Know What You

Prochoice or Prolife?

Deut 30.15-20.

www.thischristianjourney.com

 [What an incredible time of worship we have had this morning. In the 35 minutes that have passed in our worship about 79 Babies have been aborted somewhere in America.] 

[On a daily basis there is an average of 3,288 pre-born babies are killed.[1] That's:] 

• [1 abortion every 26 seconds]

• [9 abortions every 4 minutes]
• [137 per hour]
• [3,288 per day]

• [1,200,000 per year]

• [Total number of abortions in the U.S. since 1973: 48 million ]

[At Current rates, an estimated 43 percent of American women will have at least one abortion by age 45.[2]] 

[The latest report that could be resourced from the Centers For Disease Control (CDC) were for 2004, which reports far fewer abortions for that year.  However, the report is based on voluntarily reporting and therefore only contains a very small portion of the actual abortions performed.[3]] 

[Percentages of U.S. Women Who Obtained Abortions, Broken Down by Race (According to Center of Disease Control, 2004)] 

• [Whites: 54.1%]
• [Blacks: 38.2%]
• [Other: 7.7% ]      

[In the 2006-2007 fiscal year Planned Parenthood was granted more than 336 million dollars by our federal government.  These funds helped support more than 855 Planned Parent hood clinics that performed a reported 289,750 Abortions and made 2.410 adoption referrals in the reporting year.  That is 1 adoption referral for every 120 abortions performed.[4] ] 

[To give you something to compare these numbers to:] 

• [During Hilter’s Holocaust 5,962,129 people were exterminated[5]]
• [Total number of battle deaths during WWII were 291,557[6]]
• [Total number of battle deaths during Vietnams were 47,424]
• [Total number of American battle deaths are 651,022]
• [In the current crisis in Darfur it is estimated that as many as 300,000 people have died in five years and only now has the world court issued a war crimes warrant against Darfur’s president. [7]]

[More than 48 million abortions constitutes the greatest holocaust in American history.] 

[The questions I would like to place before you today is, “Is the abortion debate really about choice?”  And “what does God say about life and specifically human life?”] 

A.     Our Liberty and Life (vs 15) [- See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; - Life is incredible.  It is filled with glorious and often challenging diversity.  There are those really wonderful moments, days, and experiences that just thrill us to the core of our being.  There are those really challenging moments, days and experiences that challenge our physical, emotional, and spiritual being.  All of which combine together to form our character and mature our lives.]

[Most people will agree that there must be a purpose in life.  Something inside of us tells us that there is some deeper meaning to all that we are.  For some, who have struggled through the question of life’s purpose, and chosen to disregard God or the possibility of God, they have come to the conclusion that there really is no meaning to life.  However, this leaves them and those who consider their position rather empty.  Those of us who have chosen to recognize God, and have endeavored to make our lives a harbor for God, we have discovered a deep spiritual sense and purpose for our lives based on what God has revealed about His intended purpose for the life He has provided.] 

[In our Christian Journey, as we study and submit to the written Word of God, we discover our Heavenly Father’s desire and direction for our lives and, through our Lord Jesus Christ, ultimately discover that there is an eternal purpose for our life.  Hence, we discover that life, when properly understood and lived out, has eternal value and purpose.] 

[Spiritual or Religious Bondage – There are those who would say, “Living the Christian life is a form of bondage or enslavement.”  They would likely allude to the statements of preachers, like myself, who quote Scripture and seek to lead you to loose your personal life in Christ.  They would ridicule the Christian idea of totally surrendering and submitting to the Lord Jesus Christ and His revealed will for your life.  But their misunderstanding of the unspeakable and unfettered goodness of God and the fullness of a life lived out with and for the Lord Jesus Christ could never diminish the eternal liberty already realized by those who love and live with our Lord and Savior.] 

[Almighty God, through our Lord Jesus Christ does not offer fetters or shackles for our lives, instead He offers liberty and the only true liberty known to mortal mankind.]  Let’s Consider, 

1.      God’s Desire for our Lives (vs 19; John 10.10; 1Pet 2.13-16; Gal 5.1,13; James 1.25)  [- 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: – What is it that Almighty God really wants for our lives?  I happen to believe that the Bible was indeed authored by Almighty God, through the process of inspiration, and has been perfectly preserved through the ages.  Hence, when I read my Bible I read it as God’s Word and will for my life, and yours too. ]

[There are those who do not hold my position concerning God’s Word.  They refuse to acknowledge what I have just stated because, even they would have to admit, if they really believed the Bible was God’s Word they would be foolish not to read it and heed it.  They do not want to heed God’s Word because they mistakenly feel that the Bible intends to hinder and even bind their life.  These people are often of the opinion that religion seeks only to force people to do what they don’t want to do, and not to do what they desire to do.] 

[I will make a distinction here between God’s Word (the Bible) and religion.  Religions and their tenants are man made, not God made, and in many cases are not based on the Bible at all.  Yes, the Bible will lead to some restraint in life; some may even call these religious principles, but in reality God’s purpose through His revealed written Word is to provide a release in life, or liberty for life.  I have come to recognize this restraint as the responsibility that is inherently affixed to my liberty.  Returning to God’s desire for out lives the Bible states,] 

[John 10:10 ¹⁰ The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. ]

[1 Peter 2:13-16 ¹³ Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; ¹⁴ Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. ¹⁵ For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: ¹⁶ As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. ]

[Galatians 5:1 ¹ Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. ]

[Galatians 5:13 ¹³ For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. ]

[James 1:25 ²⁵ But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. ]

[God’s desire for our lives is clearly revealed in His written Word.  God desires to give us liberty and an abounding, blessed, and glorious life.  Our Heavenly Father wants us to have the best possible life both now and in eternity to come.] 

[Someone might ask, “Well if God intends for people to have the best possible life then why is there so much tragedy and evil in life?”  One might ask, “Where is this blessed life?!”] 

2.      God’s Discretion for our Lives (vs 19; Gen 2.15-17) [- . . . therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: - Indeed, God really does want people to experience the very best in life, but God has also determined to give you liberty in life.  Almighty God did not want to make people into automatons (robots); He wanted to give people liberty or choice.  God did not desire for there to be evil and wickedness in our world or our lives.  But, because God loved us with an omniscient love, He gave mankind the ability and liberty to choose what they wanted in life.] 

[When God placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (Gen 2-3) he formed perfect people, put them in a perfect place, provided them a perfect provision, and gave them His perfect presence.  God then, in supernatural love, placed the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the midst of the garden and gave them the ability to make a choice.  They could have chosen to love God and receive the reward of staying in that perfect condition with Him, or they could choose to take of that tree and suffer the consequences of their choice to rebel against God.  God not only loved them enough to give them the liberty of the choice, but He also loved them enough to tell them what the result of their choice would be.] 

[Genesis 2:15-17 ¹⁵ And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. ¹⁶ And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: ¹⁷ But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. ]

[Adam and Eve were in absolute perfection and choose to rebel against God and because of their choice brought sin, death, and evil upon all of creation and all of mankind.  They choose to sin, and as a result suffered consequences for their choice and brought sinfulness and its consequences upon all humanity.] 

[You have been given the liberty of choice in your life by Almighty God, but you cannot control the results of our choices (consequences or rewards).] 

[Evil and wickedness are the results of sin in our world.  God did not make the world this way.  Mankind has made the world this way.] 

[God gives you a choice today, only your choice is being made from the position of a corrupt creation and sinful character, rather than the position of Adam and Eve’s perfect creation and sinless character.  Hence, our text expresses it well, “. . . Therefore choose life. . .”] 

3.      God’s Direction for our Lives (vs 16-18; Rom 8.29; Psalm 15) [– In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it. ¹⁷ But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them; ¹⁸ I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it. – What does God want for peoples lives?  He reveals it clearly in His Word,] 

[Romans 8:29 ²⁹ For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.]

[What is God’s desire for human beings?  It is that they might be just like His only begotten Son and our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.  Almighty God wants you to have the most satisfying, and most fulfilling life possible.  But you must choose life for yourself.  God will not force you to be like Jesus.  God will not force you to be or do anything you do not want to be or do.  But know without any doubt that what you choose you will get!] 

[Eternal Salvation and the ultimate, fulfilling life designed by God is all a matter of choice.  Consider our text carefully.] 

[Deuteronomy 30:16-18 ¹⁶ In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it. ¹⁷ But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them; ¹⁸ I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it. ]

[Almighty God places choices in your life.  You can and must choose in life, but you cannot control the results of your choices.] 

[Choice (Liberty) Demands Responsibility – With your choices there comes inherent and unavoidable responsibility.  Americans today want to have the liberty to make choices, but Americans are not willing to be responsible for their choices.  People want to do whatever they want to do, but they do not want to be held liable for their actions.  People desire to be absolved from the responsibility for their choices. ]  

[Do you know what liberty without responsibility is?  Liberty without responsibility is chaos.] 

[So Almighty God has given you life and liberty.  Almighty God desires for you to experience the blessedness of the liberty He has provided for you.  Almighty God has built responsibility into your liberty as the undeniable and unavoidable nature of your freedom to choose.] 

[God Is Pro Choice – God is also Pro Responsibility.  ] 

[We have the issue of abortion today, in America, because God is Pro Choice.  You have the liberty of making choices in your life, you also have the responsibility that accompanies your choices.  You mighty think, “That’s right preacher, and I have the right to choose to abort my pregnancy if I want.”  Indeed, you do, and God will hold you responsible for your choice one day, that you will not avoid.  You cannot abdicate the consequence for your sinful and bad choices just because you want to.  You have the ability to choose but you do not have the ability to decide the consequences of your choices.] 

[Unwanted Pregnancy -  If you have an unwanted pregnancy then you should not have chosen to engage in the activity that produced the pregnancy in the first place.  You actually made your choice to produce life before you were ever faced with the choice of killing a life through abortion.  Now, is the time to be responsible for your choices, rather than thinking that somehow you can just abdicate your responsibility.  Almighty God will hold you responsible for your choices, whether you want to be responsible or not.  By the way, The Center For Bio-Ethical Reform reports that,] 

[64.4% of all abortions are performed on never-married women; Married women account for 18.4% [of these I wonder how many are from extra marital engagements?] of all abortions and divorced women obtain 9.4%.[8]] 

[It is high time that people became responsible for their choices and actions.  If you conceive a life, then you must be responsible for that life and raise it.  Going a step farther it is time for people to become responsible for their choices in every facet of their lives.  I am reminded of what God has said,] 

[Psalms 15:1-5 ¹ LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? ² He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. ³ He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour. ⁴ In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not. ⁵ He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved. ]

[The old saying still applies today, “A man is only as good as his word.”  In other words, take responsibility for your words, actions, and choices.] 

B.     Our Lord and Life [– Lest there should be any doubt about whether or not a conceived life is a God ordained life I will briefly reveal God’s will according to His Word concerning conception and life.] 

1.      God Provides Life (Psalm 100.3; Isa 44.24; 64.8) [– These texts reveal that God clearly sees and weaves life together in keeping with His foreknowledge.  We work in conception, but God is the great architect and giver of life.] 

[Psalm 100:3 Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. ] 

[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; ] 

[Isaiah 64:8 But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand. ] 

2.      God Purposes Life (Jer 1.5; Exo 4.11) [- This text clearly demonstrates the plan and purpose that God has for those He places in the womb.  Even those with infirmities.] 

[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. ] 

[Exodus 4:11 ¹¹ 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?]

3.      God Protects Life (Exodus 20.13; 21.22-25) [- God gives decrees that demonstrate His desire to protect all life, even life still in the womb.] 

[Exodus 20:13 Thou shalt not kill. ] 

[Exodus 21:22-25 If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman's husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine. 23And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, 24Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe. ] 

C.     Our Lives and Life 

1.      You have the responsibility to Choose. 

2.      You do not have the right to choose the Consequences. 

3.      You do not have the right not to Choose. 

CrossRoads Baptist Church, July 20, 2008