Life Matters 81 Print

Vol. 8, No. 1 a publication of Baptists for Life, Inc.

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matters Christians at the clinics Many of us are prone to thinking abortion is something that only happens to unbelievers. If that’s true, why do many self-professed Christians end up at abortion clinics? • A young woman calls a pregnancy helpline to inquire about abortion. Even though she claims to be a believer and agrees abortion violates God’s plan, she has concluded it’s what she’s “supposed to do” because she and her boyfriend had taken precautions. For her, adoption would be “too hard.” • A “Christian” couple is divided over what to do. The young man says he’ll do whatever it takes to stop his future wife from aborting, even if it means confessing to their parents. She’s reluctant to spoil their “fairy tale” wedding plans. • A teenager obtains a judicial injunction so she can abort without her parents’ consent. They are “wonderful” people, yet she can’t bring herself to tell them she’s pregnant. Her plan is to attend Bible college (one that doesn’t accept unmarried pregnant students) and to turn this “difficult experience” into an opportunity for future ministry with youth. All three women sought abortions in Grand Rapids – “city of churches” – during a three-week span in September of 2007. Our hearts break over these stories that reveal seemingly rampant sexual sin, an alarming depth of selfishness, and an amazing lack of conscience among people who should know better. What’s going on? Or maybe we should ask, what’s not going on? Are people in churches being taught that although abortion is controversial and “political,” it’s primarily a matter of the heart requiring repentance and forgiveness? Do they know the suffering it causes? Do they appreciate the sanctity of marriage and of human life? Do they understand what sexual sin is? Do they know

what to do when they fall? life in my heart, but sad to say, that’s BFL became aware of these cases where it stayed. I thought abortion was because there’s another group of here to stay, the law of the land. I Christians at the clinics. “Sidewalk thought if I could just practice my counselors” serve as a last line Christian faith – faithfully goAre of defense for the unborn ing to church, faithfully telling Your and their mothers. They see people about the Lord and Attitudes how God can change their cars pull into the parking lot, some with Christian lives – then I would surely in Order? bumper stickers. They be tackling abortion from 1. Sexual sin is wrong pray. They extend the that end. I still think that’s whether it results in love of Christ and the somewhat true.” pregnancy or not truth about abortion to It is very true, but as 2. Life is God’s gift no any who will listen. They she now says, “Parents matter how a baby is tell them about alternashould also talk about conceived tives to abortion and abortion with their chiloffer to accompany them dren.” If BFL can help you, 3. Unborn babies to the local PCC. please let us know. should not be punLives have changed ished for their as a result. Women have What messages should parents’ sins walked away from the clinics we convey? with smiles on their faces and • Openness: “You can talk to me hope in their steps. They’ve reabout anything.”  ceived emotional and material support for the duration of their pregnancies, and • Willingness to help: “Whatever happens, we’ll face it together.” beyond. Babies are alive today who otherwise would not have made it, thanks to • Honesty and maturity about emothe tireless devotion of a few. tions: “I may feel hurt and get angry, but I’ll never stop loving you.” adly, no one was standing watch outside a Massachusetts clinic the • Merciful responses to any conday Laura Hope Smith died on fessed sin: “You are forgiven.” the abortionist’s table. Or if they were, • Compassion for others with unshe failed to heed their pleas. Reported planned pregnancies: “May I help?” to be a “born again” member of a Biblecentered church, the 22-year-old had no • Celebration of every baby’s life: “Thank you for not choosing abortion!” idea September 13, 2007, would be her last day, and abortion her final act. While the highest rate of abortion belongs to women with a non-Christian re- Sources: Eileen Smith’s testimony (http://40daysforlife. com/blog/?p=65); “Characteristics of Women Obtainligious affiliation or no affiliation at all, 13 ing Abortions” (http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/journals/ percent of those aborting identify them- 3422602.pdf); Resources: “Identifying High Risk Abortion Patients” (http://www.afterabortion.info/highrisk.html; selves as “born-again” or evangelical. “How Can We Prevent Abortion?” (http://www.bfl.org > IsMystified by this statistic and by sues & Answers > Abortion > Preventing Abortion); “Will her daughter’s actions, Laura’s mother God Forgive Me If I Have an Abortion?” (http://www.bfl.org > Crisis Pregnancy? > Will God Forgive?) Eileen admits she’d “always been pro-

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