Table of Contents

Introduction

Far too many people, Christians and non-Christians alike, don’t care about abortion.  To them, abortion is someone else’s problem, just a political issue and/or a legal medical procedure.  These people then just go on with their lives of raising families, working, and engaging in other activities.

If for no other reason than abortion breaks God’s commandments, all Christians should be seriously concerned about it, know the facts, and take action.  This Bible study shows you what God reveals to us about abortion in His Holy Scriptures.

Abortion, inappropriately considered a trivial matter by many, is legal everywhere in the United States for any reason or no reason, and it is legal during ANY time during the pregnancy!  Between the time it was made legal and the end of 1997,  36 million babies had been brutally murdered in the womb in the United States.

Such a high number is difficult to visualize, so consider the following analogy.  Take the typical distance between wooden telephone poles — poles which resemble the nameless crosses under which nameless corpses of babies could be buried.  How far would these telephone poles stretch to represent 36 million murders?  Across California?  Wouldn’t that be impressive!  Across the United States?  Around the world?  Surely not that far, you  say!

Unfortunately, the answer is none of the above.  The answer is 65 times around the world! 

Looking at it another way, 31 times more babies have died from abortion than U.S. soldiers have died from all our wars combined!

Furthermore, abortion represents 40% of all U.S. deaths today and, when considering the low age and huge number of victims, it lowers the overall life expectancy of Americans from 76 to 46.  Abortion kills far more people than heart disease, cancer, and diabetes combined, and if the 40% figure climbs just 10% more, then we could say that abortion kills more people than all other causes combined.

Hopefully, therefore, you will diligently study what God says about abortion.

Open with a prayer about studying this lesson.

Before proceeding with Scripture, it is important to show people who are unfamiliar with fetal development the nature of the preborn baby.  This is because some will feel that Scripture doesn’t apply to the preborn.  That is, they feel that the preborn is not alive, that she is only a blob or a mass of protoplasm, that she is not a human being, or that she is only a part of her mother’s body. 

Do you think that God’s commandment, “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13) would apply to killing a non-human?

Do you think that “You shall not murder” would apply to a part of a mother’s body such as her appendix, her arm, or her fetus (if the fetus is a part of her)?

Obviously, for the greatest effectiveness of this Bible study, the nature of the preborn must be explained to some.

The preborn baby is alive

With rare exception, dead things don’t grow.  Such exceptions are clouds, crystals, and mountains.  These, however, are neither plants nor animals.  Plants and animals, including mankind, are composed of cells.  Cells are microscopic containers of genes, chromosomes, and organic chemicals.  By definition cells, when functional, generically are called life.

These cells could be dead or alive.  If they were dead in the preborn baby, they would rot.  Since they aren’t rotting at the time of an induced abortion, they are alive.

When they are alive, they can live without multiplying, or they can multiply.  We know that the baby grows.  Therefore, we know they are multiplying.  Therefore, we see again that the cells are alive.

Furthermore, these cells are interrelated such that the composite mass of them–the baby–acts in unison.  In one medical video, a former abortionist repeatedly jabs a preborn with a long needle.  The baby jumps and jerks and tries to escape.  These are the actions of a live baby.

We can also look to the testimony of abortionists themselves. Concerning the opinion of one  particular abortionist/researcher, Dr. Kekomaki, his nurse said, “Dr. Kekomaki acknowledged that ‘the fetuses are fully alive when we cut their heads off, but anesthetics are definitely unnecessary.’”¹

The preborn baby is not a blob or mass of protoplasm

Publicly and in the schools, Planned Parenthood tells us that the baby is a blob or mass of protoplasm.  Abortion is, according to them, merely a removal of this blob or mass, or a re-starting of a menstrual period.  However, they didn’t always make this claim.  In 1963, when abortion was illegal, they said in a pamphlet entitled Plan Your Children for Health and Happiness,  “An abortion kills the life of a baby after it has begun.  It is dangerous to your life and health.  It may make you sterile so that when you want a child you cannot have it.”  Thus, the world’s leader in aborting children makes several points: 1) “It” is a baby, 2) the baby is alive, 3) abortion  kills  the  baby,  4) abortion is dangerous, and 5) abortion may make you sterile.  Point 1 shows that, according to the baby killers themselves, the preborn baby is not a blob or a mass of protoplasm.  Point 2 shows, as this Bible study does in previous paragraphs, that the baby is alive.

Other abortionists also know that the preborn is a live baby.  Dr. Warren M. Hern, an abortionist who wrote a textbook on how to do abortions, who is the darling of the abortion industry, and who has testified before Congress, has stated, “We have reached a point in this particular technology where there is no possibility of denial of an act of destruction by the operator.  It is before one’s eyes.  The sensations of dismemberment flow through the forceps like an electric current.”²  Would he have said that if the preborn wasn’t a baby?

It is truly a bizarre concept that some people think the preborn is just a blob.  How could this blob, this mass of protoplasm, suddenly at the moment of birth miraculously transform itself from a random, non-structured blob into a baby?

The preborn baby is a human being

What else could she be?  Humans give birth to humans.  If that isn’t sufficient proof that the preborn is human, let’s look at fertilization.

Humans have 46 chromosomes.  Twenty-three come from each of the father and the mother.  These have been observed in the sperm and the egg.  Fertilized human eggs have 46.  Babies born by humans are born with these 46 chromosomes.  Therefore, the babies are human.

The preborn is not a part of her mother’s body

This is shown by the following:

• The vast majority of the world’s doctors say he (the baby) is separate.
• Since he is a live human being between fertilization and implantation on the wall of the uterus (womb), he is a separate life.
• If  the baby is a part of his mother’s body, then his own separate life would cease upon implantation and begin again at birth.
• The preborn baby has his own functioning brain.
• The preborn baby has his own functioning heart.
• The preborn baby has a separate blood supply.  This can even be of a different blood type from his mother and one incompatible with it.
• The preborn baby always has his father’s chromosomes.
• If the preborn baby is a part of the mother’s body, and if the preborn baby is a boy, then the mother would have two sexes and the baby wouldn’t actually be a boy, but a boy-woman.  After giving birth the mother would have one sex and so would the boy.
• Suppose we have a test tube, and in the test tube we fertilize an egg which then implants on the test tube wall.  Is the preborn baby a part of the test tube’s body?  Of course not.  Since the same thing happens inside a woman, then how could the preborn baby be a part of the woman’s body?
• Suppose we have a test tube, and in the test tube we fertilize an Oriental woman’s egg with an African man’s sperm.  Then suppose we artificially inseminate a Hispanic woman.  Does the baby have three races?  Of course not.  Is he born partially Hispanic?  Of course not.  Therefore, the baby is a separate life.  Did his mother convert to three races when she became pregnant and then revert back to one race at her son’s birth?  Of course not.  Therefore, the preborn is a separate life.
• Medical science has proven absolutely that a preborn baby undergoes excruciating pain during his abortion.  But the mothers don’t feel the pain of the baby, only his thrashing.  Thus, the baby is a separate life.
• We all know in our hearts that he is separate.

Timing of fetal development

This is how the preborn baby develops:

Day one	Fertilization (also called conception).
Day seven to ten	Implantation (also called conception).
Week three	Heart starts beating.
Week six	Has brain waves.
Week eight	Has fingerprints, can grasp objects, sucks thumb, feels pain.  Approximate average age of typical abortion procedure. No anesthetic used for the baby.
Following week eight	No new features, just growth.

Abortion by birth control

Formerly, there was a unique definition for conception.  Conception was fertilization. In 1965³ the drug industry redefined conception to mean implantation onto the wall of the uterus (womb).   The purpose was to fool the masses so that they wouldn’t understand how birth control works.  This tactic worked, and it is still working extraordinarily well.

Before continuing, understand that Jesus said on the cross “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”⁴  He will forgive you too, if you knew not what you have been doing.

The Intrauterine Device (IUD) always works by preventing implantation, and the Pill, Norplant, Depo-Provera, and some other drugs work 2% to perhaps 25% of the time by preventing implantation.  Implantation occurs after life has begun.  Thus, the IUD always works by abortion and the other methods work by abortion 2% to 25% of the time that they work.  The baby is killed in the interval between fertilization and implantation.

The drug industry’s deception works like this: If you believe life begins at conception, then unless you are a Roman Catholic you don’t think anything is wrong with CONTRAception. That is, since you think life hasn’t begun, contraception couldn’t possible kill life.  But life has begun.  You were fooled by terminology.  Contraception occurs, to be sure, but this is prevention of implantation of the live baby.   This is what to remember:

Abortifacient-type contraceptives are the IUD, Pill, and the others described above.

This Bible study is non-denominational.  Some denominations, such as Roman Catholic, believe that any type of artificial birth control is not of God.   If you belong such a denomination, feel free to discuss this topic at this time.

Feel free to visit your pastor if you need counseling about your use of birth control.

Onward to Scripture

Professor Harold O. J. Brown said⁵, “The Bible does not deal specifically with abortion. For that matter, it does not deal specifically with infanticide, the killing of babies.  Nor does it talk about parricide [the killing of a near relative], fraticide [the killing of a brother or sister], uxoricide (the killing of one’s wife), nor genocide (the killing of a whole race).  Examples of such crimes are mentioned, but not singled out for special treatment.  In fact, the Bible does not even discuss suicide (self killing).  There are specific provisions against homicide–the deliberate taking of human life (‘killing’ or ‘slaying’ is the usual expression).  The Bible prohibits the taking of innocent human life.  If the developing fetus is shown to be a human being, then we do not need a specific commandment against feticide (abortion) any more than we need something specific against uxoricide (wife killing).  The general commandment against killing covers both.”

This ends this lesson.  It was necessary that certain unpleasant facts be presented in this lesson.  The remainder of this Bible study will be far less disturbing.

In the following lessons we will examine what God says about abortion.  We will also examine what we should do about it.

Close this Bible study with a prayer about what you have learned.

Endnotes

1. Naomi Wade, “Aborted Babies Kept Alive for Bizarre Experiments,” National Examiner, 19 August 80, 20.
2. Dr. Warren Hern, Abortionist, at a Meeting of the Association of Planned Parenthood Physicians, San Diego, 26 October 1978.
3. Terminology Bulletin, No. 1., The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, September 1965.
4. Luke 23:34.
5. Professor Harold O. J. Brown, Death Before Birth, 118-119.

Notice that this Bible study provides Scripture for you.  This provision is so that you don’t have to look it up and so that in future years you will be able to use this study more easily as a reference tool.  While studying, however, because you may want to take notes in your Bible, you may want to look-up the Scripture anyway.

All Scripture is from the King James Version unless  otherwise noted.

Open with a prayer about studying this lesson.

Who do the following passages show is the creator of everything?

Acts 17:23 – 24, “. . . him declare I unto you.  God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;”

John 1:1 – 3, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  The same was in the beginning with God.  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

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Who does the following passage show is the author of life?

Exodus 4:10 – 12, “And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD? Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.”

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Who does the LORD say creates babies?

Isaiah 44:2, “This is what the LORD says–he who made you, who formed you in the womb . . .”  (NIV)

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Who creates babies?

Jeremiah 1:4 – 5, “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.”  (NIV)

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Who creates babies?  Who creates each part of each baby?

Psalm 139:13 – 16, “For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.”

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By analogy, what is it that God has upheld since conception or fertilization?

Isaiah 46:3, “Listen to me, O house of Jacob, all you who remain of the house of Israel, you whom I have upheld since you were conceived, and have carried since your birth.”  (NIV)

Who is mankind that he should destroy what God creates?

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Close this Bible study with a prayer about what you have learned.

Open with a prayer about studying this lesson.

As you read Psalm 128, decide and discuss what children mean to the LORD. 

Psalm 128, “A Song of degrees. Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways. For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table. Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the LORD. The LORD shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life. Yea, thou shalt see thy children’s children, and peace upon Israel.”

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Decide and discuss what else children mean to the LORD.

Psalm 127:3 – 5, “Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.”

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What one word best describes what Jesus feels about children?

Read Mark 9:36 – 37, “And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them, Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.”

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Read the following two passages.  Then, discuss more thoughts Jesus has for children.

Matthew 19:13 – 15, “Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them.  But the disciples rebuked those who brought them.  Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.’  When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.”  (NIV)

Luke 17:2, “It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.”

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Close this Bible study with a prayer about what you have learned.

Open with a prayer about studying this lesson.

Exodus 20:13 says, “You shall not murder.” (NIV)  In the Old Testament, God commanded men to sacrifice animals.  In the Old Testament and the New Testament, God said that it is acceptable to eat meat.  Therefore, “You shall not murder”  does not apply to ordinary animals but to man alone.

Previous lessons show that the preborn baby is not merely a blob or a mass of protoplasm, that she is a whole, live, human being, and that she is not a part of her mother’s body.  

Search your heart to try to find a reason why “You shall not murder” wouldn’t apply to the preborn.  While doing so, avoid the pitfall of making excuses for the mother’s circumstances.

In the following sentence, fill in the blank if you think it is scripturally valid to do so:  God said, “You shall not murder unless  (or except) ____________________.”

One answer might be unless “God ordered it.”  Do you think God would order a mother to have an abortion?  If He didn’t want the baby born, couldn’t He allow a miscarriage?   Would you be taking over God’s business if you caused the end of the pregnancy?

Another answer might be unless “there was a war.”  Under some circumstances, this answer might be valid.  However, military action does not apply to abortion.

A third answer might be except “for capital punishment.”   This does not apply to abortion, and  killing for capital punishment is not murder.

A fourth answer might be unless “the mother’s life is endangered.”  One aspect of abortion to save the life of the mother is that, in cases where the pregnancy is not far advanced, death of the mother would cause death of the baby too.  However, what does it mean to say that the mother’s life “is” endangered?  Is it a 100% chance she would die?  90%?  50% ?  1%?

The issue sounds very difficult to resolve, but it really isn’t.  This is why:  Although a mother’s life may be endangered in the birth process, it’s a fallacy that her life is endangered by the pregnancy itself.  This information comes from Bernard Nathanson, M.D.   Nathanson was cofounder of National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League (under its different original name), and he claims to have presided over the deaths of over 60,000 babies at his own Killing Center.¹  Now, however, Nathanson is a Christian and a pro-life activist.

The following is one example of the fallacy of the so-called need to abort to save the mother’s life.  When a pregnant mother learns she has breast cancer, doctors recommend abortion so that the mother can have radiation and other treatment without harming the baby.  (Since the abortion kills the baby, it certainly does harm the baby, but let’s focus on the mother.)  However, studies show that mothers who do not abort survive the breast cancer at a very much higher rate than those who do.  One study² showed that 25% of those who did not abort, and had treatment while pregnant, were still alive after 20 years, but 100% of those that did abort, and then had treatment, were dead at 11 years.  The babies of the mothers who did not abort were not noticeable harmed by the treatment.

What do you think of the following responses to the sentence “You shall not murder ____________________.”

unless the mother doesn’t want the baby.

unless the mother doesn’t want to be pregnant.

unless the mother wants to finish school.

unless the mother won’t marry the father.

unless the father won’t marry the mother.

unless the mother needs her money for a vacation.

unless the mother needs her money for a new car.

unless the mother wants to use abortion as birth control.

The last response summarizes the previous ones in the list.  Abortion as mere birth control comprises 98% of all U.S. abortions.

The issue of abortion for rape, incest, and fetal handicapped will be discussed in later lessons.

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Read the following two Scriptures and answer the question, “What happens to unrepentant murderers?”

Revelation 21:8, “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

Revelation 22:15, “For without [outside the gates of new Jerusalem] are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.”

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From the following, would you say that God will tolerate unconfessed, unrepented abortion at judgement time?

Ezekiel 22:12 – 13, “In thee have they taken gifts to shed blood: thou hast taken usury and increase, and thou hast greedily gained of thy neighbours by extortion, and hast forgotten me, saith the Lord God.  Behold, therefore I have smitten mine hand at thy dishonest gain which thou hast made, and at thy blood which hath been in the midst of thee.”

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Besides children belonging to the parents, who else do they belong to?  Is it right to slaughter them?

Ezekiel 16:20 – 21, “And you took your sons and daughters whom you bore to me and sacrificed them as food to the idols.  Was your prostitution not enough?  You slaughtered my children and sacrificed them to the idols.” (NIV)

The King James Version, instead of saying “sacrificed them to the idols” says “cause them to pass through the fire for them.”  One method of abortion, the saline abortion,  is to chemically burn the baby to death.

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“And shed innocent blood,” says the passage below.  Do the preborn do anything worthy of death?  The alleged right to an abortion–the sacrifice of children on the altar of choice–is focused on the wishes of the mother, but in Psalm 106 God focuses the sacrifice on the children.  Which is right?

Psalm 106:36 – 39, “And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them. Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils, And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood. Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a whoring with their own inventions.”   

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In the following scripture, the baby is killed unintentionally.  What does God think about even this type of death?

Exodus 21:22 – 26 “If men who are fighting hit a pregnant woman and  she   gives  birth prematurely but there is no serious injury, the  offender  must  be   fined whatever the woman’s husband demands  and  the  court  allows.   But  if  there is serious injury, you are to take  life  for  life,   eye for eye,  tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot  for  foot,   burn for burn, wound for  wound, bruise for bruise.   If a man hits  a  manservant or maidservant in  the eye and destroys it, he must let the  servant go free to compensate for the  eye.” (NIV) 

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What should happen to abortionists?  (If your answer is that they should be killed, that doesn’t mean that you endorse assassination..  We have a government that should take care of punishment.)

Numbers 35:33 – 34, “So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it. Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit, wherein I dwell: for I the LORD dwell among the children of Israel.”

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What should happen to abortionists?

Exodus 21:12, “He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death.”

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From the following three Scriptures, do you think God thinks abortion is evil?

Amos 1:13, “Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of the children of Ammon, and for four, I will not turn away the punish­ment thereof; because they have ripped up the women with child of Gilead, that they might enlarge their border:”

Proverbs 6:16 – 17, “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,”

Matthew 19:17 – 18, “And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, . . .”

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God is sovereign.  As we saw above, God is free to punish those who abort.  As we will see below, God is also free to kill as a punishment.   In the following God inflicts the maximum earthly punishment for murder, and this includes killing the preborn.  We see that He considers abortion so evil that He uses it as a punishment for a nation’s rebellion.

Hosea 13:16, “Samaria shall become desolate; for she hath rebelled against her God: they will  fall by the sword: their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their women with child shall be ripped up.”

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Are we to destroy what God made?

Colossians 1:16, “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:”

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Dare we take away God’s reward?

Psalm 127:3, “Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.”

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The position of the American Medical Association on abortion has changed through the years.  The following shows some of these changes.  Do you think the American Medical Association is godly today?

The American Medical Association’s Positions on Abortion, 1859 – 1996

WHAT IS ABORTION?

1859–“The slaughter of countless children; no mere misde­meanor or no mere attempt upon the life of the mother, but the wanton and murderous destruction of her child; such unwar­rantable destruction of human life.”

1871–“The work of destruction; The wholesale destruction of unborn infants.”

1967–“The interruption of an unwanted pregnancy.”

1992–“Abortion is a medical procedure and should be per­formed . . . with standards of good medical practice.”

WHO SHOULD PERFORM ABORTIONS?

1871–“It will be unlawful and unprofessional for any physi­cian to induce abortion or premature labor. . . and then always with a view to the safety of the child–if that be possible.”

1970–“Abortion should be performed only by a duly licensed physician and surgeon in an accredited hospital.”

1992–“Only physicians who want to should perform abortions.”

WHO ARE PHYSICIAN ABORTIONISTS?

1871–“Men who cling to a noble profession only to  dishonor it; false brethren; educated assassins, an enemy to the human family, modern Herods, monsters of iniquity, the executioners.”  “These men who, with corrupt hearts and blood-stained hands, destroy what they cannot reinstate, corrupt souls, and destroy the fairest fabric that God has ever created . . . under the cloak of that medical profession.”

1967–“Conscientious practitioners performing therapeutic abortions for reasons other than those posing a threat to the life of the mother. Equally conscientious physicians who believe that all women should be masters of their own reproductive destinies and that the interruption of an unwanted preg­nancy, no matter what the circumstances, should be solely an individual matter between the patient and her doctor.”

1992–Since the AMA supports abortion, it makes no comment.

WHAT SHOULD BE  DONE TO PHYSICIAN ABORTIONISTS?

1871–“The members of the profession should shrink with horror from all interaction with them professionally or otherwise; These men should be marked as Cain was marked: They should be made the outcasts of society. It becomes the duty of every physician in the United States to resort to every honorable and legal means in his power to crush out from among us this pest of society.”

1871–“Resolved, That we repudiate and denounce the conduct of abor­tionists, and that we hold no intercourse with them professionally or otherwise and that we will, whenever an opportunity presents, guard and protect the public against the machinations of these characters by pointing out the physical and moral ruin which follows in their wake.”

1970–“They should be allowed to perform abortions as long as they are done in an accredited hospital acting only after con­sultation with two other physicians.”

1992–Since the AMA supports abortion, it makes no comment.

WHAT SHOULD THE ETHICS OF ABORTION BE?

1871–“Thou shalt not kill:  This Commandment is given to all and applies to all without exception; It matters not at what stage of development his victim may have arrived.  It matters not how small or how apparently insignificant it may be.  It is murder.  A foul, unprovoked murder, and its blood, like the blood of Abel, will cry from earth to heaven for vengeance.”

1967–“The Committee does not intend to raise the question of the rightness or wrongness of therapeutic abortion.  This is a personal and moral consideration which in all cases must be faced according to the dictates of the conscience of the patient and her physician.”

1992–“. . . the early termination of pregnancy is a medical matter between the patient and the physician, . . .”  “. . . the issue of support or of opposition to abortion is a matter for members of the AMA to decide individually, based on personal values or beliefs.”  “The AMA shall take no action which may be construed as an attempt to alter or influence the personal views of individual physicians regarding abortion procedures.”

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Close this Bible study with a prayer about what you have learned.

Endnotes

1. Bernard N. Nathanson, M.D., Aborting America, (Totonto, Ontario: Life Cycle Books, 1979) back cover.
2. R. M. Clark and T. Chua, “Breast Cancer and Pregnancy: The Ultimate Challenge,” Clinical Oncology, vol. 1, 1989, 11-18.

Open with a prayer about studying this lesson.

Read the following and answer the question just after it.

Luke 1:31 – 33, “And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.  He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.”

What if Mary had aborted?

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Does the following give any indication of whether we are to correct God?

Isaiah 45:9 – 11, “Woe to him who quarrels with his Maker, to him  who  is   but a potsherd among the potsherds on the ground. Does  the  clay  say to the  potter, ‘What are you making?’ Does your work say, ‘He has  no hands’?  Woe  to him who says to his father, ‘What have you  begot­ten?’ or to his mother,  ‘What have you brought to birth?’   This  is  what the LORD says– the Holy  One of Israel, and its Maker:  Con­cerning things to come, do you question me  about my children, or give  me orders about the work of my hands?” (NIV)

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Are we to kill God’s creations?

Jeremiah 1:5, “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.”

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In the following account Samson’s mother is ordered not to take certain steps which would be harmful to Samson in the womb.  Do you think in the light of this Scripture that killing a baby in the womb is justified?

Judges 13:2 – 5, “And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not. And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son. Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing: For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.”

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Count the reasons given below for why someone might choose abortion.

2 Timothy 3:2 – 4, “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;”

Discuss reasons women have abortions today.

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Would the following verse describe those who call themselves pro-choice?

Jeremiah 7:24, “But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward.”

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Is there any reason why Satan wouldn’t be involved in an abortion decision?

1 Peter 5:8, “Be self-controlled and alert.  Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (NIV)

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One of the reasons people choose abortion is that they are “too” poor to have another child.  Instead of killing the poor, what does God do?

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Close this Bible study with a prayer about what you have learned.

Open with a prayer about studying this lesson.

Psalm 113:7 – 9, “He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill; That he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people. He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the LORD.”

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Since this study will now begin to examine scripture related to handicap, a short secular discourse in our study on handicapped babies would be very instructive. 

Only 2% of all abortions are for reason of alleged fetal handicap plus alleged rape plus alleged incest plus alleged possibility of the mother’s death.  No one knows how many are specifically for alleged handicap(s).

The term “alleged” is very important.  We know that many people don’t believe in God, so let’s consider one of these people.  Let’s say a pregnant mother is told her baby has a 100% chance of being handicapped.  Should she, according to the world’s standards, consider abortion?  Suppose the probability is 50%.  Then should she?  What about 1%?  Where should she draw the line?  What difference might it make to her if the handicapped child would not suffer a lifetime of intense pain, but instead only be missing a toe?

What if the baby, though handicapped, would grow up to be happy in spite of the problem?  Haven’t we all seen people in wheelchairs smile?

What if the baby, though handicapped, would grow up to be a great asset to society?  Let’s suppose a poor mother’s first child was blind, her second died, her third was deaf and mute, and her fourth had tuberculosis.  What would society say she should do about her fifth pregnancy?  This is not a hypothetical case.  This mother was Ludwig von Beethoven’s mother, and the fifth child was Ludwig.

What if the medical personnel, perhaps bribed by the pregnant mother’s mother or father, lied to the mother that the baby was handicapped so that she would abort?

What if the medical personnel didn’t lie but were just wrong?

What if the test which would determine handicap sometimes killed the baby?  This is the case with the amniocentesis test.  This test kills babies whether handicapped or not.  One study¹ showed that miscarriages occurred after 1.5% of these tests.  Down Syndrome babies result more from pregnancies of older women than younger.  The probability of a Down Syndrome baby from a 40-year-old woman is less than 1.5%.  Thus, for that age merely the test for the condition kills more babies than babies that would have Down Syndrome! 

The test can also otherwise damage the baby and the mother.

An abortion, even for just plain choice, very, very often is psychologically damaging to the parents.  One example, because one method of abortion uses suction, is that the mother can never again operate a vacuum cleaner.  The situation is even worse for parents who abort for reason of alleged fetal handicap.  This isn’t abortion for just plain choice; the parents usually want the baby. When they find out they are supposed to kill her, they are devastated.  Many never fully recover if they do kill her.

The above considers abortion to prevent handicap.  However, there is a very important factor which almost no one knows about: Abortion, according to many statistical studies, sometimes causes handicaps in babies conceived after their mothers’ abortions.  For example, mother Jane has an abortion.  Then she has intercourse and gets pregnant.  Because of Jane’s prior abortion, her daughter is born early with a low birth weight.  Because of this, the daughter may be born with cerebral palsy.

Any future child could be born handicapped.  Thus, the abortions which can lead to handicapped children from future pregnancies are 100% of the abortions, not just the less than 2% shown above.  Thus, there is extreme potential for problems.

Knowing this, anyone who has been pro-abortion for reason of handicap should reverse herself or himself completely and become pro-life for reason of handicap.

A quick word on the use of terminology–Pro-choice is a very bad term.  Though it is philosophically correct to use it, it is functionally stupid.  If we have a rapist, we don’t call him pro-choice for rape; we call him a rapist.  If we have a murderer of adults we don’t call her pro-choice; we call her a murderer.  Thus, if we have a supporter of a woman’s right to abortion, we should not call him or her pro-choice, but pro-abortion.

Now, back to Scripture.

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According to Scripture, what should the church and society advocate, murdering the poor and the handicapped or helping them?

Luke 14:13 – 14, “But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrec­tion of the just.”

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Who shalt not curse the deaf or put a stumblingblock before the blind?  Who shalt fear God?  Is alleged fetal handicap a valid reason for abortion?

Leviticus 19:14, “Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumblingblock before the blind, but shalt fear thy God: I am the LORD.”

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What was Jesus’ answer to sickness/handicap?

Matthew 4:23 – 24, “And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatic, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.”

Here, we see that one of the problems Jesus healed was palsy.  Earlier, this lesson showed that one of the results of abortion on babies of future pregnancies is cerebral palsy.  Jesus heals, mankind destroys.

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What was Jesus’ answer to sickness/handicap?

Matthew 8:1 – 3, “When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.”

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What was Jesus’ answer to sickness/handicap?

Matthew 9:1 – 8, “And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city. And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee. And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth. And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. And he arose, and departed to his house. But when the multitude saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.”

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Does man actually deign to think that he has power or authority over God such that he should undo God’s alleged mistakes?

Romans 9:20 – 21, “Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?”

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A few words about abortion in the case of rape are in order. 

Pregnancy due to rape is extremely rare.  This is because of  the great stress on the woman, because of the timing of the menstrual cycle relative to the rape, and sometimes because of her age. Often, a woman will claim she has been raped in order to avoid facing friends and family with the fact she has been engaging in sex or to not have to face them with her ordinary choice decision to kill the baby. 

One example of the rape “justification,” or lie in this case, is totally infamous.  Jane Roe, whose real name is Norma McCorvey, claimed she was raped.  In order to justify having an abortion, she went all the way to the Supreme Court.  The subsequent Roe v. Wade decision legalized abortion for the whole country.  Later, Roe admitted that she had lied, that she had never been raped.    (The “justice” system, by the way, was too slow for Roe: Her baby was born.  Now a grown woman, this daughter is very pro-life.  Furthermore,.  Roe is now a pro-life Christian!)

The standard response to a pregnancy resulting from rape is, “She should have an abortion.”  But why should abortion be the solution?  If the baby is unwanted, adoption is always an option.  Would abortion help apprehend the rapist?  Would it try and convict him?

Who would abortion punish, the rapist or the baby?

Rape is a very traumatic experience.  Abortion is a very traumatic experience.  Two wrongs don’t make a right.  Should a woman put herself through both wrongs?  A woman will recover more readily from a rape than from a rape coupled with an abortion.

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Who should be punished for rape or incest?

Deuteronomy 24:16, “The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin.”

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The U.S. Supreme Court says that abortion is okay.  God says it’s not.   Who is the final authority in your life, man or God?

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Close this Bible study with a prayer about what you have learned.

Open with a prayer about studying this lesson.

Acts 5:29, “Then Peter and the other apostles answered and  said,  We  ought to obey God rather than men.”

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Does an abortion destroy a temple of God?

If the temple of God is each of us, then it is the preborn babies’ too.  If we don’t want a baby, should we work to figure out a way to justify an abortion?

1 Corinthians 3:16 – 19, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.”

1 Corinthians 6:19  “What? know ye not that your body is the temple  of   the  Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are  not  your own?”

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If we don’t want a baby, should we work to figure out a way to justify an abortion?

Isaiah 5:21, “Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!”

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If we don’t want a baby, should we work to figure out a way to justify an abortion?

Proverbs 14:12, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”

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When something is legal, does that mean it is moral?

Exodus  23:2, “Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When  you  give   testimony  in  a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by  siding  with  the  crowd,” (NIV)

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If we want Jesus and God the Father to love us, what should we do?

John 14:21, “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.”

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What should you do if you are tempted to participate in abortion?

James 1:12, “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.”

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Does “freedom of choice” allow us to disobey God?

Deuteronomy 27:10, “Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the LORD thy God, and do His commandments and His Statutes, which I command thee this day.”

1 Peter 2:16, “As free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.”

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Who should have the final authority in a family?  Who does the U.S. Supreme Court give sole authority to in the abortion decision?

Colossians 3:18, “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.”

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Close this Bible study with a prayer about what you have learned.

Open with a prayer about studying this lesson.

Matthew 22:36 – 40, “Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

Is it love to murder your neighbor?  Is there any physical neighbor closer to a mother than her pre-born baby?

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Same question as above.

Galatians 5:14, “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”

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Shall a mother kill the neighbor in her womb?

Leviticus 19:16 “‘Do not go about spreading slander among your people.  Do not do anything which endangers your neighbor’s life.  I am the LORD.’”  (NIV)

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Can you find any reason whatsoever that it is okay to persecute the preborn?

Matthew 18:1 – 6 & 10 – 14, “At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.”

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Does God value us?

Romans 5:8, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

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Does God value us more than common animals?

Matthew 6:26, “Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?”

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Again, does God value us more than the animals?

Matthew 10:29 – 31, “Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.”

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Are preborn babies mere blobs of tissue without emotion?

Luke 1:39 – 44, “And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah; And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.”

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Should we destroy what God has made?

Job 31:15, “Did not he who made me in the womb make them?  Did not the same one form us both within our mothers?” (NIV)

Psalm 119:73, “Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments.”

Isaiah 44:24, “Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;”

Job 10:8 – 12, “Thine hands have made me and fashioned me to­gether round about; yet thou dost destroy me. Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as the clay; and wilt thou bring me into dust again? Hast thou not poured me out as milk, and curdled me like cheese? Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, and hast fenced me with bones and sinews. Thou hast granted me life and favour, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit.”

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Close this Bible study with a prayer about what you have learned.

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Endnote

1. Thomas Hilgers et al., New Perspectives on Human Abortion, 54.

Open with a prayer about studying this lesson.

Is punishment one consequence of abortion?

Deuteronomy 27:25, “Cursed be he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person.  And all the people shall say, Amen.”

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What happens to unrepentant sinners?

Deuteronomy 30:19, “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:”

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When you know the Lord’s will about abortion and you have an abortion or advocate one anyway, shall your punishment be light?

Luke 12:47 – 48, “And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.”

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What is in the hearts of abortionists?

Jeremiah 22:17, “But your eyes and your heart are set only on dishonest gain, on shedding innocent blood and on oppression and extortion.”  (NIV)

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Does the LORD love those who support abortion, have an abortion, or do abortions?

Psalm 11:5 – 7, “The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth. Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup. For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright.”

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If you sow death, what shall you reap?

Genesis 9:6, “Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.”

Galatians 6:7, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”

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What happens to those who support abortion?

John 3:15, “Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.” (NIV)

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What happens to those who abortion?

Revelation 21:8, “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

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But if those who support abortion repent–turn away from abortion–does the LORD still hate us?  Does he forgive us and give us eternal life in heaven?

1  John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Repent

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Close this Bible study with a prayer about what you have learned.

This lesson and the two which follow will show why it is exceedingly important that YOU take action.  The end of the last lesson gives you information on specific opportunities to serve God in stopping abortion.

Open with a prayer about studying this lesson.

If you refuse to help those in need, how does the love of God dwell in you?

1 John 3:16 – 18, “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.”

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2 Timothy 1:7, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

Is there any reason why we shouldn’t use our spirit of power, love, and sound mind to protect God’s children?

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Should you take action?

Luke 10:25 – 37, “And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour? And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said, He that showed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.”

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Let your light so shine before men that they may see your ____________________?

Matthew 5:13 – 16, “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

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Proverbs 24:11, “Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter.”  (NIV)

This is one of the prime Scripture references on which Operation Rescue is based.  Operation Rescue is an organization which was formed to blockade Killing Centers.  Members would deliberately place their bodies between the abortionists and their intended victims.  The pro-lifers would often get beaten by the clinic personnel and the police, and they would often go to jail and be sued.  One law suit resulted in 36 pro-lifers being ordered to give a total of $8,204,448 to a Killing Center. (They didn’t give it.)

These are the actions of truly dedicated Christians.  They risked money, family, jail, and jobs (due to being in jail) for responding to God’s call.  God isn’t necessarily calling on you to take the same risk.  (Note that no member of Operation Rescue has ever been convicted of a violent crime.  No individual who has killed an abortionist, set a fire, or placed a bomb has ever been tied to a pro-life organization.  They have always acted alone.)

What, however, are you willing to do for the preborn?

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The preborn are needy.  By contrast, the abortionists, Killing-Center workers, aborting mothers, and consenting fathers are wicked.  What should you do?

Psalm 82:3 – 4, “Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.”

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Jeremiah 22:1 – 5, “Thus saith the LORD; Go down to the house of the king of Judah, and speak there this word, And say, Hear the word of the LORD, O king of Judah, that sittest upon the throne of David, thou, and thy servants, and thy people that enter in by these gates: Thus saith the LORD; Execute ye judgment and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor: and do no wrong, do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, nor the widow, neither shed innocent blood in this place. For if ye do this thing indeed, then shall there enter in by the gates of this house kings sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, he, and his servants, and his people. But if ye will not hear these words, I swear by myself, saith the LORD, that this house shall become a desolation.”

Will our nation be judged for allowing abortion?  Is abortion executing judgment and righteousness?  Is the nation delivering anyone out of the hand of the oppressor?  Is it doing no wrong; is it doing no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, or the widow?  Does it shed innocent blood?

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In the abortion decision, who is truly the oppressed?

Isaiah 1:17, “Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.”

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Present yourselves as a living ____________________.

Romans 12:1 – 8, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness.”

Do you have the gift of ministry, teaching, or exhortation?  Could you use your gift to prevent abortion?

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Fill in the blank:  “As every man hath received the gift, even so ____________________.”

1 Peter 4:10 – 11, “As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”

This means minister, not watch TV, not mow the lawn, not go to the church pot luck for fellowship.  It means minister.  What is your priority?

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Do what?  Do it when?  Should you do it even if it means missing your favorite TV program?

2 Timothy 4:2, “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”

Shall we say, “Preach the word; be instant even in football season?”

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Jeremiah 22:1 – 3, “Thus saith the LORD; Go down to the house of the king of Judah, and speak there this word, And say, Hear the word of the LORD, O king of Judah, that sittest upon the throne of David, thou, and thy servants, and thy people that enter in by these gates: Thus saith the LORD; Execute ye judgment and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor: and do no wrong, do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, nor the widow, neither shed innocent blood in this place.”

Fill in the blanks:  Deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the ____________________.   Neither shed ____________________ blood in this place.

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James 1:22 reads “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says.” (NIV) This can be summarized for YOU as follows.

DO!

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Close this Bible study with a prayer about what you have learned.

Open with a prayer about studying this lesson.

What will be one of your many rewards?  Do you want this reward?

John 12:26, “. . . If any man serve me, him will my Father honor.”

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Mark 8:35, “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s shall save it.”

This passage means that if you save your sinful life of sin (including the sin of omission or inaction), you will lose your life, but if you lose your sinful life you will save your life.  Which do you want?

John 12:25 says the same thing: “He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.”

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Often, when a Christian is confronted with the concept that he or she should accept or invent and implement a volunteer assignment, the response is something such as, “My family comes first.  I must spend more time with my wife (or husband or children).”

Matthew 10:37 – 39,  “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.  And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.”

Luke 14:26 – 27, “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.  And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.”

According to The Complete Biblical Library (Ralph W. Harris, M.A. executive editor), pages 455 – 456, God’s word “hate” in this context does not mean malice, bitterness, or anger.  In Scripture it is often used to mean to love less.  The issue is one more of priority rather than feeling.  Christ must come first in the life of his disciples.  No one who follows Jesus with divided loyalties or half-hearted desires can successfully be his disciple.

Consider Matthew 19:29, “And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.”

What is your priority?  Father, mother, spouse, children, brothers, sisters, or God?

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What should you do?

John 15:16, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained  you,  that  ye should go and bring forth fruit, and  that  your  fruit  should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my  name,  he may give it you.” 

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Will you be rewarded for your good works?

Titus 3:8, “This is a faithful saying, and these things I  will  that  thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might  be  careful  to maintain good works. These things are good and  profitable  unto men.”

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Will you be rewarded for your good works?

Matthew 16:27, “For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his  Father  with  his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to  his  works.”

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Even though Christians go to heaven without necessarily doing a lot of good works, do you see any benefit from doing a lot of good instead of a little?

2 Corinthians 5:10, “For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”  (NIV)

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Will a person’s soul be saved if you stop an abortion?

James 5:20, “Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.”

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The wicked person may have an abortion, advocate an abortion, or do an abortion.  If you do not warn her, she gets punished.  Who else gets punished?

Ezekiel 3:18 – 21, “When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely  die;  and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked  from  his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his  iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Yet if thou warn  the  wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his  wicked  way,  he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy  soul.  Again,  When  a righteous man doth turn from  his  righteousness,  and  commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before  him,  he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in  his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be  remem­bered;  but  his blood will I require at thine hand.  Nevertheless  if  thou  warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he  doth  not  sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also  thou  hast  delivered thy soul.”

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Again, who else gets punished?

Ezekiel 33:8, “When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.”

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In due season you shall ____________________?

Galatians 6:9 – 10, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”

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Fill in the blanks:  If you save a baby from abortion, it is as saving the life of ____________________.  Your reward is ____________________.

If you do not save a baby from abortion, it is as not saving the life of ____________________.  Your punishment is ____________________.

Matthew 25:31 – 46, “When the Son of man shall come in his glory,  and  all  the  holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the  throne  of  his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he  shall  separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep  from  the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats  on  the  left. Then shall the King say unto them on  his  right  hand,  Come,  ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared  for  you  from  the foundation of the world: For I was an hungered, and ye  gave  me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye  took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I  was  in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the  righteous  answer  him,  saying,  Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and  fed  thee?  or  thirsty,  and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger,  and  took  thee  in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or  in  prison,  and  came unto thee? And the King shall answer and  say  unto  them,  Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one  of  the  least of these my brethren, ye have done  it  unto  me. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me,  ye  cursed,  into  everlasting fire, prepared for the  devil  and  his  angels: For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat: I was  thirsty,  and  ye  gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took  me  not  in:  naked,  and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited  me  not.  Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we  thee  an  hungered,  or  athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or  sick,  or  in  prison,  and  did not minister unto thee? Then shall he  answer  them,  saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the  least  of  these, ye did it not to me. And these shall  go  away  into  everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”

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James 4:17, “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”

Not doing good is called the sin of omission.  We omit to do good.  We are called in Acts 3:19 to repent (turn away from sin): “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.” 

Thus, if our sins are to be blotted out, we must do ____________________ things.

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Close this Bible study with a prayer about what you have learned.

Open with a prayer about studying this lesson.

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (NIV)  

What is one of the reasons we were created?  Are you listening to God regarding what He wants YOU to do?

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Should you take action?

1 John 5:3, “This is love for God: to obey his commands.  And his commands are not burdensome, . . .”  (NIV)

James 2:14 – 26, “What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”

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Wouldn’t taking action against abortion preserve souls?

1 Corinthians 15:50, “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.”

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What works does God have for you to do?

John 14:12, “Verily,  verily,  I say unto you,  He  that  believeth  on  me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these  shall he do; because I go unto my Father.”

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What should you do?  How often?

Luke 9:23, “. . . If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”

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Acts 20:26 – 27, “Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.”  (NIV)

Does the whole will of God include speaking about murdering children?

This applies to each of us.  Per Luke 12:47 – 48, (“And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.  But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes.  For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: . . .”) perhaps it applies to pastors even more.

Across the nation, pastors often refuse to speak about abortion.  They think it will drive people away from their congregations.  The prime directive of all pastors should be to win souls for Christ.  Because of 1 John 3:15, part of winning souls for Christ is telling them not to murder.  1 John 3:15 is “Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.” (NIV)  Therefore, those who would be driven from the congregation because of their pro-abortion position aren’t saved anyway.  But preaching about abortion might save them!

Aside from this scriptural indication that it is good to preach about abortion, there is also a church-growth application: Preaching about abortion can cause a church to grow!  Consider Calvary Temple Church in Concord, California.  During a nine-year period during which the senior pastor preached long, often, and hard about abortion, this medium-sized church grew by 467%!  They even outgrew their buildings and property and built a new church across town!

If you’re a pastor, should you preach about abortion?  If you’re on your church’s governing body, should you make a motion that your pastor preach about abortion?

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Acts 2:37, “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?”

This question is answered below.

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It is not enough to pray.  The apostles prayed, but then they acted.  They even wrote to the various churches that they should act.  It wasn’t enough only to pray.  Jesus prayed, but then he acted.  He preached, He taught, He healed, and He went to the cross for us.  It wasn’t enough for Him only to pray.  It isn’t enough for us either.  He showed this by example, and He showed this in His Scripture too.

Neither is church fellowship enough to serve Christ.  According to Scripture, fellowship is desirable.  However, let us not confuse the good feeling of fellowship with service.  Scripture above uses terms such as “whosoever shall save his life” and “longsuffering.”  This is the opposite of fellowship, and God is demanding it from YOU. 

Thus, do not go to your pot-lucks, for example, and pray about abortion and have fellowship and call that enough.  God says it’s not enough.

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Close this Bible study with a prayer about what you have learned and resolve NOW to begin to take action within 24 hours.

Action Opportunities

These are some things you can do:

1. Join and HELP an existing pro-life organization if your local organization truly TAKES ACTION.  Many organizations are very pro-life in heart and in name but do extremely little to actually save lives.
2. Start your own organization which prays and TAKES ACTION.
3. Speak in classrooms.
4. Hand out anti-abortion literature at schools.
5. Hand out anti-abortion literature to residences.
6. Get pro-life videos on television for free.
7. Write letters to the editor often.
8. Get commentaries (long letters to editors) into newspapers nationwide.
9. Write to your legislators and governor often.
10. Lobby your government officials.
11. Work to elect pro-life candidates to public office.
12. Picket your local Killing Center.
13. Picket an abortionist’s house.
14. Remove abortion advertising.
15. Place pro-life advertising.
16. Place hardback pro-life books in public and school libraries.
17. Get pro-abortion and pro-promiscuity material out of libraries.
18. Fight against implementation of promiscuity education (most sex ed programs) in the schools.
19. Open your home to a pregnant woman.

20. Place pro-life literature in drug store shelves where pregnancy test kits are sold.

If none of the above activities suit you or if you need advice on implementing the above, contact one of the following:

Matthew 13:3 – 9, ” Then he told them  many things in parables, saying: ‘A farmer went out to sow his seed.  As he  was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate  it up.  Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It  sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.  But when the sun came up,  the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.  Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.  Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop–a hundred,  sixty or thirty times what was sown.

He who has ears, let him hear.‘”

Other Bible Studies about Abortion

There are no Bible studies similar to the one you are reading.   Other Bible studies are:

Also, a publication is available which gives outlines of sermons on abortion.  This is Sermon Guide: Sanctity of Human Life Sunday by Care Net; 109 Carpenter Drive; Suite 100; Sterling VA, 20164; phone 703 478 5661.