Is It Really A Spiritual Battle?

One impression we often encounter in the defense of the unborn is the notion that it’s a political issue and the church should stay out of it. In fact, I have talked with pastors who literally say, “While I personally agree with your position, Jim, this is not something I can talk about.”

This type of response deeply saddens me because abortion is first and foremost a spiritual issue. It’s one the church must fight and the Pregnancy Resource Center is meant to be one of its resources, not the only endeavor.

A quick scan of scripture will reveal this. Jesus said, in John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.”

In that single verse Jesus summarizes the battle seen throughout scripture, confirming that this battle for life has raged since the beginning of mankind.

In the Old Testament, God told decreed at Adam and Eve’s fall that there would be enmity between Eve and the serpent; and specifically noted that her offspring would crush the head of the serpent’s offspring (Satan). Furthermore in the ancient text, God pleads numerous times for His people to purge themselves of the influences of other gods. Molech and Baal, for example, were two ancient deities who required child sacrifice to please them and the LORD wanted no other gods before Himself.

It is no modern thing that under this type of satanic influence, people willingly sacrifice their children.

In the story of Moses we see that at his birth he needed to be hidden away from Pharaoh because he was killing all the baby boys. Later, when Jesus was born, King Herod plotted to destroy him by trying something similar and so Joseph protected his family when warned in a dream. They fled to Egypt for refuge.

There are other examples as well. The Apostle John, in the book of Revelation, spoke of the evil intentions Satan has toward children when he described his vision of the dragon standing at the feet of the woman, “so that he might devour her child the moment it was born.”

Satan has always hated children. But why?

I think the answer to that question also underscores why the defense of the unborn is a spiritual matter. It has to do with families. At the close of Malachi chapter 2 the prophet describes God’s heart toward divorce. “I hate divorce,” says the LORD God of Israel.” Malachi 2:16

But I think the source of God’s passion against divorce is the same passion he has for life; and it’s found in the prior verse.

Malachi 2:15 says, “Has not the LORD made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his. And why one? Because he was seeking godly offspring. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth.”

The reason God hates abortion is the same reason he hates divorce: both destroy His intention that children be raised to know and worship Him. God’s heart has always been that the good news of his love for mankind be passed to the next generation.

How does He do that if children are aborted and families divorce? (I’m not saying that children raised in divorced situations won’t become worshippers. I’m simply laying out what I see as God’s desire for couples to be equally yoked, stay married and have children to whom they pass their faith in Him.)

Since the early 70’s, when Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton made abortion legal at any time and for any reason in our country, an estimated 48 million babies have been aborted.

My guess is that many of those people would have been worshippers of the LORD God. That breaks the heart of their Creator and that makes abortion a spiritual issue.

Now when I meet with pastors I take a different approach. The PRC is a parachurch organization, and pastors understand that. But I’ve had success in using the analogy of being a paralegal to a lawyer to make my point.

If the pastor were a lawyer and I served as a paralegal, my job would be to do tons of research, conduct many interviews and gather as much information as I possibly could to help prepare the lawyer’s case.

My job would be to get him or her ready for a court appearance.

Similarly, as a parachurch organization, my job is to do everything I possibly can to help prepare the pastors in this community for the presentation of their case.

The church is ultimately accountable for how it has brought the truth of God’s heart for life, as revealed in scripture, to bear on the abortion issue. Soon the Judge will hear the church’s case.

I expect He will want to know what the church has done with the resources He has provided to stand for life.

-Jim Sprague