The incarnation of Jesus Christ reveals the significance of human life. This one truth is enough to spur the Christian and the church to fight for life, to defend life, to speak for life, and today to march for life. There are thousands who have gathered in Washington, DC to speak against the atrocity of abortion. Abortion is nothing less than the murder of an innocent child.
Even as I write that last sentence my heart hurts. Not only does my heart ache for the loss of life, but also for the women (and men who encouraged it) who have experienced abortion. I know many who have walked this painful road and have seen the tears and heard the cries of pain and regret. Abortion is not over when the procedure is done, in some ways the pain of abortion has just begun. Through the incarnation of Christ, we see God’s steadfast love to save the worst of sinners, whoever you may be. The mother who lives with pain and regret is offered the love and grace of God through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Our country would be a very different place if not for abortion. In fact, the world itself would be a different place if not for abortion. In 1973 the United States legalized abortion, and since then there have been over 58 million abortions in the US alone. In 2017 the population of the US is just over 325 million. If not for the 58 million abortions the population could be closer to 385 million in our country, with many of those who were aborted having children of their own by now. Close to 20% of the US population has been aborted since 1973. Just think there would be scores of people between the ages of 0-44. They would be Moms, Dads, siblings, children, business owners, doctors, leaders, developers, scientists, engineers, teachers, coaches, and more. Think about adding 58 million to the dinner tables at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Consider celebrating 58 million more birthdays each year. Imagine the possibilities that come to our world through people.
I wish we could go back and place that statistic in front of the Supreme Court, to let them know that their ruling would erase 20% of the potential population of our country. The loss is not just lives that could have been, but what we have become. We have emerged as a country and a culture that embraces death. Celebrities fund it, popular people say they wish they had done it, and young people are looking forward to exercising their right to have an abortion the first chance they get.
Our culture has embraced a self-centered, person-focused rejection of God and His plan for humanity. Christianity is a Christ-centered, put God first, place others second, and yourself last people. Because of this we serve others by fighting for those who can’t fight for themselves. We pray against those who are opposed to God’s will, support pro-life organizations, march for life, and more. We adopt, reconcile, free those entrapped in slavery, speak for those who have no voice, and love those who are unloved. We do all of this because of what God has done for us in Christ. Jesus Christ came for us, He came to save, and He came to redeem. Jesus put on flesh to accomplish His purpose, and we live this life we now live in the flesh by faith in the Son of God, who gave himself up for us so that we could show and share His love with others.