2

Do you know what the leading cause of death is in the world? Last year it accounted for 42.5 million deaths. That’s more than the deaths caused by heart disease (18M.), cancer (9.5M.), and respiratory diseases (4M.) combined. Care to guess what it is? Abortion.

42.5 million lives snuffed out in the womb. The equivalent of seven holocausts. One of the differences of course is that the Nazi’s tried to hide their holocaust. We boast of ours. In the United States, 90% of preborn children diagnosed with Down’s Syndrome are killed. In Asia, “sex-selective” abortions have led to as many as 160 million missing women – more than the entire female population of the United States.[1]

The tragedy of an abortion isn’t limited to the murdered child. Countless women suffer the traumatic consequences of facing what they’ve done. You can read their stories here. It just breaks your heart. Many of them were forced to abort by boyfriends, husbands, and parents. Yes, even “Christian” parents. And then, there is the moral damage inflicted on the conscience of a nation. Infanticide is now on the table as a legitimate topic of discussion. 

Abortion is pure, unadulterated evil. The murder of the young is woven through the story of the Devil’s hatred for and attack upon the people of God.

  • Pharoah’s decree to kill every male Hebrew infant (Ex 1:15-16)
  • Herod’s decree to kill the male children of Bethlehem (Matthew 1:16)

As the Creator and Lord of life, God hates our world’s murder of babies. The pagan worship of the Canaanites commonly included infanticide and was a key part of their “cup of iniquity” and the destruction that came with it. God fiercely prohibited His people from participating in the child sacrifices lest they also be destroyed (Lev 20:2-5). In other words, what we are seeing isn’t anything new. But it is still demonic.

But - when I think of the evil all around us, I am humbled by the realization that the same seed of evil is within me. The only difference between me and the most hardened abortionist is the miracle of divine grace. The grace of God is stunning. God’s response to this vile, child-sacrificing world, was to send His Son to be sacrificed on behalf of it. In Christ Jesus the forgiving, pardoning, recreating, life-giving grace of God is extended to this murderous world.

We have a calling, as the church of Jesus Christ, to stand as a beacon of life in the midst of a deadly culture. This coming Sunday, January 16th, is National Sanctity of Human Life Day.  Here are some things you may consider doing.

  • Become informed on the holocaust of our day. This website lists all the pro-life websites in the United States.  
  • You could volunteer or give to the Pregnancy Resource Center here in West Michigan.
  • You could also watch Unplanned, the true story of a woman who worked in an abortion clinic until she became convicted by the evil reality of what she was doing.
  • Pray for Jordan Sweezer, our brother here at Harvest who works with ONElife for Life, ministering the gospel outside of abortion clinics.
  • Pray for those at Harvest who have adopted or are fostering children.
  • Consider becoming an adoptive or foster parent. There are people at Harvest who would love to encourage and help you in this!

May God give us the privilege of ministering the life and light of our Lord Jesus to those around us who are lost and in the grip of our death-seeking culture. 

 

In His Service,

Pastor Dale

[1] Thaddeus Williams, Confronting Injustice without Compromising Truth, 169

What Pastor Dale is reading . . .

How Reformed Theology Is Changing Latinos in Chicago
by Eliot Velazquez
I loved this article.

Arrested for God's Word
by Christopher Summers
I was deeply moved by this video of a believer in North Korea. The joyful sacrifice of our persecuted brothers and sisters is so convicting and encouraging!

2 Comments

Thanks for taking on this sad subject Pastor Dale! You’re writing has helped to re warm my heart towards this moral tragedy. Also, thank you for putting the time onto the research and organizing of the resources you made available here.
Pray the Lord will send His Holy Spirit to move on more hearts concerning this. Mitch
Thanks for taking on this sad subject Pastor Dale! You’re writing has helped to re warm my heart towards this moral tragedy. Also, thank you for putting the time onto the research and organizing of the resources you made available here.
Pray the Lord will send His Holy Spirit to move on more hearts concerning this. Mitch

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