Abortion - What does the Bible have to say?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

The Bible doesn’t mention the word “abortion,” but it does forbid murder, and Scripture teaches that an unborn child is a human being. The Greek word translated "baby" in reference to the child inside Elizabeth's womb is the same word used for an infant outside of the womb. The preborn Jesus is also referred to as a "baby," a living human being. Starting with the first book of the Bible, the value of human life is established by God when he made human beings in His image. God reinforced the value of human life by forbidding murder (Exodus 20:13), imposing the death penalty for murder (Genesis 9:6), and applying that penalty for causing the death of an unborn child. Other parts of the Bible reinforce the value of life in the womb by showing God’s intention for the child before he or she is born, affirming the value of life in the womb; so rejecting abortion is the proper Christian response to the issue.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• The Bible says humans are made in the image of God: "Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.' . . . So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them" (Genesis 1:26-27). This makes human life sacred and valuable.
• In Exodus 21:22-25, the penalty for causing the death of an unborn child was "life for life." In other words, God saw killing a child in the womb as murder. These verses support the view that preborn infants are humans equal in importance to all people.
• Psalm 139:13-16 is a poetic description of life in the womb: "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." Here again, life in the womb is described as God's creation and therefore of tremendous worth.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• Life in the womb is also affirmed in the story of Jesus' nativity. When Mary, Jesus’ mother, traveled to visit her pregnant relative Elizabeth, "the baby leaped in her [Elizabeth’s] womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, 'Blessed are you among women! . . . Behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy'" (Luke 1:41-44). This is more than an emotional outburst from Elizabeth; she was "filled with the Holy Spirit" when she made the statement.
• The New Testament affirms these teachings by reinforcing the prohibition against murder (Matthew 5:21-22; Romans 13:9; 1 John 3:15; Revelation 21:8).

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

Euphemisms can soften certain words: “passed away” sounds kinder than “dead,” and “let go” sounds better than “fired.” But some euphemisms do harm by intentionally obfuscating reality. “Abortion” sounds better than “murder,” but that doesn’t change the fact that abortion is murder—regardless of how commonplace it has become. Those who are “pro-choice” are choosing to support the killing of a preborn child. God doesn’t change; He made us in His image and values each and every one of us.

Christians should not support abortion as it is the intentional killing of an innocent human being. Does this mean that you have to become an anti-abortion activist? Not necessarily. Advocating for legislation that does away with abortion is commendable. But even more important is changing hearts and minds, which only the truth about Christ can do. Encouraging a woman to place her child for adoption is a life-affirming option. Relatedly, young couples being open to loving a child who is up for adoption protects an unborn life. Transformed hearts lead to transformed behavior (Luke 6:45). So as with any issue, the solution is for others to know Jesus better.

UNDERSTAND

• The Bible values all life including unborn life as made in God’s image.
• Abortion is considered murder under biblical law.
• Christians should oppose abortion and focus on spiritual transformation through Christ.

REFLECT

• How do your beliefs about the sanctity of life shape the way you respond to conversations about abortion?
• In what ways has understanding God’s view of unborn life challenged or deepened your faith?
• How can you show compassion and truth simultaneously when discussing abortion with others?

ENGAGE

• How do the biblical principles about life in the womb influence the way we engage with modern ethical debates on abortion?
• What are practical ways the church can support women facing difficult pregnancies while upholding the value of life?
• How can the message of Christ’s transformative power change hearts on the topic of abortion beyond legal and political arguments?