As of Friday, June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Roe v. Wade was enacted in 1973 but has not been overturned in 49 years. The decision to overturn Roe v. Wade means that there is no longer a federal right to have an abortion.
This is a very touchy subject for some because it deals with abortion and women’s rights. With the recent decision concerning Roe v. Wade, Christians need to know how to respond and what this means for Christians.
Biblical View of Abortions
As Christians, the Roe v. Wade decision affects us greatly. While abortion is not completely illegal across the United States because it’s based on a state-to-state decision, it is still legal in many states.
Roe v. Wade has been responsible for the deaths of thousands of babies across America. With the ending of Roe v. Wade, abortions will not be easily accessible, and it means thousands of babies’ lives will be saved.
In the year 2019, the CDC reported that there were 629,898 legal induced abortions in the United States. With the overturn of Roe v. Wade, thousands of these babies will now be able to experience life.
As Christians, it is a great thing that babies are going to be saved from abortions across the United States, but we cannot dismiss this as only a good thing because we need to also acknowledge that the mother matters.
With the decision made today, there are going to be more women than ever who are going to need our help. While it is important to celebrate the life of the baby, we should not overlook the mother.
Often women who seek out abortions are going through a difficult time, and we must not overlook them. Instead of overlooking them, we need to help them in their struggle and love them as Jesus commands us (John 13:34-35).
Abortions go against the Bible and God’s view of life. God sees every life as precious, and the Bible tells us life starts at conception (Psalm 139). When a person has an abortion, they are murdering their baby.
The Bible tells us murder is a sin (Exodus 20:13; 1 John 3:15). If you have had an abortion, know that God will forgive you (1 John 1:9). If you know someone who has had an abortion, it is not right to condemn them as God is the only One who can judge anyone (James 4:12).
Instead of showing judgment, hate, and hostility, Christians are to extend love, kindness, and compassion to others. Roe v. Wade has changed the tables for many individuals, and it is vital at these times to extend even more love to others because we cannot fully know what is going on in another person’s mind over this decision.
A New Life
Many new lives will be born into the world as a result of the Roe v. Wade decision. Instead of abortion, maybe many of these babies will be adopted.
As Christians, it is vital that we use our time to help those going through this process and/or help at Christian organizations that help newly expecting mothers.
Not only should we help during the pregnancy, but we should also help them after they have the baby. Many organizations just help the mother during the nine months leading up to the pregnancy and then see their work as being complete.
While this is helpful, we need to go the extra mile and stay beside the mother and her newly born child. We should help, encourage, and support the new mother and her child in any way that we can.
It is not right to abandon the mother or her child because it is at these times that they need our help more than ever.
It is important to always try to imagine ourselves in the other person’s shoes. Many women who want to have an abortion won’t be able to have one anymore and there can be many emotions being experienced by the individual.
As Christians, we need to help them know that they matter, their child matters and that not having an abortion is the right decision. While it might be hard for many women to accept, abortions are murder.
If a woman goes somewhere to have an abortion, the woman will have to live with this decision for the rest of her life.
As Christians, we need to provide compassion and encouragement to the women going through this difficult season of life. We need to extend compassion in the same way Jesus would extend compassion to them.
The Roe v. Wade decision has changed many people’s lives and as Christians, we need to understand this and be caring toward others. We can use the decision concerning Roe v. Wade as an opportunity to share the gospel, extend Jesus’ love, and help others in tangible ways.
As an example, there are many trigger states surrounding the state I live in, and it is expected many women who are seeking out abortions will travel to the state I’m living in because abortions are still legal here.
If you are in a similar situation, it is a great time to get involved in a ministry that helps women turn away from abortion, preserve their unborn babies’ lives, and share the gospel with them.
Even if you are in a trigger state, you can still help women in their struggle by extending compassion and kindness to them.
Moving Forward
As we move forward in a new day, Christians need to still look to others with love and compassion. While the overturn of Roe v. Wade is a good thing that will cause abortions to become illegal, we should not act in a manner of hostility or belittle those who are struggling through this time.
We cannot fully know what is going on in the heart and mind of another person, especially a person who is unsure of their future.
The decision of overturning the Roe v. Wade decision will save the lives of thousands of babies, yet we also have to acknowledge the truth that many women will still seek out abortions in other ways that could harm themselves or even result in death.
This is why we need to reach out to others and genuinely care about them, their lives, and their futures. We should live as Jesus did and walk as He did. The Lord would never look down on a person or make them feel like they were less of a person because of their past decisions.
Instead, Jesus offered them forgiveness and new life. In the same way, we need to extend the same forgiveness and the opportunity for a new life in Christ.
The Roe v. Wade decision is a major decision that will affect Americans across the United States and it should not be taken lightly.
As Christians, we need to step up and help cultivate a better life for the new mothers and their babies. We should not sit on the sidelines and think that everything is better just because abortion has been made illegal.
Instead, we need to get involved with ministries that help women going through this tough time and we need to extend Jesus’ love in our actions, words, and lives.
For further reading:
5 Prayers for Women after Roe v. Wade Decision
How Should Christians Approach the Discussion of Abortion?
What Is the Christian Perspective on the Roe v. Wade Decision?
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