I'm not active at social media
Social media is blowing up today with the news that the Supreme Court has overturned Roe V. Wade. Whenever a world-changing event happens it seems like the cultural response is to rush to social media to let the world (or in my case the 1578 people who follow me on Instagram) know your opinion on the matter. I'm not against this, but it's just not my flow. For one thing, social media feels too much like work to me. Typing out all my thoughts on the keyboard of my phone sounds about as exciting as helping a friend move their furniture when they live on the third level of an apartment building. I'll do it, but only if I have to. Secondly, the format itself is insufficient. It's impossible to have meaningful dialogue with someone who cares deeply about an issue. It's also limited in its ability to be proactive and directive. Social media, though informative, is largely reactive. So what you're left with is catch phrases and commentary that only serves as a response to someone else's reaction. That's great if you're a preacher. I love a good statement. (We even like it when people talk back!) It's not so good if you actually want to help meet people in their moment and move them forward in the mission of Jesus. I really want to help people, so for that reason I'm trying out this format instead.
The Bible and politics
It saddens me to admit this, but I feel like our political parties have done a better job at making disciples than the Church. That's something I want to change, and I will do everything I can do to change it. I want to be biblical not political. Unfortunately, the political tribes on both sides have co-opted certain values and made them political issues. For that reason it's almost impossible to talk about things that are legitimate biblical values without them being interpreted through a political lens. Maybe that's not all bad. Politics at its core is about making decisions that best serve people. We live in a political world. But my concern is when I see people show more loyalty to their political identity than their Christianity. In fact, I've met many on both sides of the political spectrum that think that it is impossible to be a follower of Jesus and hold to the other parties' ideals. Let's face it. There is hypocrisy on both sides. Calling out hypocrisy isn't my norm. But pointing people to the truth is. And whenever we have a deeply held belief that conflicts with the truth of God's Word, all of us, myself included need to repent (change our thinking) and ask God to help us conform more to His image. So what is the biblical view of the Supreme Court decision? Before I answer that question, let me answer it with another one.
“It saddens me to admit that our political parties have done a better job at making disciples than the Church”
How do I know what I believe about the Bible is right?
My wife and I have been leading a group for young leaders at our home on Wednesday nights. We've been discussing the non-negotiables of leadership at Velocity. It's a pre-requite that leaders in our church are Christ-Centered. One of the distinctives of a Christ-Centered person is their desire to make every effort to accurately apply the truth of God's Word (2 Timothy 2:15). So in the process of discussion I asked them this question, "How do you know if the way you're interpreting the Bible is correct?" That question was met with silence, shortly after someone retorted, "ask Pastor Justin." While obviously I would tend to agree (Who doesn't think they have a whole and complete view on scripture?) there actually is a way you can know if you're view of scripture is accurate or not. And it's not by listening to me, it's by asking yourself the question "What is the historic (Orthodox) Church's position on this issue?" For example, if you listen to my sermons or read anything I've written, you're going to get a glimpse of my interpretation of scripture on a subject. You're going to understand how I think about an issue. In the same way, if you read the writings of early Church fathers (people alive during the time of Jesus and the disciples of "The Disciples") you're going to get a perspective on how they thought about a certain subject. These writings aren't inspired in the same way the Bible is, but they do give you insight into how they thought. Believe it or not, most of the questions we wrestle with today are not new questions. They've been wrestled down long ago and codified through creeds.
So what is the historic Church's position on this subject?
The Church has unequivocally and categorically valued life while it's still in the womb (and once it's outside too). Let me first give you some scriptural examples.
13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit them together in my mother’s womb. 14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! It is amazing to think about. Your workmanship is marvelous—and how well I know it. 15 You were there while I was being formed in utter seclusion! 16 You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe. Every day was recorded in your book!
5 Before I formed you in your mother’s body I chose you. Before you were born I set you apart to serve me.
15 For he will be one of the Lord’s great men. He must never touch wine or hard liquor—and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from before his birth!
When you look at these three scriptures and others, it's clear that God values life and sees life while it's still in the womb. But beyond that what we find from history is that this was the mindset of the early Church. From earliest times, Christians sharply distinguished themselves from surrounding pagan cultures by rejecting abortion and infanticide. The earliest widely used documents of Christian teaching and practice after the New Testament in the 1st and 2nd centuries, the Didache (Teaching of the Twelve Apostles) and Letter of Barnabas, condemned both practices, as did early regional and particular Church councils. To be sure, knowledge of human embryology was very limited until recent times. However, even with mistaken biological theories the Church's common conviction that abortion is gravely wrong at every stage never changed. In the 5th century AD this rejection of abortion at every stage was affirmed by the great bishop-theologian St. Augustine. We could chronicle the Church through the ages, but the fact remains since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion and this teaching has not changed.
This is a justice issue
According to the Natural Law, there is no other basis for justice except by appealing to the immutable rights of a human being. The problem with abortion is that it negates the equality of citizenship by targeting a whole class of people considered sub-human. I believe as Christians we have a responsibility to speak up for the voiceless, oppressed, marginalized, homeless, the refugee, and vulnerable. That's why I've spoken out against racism where I've seen it and done my part to help create justice in our city. But let us not forget that the unborn fit perfectly into each one of these categories. That's why I believe this is the supreme justice issue of our day. If we're willing to kill a viable human life in the womb, in reality we're killing our conscience. And by killing our conscience we are losing our ability to discern right from wrong. I know we can't legislate morality, but we can pass laws that will save lives, which is a justice issue. And when we can, we should. We also shouldn't stop there. I believe more needs to be done to protect women, in addition to supporting women and the children after they are born. Which by the way, data shows Christians are awesome at.
“As Christians we have a responsibility to speak up for the voiceless, oppressed, marginalized, homeless, the refugee, and vulnerable. But let us not forget that the unborn fit perfectly into each one of these categories."
Don't believe the lies of culture that say Christians only care about life while it's in the womb.
Christians adopt more children than any other population segment, more than doubling the norm.
Christians are exponentially more generous to the poor with both time and money.
Look, I know the Church isn't perfect. And I am all for honest critiques of Christians where there is validity. But to say Christians only care about life in the womb is intellectually dishonest. over half the refugee resettlement agencies are Christian. Personally, our church gave over $140,000 last year alone to help people in crisis and care for those less fortunate in addition to planting more churches. This doesn't even take into consideration the 120+ kids that are sponsored individually by people in our church.
Gracious and grateful
So what does that mean for you and me today? First, I want to recognize that millions of women will feel hopeless during this season and the Church will need to be a voice of compassion not a voice of condemnation. My heart goes out to the many women who have walked through unplanned pregnancies. I hope you only find grace from me. Please know that I am praying for you right now and that I'm also committed to do even more to care for vulnerable women. Make no mistake that even with this ruling there is still more that needs to be done. We need to train men to lovingly own responsibility for the families they create. We need to be active in adoption and foster care. We need to continue to support ministries who rescue women victims of abuse. And we need to pass laws that support these initiatives. This is what we have done and this is what we will continue to do. I recognize that women have never gotten pregnant by themselves and that when a woman contemplates an abortion, a man was involved in the forming of that baby. For too long, women have faced this issue alone. There needs to be more accountability for the man, not less.
So that's why my first response is to be gracious. But I also want you to understand that I'm grateful. I'm grateful because with this decision our country as the opportunity to become a more just nation. We could quote the statistics on how abortion is the most prevalent human rights violation in our country (there are 800,000 abortions each year in the US). But the truth is, this is not a political issue it's a biblical one. I want to be biblical. And my prayer would be that even if this flies in the face of your political leanings, you would want to be the same.
