Why Christians Should Support the Abolition of Abortion

Josh Buice

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For many years I supported the incremental approach to opposing abortion and advocating for the preborn. However, in recent years, I’ve become much more aware of the fact that incrementalism and the pro-life movement will never fully abolish abortion. Now with the fall of Roe v. Wade on a national level, it’s essential for Christians to work together to abolish abortion and to protect the preborn.

The Theological Foundation for the Abolition of Abortion

The reason why Christians have been advocates for the preborn for so long is based on the truths established in Scripture rather than the ideas supported by our culture. Our culture continues to teach women the motto: “My Body, My Choice!” The Bible teaches the exact opposite.

Our culture continues to teach women the motto: “My Body, My Choice!” The Bible teaches the exact opposite.

The Scriptures are crystal clear when it comes to the fact that life begins at conception rather than after a baby breathes outside of the womb. In Genesis 1:26-27, we find these words:

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have  dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

The sanctity of human life is not determined by sex, ethnicity, age, religion, condition, or socioeconomic status. The fact that God created man in his image, referenced in theological terms as the imago Dei—means that as divine image-bearers, the whole of humanity has inestimable value and dignity before God and deserves honor, respect, and protection.

Furthermore, the psalmist writes the following:

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).

Human abortion should be abolished because every little baby in the womb is a life created by God, in his image, and for his glory.

The Battleground to Consider in this Debate

It goes without saying that to stand for the preborn and to support the abolition of abortion will result in great opposition. Such opposition will come from liberal feminists and pro-choice advocates who bow the knee to secular humanism and detest the very Word of God. They will go to rallies wearing shirts that read, “Save the Whales” while holding signs that support the murder of little babies. You might be shocked to know that the pro-life establishment is currently working to oppose the abolition of abortion as well.

You might be shocked to know that the pro-life establishment is currently working to oppose the abolition of abortion.

The fight is often centered on two things, the definition of terms and the protection of women at the expense of little babies. First, the battle over the words and definitions is something to pay close attention to in this debate. Is abortion murder or is it merely the ending of a pregnancy? Is the baby a human being or just a fetus or clump of cells? Secondly, should mothers who abort their babies be prosecuted for murder?

The Battle Over Words

Human Being or Clump of Cells? As the psalmist says in Psalm 139, God knits together the parts of the body in the womb of the mother. This is the work of God. However, this reality points to the fact that a fetus is living. In fact, the very word fetus is a Latin term meaning offspring. While all humans are made up of a clump of cells, that should never detract from the reality that the clump of cells (fetus) is a human being that’s actually alive.

Murder or Killing? The Bible does not prohibit all categories of killing another human being. In fact, in Ecclesiastes 3:3 we find these words of Solomon where he says there is a time for everything under the sun, including “a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up.” The Bible does forbid murder. There is a difference between killing and murdering. Murder is the unjustified killing of an innocent human life and is condemned by the law of God—“You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13). To intentionally cause a little baby in the womb to cease to live is the unjustifiable taking of a human life which is simply called murder.  

To intentionally cause a little baby in the womb to cease to live is the unjustifiable taking of a human life which is simply called murder.  

The Battle for Equal Protection

A bill to abolish abortion was introduced in Louisiana, but it failed. Why did it fail? The failure was not based on the fact that massive pro-choice feminists and liberals opposed it. That was a given. It failed because 70 pro-life groups openly opposed the bill. Allow that to sink in for just a moment. It was the pro-life establishment standing with the pro-choice feminists and liberals who actually caused the bill to fail.

In an open letter, about 70 anti-abortion groups passionately opposed the bill to all state legislators urging them to reject it. The letter included the following appeal:

As national and state pro-life organizations, representing tens of millions of pro-life men, women and children across the country, let us be clear: We state unequivocally that any measure seeking to criminalize or punish women is not pro-life and we stand firmly opposed to such efforts.

It was signed by groups including National Right to Life, Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America and Americans United for Life. Another organization known as Students for Life would like to “abolish abortion” and make it “unthinkable and unavailable” but opposes the criminalization of women.

In essence, powerful groups who operate under the banner of pro-life and receive multitudes of millions of dollars from Christians and local churches actually worked to kill a bill in the state of Louisiana that would completely abolish abortion. The rationale was based on an unwillingness to criminalize mothers who murder their babies. So, on the basis of that logic and broken pro-life ethic—is it improper to criminalize a mother who straps her child in a car seat and drives her SUV down a boat ramp into a lake? At what level are we willing to hold mothers accountable for murdering their children?

The fact is, many pro-life groups actually believe in justice for some rather than justice for all.

The fact is, many pro-life groups actually believe in justice for some rather than justice for all. It would prudent for Christians to stop supporting the pro-life industry and begin to support the full abolition of abortion. Before you give money to an organization, ask some helpful questions such as:

  • Does your organization believe that life begins at conception?
  • Does your organization believe in justice for all human beings regardless of age, ethnicity, condition, sex, socioeconomic status, or location?
  • Does your organization see any difference between murdering a born child verses a preborn child?
  • Does your organization believe that murdering an innocent human life demands justice?
  • Does your organization believe that women who murder their babies should be held accountable and receive due penalty according to our justice system?

The Practical Realities to Consider

While it’s rather shocking that pro-life organizations backed by millions of dollars, powerful donors, and large numbers of followers will actually take money from Christians to oppose the abolition of abortion—we must not broad brush all pro-life organizations in the process. In fact, some are very faithful to standing for the full abolition of abortion and the equal protection of all human beings which is consistent with Scripture and the faithful application of biblical justice for all.

For individuals to support the abolition of abortion but to reject the prosecution of women who murder their babies is to be woefully inconsistent. Our justice system is extremely robust and allows all layers of every case to be heard and considered individually. Every case is unique and deserving of due process under the law. However, if pro-life groups oppose abortion but refuse to hold women accountable for murder, they reject equal protection and justice for all. That is a broken ethic that should be abandoned and opposed by Christians.  

We live in a day where we have massive technological advancements that can validate human life in the womb. We also live in a culture that claims to be very much committed to justice. If our culture truly believes that we should have justice for all people regardless of ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status—what about little babies? Those people in our culture who support for abortion under the banner of “Women’s Rights” or “Women’s Health” prove that they are driven by the critical social justice industry rather than true justice for all.

If you live in a state where a “heartbeat law” has been passed, I would urge you to not support that law and to work to abolish abortion completely. Consider the fact that under that “heartbeat law” it allows abortion doctors and mothers to intentionally murder one category of babies while protecting another category of babies. As Christians, we should never support a law that allows for the murder of black babies while protecting white babies, and in the same way we should oppose the heartbeat laws that divide the preborn into two classes where one is legally murdered and the other is protected.

As Christians, we should never support a law that allows for the murder of black babies while protecting white babies, and in the same way we should oppose the heartbeat laws that divide the preborn into two classes where one is legally murdered and the other is protected.

What are the next steps in your state? Look for opportunities to stand with fellow Christians to abolish abortion and protect the preborn with legislation that provides equal protection for all human beings. You can find helpful information at End Abortion Now.

Do you live in Georgia? If so, would you consider partnering with us as we seek to support a bill that would abolish abortion in our state?

For more information on how you can support the Equal Protection Act in Georgia, visit this dedicated page that will be updated along the way.

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Josh Buice

Pastor Pray's Mill Baptist Church

Josh Buice is the founder and president of G3 Ministries and serves as the pastor of Pray's Mill Baptist Church on the westside of Atlanta. He is married to Kari and they have four children, Karis, John Mark, Kalli, and Judson. Additionally, he serves as Assistant Professor of Preaching at Grace Bible Theological Seminary. He enjoys theology, preaching, church history, and has a firm commitment to the local church. He also enjoys many sports and the outdoors, including long distance running and high country hunting. He has been writing on Delivered by Grace since he was in seminary and it has expanded with a large readership through the years.