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May I turn in your Bibles to 
Psalm 139? Psalm 139. We'll essentially continue our 
study from this morning with a few questions concerning abortion, 
I did want to read Psalm 139, review several of the texts that 
I only stated this morning by way of address. We'll just look 
at those. We'll read them. And then, as I said, I have four 
questions I want to ask concerning this issue of abortion. But beginning 
in Psalm 139, beginning in verse 1. For the chief musician, a 
Psalm of David. O Lord, you have searched me 
and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up. You understand 
my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my 
lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is 
not a word on my tongue, but behold, O Lord, you know it all 
together. You have hedged me behind and 
before, and laid your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful 
for me. It is high. I cannot attain it. 
Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your 
presence? If I ascend into heaven, you are there. If I make my bed 
in hell, behold, you are there. If I take the wings of the morning 
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand 
shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, 
surely the darkness shall fall on me, even the night shall be 
light about me. Indeed, the darkness shall not 
hide from you, but the night shines as the day. The darkness 
and the light are both alike to you. for you formed my inward 
parts. You covered me in my mother's 
womb. I will praise you, for I am fearfully 
and wonderfully made. Marvelous are your works, and 
that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from 
you when I was made in secret and skillfully wrought in the 
lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance being 
yet unformed, and in your book they all were written. The days 
fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them. How 
precious also are your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the 
sum of them! If I should count them, they 
would be more in number than the sand. When I awake, I am 
still with you. Oh, that you would slay the wicked, 
O God! Depart from me, therefore, you 
bloodthirsty men! For they speak against you wickedly. 
Your enemies take your name in vain. Do I not hate them, O Lord, 
who hate you? And do I not loathe those who 
rise up against you? I hate them with perfect hatred. 
I count them my enemies. Search me, O God, and know my 
heart. Try me, and know my anxieties. And see if there is any wicked 
way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Amen. Well, let us pray. Our Father, 
we thank You for this, Your Word. We thank You for this wonderful 
psalm ascribing praise and glory unto You, the omnipotent, omnipresent, 
and omniscient God. Truly, You are from everlasting 
to everlasting. You are majestic and holy and 
all-powerful and all-glorious. And we have found You to be very 
merciful and very gracious and very kind and very good and forgiving 
in Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. We thank You for the Gospel, 
We thank you that you've taken us, formerly enemies, those who 
hated you, those who despised you, and you've brought us nigh 
through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. We praise you for 
so great a salvation. We praise you for redemptive 
benefit, for every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places 
in Christ Jesus that you've given to us. And we pray now that you'd 
guide our thoughts, guide our study, and we ask through Jesus 
Christ our Lord. Amen. Well, as I said, just by 
way of introduction, let's just go through some of these passages 
I referred to this morning. I wanted you to hopefully write 
them down, or at least write them down in your mind or heart. But Genesis chapter 25 illustrates 
one of the points that we brought up this morning, that children 
are indeed children. When they are in the womb, the 
pre-born are considered children. Genesis chapter 25 verse 22, 
but the children struggled together within her. This is the children 
of Rebekah, this is Jacob and Esau. The children struggled 
together within her and she said, if all is well, why am I like 
this? So she went to inquire of the Lord And the Lord said 
to her, two nations are in your womb. Two people shall be separated 
from your body. One people shall be stronger 
than the other. The older shall serve the younger. 
So when her days were fulfilled for her to give birth, indeed 
there were twins in her womb. And the first came out red. You 
see that language there. We saw it in Exodus 21, in verses 
22 to 25. If a woman is struck, so that 
her child or children come out. This is the language. of birth. What is in view in Exodus 21 
is a premature birth, not miscarriage. And then he says in verse 25, 
and the first came out red, he was like a hairy garment all 
over. So they called his name Esau. 
Afterward his brother came out, and his hand took hold of Esau's 
heel, so his name was called Jacob. So we see within the womb 
they are considered children, not undefined products of conception 
or a lump of cells. Turn over to Job chapter 10. 
Job chapter 10. Again, just rehearsing a few 
of these passages before we ask a few questions by way of application. Job 10, beginning in verse 8. 
Your hands have made me and fashioned me in intricate unity, yet you 
would destroy me. Remember, I pray, that you have 
made me like clay, and will you turn me into dust again? Did 
you not pour me out like milk and curdle me like cheese, clothe 
me with skin and flesh, and knit me together with bones and sinews? 
You have granted me life and favor, and your care has preserved 
my spirit." Again in Job 31, Job 31, verses 13 to 15. He's 
speaking about his own righteousness. He's speaking about his own compassion 
toward his own servant. And notice what he says in Job 
31, verses 13 to 15. If I have despised the cause 
of my male or female servant when they complained against 
me, What then shall I do when God rises up? When he punishes, 
how shall I answer him? Did not he who made me in the 
womb make them? Did not the same one fashion 
us in the wombs? We see God as the divine weaver, 
the one who fashions men and women together in their mother's 
wombs. Ecclesiastes chapter 11. Ecclesiastes 
chapter 11 verse 5, as you do not know what is the way of the 
wind or how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child, 
so you do not know the works of God who makes everything. The divine mystery, the fact 
that we don't know everything about God Himself is similar 
to the way we don't know how He does what He does in the womb 
of women who are carrying children. This is what the text specifies. Isaiah the prophet, chapter 49. 
a servant song of the Lord, specifically referring to the Lord Jesus Christ. It is the second servant song 
of Isaiah. Isaiah 49.1, Listen, O coastlands, 
to me, and take heed, you peoples from afar. The Lord has called 
me from the womb, from the matrix of my mother. He has made mention 
of my name. and he has made my mouth like 
a sharp sword. In the shadow of his hand he 
has hidden me, and made me a polished shaft. In his quiver he has hidden 
me." Jeremiah the prophet, chapter 1. Jeremiah the prophet, chapter 
1. What we find here is not only 
his call to the prophetic ministry, but as well his purpose and mission 
as the prophet of God. We see that purpose and mission 
specified in Jeremiah 1 at verse 10. See, I have this day set 
you over the nations and over the kingdoms to root out and 
to pull down, to destroy and to throw down, to build and to 
plant." I believe those first four verbs highlight the reality 
that Judah is going into exile, but it will not stop there. There 
will be building, there will be planting again. So the Lord 
is going to chasten Judah, but He will bring them out of exile 
and restore them to their land. But back in chapter 1 verse 5, 
beginning in verse 4, Then the word of the Lord came to me, 
saying, Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before 
you were born, I sanctified you. I ordained you a prophet. to 
the nations. As we rehearse these passages, 
hopefully you see and appreciate that truly God indeed has fashioned 
men in the womb, that children in the womb are his image bearers. Turn over to Luke chapter 1. 
Luke chapter 1, verse 15. For he will be great in the sight 
of the Lord, referring to John the Baptist, and shall drink 
neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the 
Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb." And then going over to 
chapter 1 verse 39. Now Mary arose in those days 
and went into the hill country with haste to a city of Judah, 
and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. And it 
happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the 
babe leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the 
Holy Spirit. Then she spoke out with a loud 
voice and said, Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the 
fruit of your womb. But why is this granted to me 
that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For indeed, as soon 
as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe 
leaped in my womb for joy. Blessed is she who believed, 
for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told 
her from the Lord." As I mentioned this morning, the Greek word 
employed there is the same word employed in chapter 18. You can 
turn there. We see this same term applied 
to babies in the womb and to babies or children outside of 
the womb. Luke 18.15, then they also brought 
infants to him. This is where we get the word 
pedo for pedo-baptism. The pedo means infant. Then they 
also brought infants to him that he might touch them. But when 
the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them to 
him and said, let the little children... Here's the word that 
is employed in chapter 1, verses 41 to 44. What is called brephos 
in the womb is here called brephos outside of the womb. It's not 
two separate terms describing two separate entities, but rather 
the same term describing the same entity, whether it be in 
the womb or it be outside of the womb. Jesus called them to 
him and said, let the little children come to me and do not 
forbid them, for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I 
say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as 
a little child will by no means enter it." And then in Galatians 
1, a passage very similar to what we see in Jeremiah 1. Galatians 
1, when the Apostle Paul is highlighting the fact that he is rightful 
participant in the apostolic ministry. He says in Galatians 
1.15, But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's 
womb and called me through His grace to reveal His Son in me, 
that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately 
confer with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem 
to those who were apostles before me. But I went to Arabia and 
returned again to Damascus." So I gave you those passages 
this morning with the hope and the intention that you would 
have looked them up. If you don't look them up, then at least now 
you have seen them for yourself in the Holy Scripture. Now, abortion 
or infanticide was a problem the early church had to contend 
with. In the Roman Empire, there's 
fragments, there's letters that are still extant, still in possession 
of historians and in museums, where a man would write to his 
wife and say, if it's a boy, good. If it's a girl, put her 
out basically with the trash heap. That's what they would 
do in terms of getting rid of unwanted pregnancies. They would 
put the baby out with the garbage, and then the dogs would possibly 
come and destroy those little ones or perhaps they would be 
taken and enslaved or sold into prostitution or any number of 
things. An early Christian document called 
the Didache in chapter 2, verse 2 says, you shall not abort a 
child or commit infanticide. You shall not abort a child or 
commit infanticide. Probably the Didache is dated 
around AD 120. So this was a common problem 
in the Roman Empire. Exposure, infanticide, abortion. Oftentimes drugs were used as 
a means by which to try and promote abortion in the lives of people. So that, again, is introductory. Now I want to ask four questions. 
And the first question is simply this. Is it ever right to have 
an abortion? Is it ever right to have an abortion? I believe that the Bible specifies, 
the Bible authorizes, the Bible gives three instances of lawful 
killing. In other words, when we read 
that sixth word, the old King James translates, you shall not 
kill. I think the preferable translation 
is, you shall not murder. Because the law itself, the Sinai 
legislation, includes instances where one may take the life of 
another human being. We'll look at those in a bit 
more detail in just a moment. But suffice it to say, abortion 
does not fall prey to any of these three instances. They are 
self-defense. They are legitimate war, and 
they are capital punishment. Those are the three times that 
the Bible says it is right, it is lawful, to take the life of 
another human being. Remember, there is a distinction 
made within the law itself between accidental homicide and murder. 
As well, there is a distinction made in the law itself between 
lawful killing and unlawful killing. And abortion cannot be argued 
with reference to self-defense. The baby is not trying to destroy 
the mother. It's obviously not legitimate 
war to engage upon a baby in the womb, and there is absolutely 
no reason why we ought to capitally punish a little infant in his 
mother's womb. But let's look at these three 
instances, just so we can see the full-orbs sense of God's 
Word with reference to this issue. of taking life. As I said, first 
of all, self-defense. Exodus chapter 22. You may turn 
there. Exodus chapter 22. We need to 
make sure we think biblically concerning the whole counsel 
of God, that we understand the same psalmist that rejoices in 
the fact that God knit him together in his mother's womb, then says, 
I hate those who hate you. The Bible is full-orbed, it speaks 
to all issues, and we as Christians need to understand these truths. So there is an instance of lawful 
killing with reference to self-defense. Notice in chapter 22 we move 
into property violation. If a man steals an ox or a sheep, 
and slaughters it or sells it, he shall restore five oxen for 
an ox, and four sheep for a sheep. Notice verse 2. If the thief 
is found breaking in, and he is struck so that he dies, there 
shall be no guilt for his bloodshed. If you are at home and a thief 
breaks into your home and in an attempt to stop the thief 
from engaging in his criminal activity, he dies, you are not 
guilty for his bloodshed. Verse 3 says, if the sun has 
risen on him, there shall be guilt for his bloodshed. What 
I believe that we are supposed to understand here is that if 
the sun is up, we know the thief's intention. We're better able 
to ascertain and determine why he's there. Obviously, if he's 
there to kill us, we can resist that, and if necessary, use that 
force reasonable to stop him. But if it's dark, And we come 
stumbling downstairs, or we're trying to rub the sleep out of 
our eyes. We don't know the intention of 
this man. We don't know if he's there simply to steal stuff, 
or he's there to engage in harm and destroy us or our family. And so self-defense is assumed 
here. Self-defense is authorized, even 
to the point where the man we are defending ourself against 
dies. Now obviously we don't have to 
kill everybody that tries to take our stuff, but what the 
law specifies here is what Matthew Henry speaks to. A man's house 
is his castle, and God's law as well as man's sets a guard 
upon it. He that assaults it does so at 
his own peril. Genesis chapter 14, Genesis chapter 
14, we see an instance. It's not a mandate, it's not 
a command, it is not go thou and do thus, but rather it is 
an illustration of this principle of self-defense. And it is by 
the righteous man Abraham, Genesis 14, 13. Then one who had escaped 
came and told Abram the Hebrew, for he dwelt by the terebinth 
trees of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner. 
And they were allies with Abram. Now when Abram heard that his 
brother was taken captive, He armed his 318 trained servants 
who were born in his own house and went in pursuit as far as 
Dan. He divided his forces against 
them by night and he and his servants attacked them and pursued 
them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus. So he brought 
back all the goods and also brought back his brother Lot and his 
goods as well as the women and the people. You see there, Abram 
arms his 318 servants and he goes and he does what he is supposed 
to do. The book of Nehemiah. The book 
of Nehemiah, remember the particular historical context. The temple 
has been rebuilt and now they go about building up the city, 
building up the city wall. And in the midst of this building 
project, they suffer or they have challenges in terms of the 
persons around them. And so Nehemiah 4.13 says, therefore 
I positioned men behind the lower parts of the wall at the openings 
and I set the people according to their families with their 
swords, their spears, and their bows. And I looked and arose 
and said to the nobles, to the leaders, and to the rest of the 
people, do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and 
awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your 
wives, and your houses. And it happened when our enemies 
heard that it was known to us and that God had brought their 
plot to nothing, that all of us returned to the wall, everyone 
to his work. So it was from that time on that 
half of my servants worked at construction, while the other 
half held the spears, the shields, the bows, and wore armor, and 
the leaders were behind all the house of Judah. Those who built 
on the wall and those who carried burdens loaded themselves so 
that with one hand they worked at construction and with the 
other they held a weapon. Every one of the builders had 
his sword girded at his side as he built, and the one who 
sounded the trumpet was beside me." The Lord Jesus in his earthly 
ministry assumes the reality that people will try and defend 
themselves. In Luke chapter 11, Again, this 
isn't a straight, direct passage teaching. Thou must go and defend 
yourself. I think there's more weight to 
be had in saying that it's an assumption by our Lord. It is 
natural. It is the way we function. It 
is the way we conduct ourselves. When someone tries to do damage 
to us, we defend ourselves. When somebody tries to steal 
our property, we defend ourselves. If we don't have property, ultimately 
we will die. There is that indirect necessity 
of property to sustain people. In Luke chapter 11 at verse 21. Luke chapter 11 verse 21, When 
a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are 
in peace. But when a stronger than he comes 
upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor 
in which he trusted and divides his spoils. Now the larger context 
is what Jesus is speaking to is the devil. He's armed, he's 
trying to defend his kingdom. Jesus is the stronger than the 
devil. He plunders him and he seizes 
all of his goods. But again, the operating assumption 
here is that strong men will arm themselves and guard their 
own palace. And then in Luke chapter 12 at verse 39. Luke 
chapter 12 at verse 39. Same sort of a thing, but know 
this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the 
thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house 
to be broken into. Therefore, you also be ready, 
for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect." 
Again, the larger context is to be watchful, to be mindful, 
to be vigilant, to be dutiful in this area of spiritual watchfulness. But the analogy is very clear. The assumption that our Lord 
brings to the table is very clear. Know this, that if the master 
of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would 
have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. 
It just doesn't happen. Self-defense is authorized in 
the law of God. Secondly, legitimate war. Deuteronomy 
chapter 7 verses 1 to 5. We won't read all this because 
we're going through Deuteronomy in our Wednesday night studies, 
but essentially God says go in to the land Canaan and utterly 
dispossess the land of the Canaanites and of their stock. You are to 
destroy them. In Deuteronomy chapter 20, there 
are principles, there are laws governing warfare. So we see 
it as legitimate. Again, not in every instance, 
but in certain instances, God Most High authorizes and legitimates 
war. And then, of course, the third 
lawful instance of killing We rehearsed this on Wednesday night 
as well. Capital punishment, Genesis 9, 
6. Whoever sheds man's blood, by man his blood will be shed. 
For in the image of God he made man. Romans 13, verses 1 to 4. 
God has armed the civil magistrate with the sword. He is an avenger 
of God's wrath in history, in time, in space, in order to bring 
historical judgment upon those who engage in evildoers. I quoted J. Gressom Machen this 
morning. Machen said that the state exists 
for the repression of evildoers and the protection of individual 
liberty. That's what we get from Romans 
13 1-4. That's what we see when we study 
the Sinai legislation. We don't see an over encroaching 
government that's involved in every area of our lives from 
cradle to grave, but rather we see a state that is tasked with 
the repression of evildoers and the protection of individual 
liberty. So is it ever right to have an 
abortion? If we ask the Bible, in what 
instances may I lawfully kill someone, and I don't suggest 
all of us ask that question, But if we do ask the question, 
in what instances may I... I'm just being a little humorous 
there. I hope on your Monday morning 
devotions you don't say, when can I kill someone? That's weird. 
That's bizarre. If we ask the simple question, 
does the Bible authorize killing? It does in three instances, self-defense, 
legitimate war, capital punishment. Not abortion. That is a sin, 
it is a crime, it is wicked, it is heinous. The second question, 
what about the hard cases? What about the difficult scenarios? What about the woman who is raped? What about the pregnancy that 
comes as a result of incest? What about the life of the mother? 
Let's just take that one first. In the life of the mother, I 
think a doctor's primary interest is to do all he can to save everybody 
involved. Right? Very infrequently do I 
imagine, at least the literature that I've researched, does it 
suggest that doctors are always struck with this idea, the woman 
or the baby. Generally speaking, a doctor 
is going to try to do the best he can, he should do, the best 
he can to promote the life of the baby and the mother. Now, 
in the midst of doing that, sometimes difficult things happen, to be 
sure. But it's probably not the regular 
occurrence where there's a group of doctors given some time, given 
some opportunity to meditate, to consult, to consider, and 
say, well, are we going to save the woman, or are we going to 
save the baby? In many respects, this whole 
issue is a bit of a red herring. The idea is simple. We want doctors, 
you should want your doctor, to do everything he can to promote 
life in the mother and in the baby. What about the case of 
rape? Turn to Deuteronomy 22. Deuteronomy 
22. There are several instances specified 
concerning sexual crime in Deuteronomy chapter 22. Notice in verse 22, if a man 
is found lying with a woman, married to a husband, then both 
of them shall die. The man that lay with the woman 
and the woman, so you shall put away the evil from Israel. That 
would be what we would call garden variety adultery. Notice the second situation, 
the seduction of a betrothed woman. Verse 23, if a young woman 
who is a virgin is betrothed to a husband and a man finds 
her in the city and lies with her, then you shall bring them 
both out to the gate of that city and shall stone them to 
death with stones. The young woman because she did 
not cry out in the city and the man because he humbled his neighbor's 
wife. so you shall put away the evil 
from among you." Now, the betrothed woman is considered the man's 
wife. That's what the text specifies. Notice as well, she did not cry 
out in the city. That means she was complicit. 
That means she was consenting. That means she was a willing 
participant in this particular scenario, in this particular 
situation. Some have seen or interjected 
a dichotomy between a betrothed woman and a non-betrothed woman. The betrothed gets the protection 
of the law, the unbetrothed doesn't. It has nothing to do with those 
categories. It has to do with consent on 
the part of the woman, whether she's betrothed or unbetrothed. And notice the third situation, 
verse 25. If a man finds a betrothed young 
woman in the countryside and the man, here's the language 
of rape, forces her and lies with her, then only the man who 
lay with her shall die. But you shall do nothing to the 
young woman. There is in the young woman no 
sin deserving of death. For just as when a man rises 
against his neighbor and kills him, even so is this matter. For he found her in the countryside, 
and the betrothed young woman, here it is, cried out, but there 
was no one to save her." You see, this was not consensual. 
This was not participatory on her part. This was something 
against her will. He forced her. She cried out. Because it was in the countryside, 
there was no one to hear. She is a victim. But the interesting 
thing to notice, with reference to our study tonight, when a 
rape occurs, it is the rapist who is executed, not the baby. You see that? I would love to preach a sermon 
on stupid things pro-abortion people say. Somehow people have got it into 
their heads, even pro-life people, that in the case of rape or incest, 
it's somehow OK. The origin of that conception 
doesn't change the status of that concepted or conceived. Does it? Has there been a radical 
alter, a radical shift, a radical change in the substance of that, 
if I can use the language for just a moment, that product of 
conception? whether it's brought about in 
a loving, monogamous, wonderful marriage relationship, or it 
is the result of a vicious attack in rape. It does not change the 
substance, it does not change the status, it does not change 
the image of God in that person. We need to be consistent as Christians. We cannot say we're pro-life 
except in these instances that are inconvenient in our worldview. If it is an image-bearer, it 
is never right to take his or her life. It just isn't. We are 
not allowed. We don't have loopholes. We're 
not the rabbis looking for ways to justify a sinful expression 
of violence. It is very intriguing to me that 
in this instance concerning rape, it is certainly not the baby 
that is executed. It is the rapist who is executed 
for his crime. You never ever fix crime and 
you never ever fix sin by adding sin and crime to it. Haven't 
we all learned that to some degree or other? Haven't we all learned 
that when we tell a lie, we generally have to tell more lies to fix 
the scenario? Does it fix the scenario? No. The only thing that fixes rape, 
the only thing that fixes sin, the only thing that fixes these 
sorts of things is abiding by the law and submitting to the 
lordship of our blessed Jesus. He gives grace, He gives mercy, 
He can see us through difficult situations. In the case of rape, 
the woman is legitimately able to give that one up for adoption. That does not compound sin, it 
does not compound crime, it does not exacerbate an already messed 
up situation. In the case of rape or incest, 
you never deal with sin by compounding sin. In the life of the mother 
or the child, you do everything possible to save both lives. And then you'll sometimes hear 
them say, well, you know, if we don't have abortion clinics, 
they'll seek them out in back alleys. Do you realize that back 
alley abortion were done in clinics, in doctor's offices? It's rhetoric. It's all couched in the language 
of trying to horrify people. A third question, what is the 
foolproof way to avoid abortion? This is interestingly a piece 
of the puzzle that you don't ever hear. I almost feel, you 
know, redundant mentioning this. I almost feel somewhat simplistic 
having to highlight this, but you hear about these abortion 
statistics, you hear about all this stuff, no one ever stops 
for a moment and says, wait a minute, remember Paul when he was standing 
before Felix? He not only preached righteousness, 
he not only preached judgment to come, he also preached this 
thing called self-control. You know, sometimes people seek 
out abortion to try and cover up sin. People seek out abortion 
to try and to remove any evidence of wrongdoing. Well, to avoid 
the abortion, to avoid that particular sin that we need to cover up 
or compound with another sin, don't have sex. I'm not a biologist. I'm not. 
I mentioned this morning, I'm not a mathematician. I need to 
call my son to get percentages for 300 million, and a million, 
and 100,000, and 30 million. But this much I know, as a non-biologist, 
you can't get pregnant without sexual activity. Unless that's 
changed and no one told me, I'm operating under that assumption. 
Children and young people. Did you hear the statistic this 
morning? 20% of those who profess to be 
born again have abortions. Why is that? Why is that? Because they had sexual congress. The girl got pregnant and then 
they went out to try and cover it. Self-control. Guard your heart. Don't have sex. Wait. I know we live in an immediate 
gratification era. We need things right now. I want a burger. Let's go to 
the burger place. I want this. Click the computer. I mean, what a time to be a merchant. What a time to have an internet 
business. We got a lot of people that can't 
wait to spend money. They got credit cards. Instant 
gratification. I don't care if you're 18 or 
you're 19 or you're 20 and you're not married and you want to have 
relations. Don't do it. 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. The apostle utters this statement. He says, this is the will of 
God for you. Pay attention. Everybody wants 
to know, what is the will of God for me? You ever meet people 
like that? I'm trying to figure out what 
the will of the Lord is for me. 1 Thessalonians 4 specifies what 
the will of the Lord is for you. Abstain from sexual immorality. You see, if you don't have sexual 
immorality, you can't get pregnant. If there's no pregnancy, there's 
no possibility to abort that pregnancy. You see, self-control 
goes a long way in fighting this particular evil. Self-control 
goes a long way in trying to promote life. Abstain from sexual 
immorality. The Apostle speaks to sexual 
sin in Ephesians chapter 5, verses 1 and 2. to 7. Ephesians 5, he 
says, therefore, be imitators of God as dear children. Walk 
in love as Christ also has loved us and given himself for us, 
an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. 
But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even 
be named among you as is fitting for saints. neither filthiness, 
nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, 
but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no fornicator, 
unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has 
any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one 
deceive you with empty words. For because of these things, 
the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore, 
do not be partakers with them." Hebrews 13, verse 4. The apostle is clear. Marriage 
is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled. But fornicators 
and adulterers, God will judge. Young people that really want 
to enjoy the bliss of marital relations. Work hard, prepare 
yourself, and get married. and have babies. That's the remedy. That's the 
antidote. That's what God says to young 
people. Young men, work hard. Make money. Have something to 
bring to the table. Young women, learn how to serve 
a man. I don't mean that we get these 
connotations and all that. Learn how to be a homemaker. 
Learn how to be a lover of your husband. Learn how to be a lover 
of children. Work on those things. Find the 
man, find the girl that God has for you, and enjoy the blessings 
associated with marriage. That is the lawful outflowing 
of that particular activity. It's not that sex is bad any 
more than guns are bad. It's when we use them unlawfully 
that it becomes a problem. You don't condemn the activity 
because there's some who abuse it. Abusers should repent and 
forsake and learn to use it properly. You cannot have an unwanted pregnancy 
without sexual relations. So is it ever right to have an 
abortion? No. What about the hard cases? No. What is the foolproof way to 
avoid abortion? Self-control. And fourthly and 
finally, what should the church do? Now, certainly, as I mentioned 
this morning, within the Church, the individuals of the Church, 
we ought to be large-hearted. We ought to be compassionate. 
We ought to be loving. We ought to be kind. We ought 
to be gracious. We ought to entertain, bringing 
in a young girl who's pregnant and caring for her. We ought 
to entertain adoption. We ought to be those sorts of 
people that are large-hearted and are looking to serve and 
to express that second great commandment, which is loving 
our neighbors as ourselves. Certainly, these things are absolutely 
crucial in the life of God's people. As well, the church needs 
to preach the whole counsel of God. We have a lot of people 
today that don't know a lot of Bible. I know it's not you. You 
guys are all really skilled and really well-versed, and you traffic, 
and you know scripture, and it's great. But if one looks around 
at larger evangelicalism, and even within the Reformed community, 
man, it's sometimes scary. Jesus defined eternal life in 
John 17 3 this way. He said, and this is eternal 
life, that they may know thee, the only true God, and Jesus 
Christ whom thou hast sent. We need to know God's law. We 
need to know God's gospel. We need to preach these things. 
We need to teach these things. We need to set forth these truths. Carl F.H. Henry said this concerning 
the preaching of God's law. Even where there is no saving 
faith, the law serves to restrain sin and to preserve the order 
of creation by proclaiming the will of God. By its judgments 
and its threats of condemnation and punishment, The written law, 
along with the law of conscience, hinders sin among the unregenerate. It has the role of a magistrate 
who is a terror to evildoers. It fulfills a political function, 
therefore, by its constraining influence in the unregenerate 
world. You don't understand the things 
that we've mentioned tonight, those three instances of lawful 
killing. You don't understand how the 
law of God is to be employed. You don't understand the purposes 
that it serves and how it points us to the Lord Jesus. Then by 
all means study, brethren. Have answers. 1 Peter 3.15 says 
that the Christian, the disciple of Christ, must always be ready 
to give a reason for the hope that is within him to anyone 
who asks. How come you have hope? How come 
you have encouragement? Well, I understand the gospel. 
I understand the truth of God's word. Let me share it with you. 
Let me declare it with you. Let me tell you about it. You 
know, as Christians, that is what we have. Science arrives 
at the same conclusion. Those babies in the wombs are 
babies. Philosophers arrive at the same conclusion. Those babies 
in the wombs are babies. The Christian arrives with the 
consequence. That baby in the womb is a baby 
and is an image-bearer of God. And therefore, it is unlawful 
to take its life. If one does take its life, however, 
there is hope in Christ. There is hope in the gospel. 
There was a man by the name of David, king of Israel. I was 
just rehearsing that passage or reviewing that passage this 
afternoon. It's interesting. In chapter 11, there's no mention 
of God until verse 27. You'll remember that chapter 
11 is when David is covering his sins. He's doing everything 
he can to cover sin. He calls to Joab. He has Uriah 
brought to his house. He thinks if he can get Uriah 
drunk, Uriah will go lie with Bathsheba, he'll have relations 
with Bathsheba, and then everybody will think that it's Uriah's 
baby and not David's. That doesn't work. Uriah's a 
little bit too noble for that. David plies, David tries, David 
functions, David's engaged in machinations. We don't see any 
reference to God until verse 27. But the thing that David 
did displeased Yahweh. That's it. That's all it needs 
to say. The reader of scripture goes, 
what's going to happen? It's when God sends Nathan to 
preach to David, and God delivers David from his sins. It's beautiful. 
It's a wonderful picture. It's glorious. You see, the Christian, 
the Church, the people of God, not only have that law of God 
that is calling man to stop from sin, to be a restraint to sin, 
but we preach the gospel of free and sovereign grace to sinners. We tell them there is hope. We 
tell them there is forgiveness. We tell them there is mercy. 
We tell them that in the midst of a sin-cursed world, God was 
pleased to send his son to live, to die, and to rise again. So 
the church, first and foremost, must be about preaching the whole 
Council of God Most High. This is the answer. This is the 
need. This is what our generation desperately 
needs. They don't need me standing up 
here with holes in my jeans, sipping a latte, and being culturally 
relevant. They need to hear a clear exposition 
of Exodus 21, 22 to 25, They need a clear exposition of 2 
Corinthians 5.21. They need a clear exposition 
of who God is, what He demands, how we violate that law, and 
how Christ is the provision for sinners. That is culturally relevant. That is what our generation desperately 
needs to hear. Well, let us pray. Our Father, 
we have considered a horrific subject today. I pray that you 
would give us clarity in our thoughts with reference to this 
issue, realizing that babies in the womb are the image of 
God, that it's wrong to terminate, it's wrong to kill them. We pray, 
Father, that you would help us to not only think clearly, but 
have opportunities to testify to others Give us grace and compassion 
and large hearts to seek to render genuine aid to those in need. 
Help us, God, to truly reflect the glory of Christ as we see 
Him in the Scriptures. I pray that you would go with 
each one of us now, that you would cause your face to shine 
upon us, that you would refresh in our own minds and in our own 
hearts what a great and glorious Savior we have in the Lord Jesus 
Christ. And it's in His name that we 
pray. Amen.