ABORTION and PREGNANCIES arising from
INCEST, RAPE and CASUAL SEX
- What is abortion? Is it biblical to abort? Under what circumstance is abortion scripturally acceptable? Can abortion be permitted under extreme negative circumstances? Is termination of pregnancies arising from rape and incest biblically justifiable? What does the Bible say about abortion? Does a woman have a right or choice to terminate an unborn child either at will or when her life is threatened? When actually can a fetus be considered as a human being – is it at conception or when the sperm fertilizes the egg or at viability when the fetus can survive outside its mother’s womb?
Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy before birth which leads to the death of the unborn child. There are two major types of abortion – natural abortion and induced abortion. When abortion happens naturally, it is called miscarriage or spontaneous abortion. It could be as a result of:
1. When the fetus (unborn child) does not grow normally
2. When the mother could not carry the pregnancy to maturity
3. Some disorders or injuries on the fetus
The second type of abortion is called induced abortion. This is when the unborn child is intentionally expelled out of his mother’s uterus or murdered and evacuated from the womb. It could be as a result of:
1. For convenience because the child is unwanted;
2. For the mother’s health because the pregnant woman’s life is at stake
3. For the baby’s health where the unborn has medical problems
4. For concealing social stigma in cases of pregnancies arising from incest, rape or casual sex.
In determining whether abortion is murder of an innocent human being, it is necessary to know exactly when the unborn child could be regarded as a human being. But then, it is interesting to note that there is no consensus amongst medical experts as to when a fetus becomes viable, that is, the exact time an unborn child can continue to live outside his mother’s womb. Thus, it would be wrong, with this kind of uncertainties and disagreements amongst medical experts, to use any of their parameters in ascertaining the exact time a baby begins its life.
However, the Bible has an accurate answer as to when exactly the life of a human begins. According to the Scriptures, a human being is considered to be a separate entity from the time of conception. The following two Scriptures attest to this conclusion:
“For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb… My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth…” Psalm 139:13-16
“Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.” Jeremiah 1:4-5
From the two Bible references above, it is abundantly clear that human life begins immediately the sperm fertilizes the egg.
It is also worthy of note that long after innocent Abel had been murdered in the Old Testament, Genesis, he was still being referred to in the New Testament, Hebrews, that his blood speaks!
“…And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.” Heb 12:23-24
Secondly, the fetus, no matter how young in the womb, possesses personal attributes. For instance, in Luke 1:44, Elizabeth reported that the baby in her womb leaped for joy as Mary the mother of Jesus greeted her.
Also, in Psalm 51:5, David recognized and confessed that his mother conceived him in iniquity. Only human beings do have and do experience such attributes as joy and the capability of the conviction of sinning.
Again, in Jeremiah 1:5, the Bible referred to Jeremiah, even though still in the womb, as “he” and not “it.”
In addition, in Matthew 1:20-21, while Jesus Christ was still at conception stage, the Angel of the Lord did not refer to Him as “it” but said, “And you shall call His name Jesus.” That is, even the unborn are being regarded as babies and children while still in the womb.
Furthermore, in Genesis 25:21-26, the fetuses of the twins, Jacob and Esau, in their mother’s womb were called children, even though they were still in their mother’s womb. In fact, God referred to these twins, while they were still fetuses as “two nations.” Aborting these twins while they were still fetuses for any reason, therefore, would have been a catastrophic decimation, annihilation and total destruction of two strong nations.
“And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived. And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD. And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger. And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau. And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau’s heel; and his name was called Jacob…”
The Bible in Job 3:16, refers to an unborn child as an infant and not mere tissues. The fetus has his own spirit, soul and body different from that of the mother and all other persons.
Thus, God never sees the fetus, no matter the age, as anything less than a whole living human being. There is nothing called an “incipient” human being or a “potential” child or an “almost” infant. The moment conception takes place; a complete human being comes into being. All that is left is growth and development to maturity.
It is also important to understand the meaning of murder and killing. The law has defined murder as taking somebody’s life unlawfully while killing is taking somebody’s life lawfully. The difference between the two is the position of the law.
In this vein, the Bible forbids murder but supports killing. Now, the fact that abortion is legalized in some countries does not neutralize the law of God nor justifies the act. Wherever government, custom or human law is at variance with Biblical injunction, that of the Bible takes precedence. An example is in Exodus 1:15-20
“And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives… When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him… But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive….Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty. And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses.”
God recognizes the killing of fetus as murder: anyone who takes the life of an unborn child, even if he’s an adult, his life was to be taken too according to Exodus 21:22-23. This shows that God equates the life of a fetus to that of an adult.
“If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman’s husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine. And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life”
There is a clear and unambiguous command in Exo. 20:13, “thou shall not kill.” Killing here means murder, which is a deliberate and premeditated act of taking someone’s life with or without his consent. It is not accidental but an intentional act borne out of wickedness in order to please self. And since human life begins at conception, it is obvious that whoever aborts engages in killing and shedding of innocent blood.
God hates those who shed innocent blood according to Pro. 6:16-17, and He places a curse on anyone who partakes in slaying innocent persons in Deut. 27:25.
“These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. Proverbs 6:16-17
“Cursed be he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person. And all the people shall say, Amen” Deuteronomy 27:25
It is gruesome and horrific to defend an act of abortion with the excuses such as casual sex, unwanted pregnancy, rape or incest. The horror of aborting a baby is terrifying, especially if it could be viewed as if it is happening to the person performing the abortion.
Imagine somebody grabbing you and with all his energy, and with razor blades, scissors and needles, starts to:
1. Perforate your body parts one after the other
2. Tear each of your tissues
3. Forcefully slash all your ligaments
4. Chop off all your skin
5. Split open your stomach
6. Remove each one of your bones and intestines
7. Suck off your blood
8. Sever your head from your neck
9. Cut off your heart and
10. Snuff out life out of you!
If you wouldn’t imagine any of these to yourself, then it is scripturally and morally wrong to do it to a defenseless innocent child, notwithstanding if the child is one day old; and no matter the circumstances. This is what Matthew 7:12 says,
“Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.”
Even in an extreme case of fetus deformities, every effort and care must be taken to save the life and not terminate or abort the innocent unborn child. For God to have allowed deformities in such an innocent unborn child there must be a purpose and plan of God for him or her. God does all things for certain purposes which most often are beyond human comprehension. Such was the case of the man born blind in John 9:1-41. The Apostles had demanded to know if this man’s deformity was because of his or his parental iniquities. But Jesus put the whole issue in the right perspective by answering that “neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.” Therefore, aborting the unborn child with the excuse of any deformity could deny God of His glory and hinder what God intended doing.
As for the Virgin Mary in Matthew 1:18-20, the conception of our Lord Jesus Christ was considered to have been from extra-marital affairs. Hence, her husband, Joseph, attempted a divorce, albeit, secretly. Going by today’s social norm, in order to avoid social stigma, Mary could have secretly aborted the pregnancy of Jesus. Imagine, if Mary had aborted the pregnancy of the baby Jesus! Just imagine further what would have happened if Mary’s parents had aborted the pregnancy of Mary!!
God has plans for every child, born and unborn and nobody is permitted to truncate anybody’s destiny. Human life is sacred: it is precious and of great value. This is not only because man is made in the image of God but also that the breath of God is in every human, fetus included.
Abortion brings deep regret, heavy heartache, indescribable mental torments, unending shame and the constant thought of how great a personality the aborted child would have been in the world! David confessed in Psalm 51:3 that his sin with Bathsheba “is ever before me.” It was a blemish he couldn’t get away from. Though, the “wound” healed, yet, the “scars” never left. In fact, the evil consequences of the immoral escapade of King David with Bathseba still hunt the Israelites till date, 2Samuel 12:9-12
The value placed on life by humans is in gross contrast with that of other animals. Every animal shows natural affection and defends its young from predators. No animal murders its young at conception stage. Rather, every animal cherishes and looks forward to when it will bring forth. But for humans, perhaps in order to despise the Creator of life, we engage in abortion of our unborn children for all kinds of flimsy excuses.
These days, humans have made abortion so convenient such that some practitioners care less of the consequences of the act. And so long as the product of illicit sexual affairs (pregnancy) is rid off with ease, many people are encouraged. Many youths, teenagers, and adults of different ages on daily basis get involved in abortion with little or no guilt in their conscience. Genesis 9:5-6 says,
“And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man’s brother will I require the life of man. Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.”
Abortion cheapens and devalues human life. It shows ingratitude and disaffection for life. Abortion is murder and murder is sin. And according to Rom 1:28-32, no sinner will go unpunished with the evil he commits here in this world and if he or she fails to repent and turn to the only Saviour, Jesus Christ, the punishment will continue in the hereafter with eternal damnation in the lake of fire.
What does the Bible say about the souls of the aborted children? What is the fate of aborted children in the hereafter? Are they in heaven or in hell? Jesus Christ said in Luke 18:15-17 that only adults who are of child-like faith and character would make it to heaven. This goes to say that infants, born and unborn command a special attention in God’s heart.
“And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them unto him, and said, suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God….”
As for Esau and Jacob, twins, while they were still in their mother’s womb, as fetuses, God recognized them as complete human beings. God even spoke of them as He would have spoken to adults.
Rom ans9:11-14 “(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.”
Also, in 2Samuel 12:23, King David lamented the death of his infant, born, albeit, adulterously through Bathsheba. While comforting himself, he made a profound statement that there is no way the dead child could come back to him on earth; rather, it is he, David, that would go to be with the child one day in the great beyond.
“And he said, while the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live? But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.” 2 Samuel 12:23
From all these, and according to Matthew 10:28, it can be concluded that, though, all aborted children have their bodies destroyed before being born yet the blood of each of them cries daily for justice and vengeance (Rev 6:9-11; Heb 12:24; and Luke 11:51). As for their souls, they are scripturally presumed to be with God, their Creator.
It should be noted therefore that whatsoever is done to a fetus that is as young as one day old in the womb of his mother, is like doing it to a fully grown adult human being. Therefore, a fetus has all spiritual rights to life and to be protected to be alive the moment the sperm and the egg fuse together.
Abortion of Pregnancies Arising From Rape or Incest
What does the Bible say about abortion of pregnancies resulting from rape or incest? It is terribly awful to become pregnant as a result of rape or incest. But it must be recognized that what has happened has happened. You may not be able to effect a change for what has passed but it is possible to do positive things in the present that will bring out future good from a bad past. My common axiom is relevant here: you are to let the past pass, so that you can pass.
It must be noted that the unborn child is completely innocent of the adulterous, incestuous or seeming “mistake” of the parents. Therefore, it will be wrong to murder the child for the sins of his parents. If anybody must die or be punished at all, it is the culprits, either or both of the parents and not the unborn child. But because the fetus is defenseless and wholly dependent on the parents, he often becomes an easy prey of a mischief he knew nothing about.
Furthermore, it must be emphasized that it is fatally wrong to indulge in rape, incest or casual sex. It is unscriptural and biblically wrong. It may be highly unfortunate for the victim, usually the woman or girl, to get pregnant as a result of rape or incest, but all the same, it is not a good reason for abortion. It is also not scripturally tenable to justify the termination of a life because it came by through rape or incest. The book of Deuteronomy 22:23-27 says,
“If a damsel that is a virgin be betrothed unto an husband, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her … and ye shall stone them with stones that they die; the damsel, because she cried not, being in the city; and the man, because he hath humbled his neighbour’s wife: so thou shalt put away evil from among you. But if a man find a betrothed damsel in the field, and the man force her, and lie with her: then the man only that lay with her shall die: But unto the damsel thou shalt do nothing; there is in the damsel no sin worthy of death: for as when a man riseth against his neighbour, and slayeth him, even so is this matter: For he found her in the field, and the betrothed damsel cried, and there was none to save her.”
Genesis 38:6-30 is an example of incest in the lineage of our Lord Jesus Christ. Tamar was the wife of Er, the first son of Judah. Unwittingly, after the death of Er, Judah fell into the laps of Tamar, his daughter in-law. The product of their incestuous affairs was twins, named, Pharez and Zarah. Down the genealogical line, Pharez was mentioned as one of the great progenitors of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in Matthew 1:3. Now, suppose Tamar had procured abortion for this incestuous pregnancy! Thus, according to Act 15:18, “known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.”
Therefore, it will be wrong to terminate the pregnancy arising from rape or incest. Nobody makes a right by committing two wrongs. So, murdering the unborn baby is not the solution. Rather, the victim of rape or incest should disregard all the social, psychological and customary unpleasant side-effects or taboos and summon enough courage to carry the pregnancy into maturity; and also muscle enough resources to raise the child in godly ways. The rape or incest may not have emanated from the perfect will of God; but for God to have permitted the conception of the child, there must be a reason and purpose.
Abortion for Medical Reasons
The other question on this issue is what the Bible say about abortion especially when the pregnant woman’s life is threatened by the pregnancy? This is the most abused reason of all. Researches on this issue have it that, in all, the proportion of the women whose lives are genuinely threatened as a result of the pregnancy they carry is just about 1%. An average of 95% willfully and deliberately opts for convenient termination of their pregnancies. The other 4% are victims of rape, incest and casual sex.
Every medical effort must be geared towards rescuing both the mother and the fetus. It is when the odd of survival for the pregnant woman becomes one hundred percent, then, can the thoughts of salvaging only the mother be entertained. Even then, whatever negative medical report, it must be reasoned that God can always work out miracles. God can preserve both mother and child in the face of all odd medical prognoses. All efforts must therefore be put in to ensure that fetuses live as God meant them to be.
Forgiveness for Those Involved in Abortion:
It is not easy to manage the after-effect of procured abortion. Most young ladies that indulge in pre-marital sex and had to abort rarely know the frightening trauma, stress, guilt and depression that follow abortion.
But God can heal all the regrets, depression and psychological wounds arising from procurement of abortion. God can replace the memory of sadness, sorrow and pain with joy, happiness and pleasure. There is nothing too bad that God cannot forgive: if the sinner owns up, confesses and forsakes his or her sins. Much as God is not happy with the sin, yet He is happy with the sinner that comes repenting. God is waiting earnestly to accept anyone in this kind of situation to come to Him as the prodigal son went to his father and was accepted in Luke 15:18-19
“I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.”
As for those who have been involved in abortions, and are convicted of their sin and genuinely repent, there can be forgiveness and pardon by God. This includes the woman or girl who procured abortion, the man who encouraged abortion and the medical personnel who performed abortion or the drug merchants who merchandise abortion drugs. This is what the Bible says in 1John 1:8-9
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
In other words, to all those who participate in the processes of abortion covertly or overtly: the woman who commits abortion, the man who encourages abortion and the medics who conducts abortion can obtain pardon from God, if and when they repent, surrender their lives to Jesus Christ and take steps never to do same again. And having obtained pardon from God as will be evidenced by the peace of mind the Holy Spirit gives, the next step would be to forgive yourself. Satan would always bring up thoughts of condemnation in your hearts but you can always rely on the Word of God as written in Romans 8:1,
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”
Those Involved in Natural or Spontaneous Abortion
To some people currently having challenges about childbirth, pregnancies, spontaneous or natural abortion, whether or not you have procured deliberate abortion in times past, and now you have repented and turned to the Lord, the goodnews is that the word ‘abortion’ was never mentioned in the Bible. So, you will never have to experience abortion again in the Name of Jesus Christ. And as part of the covenant blessings on the people of God which you can claim, there is a divine coverage over the pregnant females that none of them would “cast their young nor be barren.” This obviously is a prophetic declaration that no one pregnant woman would have miscarriages. Exodus 23:25-26 says,
“And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee. There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfill.”
