Abortion: A Biblical Perspective (2)

Abortion: A Biblical Perspective (2)
Tim Haile, for the Parkway church of Christ

"Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" (Isaiah 5:20).

Some practices are so repulsive that they cannot be comfortably described and discussed in real terms. Terminology must be altered and softened in order for people to accept these practices. Abortion is such a practice. It is one of the cruelest, most unnatural and inhumane acts ever performed by humans, but it is glossed over as the mere “removal of an embryo from the uterus!” The heinousness of the act is minimalized by the use of technical medical terms. The “removal” of an embryo is actually the killing of that embryo! The “embryo” is an unborn human being. The “uterus” is the womb. Abortion is actually the killing of an unborn human being, but people aren’t comfortable using such language. Changing the terms helps some people to accept a practice that they might not otherwise accept. Certainly, there is nothing wrong with using technical terms in order to differentiate between the different stages of “fetal” development (embryo, fetus). However, let us not use such terms as a means of watering down the practice of sin.

The Bible says “children” struggled together in Rebekah’s womb (Gen. 25:22). I recently read a medical study about twins. The article described the back-and-forth interaction (sometimes strenuous interplay) that takes place between twin babies while they are in the womb. As personalities develop, such babies vie for dominance and control. It reminded me of what the Bible said about Rebekah’s unborn babies. It is interesting to note that this “struggle” between Jacob and Esau in the womb was indicative of the struggle that would continue between them outside of their mother’s womb. They were the same people in the womb that they were out of the womb.

The Bible tells us that upon hearing the greeting of Mary, Elizabeth’s “baby leaped in her womb” (Luke 1:41). Technically speaking, the “fetus” leaped in her womb, but the Bible emphasizes the existence of a PERSON (John, the baptizer) in its expression. Jesus and John were more than a mere “mass of tissue.” I should point out that the same word for “baby” that is here used of the baby in the womb, is also used for the “baby in the manger” (Luke 2:12). The Bible recognizes no difference in value of life between the two.

Look for our next article in next week’s paper. View past articles at http://parkwayarticles.blogspot.com. Please visit us at our building located at 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. We meet each Sunday at 10:00AM and 6:00PM for worship, and Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM for Bible study. Our radio program is aired each Sunday morning at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 – Email: timhaile@mac.com.

Abortion: A Biblical Perspective (1)

Abortion: A Biblical Perspective (1)
Tim Haile

Abortion is defined as “the removal of an embryo or fetus from the uterus in order to end a pregnancy - any of various procedures for terminating a pregnancy.” (Random House Webster’s College Dictionary). Regardless of one’s feelings or convictions about the practice of abortion, whether one believes that it is right or wrong, and whether or not one believes that the embryo or fetus constitutes “human life” or not, there remains the indisputable fact that abortion “removes” or “terminates” something! It takes the life of something! People may disagree over the “quality” and “value” of that life, but it is “life” nonetheless. This fact is settled by medical science and observation. A baby’s heart beat can be detected by as early as 7 weeks of development. Medical books can delineate the process and stages of the physical development of the embryo, but we must turn to a different book in order to settle the question of the value of that life. We must turn to the Bible. We will see that the Bible categorizes the unborn child as a human being, even using the same word (baby, Gr. brephos) to describe a baby whether it is in the womb (Luke 1:41) or out of the womb (Luke 2:12).

Since the 1973 Roe V. Wade Supreme Court ruling on abortion, over 50 million innocent and defenseless human beings have been tortured and killed by abortion. These aborted babies represent the price that millions of selfish people are willing to pay for their so-called “freedom” and “right to choose.” The only “freedom” that is actually reflected in the practice of abortion is the freedom from responsibility. Aborted babies are the victims of the irresponsible and promiscuous behavior of their parents. And the only “right to choose” that is granted by abortion is the “right” (ability) of a stronger person to impose his will upon a weaker person! On the basis that abortion is “legal,” such convoluted reasoning opens the door to open-ended killing of weak humans by those who are strong! If this sounds like the evolutionary principle of the “survival of the fittest,” that is because it is. The practice of abortion is acceptable only to those people who reject what God says about the definition and sanctity of human life.

Though the practice was finally banned, too many innocent little babies lost their lives to the gruesome practice of partial birth abortion. Bill Clinton vetoed all legislation banning this godless procedure, but George W. Bush signed the ban into law in November of 2003. The babies of such abortions are removed by “intact dilation and extraction” (or “evacuation”). In these procedures the (living) babies are partially delivered, then killed before full delivery. Death is accomplished as a result of a pair of scissors being forced into the skull and opened up. A suction device is then used to suction the brain and collapse the skull for easier delivery. I will not here delve into all of the horrific details of this abominable procedure. Even the most generic description of this practice is disturbing to sane minds. It assaults our sensitivities and defies our very nature as humans. It is unbelievable that such an inhumane procedure was ever legal in our land. Sadly, however, there are millions of Americans who have no moral objection to the practice to this day! All sorts of organizations exist whose purpose is to rid the world of what they describe as the “unethical” treatment of animals. Meanwhile, some people not only defend abortion, but even the partial birth method of abortion! Some folks need to recalibrate their moral compass. God’s word can help.

Look for part two of this study in next week’s paper. Please join us for worship and Bible study at our building located at 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. We meet each Sunday at 10:00AM and 6:00PM for worship, and Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM for Bible study. Our radio program is aired each Sunday morning at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 – Email: parkwaychurch@yahoo.com or timhaile@mac.com.

Tim Haile, for the Parkway Church of Christ

Numbers & Popularity (3)

Numbers & Popularity (3)
Tim Haile

We have learned in previous articles that mere numbers do not represent religious correctness or divine approval. I pointed out that we should be more concerned with pleasing God than with pleasing men (Galatians 1:10). The apostle Paul defined a true “Jew” as being one whose praise is “not from men, but from God” (Romans 2:28). Such a person seeks acceptance from God, and he understands that his service to God may affect the way in which he is perceived and judged by others. The Christian is often criticized and ridiculed for his doctrinal and moral stance. The New Testament condemned certain believers for their unwillingness to confess Christ. And what was their reason for refusing to do so? “… they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God” (John 12:42, 43). We must not allow our desire to be accepted by humans to interfere with our effort to please God. Bible history shows this to be one of the primary causes of sin and rebellion against God. Why did Old Testament Jews want a king? So they could be “like the nations around them” (1 Samuel 8:5). People conform to certain political, social and religious norms in order to be liked and to be accepted by the people that are around them. Paul told the saints at Rome to “be not conformed to this world” (Romans 12:1), and John told saints to “love not the world, neither the things that are in the world” (1 John 2:15). What can we do to help ourselves and others to avoid the pitfalls of sinful conformity?

1. We must do God’s will, and not worry about what this makes other people think of us. I have observed that people, including many religious people, often have a great weakness in this area. It is much easier for us socially, if we will draw back from taking firm stands. A “thus saith the Lord” approach to ethical, moral and doctrinal issues can cost us our popularity. And so, on one level people want to serve God, but on another level they wish to keep their old friends and even win new ones. What do we do? The apostle Paul gave us the solution when he wrote, “But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not judge myself” (1 Cor. 4:3). These words are a shock and an affront to the thinking of a politically correct generation. Can we really do that? One might ask. And the answer is YES we can! The Christian’s motto in this regard should be to worry more about the well-being of a person’s SOUL, than what that person thinks of us, or what we believe, teach or practice. Paul’s faith did not cave in to the “court” of human opinion. He did not fret over what others thought or said about him. We “stand by faith” (2 Cor. 1:24). Genuine faith does not bend itself in order to accommodate the whims, wishes and expectations of the crowd. It stands as uncompromising and as unchangeable as the very word of God, upon which it is constructed (Romans 10:17; Psalm 119:89). Our ultimate eternal fate will not be determined by what others think of us, but by what God thinks of us. “Therefore,” as James says, “speak and act, as those who will be judged by the law of liberty” (James 2:12).

Look for our next article in next week’s paper. Please join us for worship and Bible study at our building located at 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. We meet each Sunday at 10:00AM and 6:00PM for worship, and Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM for Bible study. Our radio program is aired each Sunday morning at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 – Email: parkwaychurch@yahoo.com or timhaile@mac.com.

Tim Haile, for the Parkway Church of Christ

Numbers & Popularity (2)

Numbers & Popularity (2)
Tim Haile

In last week’s article I pointed out that many people are religiously moved by numbers (hence, the popularity of the mega-church movement). I cited the etymology of the word “popular” as being “of the people.” There is a natural tendency for “people” to want to be a part of that which is “popular.” The problem is that this can be very dangerous in religion. God’s people “walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7). Their faith is not defined or determined by how many people are saying or doing a particular thing. Their faith comes from “hearing the word of God” (Rom. 10:17). Let us consider some scriptures that address the issue of numbers.

Matthew 7:13, 14 - “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter in through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Though it is a disturbing prospect, it is nonetheless true: More people will face spiritual “destruction” than will enjoy spiritual “life.” Jesus spoke these words just after warning people of the spiritual danger of hypocrisy (Matthew 6; 7:12), and just before warning them of the dangers posed by false teachers (verses 15-20), disobedience (verses 21, 24-27), and failing to respect divine authority (verses 22, 23). I should emphasize that, even though the “broad road leads to destruction,” it is the “many” (rather than the “few”) who are traveling that road! The road that is taken by the largest crowd is not necessarily the right road. And the crowd that is the largest is not necessarily the crowd that is right. With respect to salvation, the majority of humans will lose their souls. Salvation is obviously not based upon numbers.

Deuteronomy 7:7 - “For the Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples.” God’s selection of the Jewish nation was not based upon that nation’s size, but upon God’s own affection for it. Though humans often make the mistake of doing so, God does not measure faithfulness by how many people are doing a particular thing. We must guard ourselves against thinking that the largest churches and religious movements are necessarily the ones that are right. They may not be at all! Members of the religion of Islam comprise 1 sixth of the earth’s population, yet they don’t even believe that Jesus is the Son of God!

2 Samuel 24 - David sinned when he took a military census of Israel and Judah. God was displeased with David because he placed his trust in numbers, rather than in God. David had experienced God’s help in earlier situations (remember the Goliath incident), but for some reason, this time, he placed his confidence in his empire. He sought security from the hands of men, rather than from the hand of God. He was later “conscience-stricken” by his actions, and he repented of his lack of faith in God. And truly, it is a lack of faith on man’s part when he seeks spiritual security in human numbers. There is a reason why Moses said,”Do not follow the crowd in doing evil” (Ex. 23:2). The “crowd” is not always right. Even those who are “in the majority” can be wrong. “Friendship with the world is enmity against God” (James 4:4) We should seek to please God, not men (Galatians 1:10). We should concern ourselves with what God thinks of us, not what men think of us (John 12:42, 43).

Please join us for worship and Bible study at our building located at 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. We meet each Sunday at 10:00AM and 6:00PM for worship, and Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM for Bible study. Our radio program is aired each Sunday morning at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 – Email: parkwaychurch@yahoo.com or timhaile@mac.com.

Tim Haile, for the Parkway Church of Christ

Numbers & Popularity (1)

Numbers & Popularity (1)
Tim Haile

In the physical realm, there is often safety in numbers. We witness this in the animal kingdom with “herd” animals. Dangers come for the animal that ventures too far away from the herd. Humans understand this safety principle as well. We teach youths the “buddy-system.” We tell them to not separate from their “group” when they are in places of potential danger. We instruct them to stay with their friends, and not travel alone. In illustrating the importance of “counting the cost” of discipleship, Jesus cited the example of a king comparing the number of his own soldiers to the number of his enemy (Luke 14:31,32). This is how one must think in the physical realm, but what about the spiritual realm? Does spiritual safety come from numbers? Does numerical “might” make “right” in religion? Sadly, the religious world reveals that many people believe that it does. In the denominational world, this is clearly seen in the growing popularity of the mega-church movement. Members of such churches exchange their doctrinal convictions for the experience of being a member of a large church. We are witnessing the same mentality in non-denominational churches. I know some churches of Christ that have grown in numbers, but only because they have loosened their stance against various forms of error. They refuse to involve themselves in controversial issues. They refuse to speak out against certain errors on the basis that those errors are being promoted by well-liked, “popular” preachers. Such ignoring of doctrinal purity, and such blind acceptance of false teachers is not without terrible consequences: The apostle John said that by refusing to abide in the doctrine of Christ, and by receiving those who refuse to bring the doctrine of Christ, one loses his own fellowship with God (2 John 9-11). Emphasis on numbers and popularity can lead to spiritual damnation.

“Popularity” has become a driving force in religion, and many people see no danger in this connection. Our English word “popular” comes from the Latin word “popularis,” meaning “of the people.” Perhaps you have noticed the word “popular” in the Latin word for “people” (populus). The problem for religionists who are focused on popularity is that religious beliefs and practices descend, not “from the people,” but from God. The “inspired” Scriptures are what “thoroughly furnish us to every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16,17). What the “majority” says or does is irrelevant in consideration of such matters. With respect to things that are legislated by God, the so-called “conventional wisdom” of men is insignificant. After all, human wisdom pales in comparison to God’s wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:25; Isaiah 55:8,9). In the spiritual realm, humans cannot correctly “direct their own steps” (Jeremiah 10:23). God’s people are told to “be not conformed to this world” and to not be “friends” of the world (Romans 12:1; James 4:4). It is not the purpose of God’s people to be “approved” by the world, but to be approved by God (2 Timothy 2:15). In our next study we will consider some Scriptures that will help us to understand why we must not look to numbers and human popularity if we are to please God.

Please join us for worship and Bible study at our building located at 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. We meet each Sunday at 10:00AM and 6:00PM for worship, and Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM for Bible study. Our radio program is aired each Sunday morning at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 – Email: parkwaychurch@yahoo.com or timhaile@mac.com.

Tim Haile, for the Parkway Church of Christ