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LIVING WALLS

Abortion and Forgiveness

Psalm 139:1-14; John 5:24

Many Democrats want to see statues removed which represent a reminder of slavery.  Perhaps the purpose is to help people today forget that Democrats fought for slavery, while the Republicans fought to eliminate it.  Even the Supreme court approved of slavery at one time, and thankfully that was overturned.
So, today, let’s remove all reminders of those involved in slavery so that tomorrow we can remove all recognition of those involved in abortion when the Supreme Court in the near future overturns the current abortion laws allowing for the killing of babies–over 4,000 each and every day!  
Gerry Burney

This month is the anniversary of the Supreme Court decision on Roe vs. Wade, over the issue of abortion (or the sanctity of life).  The current view (ever since this decision on Jan. 22 of 1973), is that abortion (or the destruction of the baby, while still in the womb), is legal in America, and also should be taxpayer-paid-for, if necessary.  This does seem to be the way of the world, today in the West – Europe, America, and the Far East, China, etc.  But in the Mid-Eastern countries, where Israel and Islam exist, abortion is still seen as a sin (murder).  Today, sometimes, as a baby is about to enter this world, and its head is about to be crushed, on rare occasions, just as the doctor is about to crush the babies head, the baby is actually born.  It slips out before the doctor can crush its head, and the baby is born alive.  But, according to the law, the baby should then be left on the delivery table, so that it might die.  This is because, under the law, the mother signed a contract for a dead baby, and so the contract must be fulfilled.  It is our American law.  This is the way of the world, not God’s way.

Archaeologists have discovered that during Manasseh’s time (a king from Israel, which we read of in 2 Chron. 33:1-20), among the various ways the people sacrificed to the false gods (in order to think they may have a better life), was not only to burn children as an offering (verse 6 of the text), but also to perform abortions.  It was the way of the world, not God’s way.  During the time of Manasseh, the archaeologists have discovered walls in homes in which there were jars buried (set into the walls).  A family would build a house with brick and stone walls, and, in order to insure a good life for the man and the woman, a baby was aborted, and placed in a jar, and the jar was placed in the wall of the home.  This sacrifice was to grant the man and woman of the house a better life.  They called the walls “Living Walls.”   God tells us in Habakkuk 2:9-12, that only trouble will result for those who build their lives on the blood of others.

Back then, as now, the sacrifice is the same — a baby dies.  Back then, as now, the purpose is the same — to have a “better” life.  In Manasseh’s time, the sacrifice was to some false god (an appeasement to that false god), so that this god might enrich their life.  Today, the sacrifice is to appease us.  In effect, we, ourselves, have become the god that is appeased, so that financially (or, for whatever reason), our life can be materially richer.

Abortion is not a modern-day issue.  Let’s look at a little history here.  Around A.D. 175, Athenagoras wrote: “We say that those women who use drugs to bring on abortion commit murder.  And we also say they will have to give an account to God for the abortion.”  In A.D. 195, Clement of Alexandria complained that some people have more respect for birds than for babies.  Terrullian, likewise in A.D. 197 wrote: “In our case, murder is once for all forbidden.  Therefore, we may not destroy even the fetus in the womb…it does not matter whether you take away a life that has been born, or destroy one that is not yet born.”  Hippolytus around A.D. 225 indicates that even professing Christians were trying to make themselves sterile, or trying to produce a miscarriage.  “Women who were reputed believers began to resort to drugs for producing sterility.  They also girded themselves around, so as to expel what was being conceived.  For they did not wish to have a child…out of concern for their family, and their excessive wealth.”

MIT professor Steven Pinker argues that infanticide (the killing of babies), is actually “normal behavior” today, in many societies.  Michael Tooley, professor at the University of Colorado, thinks parents should have some period of time, such as a week after birth, to decide whether to terminate a baby, or let it live.  Peter Singer, published an article on why killing babies already born, isn’t always wrong.  He teaches “Practical Ethics” at Princeton University, and the New England Journal of Medicine calls him, “The most influential philosopher of our time.”  Virginia Abernathy, psychiatrist from Vanderbilt Medical School, thinks children are “non-persons” up to the age of 3 or 4.  She says they are just like fetuses, and they cannot take care of themselves, and therefore, they do not automatically have any right to life as yet.

On January 22, 1973, the United States Supreme Court ruled that abortion is legal and acceptable, and that federal funding must be accessible to a woman and cannot be denied.  The taxpayers (you and I), are required to pay for abortions.  This is not the first time the Supreme Court has disallowed the right to life.  The Supreme Court, once before in our nation’s history, allowed the disregard for human life.  The Supreme Court’s Dred Scott decision, ruled that since the black man was a slave, they were classified as property, and therefore, not persons, and not entitled to any rights… life, or otherwise.  The Supreme Court was wrong then, and it is wrong now.  The Dred Scott decision was eventually overturned, and I believe the Roe vs. Wade decision will also be overturned one day–by God if not by us.

In Deuteronomy 22:25-27, God tells us that if a woman was raped, the man was to be put to death, but the woman was to be comforted.  The tradition was that the community was to gather around the woman and aid her.  Today, in America, when a woman is raped, many will accuse the woman or look down upon her, in many instances.  We denounce the man – yes – but, we also kill (abort), the innocent baby. God tells us, in Leviticus 20:2, that child sacrifice is punishable by death.  The baby is to be protected, and the woman protected and comforted.

On a typical day in America, three children will die from abuse or neglect.  Six children will commit suicide — 28 children are killed by knives or beatings, or guns, and every day, 95 babies die from illnesses, which is more than all these other types of deaths put together.  But, on a typical day in America, there is another death occurring to babies, which is not reported.  In America, every day, 4,109 babies are killed by abortion.  In fact, the number one killer of children in America, is abortion, although it is not reported, because it has been determined to be legal by the Supreme Court.  There were 6 million Jews exterminated by Hitler, in World War II, as well as a little over 6 million Christians exterminated by Hitler–about 13 million all together.  These killings were determined to be legal by the German government, at that time.  Since our Supreme Court decision in 1973, there have been over 54 million babies exterminated legally, by government decree–and that is just in America.

Mother Teresa, before she died, said that America has become selfish, and the greatest proof of that selfishness is abortion.  If we accept that a mother can kill even her own child, how can we tell other people not to kill each other.  Any country that accepts abortion is not teaching its people to love, but instead, to use any violence to get what they want…to sacrifice a child for personal gain.

The image America gives to the Islamic nations is:

1)  Christians in America are permissive – drugs, sex, pornography, and alcohol are widely used and practiced…

2)  American woman dress to entice – to cause lustful thoughts…

3)  Christians, in America, support abortion, and euthanasia (it is the law of the land)…

4)  American families are broken – parents are divorced – children have no respect for parents or elders,  and,

5)  Public prayer is absent in America…

So, Christians, Islam concludes, are actually being led by Satan.  It is no wonder many nations in the world view us as “The Great Satan.”  All these things, which America embraces, are the popular things of the world, the ways of the world, but are not the ways of God.

It is ironic that the subject of life and death have become political.  In other words, life and death are to be determined by popular views and votes.  There is no ethical or moral truth to define life in America today.  Abortion, euthanasia, legal suicide, genocide, or infanticide, are all being legalized in various states, and other countries.  In Psalm 139:1-14, God tells us that God Himself, being the Creator, is in charge of life, and death — and that even in the womb, He had created us.   And, we know that God also will judge each of us as to where we will spend eternity, either in His kingdom, or separated out—in hell—John 5:25-29.

Once before, a nation was faced with going with the crowd, and doing the popular thing.  Some religious leaders warned that their nation was glorifying money, and popular worldly things, and going away from God.  Some religious leaders took a political stand that the nation’s government should not move away from God, and do the opposite–government leaders should do the unpopular thing, and worship the one, true God.  Once before, a nation ruled the world, and was extremely wealthy, and blessed by God.  Religious leaders warned of the nation’s fall, if the people and government would not return to a worship of God, and walk away from evil.  This was a political message, but it was also God’s message.  The message was to Israel, and Israel was destroyed.  It was a political message then, and now.  And, it was God’s message then, and still is now.  Today, our nation has been blessed by God.  Our nation is powerful.  Our nation is wealthy (a little less wealth this year, but still wealthy).  Our nation is walking away from the worship of God.  And, our nation will fall, as God removes His grace from us, if we will not return to a worship of our one, true Creator.  We have no moral authority to tell other nations how to act on issues of life and social conditions when we ourselves allow over 4,000 babies to be killed each day.

The nation which fell, back in history, which was then so powerful and wealthy, was Israel.  God’s chosen nation – Israel.  Israel had all of Solomon’s wisdom, given by God, and all the military might, and was the wealthiest nation on the planet.  But, God removed His grace from Israel, because they refused to turn from their evil ways, and return to a worship of God and His ways (2 Chron. 7:14).  Today, we are the nation which faces destruction.  We have been blessed with wisdom and power and wealth.  But, we are refusing to turn from our evil ways, and return to following God’s ways.  And, we will surely fall. We, in fact, are falling now, as we watch our children walk away from God, concerned more about their own personal gain in this world, rather than being concerned with their eternal destiny.  The prophets warned the people that their great nation would be judged by God.  The prophets warned the people that even though their nation was strong and wealthy, that God would remove His hand of grace from them, and the nation would fall.  And fall they did.  And we, today, are that nation.  We are blessed by God, but soon, we will be judged by God.  God will not keep His hand of grace on a nation which kills its babies, and separates itself from worshiping the one and only true God.  God has warned us (2 Chron. 7:14).  We have the story of Israel, His chosen people, who He judged.  We, as Christians, must not ignore God’s warning.  We, as Christians, must stand for God’s ways.  This means that we must not support abortion, but speak against it, just as God’s Word speaks against it.

Many lives have been affected by abortion, over these decades since the Supreme Court said it was o.k. to abort (kill) a baby.  One thing we must also remember is that God is a forgiving God.  We are all sinners (whether because of abortion, or any one of numerous other sins), we are all sinners.  But, God will forgive, and invite us into His kingdom, if we will repent — if we change our ways, and begin to follow God’s ways, and begin to grow in His direction.  We, as Christians, must welcome all those mothers and fathers who have been deceived into abortion, or any other sin, by the world and government policies.  We must forgive, and encourage those who have been involved in abortion to seek forgiveness from God, which He has promised to give, if we change.  Even the lady, whose case the Supreme Court’s decision was based upon, “Roe,” has herself asked God to forgive her, and she herself has become a Christian, and now fights to overturn that Supreme Court decision.  We, as Christians, must pray for our government leaders to also seek God’s wisdom, and change to follow God’s ways.  Let us help our government leaders to understand they are committing a sin, committing murder, and they need to turn to the Lord and seek forgiveness, and thus, be restored in love to God’s kingdom.

In today’s text (2 Chron. 33), Manasseh did turn around, only after the nation had fallen.  Note, in verse 11, that destruction occurred, and then in verse 12, there was repentance.  Let’s pray our nation does not wait too long.  We, as a nation, can also be forgiven.  Whether the sin is due to abortion (which is the focus this week in America), or any of the commandments of God which we have broken (lying, stealing, lust, envy, pride, adultery and homosexuality, etc.)…we are all sinners.  We all fall short of God, and heaven.  But, God loves us…He just hates the sin.  God has provided a way that we can be restored to Him.   I cannot save myself.   I will perish into eternal separation from God, if I deny Jesus as God, and deny His ways.  God came from heaven, to be born flesh, in order to die (Philip. 2:5-8; John 1:1-18), in order to pay our debt for sinning – death (Rom. 5:8; John 5:24).  And now, if I trust in Jesus, I will live forever with Him in His kingdom.  No more pain, suffering, or death — only a fellowship with others who have also trusted in Christ for their lives.   It is my prayer we will all spend eternity in God’s kingdom, and that no one will be separated from God’s kingdom, and be judged to spend all eternity isolated, forever in outer darkness…alone—hell.

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