humanity is made in the image of God. This phrase appears three times in just two verses, emphasizing its importance. “Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” 27 So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them.”

Humanity’s Unique Role in Creation

It is essential to note that only humans are described as being made in God’s image. While other living things are described as being made “according to their kind” (Genesis 1:24-25), humanity is set apart. Though we share similarities with animals, such as being made of the same physical elements and consuming similar foods, the differences are vast and profound:

• Communication: Human communication is far more complex.

• Innovation: Unlike spiders that spin the same web design repeatedly, humans innovate endlessly.

• Self-awareness: Humans ponder their purpose, study the world, and plan for the future.

• Appreciation of beauty: Our ability to create and appreciate art reflects the Creator Himself.

The Bible clearly teaches that the image of God was present from humanity’s beginning. This is not a trait added partway through a slow evolutionary process. Genesis 5:3 confirms that Adam passed this image onto his descendants, meaning all humans are bearers of God’s image. Furthermore, Genesis 1:31 declares that creation was not just “good” but “very good” only after humanity was created. Humanity is the pinnacle of God’s creation, the culmination of His work, as Psalm 8 poetically reflects: “You made man a little lower than the angels and crowned him with glory and honor.”

What Does It Mean to Be Made in God’s Image?

The phrase “image of God” comes from the Hebrew word “tselem,” meaning a replica or representative. In the ancient Near East, kings would place statues of themselves in far-flung regions of their empires to symbolize their authority. Similarly, humanity represents God’s authority and presence in the world.

Here are five “R’s” that summarize what it means to be made in God’s image:

1. Representing God

We are God’s representatives on Earth, symbolizing His dominion and authority. This is why the second commandment forbids creating images of God for worship; humanity itself is His intended representation.

2. Resembling God

The phrase “in His likeness” (Hebrew: “demuth”) expands the idea of resemblance. We resemble God in personal, moral, and rational ways:

• We are personal beings, capable of relationships.

• We are moral beings, understanding right and wrong.

• We think, reason, feel, and act with purpose, as God does.

While we are not divine—we are neither eternal nor self-sufficient like God—we reflect aspects of His character, much like the moon reflects the light of the sun.

3. Ruling for God

Genesis 1:26 continues: “…so that they may rule over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and over all the earth.” The word for “rule” (Hebrew: “rāḏâ”) implies dominion and stewardship. Humans are entrusted with managing creation for its benefit, a role that remains positive despite the fall.

This stewardship involves cultivating and managing the earth to promote flourishing. Genesis 2 expands on this role, depicting Adam placed in the Garden to “work it and take care of it” (Genesis 2:15). Contrary to popular claims that nature would thrive without humans, evidence shows that human management often increases biodiversity and ecological health. For instance, even secular conservationists recognize that rewilding efforts (leaving land untouched) can reduce biodiversity. Carefully managed areas, such as gardens or cultivated lands, often support more diverse ecosystems than those left wild.

4. Reflecting God

As God’s image bearers, we are called to reflect His attributes—His love, righteousness, and justice. This reflection glorifies Him and points others to His character.

A Unique Design and Purpose

Humanity’s role as God’s image bearers underscores our unique purpose. Adam’s naming of the animals (Genesis 2:19-20) highlights this distinction; no animal was found to be a suitable helper for Adam because none shared God’s image.

When God declared it was “not good” for man to be alone (Genesis 2:18), He created woman as a complementary partner, further emphasizing the relational nature of humanity—a reflection of the relational nature of God Himself.

This foundational truth—that humanity is made in the image of God—contradicts the despairing messages of our culture. It affirms our value, dignity, and purpose, reminding us that we are more than atoms or accidents. We are God’s representatives, rulers, and reflections, created to glorify Him and enjoy His creation.

5. Made for Relationship

In addition to representing, resembling, and ruling for God, humanity was created for relationship. Genesis 1:27 emphasizes this: “male and female He created them.” Relationships are central to the human experience because they reflect the very nature of God Himself.

In Genesis 1:26, God says, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness.” The plural pronouns point to the truth of the Trinity—God as one being in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This perfect, eternal relationship of love within the Trinity has profound implications. It reveals that love is intrinsic to God’s nature. Even before creating humanity, God existed in a communion of love. Unlike a solitary deity, a trinitarian God is inherently relational, making Him a God of love.

God’s design for us is rooted in this relational nature. He created us to participate in this love and to relate to Him in worship. In Genesis, God speaks to Adam and Eve, commands them, and walks with them in the garden. Humanity alone, among all creation, is given the capacity to communicate with God and with one another in meaningful ways.

Reflecting God in Human Relationships

God’s design extends to human relationships, starting with marriage. The union of man and woman reflects God’s relational nature and serves as a foundation for families. The psalmist speaks of God placing the lonely in families, emphasizing that all relationships—friendships, families, and communities—find their root in our shared identity as image-bearers of God.

However, society often promotes individualism and isolation, countering God’s intention for relationships. The idea of self-sufficiency, where everything is tailored for individual consumption, may seem appealing, but it directly opposes the biblical truth that we are created for connection.

The Marring of the Image

Although we are made in the image of God, that image has been marred by sin. Genesis 3 describes the fall of humanity through Adam and Eve’s disobedience. Though we retain God’s image, it has been distorted. Like graffiti defacing a masterpiece, sin obscures our ability to fully reflect God’s glory and carry out our God-given roles.

The Nature of the Fall

Satan’s temptation to Eve was rooted in pride and dissatisfaction. He suggested that she could “be like God,” ignoring the truth that humanity was already made in His image. Adam, failing to exercise his headship, joined in disobedience. As a result, sin entered the world, bringing suffering, pain, and death.

This is not how God created the world to be. Death and suffering are direct results of human sin, not inherent aspects of God’s creation. To argue otherwise undermines God’s goodness and the hope of redemption. The consequences of the fall are evident: fractured relationships, environmental exploitation, and a culture that either devalues humanity or elevates it to a godlike status.

Modern Rebellion Against God’s Design

Today, the rejection of God’s image leads to a host of societal issues. When we deny the intrinsic value of life, practices like abortion and euthanasia become normalized. The redefinition of marriage and gender further undermines God’s design, leaving people searching for identity and purpose in fleeting things like possessions, fame, or personal achievements. But these pursuits are inadequate. When our worth is tied to impermanent things, failure leaves us devastated. We begin to see others as objects, either competitors or tools for our benefit. This rejection of God’s image results in a society that dehumanizes itself.

The Mending of the Image

Thankfully, the story doesn’t end with the marring of the image. Through Jesus Christ, God has provided a way to restore what was broken.

Christ: The Perfect Image of God

Colossians 1:15 declares, “The Son is the image of the invisible God.” Unlike humanity, Christ is not merely made in the image of God—He is the image of God. As the Creator, Jesus demonstrates dominion over creation, calming storms, multiplying food, and even commanding fish to fulfill His purposes. He is the ultimate human, fully reflecting God’s glory while living in perfect obedience.

Yet, Christ did more than provide an example. He lived the life we were meant to live and bore the punishment for our sins. On the cross, He was marred for our transgressions so that we could be mended. Through His death and resurrection, He made reconciliation with God possible, restoring us to our original purpose as image-bearers.

Becoming Like Christ

When we repent and trust in Christ, God begins a process of transformation. Romans 8:29 explains that we are “predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son.” This transformation is not about adding religion to our lives but about aligning with the purpose for which we were created: to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

This restoration affects every aspect of our lives. It shapes how we relate to others, how we steward creation, and how we pursue work and creativity. No longer striving for self-glory, we live to reflect God’s love, peace, and justice.

The Fulfillment of Restoration

One day, God will complete this work of restoration. Revelation promises a new creation where His people will dwell with Him forever, fully restored to His image. Until that day, we live with the hope and assurance that we are precious to God, not because of anything we achieve, but because of what Christ has done.

If you have not yet repented and turned to Christ, now is the time. Only through Him can we be restored to our true purpose and identity. May we all live as God intended, for His glory and the good of His creation.

Amen.

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** How to become a child of God

** Summary of Talk By Matthew Pickhaver from Biblical Creation Trust / Picture by Mart Production at Pexels

** Recommended article: One Human Race – the Biblical, Scientific & Historical Truth about Human Diversity

Opening the Door to Healing: When Childhood Sexual Abuse Affects Marriage’s Intimacy

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“Don’tcha wanna be married? Or have kids?”

I nodded, tears streaming down my five-year-old face, thorns and brambles cutting into my backside.

“You gotta do this, then, or you can’t ever be married.” The voice—which came from a teenage boy, accompanied by the snicker from his kid brother—would haunt me for 18 years until I got married.

It still haunts me.

The statistics about sexual crime both alarm and numb. According to the Department of Justice, by age 18, one in four women and one in six men have been sexually abused.

I thought if I hid my pain I could magically improve sexually. But not addressing the truth was disastrous my sexual relationship with my husband.

What happens to the titanic number of sexually abused men and women when they marry and enter regular sexual experiences with their mates? One study published in Contemporary Family Therapy estimates that 56 percent of women who were sexually abused as children feel discomfort during sex and 36 percent seek some sort of sexual therapy.

Although I told my husband, Patrick, about the abuse while we were dating, after we were married, I pretended immunity from my past trauma. But keeping up the charade wasn’t so easy since sex reminded me of the abuse. I didn’t tell Patrick, though, because I felt guilty, as though I were a poor wife.

I hoped somehow I could work out everything through sheer willpower. So throughout our early married life, I tolerated sex, never letting Patrick know how much I was hurting. I’m not sure if I even knew the extent of my pain, at least enough to verbalize it.

When our eldest daughter turned five, however, I began to relive the molestation I’d experienced at her age. I felt the horror afresh. I saw those brothers steal my innocence on muddied nature trails, in secluded playgrounds, and in their bedroom.

I puzzled over the photos my divorced father took of nude women and his insistence that I bathe him while he sat naked in his claw-footed tub. I ached over my mother’s lack of protection. I felt abandoned.

Although I grieved, I still didn’t realize how much those experiences were poisoning my sexual relationship with Patrick. It wasn’t until we went through some marital difficulties and I spent two years in counseling that I finally realized the problem.

Now 12 years into our marriage, Patrick and I see clearly how the past affected our relationship—especially sexually.

Fear of being used. I felt used easily. If Patrick didn’t talk enough with me during the day but then initiated sex, I’d remember that frightened five-year-old who was simply a rag doll to be played with. If he touched me in a way that triggered the abuser’s touch, I’d grit my teeth and silently recoil.

I’d think, Men want only to use me. I’m just a plaything. My resentment grew toward Patrick, yet I remained quiet, and he grew frustrated that I wouldn’t tell him the problem.

A distorted view of sex. It was difficult for me to see sex as beautiful and what God intended. I felt if I enjoyed sex, I was somehow legitimizing my abusers, that they were right in molesting me. But if I didn’t enjoy it, I wasn’t a good Christian wife.

My view of sex was that it was solely for a man’s gratification. I longed (and still long) for the passionate Song of Solomon-kind of abandon.

Guilt over failure to perform sexually. I’ve often lamented to God, “Why did you give me a man who loves physical touch? Are you setting me up for failure?” I’ve felt overwhelming guilt over not having enough sex. The Christian marriage books I read and the sexual intimacy seminars I attended further thrust me into shame’s cesspool; it’s my duty after all—I’m depriving my husband. Couple that advice with a deep-seated ambivalence toward sex and I was a sexually defeated wife.

Part of my denying Patrick sex stemmed from wanting to avoid the deeper problem. When I “gave in,” I uncovered prickly emotions I couldn’t understand. It was easier if I avoided intimacy as much as I could so I wouldn’t rip open a festering wound I couldn’t handle.

Isolation and emotional disengagement. Of all the issues Patrick and I have confronted, this carries with it the deepest, most insidious pain.

Patrick once told me about a vision he had in which I was pacing on a high diving board while he and the children beckoned me from a swimming pool far below.

They shouted, “Dive in! The water’s great!”

I peered over the edge of the board.

I saw their laughter-infused antics, but I turned away and walked down the ladder. Instead, I settled for putting my toe in the water while the rest of my family splashed and laughed.

I longed to be the spontaneous one who dives into the lives of my family, but I’d disconnected somehow, which prevented me from letting my husband into the recesses of my heart.

Lack of affection and passion. I found myself unable to be affectionate with my immediate family. While I knew I was supposed to demonstrate my love in tangible, physical ways, that seldom came naturally. When my son cried, I had to tell myself to hug him. When my husband came home from work, I had to make myself kiss him.

Coping Strategies

I wish I could say I’m free and the wound of sexual abuse is completely healed. I still have tender spots. But as Patrick and I have explored these areas, we’ve learned some important coping strategies.

Be willing to be healed. I liken emotional healing to a tunnel that links a barren land with a pristine forest. We’ll never drink from the forest’s mountain spring if we don’t go through the tunnel. But most of us feel too afraid to step inside for fear of the dark; and the barren land—bleak as it is—has a staid familiarity about it. The truth? It’s dark in the tunnel. The hurt is intensified, especially when we can’t see the other side.

When I became a Christian at 15, I clung to the apostle Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 5:17: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” I decided I’d been healed of all emotional wounds when I became a Christian and viewed others who struggled as lacking faith. But my emotional world fell apart in college and I became a struggler. I cried a lot. God sent many friends who simply listened and prayed for me.

I thought those prayers in college and my grief were all I needed to be whole. After things began to fall apart in our marriage, I realized how much more healing I needed and sought help from a Christian counselor.

Talk about your sexual relationship. As difficult as it might be, Patrick and I had to speak frankly about our sexual relationship.

Through God’s strength, I was finally able to tell Patrick, “When you complain about our sexual frequency, I want to give up and never try,” or “When you say or do that, I feel used, that I’m only an object.”

In that same God-strength, Patrick was able to say, “When you don’t place sex and affection as a priority, I don’t feel loved,” or “When you don’t kiss me, I feel distant from you.”

We also had to resolve not to hide our anger or our pain. Patrick buried his anger over my lack of response and then quit communicating altogether. I erroneously thought if I hid my pain over my past I could magically improve sexually. But we realized not addressing the truth was disastrous for our sexual relationship.

Heal together. I used to think I was the only one working on issues from my past. When I struggled, I’d turn to my “normal” husband who had a seemingly idyllic upbringing and say, “You’re perfect and I’m yucky.”

Patrick seldom explored his own childhood issues. Consequently, I felt alone in my grief.

In his book The Wounded Heart, Dr. Dan Allender suggests that one way a marriage can offer healing is if the non-abused spouse will look at where he or she has been harmed from childhood. I felt a sense of comfort when I read: “We all have wounds; some are stab wounds, others pinpricks. The category isn’t the degree of bleeding but ‘have you ever bled?'”

The camaraderie returned in our marriage when I saw Patrick begin to explore his family of origin issues. When he saw me becoming free from my past issues, it spurred him to look at his upbringing. He began to look at his quick temper, how he saw that modeled as a child, what it did to him to be on the receiving end of it, and how it still affects him. The process for him has been slow. He’s quick to dismiss pain from his past, but he’s beginning to see how that dismissal has helped him wall himself off from others, including me.

Now instead of feeling like a solitary pilgrim, I have Patrick’s hand to grab as we share our past injuries and our future.

I still hear the haunting words of my abusers, and Patrick and I still struggle in our marriage. Last night we spent an hour discussing our sexual relationship and our mutual frustration over my reticence to kiss and his reluctance to share his hurts. Even so, I’m learning to take an emancipated leap off the high dive into our marriage.

Patrick’s Story

When Mary first told me about her past sexual abuse, I felt sad for her, particularly since it happened as a young child.

While I wasn’t worried about the abuse influencing our sexual lives at first, later into our marriage I realized it was affecting us. I became angry because we’d be paying for years for what those people had done to her. It wasn’t fair. I feel part of our marital intimacy is missing—that it’s been ripped from us.

When Mary would withdraw from me sexually, I often found myself caught between feeling that things would never get better, that Mary would never be healed from her past, and empathy for her, wanting to give her as much space as she needed.

I became confused about what I was supposed to do to help her through this traumatic experience. The most frustrating to me was that I couldn’t fix our situation. I couldn’t fix her past. I was helpless.

It hurt me because I knew there was a part of her she was holding back from me. Because of the abuse, there was nothing I could do that would make her feel comfortable enough to allow me into the vulnerable parts of her life.

She felt dead where intimacy was concerned—which affected my self-esteem. For me, kissing and showing affection are important signs to make me feel loved, cherished, and accepted. I’d feel rejected when I’d lean in for a kiss or a hug and she’d turn away. I’d tell myself over and over, Mary does love me, but can’t express affection the way I want to receive it.

I know I said and did things that cemented some of her fears. I put pressure on her to change. I placed “performance” expectations on her that were probably unfair. Still, though, I was angry. When I became angry, I just stopped talking. I put up an emotional wall toward her that served two purposes: it would “teach her a lesson,” and it would protect me from feeling rejected.

When these issues surfaced, I had to readjust my expectations until she was better able to handle our sexual relationship.

Along the way to her healing, I continually worried about whether what I was doing would bring back a painful memory for her. I didn’t want her to connect what I did or said to the pain she’d experienced. There are times I still worry about that.

But I’ve tried to provide an environment where Mary feels safe to share the memories, the pain, and her current struggles. Sometimes this means just listening. Sometimes it means crying with her, praying for her, or encouraging her. Sometimes it means asking for forgiveness when I cross a line that’s hurt her. Sometimes it means I challenge her to overcome her fears.

We both understand that if we want to grow together, we must be willing to challenge—and be challenged by—our actions and thinking. We both want to move past being victims to becoming survivors.

The most important thing is not to think, “Get over it already!” I know now that while her past continues to heal and our sexual relationship grows stronger, there may always be leftover scars. So during the times when I’m tempted to think, Let’s move past this, I recommit myself to being consistent in my love for her.

No matter the discussion, argument, or difficulty, I realize she needs to know she can trust me with her emotions and that if I’m hurt, frustrated, or angry, I won’t leave or run from her.

Mary and I deal with the issues as they arise, no matter how frustrating or difficult they may be.

My prayer is that one day we’ll be able to look at each other and know this abuse no longer taints our relationship. I’m hopeful because I’ve seen Mary grow so much in this area, and she continues to walk this difficult road with me.

— Patrick DeMuth

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Article by Mary DeMuth the author of Everything: What You Give and What You Gain to Become Like Jesus (Thomas Nelson) At Today’s Christian Woman / Copyright © by the author or Christianity Today / Marriage Partnership magazine. / Photo by Anna-Mari West at Shutterstock

*** Christian Counselling page

“Where Was God In All Of This?”

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Many times, unexplainable circumstances, death, or sickness visits us or the people close to us. And the reality is that life is not always good. It’s during these difficult trials that a lot of people lose their faith in God. The question is: what do you do when you can’t make sense of things? 

I hope to help you shed some light on how God desires us to go through these unexplainable times.

Seasons In Everyone’s Life

There are seasons where we walk through the valley of the shadow of death (Pslams 23:4), and face the tribulations mentioned in John 16:33, but the Lord says to “be of good cheer,” not because it won’t hurt but because He has overcome the world.

God wants to teach us not only to celebrate our victories but learn to walk through things without them destroying our faith. Hebrews 11:6 says “it is impossible to please God,” not without understanding, but “without faith” (Ephesians 1:18, 4:18).

Truths About Suffering

There are four truths about suffering that I want to share with you. 

  1. Sin brought suffering, not God.
  2. God used suffering to bring salvation.
  3. God will end all suffering on the earth.
  4. God uses suffering to refine us and if we do not refuse it, to define us. 

Suffering is unavoidable because of sin. 

As Christians, we have the promise that one day it will end. While we are here, however, we must learn how God teaches us to deal with suffering. His way will ensure healing and growth. 

What To Do When You Don’t “Understand”

Hebrews 11:3 says that it’s “by faith we understand.” The starting point for our “understanding” as Christians is not in trying to understand the situation first, but in trusting God. God is asking you today, through your situation, “Can you trust Me?”

The world tries to understand things before understanding who God is. That’s why their understanding gets darkened and they think things like, “God doesn’t love me”, “God must be mean because He didn’t stop something from happening.”

You can’t dwell with God based on your understanding. You could only do that if He was just like you. But He is not like anything He created. What is the point of worshipping someone like you? Why trust somebody who has your limitations, weaknesses, and strengths?

Proverbs 3:5 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and lean not on your own understanding.” Until I settle into the seat of trust, His understanding cannot lead me.

My friend, if you try and understand the “why” and the “how” of every unfortunate circumstance, you will be left confused and clouded, doubting the goodness of God. But, if you settle in God’s truth, His understanding will guide your life.

Trust Him. Trust that He loves you and died on the cross for your salvation. And even if things in this world don’t turn out the way you planned, prayed, or asked, God is still in control and in the end, God will settle the score.

How To Deal With Suffering

We have to enlighten our understanding with the truth of God’s Word. 

After Jesus’ resurrection, He enlightened the disciples’ minds by explaining the Scriptures. The problem happens when we take our theology from what we want to happen, instead of from the truth the Bible reveals to us.Instead of your mind creating an idea about God based on the current circumstances, allow the Word of God to show you the truth about who He is.

For example, if you ask yourself, “How do I know that He loves me?” the answer is because He did not allow sin to take its final course. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son” (John 3:16). Jesus loves you; He never stops loving you. That’s what the Truth says. 

What Suffering Produces

If you are suffering, take refuge in the truth of this Scripture found in Romans 5:3-5, “…But we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” 

When you learn to glory in your tribulation, you begin to grow in God more. Not only in your character but in your hope. This hope will be what leads unbelievers to Christ, “be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15).

Word of Advice 

The Bible says, “In all this, you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed” (1 Peter 1:6-7).

I encourage you when God removes the suffering, praise Him. But if suffering doesn’t end, if there are things you have to learn to live with – I am not saying to stop praying or give up trusting in God, but learn to suffer well. When the apostle Paul pleaded with the Lord three times to take ‘the thorn in the flesh’ away from him, the Lord told him in 2 Corinthians 12:8-10, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I (Paul) will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

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*** *** By Vladimir Savchuk © Copyright – Vladimir Savchuk. No changes whatsoever are to be made to the content of the article without written permission from the author at HungryGen

The Abortion Debate

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What Does The Bible Say About Abortion?

In light of the United States Supreme Court’s decision on June 24, 2022, to overturn federal abortion legislation, it is critical we subjectively discern from a Biblical perspective how a Christian should respond to the abortion debate.

The landmark decision of Roe vs. Wade (410 U.S. 113) by the U.S. Supreme Court on January 22, 1973, ruled that the U.S. Constitution protects a pregnant woman’s right to have an abortion without government restriction, if she so chooses.

Therefore, abortion has been legal in the United States for the past 49 years, resulting in the death of an estimated 63,459,781 babies since the court decision passed, which likely does not capture all undocumented abortions performed as well.

Keep in mind, the topic of abortion is incredibly divisive in political and religious communities because it magnifies whose life we are ultimately protecting under judicial law: Mother (pro-choice) or Baby (pro-life).

“Abortion is the most serious ethical issue that the United States has ever faced.”

— R.C. Sproul

Pro-choice proponents, which refer to themselves as pro-reproductive rights, believe a woman has the right to choose for herself what she does to her body, which includes whether she wants to have children at all and when. They believe timing of the pregnancy is of little to no consequence, because a woman should have the right to terminate her abortion at any time as the law allows.

Conversely, pro-life supporters within the religious, scientific, and medical fields, such as the American College of Pediatricians, believe life begins at conception-fertilization. Therefore, one can conclude that aborting a single-celled embryo is equivalent to ending the life of a human being and should be disallowed.

However, where the debate becomes difficult to discern hinges on the extremes. What if the mother’s life is at risk if she carries the baby full term? What if doctors predict the baby will be born with disabilities or handicaps? What if the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest?

All are valid questions and difficult to discern, which is why we must reconcile what God’s Word says regarding the abortion debate if we profess ourselves as followers of Jesus Christ.

TRUTH:

Christianity’s response to the abortion debate is simple. For if we identify as “born-again” (John 3:3), we are held accountable by the absolute truth of God’s Word to trust and obey what it teaches entirely. Therefore, whatever the Bible teaches regarding the sanctity of human life SHOULD BE what every Christian adopts as their personal doctrine of ethics and morality.

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16–17).

The challenge is pro-choice proponents do not adhere to the same foundation of truth, therefore using the Bible to defend a position which refuses a woman’s right to access and choose an abortion is considered, in their opinion, an infringement on basic human rights.

Again, extreme instances (rape, incest, at-risk pregnancy, etc.) are typically used to challenge and refute the Biblical argument that unequivocally, abortion is murder and should not be allowed. Their argument is that the pregnancy was either nonvolitional due to a crime committed or has the potential to catastrophically impact the mother or baby’s life, hence abortion is a reasonable and justifiable alternative.

What is sad is the pro-choice camp has successfully used religious imposition and extreme arguments to gain support for their abortion agenda from the faith community, hence why so many self-proclaimed Christians (and even church denominations) waffle on the issue under the following premises.

  • “I personally would not have an abortion, but I cannot impose my religious beliefs on someone else.”
  • “I personally would not have an abortion, but I believe it is okay under extreme circumstances.”

Unfortunately, many Christians fail to comprehend that if abortion is allowed under ANY circumstance, what the Bible says in correlation to the issue is irrelevant, therefore calling into question EVERYTHING the Bible teaches universally. In other words, if you can refute one point of Scripture you can refute it all, which is why Jesus repeatedly emphasized the validity of Scripture as the absolute truth of God.

“Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17).

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished” (Matthew 5:17–18).

Jesus did not provide opportunity for doubting Scripture’s inerrancy. Therefore, we cannot hold to what the Bible says about abortion yet have an escape clause attached to it, even in extreme circumstances.

CONSEQUENCES:

What we cannot miss from the Biblical position is that abortion is equated to murder, which no born-again Christian should endorse. For God is the sole creator of mankind and each life is precious to Him because He foreknew us before He created us.

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations” (Jeremiah 1:5).

Consequently, to understand the Bible’s position more clearly, we must first consider the grave consequences attributed to committing murder from God’s perspective.

“You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13).

“Whoever takes a human life shall surely be put to death” (Leviticus 24:17).

“Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image” (Genesis 9:6).

Simply stated, God does not want mankind to make foolish choices which require equivalent retribution (i.e. eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth). Therefore, the wise decision for us to live by would be to avoid committing murder in any form or fashion (abortion included).

However, the greater issue at hand is how abortion allows consequences of action to be minimized. Case in point, pregnancy is the result of unprotected sex. Therefore, to avoid getting pregnant, choose abstinence since the decision to have sex in most cases is a personal choice and not the result of rape or incest.

“For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God” (1 Thessalonians 4:3–5).

Unfortunately, abortion has literally been used as a means to an end to avoid consequences because it allows a couple to enjoy the pleasures of sex with no strings attached. It provides an escape opportunity to avoid accountability (extreme cases excluded), which only exacerbates the problem further rather than forcing people to take personal responsibility instead.

“It isn’t sex by itself that makes abortion. It is sex plus covetousness: desiring things that God does not will for us to have because we are not willing to find our satisfaction in him. Illicit sex and unencumbered freedom without children: for these we covet, and abortion is the result.”

— John Piper

The same justification holds true from pro-choice advocates under the justification that perhaps a woman is unable to rear the child properly. In other words, it would do more harm than good to birth a child into an unfavorable environment, therefore avoid it altogether.

What we must understand about the pro-choice position is their argument is all about ACCESS. In other words, don’t infringe upon a woman’s freedom or “basic human right” to ACCESS an abortion. Because according to them, if Roe vs. Wade is overturned, ACCESS to birth control, sex education, and reproductive health care suddenly disappear as well.

Unfortunately, that argument is nothing more than a scare tactic to make people believe ALL their freedoms and access to general health care will be stripped away if abortion is specifically banned. However, preventing a pregnancy through birth control methods is completely different than ending a pregnancy via abortion. Therefore, they should not be a package deal in the abortion debate.

EXTREME CIRCUMSTANCES:

Where the rubber meets the road for most Christians who struggle with banning ALL abortions is due to extreme circumstances. How can a woman or young girl be forced to carry a pregnancy full term if it was the result of rape or incest, or if the pregnancy poses a life-threatening risk?

Keep in mind, extreme circumstances account for a small % of abortions in the United States. For example, rape, incest, and life endangerment to the mother accounted for only 0.36% of all accounted abortions in the state of Florida during 2020 (out of a total of 74,868), yet these are the predominate reasons pro-choice advocates use to justify abortions.

Regardless of how small a percentage they are, though, extreme circumstances are an extremely difficult position to address and undoubtedly, a hyper-sensitive issue as well. However, Psalm 139:13-16 provides a clear answer regarding God’s sovereignty concerning the sanctity of life.

“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them” (Psalm 139:13–16).

What Psalm 139:13-16 affirms is that nothing we experience, good or bad, happens by accident without God knowing. More importantly, it affirms that God foreknew the choices we would make in our lives and the trials we’d face regarding pregnancy, whether the result of sins committed against us or potential life-threatening circumstances. However, Scripture’s response to both situations is clear.

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11).

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:12–13).

“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today” (Genesis 50:20).

In other words, God encourages us to trust Him completely, come what may. For we may not be able to see the future nor understand the reasons our lives come to various crossroads, but God knows what lies beyond the horizon if we’d simply trust His omniscient sovereignty amidst our trials, worry, and confusion.

“In their book, ‘Victims and Victors,’ David Reardon and associates draw on the accounts of 192 women who experienced pregnancy as the result of rape or incest. It turns out that when victims of violence speak for themselves, their opinion of abortion is nearly unanimous and the exact opposite of what most would predict: Nearly all the women interviewed said they regretted aborting their babies conceived via rape or incest. Of those giving an opinion, more than 90 percent said they would discourage other victims of sexual violence from having abortions. Not one who gave birth to a child expressed regret.”

— Randy Alcorn

Undoubtedly, no Christian wishes harm to come on another person. Therefore, we pray all people would come to salvation through Jesus Christ according to His Word so that all their choices are God-honoring.

Granted, it doesn’t make the abortion debate any easier to reconcile nor appease pro-choice advocates in any way, but knowing what Scripture says about abortion does provide adequate rationale from a Biblical perspective regarding why pro-life supporters believe the way we do.

BOTTOM-LINE:

If we’re honest with ourselves, in most situations, the crux of the abortion debate hinges upon whose interest we’re looking out for most.

As Christians, we are called to consider others more worthy than ourselves. Therefore, we must reconcile WHO we feel is more important in the abortion debate: The mother who has a choice or the innocent child who does not.

“There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers. (Proverbs 6:16–19).

“So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin” (James 4:17).

Therefore, abortion is truly a debate about self-interest vs. self-sacrifice, and pro-life supporters feel compelled to speak on behalf of the unborn and protect their lives since they cannot defend themselves.

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:3–5).

It does not alleviate the difficulty of disallowing abortion under extreme circumstances, but it places the reality of the situation in plain sight if we consider, as John Piper explains, what happens during an abortion procedure.

“If we were made to watch a doctor pull off the little baby’s legs and arms one by one and place them on the table like a dentist removing cotton from your mouth – if all Americans were made to see what it really is, the pro-life goal of abortion being unthinkable (not just illegal) would be much nearer.”

— John Piper

Abortion is not an easy issue to address, especially for those who’ve had an abortion or are considering one in the future. However, Scripture affirms we can rest confidently in the assurance that God will make all things new to those who repent of their sins and reconcile their hearts to Him.

For He alone can heal the brokenhearted (Psalm 147:3), create beauty from ashes (Isaiah 61:3), and restore the years we have wasted away (Joel 2:25). Yes, He can even provide a way of escape in extreme circumstances so abortion is never an option we would ever consider or allow in the future.

We simply need to put our complete trust in His sovereignty forevermore because He knows what it is best for us and will never forsake us, no matter how far we’ve fallen away from His grace and mercy.

“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment” (Psalm 51:1–4).

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit” (Psalm 51:10–12).

GET INFORMED:

Please be informed and educated about abortion procedures and gain a better understanding of what they entail, visit: PRO LIFE CONNECT. This resource provides accurate, evidence based information designed to educate and inform people about the medical, emotional, and social aspects of abortion. Understanding the facts is a critical step in making informed decisions and engaging thoughtfully in the abortion debate.

BIBLE VERSES ADVOCATING FOR THE PRE-BORN

Psalm 139:13-16 “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.”

Genesis 1:27 “So God created man in His own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” Human beings are created in the image of God in their moral, spiritual, and intellectual nature.”

Job 33:4 “The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.”

Psalm 119:73 “Your hands made me and formed me.”

Job 10 :11-12 “You clothed me with skin and flesh, and knit me together with bones and sinews. You have granted me life and steadfast love.”

Matthew 1:20 “But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.’”

Psalm 100:3. “Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.”

Isaiah 44:24 “Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, who formed you from the womb: ‘I am the Lord, who made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself.’”

Isaiah 64:8 “But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.”

Psalm 127:3-5 “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!”

Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in your mother’s body I chose you. Before you were born I set you apart to serve me. I appointed you to be a prophet to the nations.”

Luke 1:15 “He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.”

Luke 1:41, 44 “When Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. [And she exclaimed], ‘when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.’”

Isaiah 49:1, 5 “The Lord called me from the womb… formed me from the womb to be his servant.”

Galatians 1:15 “But God set me apart from the time I was born. He showed me his grace by appointing me.”

Isaiah 45:9-11 “How terrible it will be for anyone who argues with his Maker! He is like a broken piece of pottery lying on the ground. Does clay say to a potter, ‘What are you making?’ Does a pot say, ‘You don’t have any skill’? How terrible it will be for anyone who says to his father, ‘Why did you give me life?’ How terrible for anyone who says to his mother, ‘Why have you brought me into the world?’ The Lord is the Holy One of Israel. He made them. He says to them, ‘Are you asking me about what will happen to my children? Are you telling me what I should do with what my hands have made?’”

Exodus 4:11 “The Lord said to him, ‘Who makes a man able to talk? Who makes him unable to hear or speak? Who makes him able to see? Who makes him blind? It is I, the Lord.’”

1 Corinthians 1:27 “But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong.”

Genesis 9:6 “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.”

Exodus 20:13 “You shall not murder.’”

Exodus 23:7 “Do not kill the innocent and righteous.”

Proverbs 31:8 “Speak up for those who can’t speak for themselves. Speak up for the rights of all those who are poor.”

Proverbs 24: 11- 12 “Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter. If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,” does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it, and will he not repay man according to his work?”

Psalm 41:1 “Blessed is the one who considers the poor! In the day of trouble the Lord delivers him.”

Psalm 10:12-15 “Lord, rise up! God, show your power! Don’t forget those who are helpless. Why do sinful people attack you with their words? Why do they say to themselves, ‘He won’t hold us accountable’? God, you see trouble and sadness. You take note of it. You do something about it. So those who are attacked place themselves in your care. You help children whose fathers have died. Take away the power of bad and sinful people. Hold them accountable for the evil things they do. Uncover all the evil they have done.”

Isaiah 58: 6-10 “Set free those who are held by chains without any reason. Untie the ropes that hold people as slaves. Set free those who are crushed. Break every evil chain. Share your food with hungry people. Provide homeless people with a place to stay. Give naked people clothes to wear. Provide for the needs of your own family. Then the light of my blessing will shine on you like the rising sun. I will heal you quickly. I will march out ahead of you. And my glory will follow behind you and guard you. That is because I always do what is right. You will call out to me for help. And I will answer you. You will cry out. And I will say, ‘Here I am.’ Get rid of the chains you use to hold others down. Stop pointing your finger at others as if they had done something wrong. Stop saying harmful things about them. Work hard to feed hungry people. Satisfy the needs of those who are crushed. Then my blessing will light up your darkness. And the night of your suffering will become as bright as the noonday sun.”

Matthew 25: 34-40 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’”

Luke 4: 18-19 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Deuteronomy 30:19 I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live.”

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***By Daniel Ploof at Journey Into The Wilderness and the Advocacy team at Focus On The Family / Photo by lifenews.com

Topics of Interest:

Planned Parenthood Origins

Support for Crisis Pregnancies in USA & UK