By Pr. Rhoda Klein Miller
God is both pro-life and pro-choice. Free will is one of the riskiest and most generous rights the Creator granted to humanity. Even after our first ancestors chose to abort themselves from God’s security and Eden’s womb (Genesis 2:16-3:24) their fate was not terminated nor was their autonomy revoked. This reveals God’s unconditional love and extreme grace. John 3:16 is another powerful confirmation that God is pro-life, desiring to save everyone from perishing, and pro-choice, pending consent to the offer of rescue.
Life is messy and the Bible does not always offer the black or white, true or false answers and resolutions we seek. Instead we find nuances and even contradictions that counter the polarizing positions we prefer. It’s almost as if we are challenged to place our ultimate trust in the Author instead of the text. From Scripture you can reason that life begins at first breath (Genesis 2:7) and find the penalty for causing a miscarriage is not equivalent to causing the death of a child (Exodus 21:22-24). However we also see evidence of the Holy One’s blessing and influence on in-utero lives like David, Samson, Jeremiah and John the Baptist (Psalm 139:16,Judges 13:5, Jeremiah 1:5, Luke 1:15, 40-45). Regardless of when life or personhood begins, it is indisputable that Jesus’ sacrificial love triumphed over the power of death and He promises resurrection and justice to those the Enemy robs of life. That is Good News for the pro-life and pro-choice individuals.
We should absolutely share our convictions on the sanctity of life and embrace the call to steward our bodies and communities for well-being, which includes paying taxes for child benefits and supporting single-parent ministry. Yet, the church cannot act as the conscience of individual believers or use coercive force to compel others to conform to the will of God, especially if they do not believe in Him. Whether you have had an abotion, been supportive or against someone you know facing that decision, may the peace, grace and truth of Jesus guide you forward. May spiritual healing be found in the welcoming embrace of our Good Father and within His church.