In a casual and friendly manner I pointed to the wall where there were pictures of unborn babies via ultrasound photos. "Isn't that amazing?" I said. She smiled and said, "yes. It sure is. Especially when they take their first breath." She went on to explain that her specialty was taking care of pregnant women. It wasn't OB/GYN. It was something that I cannot remember or pronounce. All that to say, she is a subject matter expert. So I thought.
Then, in my conversation curious tone I made my pitch, "I was listening to a message this morning (i.e. Matt Chandler on the sanctity of life), and he said by 8 weeks the unborn baby has everything we have. Is that true?" She replied with an emphatic, "yes...by the point babies have a brain, brain waves, a beating heart, hands, legs..." And on and on she went.
Here's the disappointing part. I then said, "...he [Matt Chandler] said that the baby can also feel pain and that they flinch when pricked." The doctor replied with skepticism, "IIIIIIIIIII don't know about that." My heart sank. She doesn't believe the baby - who has a brain, brain waves, a beating heart, lungs and limb - can feel pain! That contradiction usually leads to the justification of abortion. Or whatever you call it when you stop a beating heart. No, let's just call it what it is; murder.
Now the other side. I have had many friends and have had coffee with many people who have either participated in or committed to abortion. And now they are feeling the weight of the shame and guilt that lingers - especially when an insensitive street preacher or blogger starts going off on his hobby horse.
This is a word of encouragement I want to give my Christian friends who have had or participated in an abortion: God is in the business of forgiveness.
And Jesus Christ went to the cross as if he was the boyfriend who impgregnated, coerced and paid for the execution of your baby. And Jesus Christ paid the penalty of sin as if he was the one that got pregnant and willingly went through the abortion. He paid the debt in full and the gospel is the good news that we are free from the shame and guilt that we tend to carry around. The believer finds their identity in Christ. And when they remember who they are in Christ they are free to walk in shamelessness. When a believer finds their identity in having an abortion, they forget who they are in Christ and then comes the shame and guilt.
But it is for freedom that Christ has set us free (Galatians 5:1).
click here to Download Matt Chandler's sermon on the Sanctity of life.
Here's the disappointing part. I then said, "...he [Matt Chandler] said that the baby can also feel pain and that they flinch when pricked." The doctor replied with skepticism, "IIIIIIIIIII don't know about that." My heart sank. She doesn't believe the baby - who has a brain, brain waves, a beating heart, lungs and limb - can feel pain! That contradiction usually leads to the justification of abortion. Or whatever you call it when you stop a beating heart. No, let's just call it what it is; murder.
Now the other side. I have had many friends and have had coffee with many people who have either participated in or committed to abortion. And now they are feeling the weight of the shame and guilt that lingers - especially when an insensitive street preacher or blogger starts going off on his hobby horse.
This is a word of encouragement I want to give my Christian friends who have had or participated in an abortion: God is in the business of forgiveness.
And Jesus Christ went to the cross as if he was the boyfriend who impgregnated, coerced and paid for the execution of your baby. And Jesus Christ paid the penalty of sin as if he was the one that got pregnant and willingly went through the abortion. He paid the debt in full and the gospel is the good news that we are free from the shame and guilt that we tend to carry around. The believer finds their identity in Christ. And when they remember who they are in Christ they are free to walk in shamelessness. When a believer finds their identity in having an abortion, they forget who they are in Christ and then comes the shame and guilt.
But it is for freedom that Christ has set us free (Galatians 5:1).
click here to Download Matt Chandler's sermon on the Sanctity of life.
No comments:
Post a Comment