I find it interesting that a pro-choice person, like the governor of Virginia, Ralph Northam, was quoted saying that he approved abortion up until the time of birth. This same governor had pictures of himself, in his college yearbook, depicted in blackface and another of him wearing a Ku Klux Klan hood.
Not coincidentally, Planned Parenthood founder’s Margaret Sanger was an avowed white eugenicist. She started abortion clinics in Black communities and openly said that she wanted to exterminate the Jewish and Black races. Margaret Sanger said, “We don’t want the word to go out that we want to exterminate the Negro population, and the minister is the man who can straighten out that idea if it ever occurs to any of their more rebellious members.”
Planned Parenthood, through the years, was also caught in recorded telephone conversations admitting their racist tendencies against minorities. (To know more about the racist history of Planned Parenthood, read this article in The Washington Times.)
Anti-racism and the pro-life cause go hand in hand. A true and consistent sanctity of life position has to include both the values of pre-birth and post-birth (respect, dignity and protection for all people) if it will be legitimate.
Galatians 3:28 makes it clear that as believers, there is no such thing as class or gender discrimination since we are all one in Christ.
Also, since humankind is made in the image of God as His crown jewel of creation, God forbids the murder of another human being (Gen. 1:27, 9:5-6; Ps. 8).
Scripture says God hates the shedding of innocent blood. What can be more innocent than a pre-birth human? He even forbids the murder of a human being in His top 10 list of commandments (Prov. 6:17, Ex. 20:13).
Hence, to devalue human life with ideologies and activities that promulgate racism, sex trafficking, slavery, abuse or abortion is contrary to the gospel since Jesus took upon Himself human flesh (not the flesh of an animal or nature of an angel) to save us (John 1:14, Heb. 2:14). Consequently, it is impossible to have a true gospel without Jesus adorning a flesh and blood human body.
This means if there was no incarnation (Jesus becoming human), there could be no cross. Without the cross, we have no gospel! It is also not a coincidence that the first act of worship concerning Jesus’ advent came from a babe in the womb (Luke 1: 41-44).
It is also interesting that Elizabeth blessed the fruit in Mary’s womb. She referred to Mary as “the mother of my Lord” while Jesus was still in the pre-birth stage. She viewed a pre-birth baby, Jesus, as her Lord.
I contend that we cannot separate abortion and the pro-life position from the gospel. God made humans in His image and likeness, and Jesus’ innocent blood was shed to redeem believers (Gen. 1:28). This is why the shedding of innocent human blood is an affront to God. His Son’s precious blood was spilled to save the life of fallen humanity.
In light of the above, it is a gross misapprehension of the nature of the gospel when someone considers abortion a political issue and not a gospel issue. Those with this view fail to understand that when we objectify a post-birth human with sex trafficking, slavery, abuse, racism or when we treat an unborn human baby as a mere blob of flesh or fetus, we devalue Jesus’ humanity. We treat the blood of the Covenant as a common thing as well as undervalue the price He paid to save us.
Truly, both abortion and racism are gospel issues that should obligate all believers to stand up for the sacredness of human life and blood.
In conclusion, the implications of this “pro-life” gospel should profoundly affect both our internal convictions and public positions, or else the gospel has no practical application, and the church cannot function as the salt and light of the world. Indeed, abortion is both a gospel issue and a policy issue, which then incontrovertibly connects both faith and politics. {eoa}
Purchase Joseph Mattera’s latest book, The Jesus Principles, available now on Amazon here.
