May 4, 2022
Dear Redemption family,
As you may have heard, the Supreme Court seems poised to overturn Roe v. Wade, opening the door for states to significantly limit or ban abortions.
Abortion has become a very political and polarizing issue. Our church strives to be apolitical as much as possible. This is one of our distinctives: “The Church belongs to Jesus and his global, eternal Kingdom, not to a country or a political party. Thus, we are apolitical. We are brothers and sisters of diverse political opinions united in Christian fellowship. Yet our church unapologetically teaches from the scriptures, which will inevitably challenge all people and all political persuasions.”
Thus, when the bible speaks, we speak. And, from our church’s perspective, abortion is not a political issue, but a moral and biblical one. So, this also is one of our distinctives: “We believe the unborn human being is a human being and, therefore, has a right to life. We express that through encouraging adoption, helping high school moms, and caring for orphans around the world. We also love to help women heal emotionally from past mistakes, because Jesus is about grace and forgiveness.”
Yes, we believe that abortion is the killing of a human being. It is sin. And it’s a tragedy that our country has a huge industry that turns a profit by preying on vulnerable women, killing millions of babies, and burdening women with untold mental and emotional anguish.
Of course, biblical and theological literacy has declined over time. Many who attend church may be unfamiliar with the issue from a biblical standpoint. I encourage you to read this article and watch my sermon.
While we realize that not everyone who attends RC would agree with our position, our church would rejoice if Roe v. Wade were overturned. At the same time, because the issue is so contentious, we believe this will lead to a lot of cultural upheaval. And there are several important things to remember:
- It isn’t over till it’s over. The decision is not yet officially delivered. Then the proponents of abortion will seek other avenues – potentially seeking to pack the Supreme Court or to pass a federal law protecting abortion in every state. This is a decades-long battle, and it will continue.
- Our witness for Christ is carried in our tone, not just our content. While the culture around us takes the gloves off, let us be kind, calm, and charitable. Let us remember that everyone that disagrees with us is not an enemy but a human being whom we wish to reach with the gospel.
- We must strive to be pro-woman, pro-helping, pro-compassion… not just anti-abortion. So, as disciples of Christ, let’s continue to lean into being foster parents and supporting foster parents. Let’s adopt and help those who adopt. Let’s continue to support ministries like Teen Mother Choices, that doesn’t just say, “You can’t abort,” but also says, “Let us help you.”
- This is about real women in our midst. You see, for many Christians this is simply an abstract issue that applies to “those women out there.” But, for many women, it’s very personal and emotional because they have walked that road. Keep that in mind as you interact about this issue. Sometimes your opinion will be heard by a woman who has had an abortion and feels horrible about it. You’ll say, “I never knew!” Of course you didn’t. You think she wears that bit of her story on a t-shirt?! You will think you’re simply waxing intelligently about a cultural issue, meanwhile you are unknowingly throwing salt in the most sensitive, emotional, shame-filled wound of her life. And, yes, we have many women in RC who have had abortions. And I love them. More importantly, Jesus loves them. Let him who is without sin throw the first stone. Yes, we’ll still call it sin. But know that those women are devastated, trying to heal, trying to believe God loves them and forgives them. Let’s love them well.
Our ultimate hope is in Jesus, not politicians nor justices. And our ultimate message is the gospel, not legislation. Let us live and love well during the season of history that He’s given to us.
