Abortion’s Anti-Gospel Premise
As this is being released, the 50th anniversary of the decision being handed down in the case of Roe v. Wade was this past Sunday. Thankfully, in 2022, there was a huge breakthrough with the decision to reverse Roe, but that huge Supreme Court decision put the issue back in the hands of the states, so the work continues.
As setbacks in such places as Kansas and even my state of Kentucky show, there is still a tremendous amount of work to be done. It has been said a number of times, but we need to continue to make it plain: the work is not done until abortion is not only illegal, but unthinkable.
But why is abortion wrong, and why do so many take such a strong stance against it? When there are so many for abortion and many others who just want to treat it as no big deal, why do Christians continue to be vocal about this issue?
We could simply state that abortion is murder and leave it at that. That should be enough, but I want to give another reason today. This reason is not original with me. In fact, the concept makes the rounds on social media about this time year, but I want to expand on this concept in order to help us all think.
Abortion is wrong because the entire premise is the polar opposite of the Gospel.
Here is what that looks like: the clarion call of Christianity is self-sacrifice. We die to self. We put others first. We are buried in baptism. “It is no longer [us] who live.” There is nothing about the Gospel message that is me-first (which, by the way, some preachers need to start preaching again, but that’s a different article).
Even the very foundation of Christianity is the self-sacrifice of Jesus. He died for others, including me. That is the pillar of the entire faith, but it also sets the example for what my life is meant to be. To borrow a famous phrase, each of us is to be a “living sacrifice.”
Jesus often used turns of phrase like the last being first and the first being last or the servant being elevated to the highest place. He washed feet to set an example. The point is this: the Gospel message is that I die for Him and I sacrifice for others.
Abortion is a 180-degree turn from that. What makes abortion wrong? It says, “You die for me.”
These are “my rights.” This is “my life.” This is messing up “my plans.” This is “my body,” and, thus, “my choice.” So, in order for me to get what I want, you die. It is nothing short of the inversion of the Gospel.
When any Christian stands for any “me-first” concept, it is proof that they are not standing for the Gospel. When that Christian would go so far as to stand for a premise that is so “me-first” that you die so that I get what I want, they have abandoned the Gospel.
May God help us to remember that and stand for the true call of Christianity.
AUTHOR: Adam Faughn
