In recent years, abortion activists have attempted to argue that since the word “abortion” is not in the Bible, the Bible has nothing to say on the matter so Christians should not oppose abortion. It seems that this argument has begun to affect the thinking of many Christians—a recent study found that 44% of self-identified Evangelicals, 62% of Mainline Protestants, and 58% of Catholics believe that the Bible is ambiguous on abortion. How should we respond to this trend?
It’s true that the word “abortion” does not appear anywhere in Scripture, but just because the word itself does not appear in the Bible does not mean the Bible has nothing to say about abortion. When figuring out how to apply Scripture to the issue of abortion, we should consider what it has to say about life, including life in the womb, as well as what science has to say about when life begins.
First, the Bible teaches human life is precious because humans are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27, Genesis 9:6, James 3:9). This is why murder is condemned throughout the Bible, including in the Ten Commandments. Proverbs 6:17 tells us that the Lord hates the shedding of innocent blood. As Christians, we should take it very seriously when the Lord says he hates something. The Bible is in no way ambiguous about murder.
Secondly, Scripture affirms the humanity of unborn children. In Exodus, the Israelites are told that if someone strikes a pregnant woman and causes the death of her unborn child, he should receive the same punishment he would for murder. Job says that because God forms each of us in our mother’s womb, committing an injustice against another person is wrong. In Psalm 139, David recognizes that God knew him and knit him together in his mother’s womb, and in Isaiah, the servant of the Lord proclaims that the Lord called him before he was born. In Luke, it is an unborn child who first recognizes the he is in the presence of the Savior and leaps with joy.
Thirdly, the Bible also tells us that we should act justly and love mercy (Micah 6:8), that we should speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves (Proverbs 31:8), and that we should defend the vulnerable (Deuteronomy 24:7, Psalm 82:3, Isaiah 1:17). This means that we cannot quietly accept injustice, but must actively work against it.
Finally, since God reveals truth both in nature and in Scripture, we should also consider what nature has to say on the matter. Science shows that an unborn baby, from the earliest stages of development, is alive and has distinct DNA. From the moment of conception, an unborn child is a unique human being—a person who ought to be valued, protected, and treated with dignity.
The Bible affirms the humanity of the unborn, and also tells us that life is precious, that taking an innocent life is murder, and that murder is evil. Science confirms that life begins at conception. When we take these truths together, we must conclude that the Bible condemns abortion at all stages. Since science shows that life begins at conception, everyone, not just Christians, should oppose abortion because abortion kills an innocent human. You don’t have to be a Christian to oppose abortion, but Christians absolutely must acknowledge that abortion is evil because the Bible is in no way ambiguous on this matter.
