Weak Legislation
There is no doubt that in many sections of the world the murder of the unborn in the womb is a holocaust of baffling proportions. Statistical analysis indicates that across the world over 30,000,000 abortions have occurred this year alone so far.1 Friends, that is roughly 5-times more than the combined populations of the states of Arkansas and Oklahoma. Frequently, when addressing this issue, we rightly take aim at those who outright promote this slaughter. Those who are pro-abortion seeking to codify it into law because they view it as a “right” that a mother has to murder her child. However, today, I am going to be addressing a different crowd . . . it is those who take an incremental approach to abortion. This is seen in the recent Republican legislation to ban many abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.
Senator Lindsey Graham is the one proposing this bill which has received a whirlwind of responses from politicians on both sides of the aisle. Many on the Democrats view the bill as proof positive the Republicans want to eradicate abortion on the land or at the very least impost heavy restrictions against it. Yet, some Republicans support the bill while others are distancing themselves from it because it is not the “winning issue” which should be focused on with the coming elections. All of these groups are missing the entire point of the conversation. Personally, I am against this bill because it does not uphold the sanctity of human life according to biblical standards equally protecting the life of the child in the womb. Let’s begin to analyze this legislation for a bit.
The Multi-Levelled Failure of The Bill
First of all, we need to understand that law is based upon morality which is based upon an ultimate standard. When the government says you must not steal, it presumes that theft is morally wrong on the basis of some ultimate authority and thus enacts a civil punishment because it believes it has the ethical obligation to punish that particular wrongdoing. Thus, Graham’s bill must be based on some sort of an ethical standard. In fact, we read this interesting observation made by Graham recorded at CNBC:
“Graham said his bill, which bans the procedure at 15 weeks’ gestation and includes exceptions for rape, incest and to save the life of the mother, would set America’s abortion policy at a level that is ‘fairly consistent with the rest of the world.’”2
Here, we see that Senator Graham is not basing his legislation upon the standard of God found in Scripture, but on what would be “fairly consistent” with the actions taken by the rest of the world. Of course, such an ultimate authority is purely arbitrary and cannot hold up to scrutiny. If the rest of the world allowed 10-year-olds to be murdered, then should we? Should the race-based chattel slavery of the West been abolished even though it was practiced by many? Questions like these demonstrate that the standard of “the rest of the world” is not a consistent basis for morality or legislation. On the Senator’s website we read:
“The legislation would set a federal minimum protection for unborn children that is in line with European limits and ban abortion after 15 weeks gestation when unborn children can feel pain.”3
Again, notice the emphasis placed upon the legislation being in line with other European limitations. Clearly, Graham is basing his ethical standard for the bill on what other nations deem appropriate. We also see him pointing to the child feeling pain. Your duty before God as a governing authority, Senator Graham, is not to protect someone who can feel pain, but to protect all of human life from natural fertilization in the womb through natural death. The civil government is to bear the sword to protect human life. What about those who have congenital insensitivity which prohibits them from feeling pain? I have no doubt Senator Graham would passionately defend the life of a 40-year-old who cannot feel pain. He would never want them to be murdered and would fight as hard as he could to preserve their life. And, with due respect, I want to say that Senator Graham needs to learn to exercise consistency. The human life in the womb is just as sacred as the one outside of it. All of these are good and logically consistent arguments that show the fallacious nature of the Senator’s ethical standard for this bill and his thought process. Yet, none of them are the main issue with the bill. Logical argumentation and rationally demonstrating the pitfalls in someone’s fallacious reasoning are only supporting argumentation. We must turn to the principle endeavor!
Senator Graham’s Bill is Unbiblical
The main reason I oppose the Senator’s bill is because it violates the standard of justice set forth in Scripture by God. Supporting abortion is wrong not merely because the position is against science, illogical, and against reason. It is incorrect to support abortion because it is an abomination before the holy God. Since He says it is evil, then it is evil and we must stand against it. Genesis 9:6 states:
“Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.” -Genesis 9:6
Murder is morally reprehensible before God and should be punished with the death penalty by the civil government. Coming to the book of Exodus, we read:
“When men strive together and hit a pregnant woman, so that her children come out, but there is no harm, the one who hit her shall surely be fined, as the woman’s husband shall impose on him, and he shall pay as the judges determine. But if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.” -Exodus 21:22-25
Clearly, both the life of the pregnant woman and the child are equally protected by the law of God. The verse says nothing about whether or not the child is old enough to feel pain. It does not provide an exception saying that if it is before 20 weeks, then the child’s life is not equally protected. No, God’s Word protects all of human life as sacred because we are made in His image! Senator Graham’s bill also provides exceptions allowing for abortions in the case of rape and incest.4 Why is the Senator allowing for the child to be murdered simply because its father committed a gross crime in the case of rape? The father should be punished by the sword of the authorities, not the innocent child nor the mother. Again, why should the child be punished in the case of incest for the actions of its parents? Such legislation being set forth by Graham is inconsistent with the standard of Scripture. It is unjust legislation because it is opposed to the Word of the living God!
The Pivotal Difference
Here we come to the lesson in all of this my dear friends. It is not by weak legislation seeking to incrementally approach the abortion issue that we will see an end to this great evil. Rather, it is by Christians preaching the Gospel and the entirety of God’s Word. We must set forth Christ as the way of salvation for lost sinners telling them they must repent or suffer the wrath of God. Our duty is to preach all of Christ’s commands calling the nations to obedience to Him. Our lips must be busy preaching the just standards of the Word while also declaring the glorious Gospel of salvation. There can be no compromise, no turning around, no surrender, and no retreat. We will not slow down, give up, or give in because the glory of our Lord demands we surrender our all in each moment of life for Him.
How we need Christians again who will uncompromisingly declare that abortion, or whatever else, is evil by holding up the standard of the Word. Do not fall prey to these false lines of argumentation as seen in individuals like Graham. Instead, stand strong upon the Scripture for it is powerful and sufficient. God shall work through His Gospel and His Word being proclaimed by His people to bring about the enemy of abortion under His feet one day (1 Corinthians 15:25). It shall one day be abolished, but it will not be by the incremental approach, but by King Jesus reigning on His throne bringing His enemies into submission. May we labor well for the glory of that great King setting forth the truth of His Word!
Sources
1 https://www.worldometers.info/abortions/
2 https://www.cnbc.com/2022/09/16/lindsey-graham-abortion-ban-bill-splits-gop-on-midterm-message.html
3 https://www.lgraham.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=8F99177C-2BD3-44CA-9D7F-E86AA1A25BF9
4 See page 11 of this link: https://www.lgraham.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/3065785d-86b8-4d36-986a-72aa1c8f100c/protecting-pain-capable-unborn-children-from-late-term-abortions-act-.pdf
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