Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - June/82

Contributor - Ellie Van Slageren

Title - Consecrated by God

Topic - Abortion

"Children are a heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is His reward." Ps. 127:3

In the beginning God created heaven and earth. On the sixth day God created man and gave him everything that he needed. He gave him dominion over everything already created. God saw Adam's need for a mate suitable for him, a helper, and so God created woman. Man and woman were made for each other. As part of His magnificent plan, God gave man the great gift of love. From the beautiful union of husband and wife, the two becoming one flesh, God gives the tiny baby.

Adam and Eve knew each other in the sacred act of sexual union and she conceived and bore a child. Eve said, "I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord" (Gen. 4: 1). She acknowledged that the Lord had made it possible for her to conceive a child.

Now the Lord did not just intervene when the child was born into the world, but He was already in control before conception took place and the whole while the baby was being formed in its mother's womb. Jeremiah 1:5 says, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you". God had Jeremiah's life and calling planned even before he was conceived. What if his mother had chosen the route of abortion? Dare we interfere with the holy plans of an almighty God?

Man says that life begins at the point of conception, and this is true, but a Christian must also acknowledge that everything in their lives is ordered and controlled by God In Jeremiah's case we see that before the baby was formed, God knew what he would* be. Do we have the right to decide whether or not a child should or should not have the right to life, to be used or not to be used by God?

The Psalmist also recognized that God knew him while he was yet in his mother's womb (Ps. 22:9 - 10). Even then God was his God. He recognized God as his creator, forming him in his mother's womb. He knew that even there he was not hidden from God. Even the intricacies of conception are known to God. The Bible is so clear on the concept that life begins at conception (Ps. 139:13 - 16). Man does not understand the details of conception and the birth of a baby but God is all-knowing and we can never fully comprehend His works. His ways are much higher than our ways. By God's grace the miracle of child birth is possible!

We believe that the Bible teaches the sanctity of human life. Men are given the precious gift of life from God and are created in the image of God. God is the giver of life! Do we have the right to- decide to take away a life before it is fully developed? God places great value on the life of every human. Should we also not place as great a value on the gift of life? Are we now going to try to play God??

Life, the fruit of the womb, is truly a gift from God. The miracle of a child being formed in its mother's womb and being born is the ultimate of all creation. A child ... born in the image of God. A child ... consecrated by God. We need to praise God for His greatness in all of creation and especially in each creation of new life!

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