The Bible does not specifically mention the term “abortion,” but it provides principles regarding the sanctity of life, the value of human beings, and God’s care for the unborn. These principles have been central in shaping Christian perspectives on abortion, with many passages affirming that life is a gift from God and that God knows each person even before birth. Here’s a look at what Scripture says about life, including the unborn, and how these teachings relate to the topic of abortion:
1. The Sanctity of Human Life
The Bible teaches that all human life is created by God and is precious in His sight. Every person bears the image of God, which grants human life a unique value and dignity.
- Genesis 1:27 – “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”
- Psalm 139:13-16 – “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place… Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”
- Meaning: These passages highlight that God is intimately involved in the creation of every person. Life is seen as beginning in the womb, and God’s knowledge and purpose for each life exist even before birth.
2. God’s Knowledge of the Unborn
The Bible includes several passages that show how God knows and values individuals even before they are born. This indicates that God sees the unborn as persons with purpose and value.
- Jeremiah 1:5 – “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
- Isaiah 49:1 – “Before I was born the Lord called me; from my mother’s womb he has spoken my name.”
- Galatians 1:15 – Paul says, “But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased…”
- Meaning: These verses reflect that God has a purpose for individuals even from the womb. Jeremiah and Isaiah both affirm that God’s calling and relationship with them began before birth, underscoring the sacredness and intentionality of each life.
3. Scripture’s Depictions of the Unborn as Living Beings
The Bible refers to unborn children as unique, individual persons, which suggests that they are seen as human lives rather than potential lives.
- Luke 1:41, 44 – When Mary visits Elizabeth, the unborn John the Baptist “leaped in her womb” upon hearing Mary’s greeting. Elizabeth says, “As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.”
- Job 31:15 – Job says, “Did not he who made me in the womb make them? Did not the same one form us both within our mothers?”
- Meaning: These verses show that the Bible recognizes unborn children as having physical and emotional responses. John the Baptist’s reaction in the womb reflects personhood and spiritual significance, suggesting that the unborn are valued as living beings.
4. Prohibition of Taking Innocent Life
The Bible consistently teaches that taking innocent life is against God’s command and is a serious offense. This principle is foundational for understanding Christian views on the sanctity of life.
- Exodus 20:13 – “You shall not murder.”
- Proverbs 6:16-17 – “There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood…”
- Meaning: These verses stress God’s commandment not to take innocent life. In light of the sanctity of life, these passages support the idea that ending a life, including that of the unborn, is contrary to God’s design.
5. God’s Care for the Vulnerable
The Bible frequently highlights God’s compassion and care for the weak, helpless, and vulnerable. This care extends to all who cannot protect themselves, often interpreted to include the unborn.
- Psalm 82:3-4 – “Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”
- Matthew 18:10, 14 – Jesus speaks of God’s care for “little ones,” and says, “In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.”
- Meaning: God’s concern for protecting the helpless suggests an ethic that values all human beings, particularly those who cannot defend themselves. The unborn, as some of the most vulnerable, are often seen as falling under this protective care.
6. Examples of God’s Disapproval of Harm to Pregnant Women and Their Children
The Old Testament law includes instructions that illustrate the seriousness with which God views harm to the unborn.
- Exodus 21:22-25 – “If people are fighting and hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined… But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth…”
- Meaning: This passage is often interpreted to indicate the value of both the mother and the unborn child. Any harm caused to either is taken seriously, and appropriate restitution is required, further reflecting the principle of valuing life.
Summary
The Bible emphasizes that human life is sacred and that each person is created by God with purpose and value from the earliest stages. God’s relationship with individuals often begins before birth, as seen with Jeremiah and John the Baptist, and His commands consistently uphold the sanctity of innocent life. While the Bible does not address abortion directly, the principles outlined in Scripture about the sanctity of life, God’s intimate knowledge of the unborn, and the protection of vulnerable lives shape a perspective that values and protects life at every stage.
For many Christians, these biblical principles inform a view that opposes abortion as incompatible with God’s design for the protection of life.