In NYC, riding the subway exposes one to protesters, demonstrators, artists and is often a stage for musicians, leaflet-ting and Christian open-air preaching. This mostly happens in busy hubs, where a larger amount of people are likely to see the display.
My commute home sometimes has me grabbing a connecting train at Atlantic Avenue and the transfer involves a set of stairs and a long corridor. Trudging the corridor after a long day at work last week, I was met with screams in the distance. Approaching the commotion, a woman was lying face-up on the ground, her lower half covered in blood. I found out that another woman who was standing nearby was the source of the screams, she continued,“Limiting abortion rights kills women! We need to support a woman's right to choose!”
Shocked, I hurried past and went down the stairs to the train platform. I felt grieved, it seemed so incredulous that there are people willing to put on such a charade. While waiting for my train, a verse from Romans chapter 1 kept coming to mind; (v.28) And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.
Fallen man has a debased, sinful mind Abortion, then, is a logical end for the idolatry of self and sexual freedom. Ending the life of an innocent, whole, human being is something that ought not to be done, it is wickedness, it is murder. Even more wicked, is the attempt to justify the act by arguing that denying women access to abortion will lead some to die in their attempt to abort illegally. You can’t make this stuff up, logic and common sense has fled these pro-you-can-murder-your-child-in-the-womb (it is good to be descriptive) advocates. I hurt for these women, primarily because of their blood-guiltiness before God, but also because they have been lied to. Who, on a whim, conspires to soak oneself in fake blood (let us hope) and act as a fool for hundreds of people? These young women needed training and coaxing to lead them to this point. Indoctrination in the culture of death resulted in last week’s “show” in the subway.
There is a silver lining to all of this. As Christians, we can and should respond to this. Sadly, though, most believers aren’t prepared to give a reasoned defense for the hope that lies within. In fact, many more cannot defend the life issue.
Our God calls us to be salt and light. We would love for Roe v. Wade to be overturned and for the world to truly believe that abortion is wrong, but behavior modification is not the gospel. We don’t want people to behave better and yet die and be sent to hell- a Christian’s hope should be for spiritual rebirth. We want people to get saved! The conversion of sinners will result in behavior and mindset change because those people, now in Christ, are new creatures with a heart of flesh and the freedom to serve the Living God.
I plan to delve deeper into evangelism methods and pro-life arguments in upcoming posts. In the meantime, may we seek to glorify God by equipping ourselves and discipling others in these issues.
Do you feel trepidation when discussing these issues with others? Or is it something you feel comfortable with?
Do you know your church’s stance on the life issue? Does your church equip you defend the sanctity of life?
God bless.
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