Vol
8 Edition 2
Show
You Care...Life is sacred!
“Speak
up for those who cannot speak for themselves . . .
Proverbs 31:8
The
most dangerous place in the world is not Bosnia, Somalia, Sudan
or the Congo. The most dangerous place in the world is the womb.
Pre-born babies are being killed in their mother’s wombs
at a greater rate than any other section of society. The mortality
rate for pre-born babies varies from one in four to one in three.
A
growing number of Christians worldwide are coming to recognise the
abortion holocaust as the greatest crime being committed in the
world today. It is an urgent priority for theChurch to expose, oppose
and end this war against children made in the image of God.
“They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons.
They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters
. . . the land was desecrated by their blood.” Psalm 106:37-38
Abortion
is a modern equivalent of child sacrifice. Just as God’s
people opposed Pharaoh’s decree to murder new-born boys in
Egypt (Exodus 1:15-22), so we need to protect pre-born babies
from abortion today. Just as King Herod sought to kill the babies
in Bethlehem (Matt. 2:16), so abortionists are attempting to butcher
babies today.
IT IS A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH
The sanctity of human life is an essential article of the Christian
Faith. The Bible makes it clear that life begins at conception
(Ps. 139:13-16; Isa. 44:2; Jer. 1:5; Luke 1:41). The unborn baby
is then genetically, physiologically and organically, a distinct
person. At that moment life begins. At about 3 weeks after conception
the baby’s heart beat can be detected. Six weeks after conception,
the baby has its own life-long brain wave.
If the absence of a brain wave is considered a sign of death,
why then is the presence of this brain wave not accepted as
a confirmation of life? Birth is not a magical act that turns
a non-human into a person. Birth is only a change in environment
for a life that began many months before. Every abortion stops
a beating heart. Every abortion ends a brain wave. Every abortion
is the murder of a helpless and innocent human being.
IT IS A MATTER OF LOGIC
It is of the utmost hypocrisy for us to denounce the atrocities
committed under apartheid, or to condemn those who stood by and
allowed the Nazi and Communist holocausts to be perpetrated if
we allow the abortion holocaust to continue in our own
country. How incredible that South Africa has replaced apartheid
with abortion.
In the name of Human Rights, “pro-choicers” are depriving
pre-born babies of the right to life. Instead of discrimination
based upon race, we now have discrimination based upon age. Can
we condemn discrimination based on race, while allowing discrimination
based on age?
Of what worth is human dignity if babies are denied the right
to life? The right to life of pre-born babies is one of the most
urgent and important issues confronting society today (Matt. 18:5,
10, 14; Isaiah 44:24; 49:15).
What kind of convoluted logic and mental gymnastics can interpret
the “right of life” clause in the Constitution to protect
guilty murderers from execution, but not prevent innocent babies
from receiving the death penalty through abortion?
If the right to life of the most helpless and innocent members
of society – pre-born babies – is not upheld then the
Bill of Rights is a worthless piece of paper. A society that is
capable of burning, smothering, poisoning or dismembering little
babies deserves the wrath of God.
How is it possible that a highly trained and experienced judge
– after careful deliberation of all the evidences and arguments,
presented by both prosecution and defence, in the calm, objective
environment of a court of law – cannot choose to impose the
death sentence upon a duly convicted murderer. Yet a young teenager
without the permission of her parents can make an emotional and
spur of the moment choice to have her innocent unborn baby killed
through abortion! The parents do not even need to be informed
after the fact! A tragic decision she may regret for the rest
of her life.
It is also illogical that the mother of an illegitimate baby must
now obtain the consent of the father before the child can be adopted;
but a married mother can have an abortion without her husband’s
consent . . . or even knowledge!
By making the murder of pre-born babies legal, easy and taxpayer
funded, the “Choice of Termination of Pregancy” Bill
defies all logic.
IT IS A MATTER OF LOVE
The heart of Christianity is love. Love for God and love for our
neighbour (Mark 12:30-31). The golden rule by which all believers
must live is:
“In
everything, do to others what you would have them do to you .
. .”
Matthew 7:12
If
you as a mother would not like to be attacked and torn to pieces
– then don’t allow it to be done to your baby. If you
as a doctor would not like to be poisoned to death – then
don’t do it to a baby. If you as a member of Parliament would
not like to be snatched from your home and dismembered –
then don’t legalise and finance such violence against babies:
“do to others what you would have them do to you.”
If we do not stand up and oppose the legalised killing of babies
by abortion then the blood of those innocent children will be
upon our heads (Ezekiel 33:1-6).
Christians must love their neighbour – and this includes
our pre-born neighbours. Caring for the fatherless, protecting
the helpless, defending the innocent and speaking up for the voiceless
is true Christian love in action.
“Rescue
those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward
slaughter. If you say, ‘But we knew nothing about this,’does
not He who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not He who guards
your life know it? Will not He repay each one according to what
he has done?" Proverbs 24: 11-12
South
Africa needs to rebuild respect for life. Everyone is made in
the image of God and has the right to life – irrespective
of their degrees of awareness, health or development. Everyone
has been endowed by the Creator with the right to enjoy and defend
life and liberty.
“Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts
. . . let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing
stream!” Amos 5:15,24
ABORTION ATROCITY AIDED BY APATHY
It has been said that every abortion clinic (abortuary) could
hang a sign outside declaring:
“This abortion clinic is open by the implied consent of
the local church.”
Another person put it this way:
“Satan is counting on each of us in the coming year
to mind our own business while he gets away with murder. He is
counting on us to be more concerned with our comforts, conveniences,
and prosperity than with the lives of helpless babes. He is counting
on us to make excuses for why we should not get involved in ‘social
or political’ issues. He is counting on us to say we oppose
abortion and then to fold our arms, while our actions lag far
behind our rhetoric. He is counting on us to stay out of his way.”
All that is needed for evil to triumph is for good people to do
. . . nothing.
SANCTITY LIFE SUNDAY
The strategic focus of this right to life campaign will be Sanctity
Life Sunday. The 31st January 1999 has been selected by NAL as
the ideal date for Sanctity Life Sunday because it is the closest
Sunday to the anniversary of the legalisation of abortion in South
Africa (1 February 1997).
The goal is to have most pastors in South Africa preach on what
the Bible teaches on the subject of abortion on the 31st January.
Sanctity Life Sunday should be a solemn and serious
day as we reflect on our Christian responsibility to deal with
the ugly reality of abortion in our society. It should be a national
day of repentance for the national sin of abortion.
According to the South African Christian Handbook there
are over 13 million church members and 3 million adherents, in
South Africa.
If most of these church goers could understand what the Bible
teaches about when life begins, the sanctity of human life and
our Christian responsibility to stand up for the right to life
of the pre-born – then we could save thousands of babies
from abortion.
Most of the medical personnel in our country are church members.
Most of the mothers go to church. Most of the voters in South
Africa claim to be Christians. If Christians in South Africa could
stop and look at the abortion holocaust in the light of Scripture;
if we could understand something of the heart of God on this disgraceful
abomination then we would be roused to action.
There are over 36 000 churches and preaching points in South Africa.
There are over 30 000 ministers in the country. If just half of
them could be inspired to study what the Word of God says on when
life begins and what is abortion; if only half of the churches
in South Africa observed Sanctity Life Sunday in
Bible study, repentance and prayer – then we could begin
to end the legalised killing of babies in South Africa.
“Could you men not keep watch with Me for one hour?”
Matthew 26:40
|
Seven
Priorities to Promote the Sanctity of Life
The
National Alliance for Life (NAL) (which includes Africa
Christian Action, Christians for Truth, Doctors for Life,
Pro-life, Christian Action Network and many other pro-life
ministries) has identified the following seven goals as
our priorities in the fight for the right to life of pre-born
babies:
| 1. |
To
inform most Christians in South Africa about when life
begins and what abortion really is. |
| 2. |
To
inspire thousands of Christians to make a public stand
against abortion in the Life Chains of 4 October. |
| 3. |
To
encourage mothers in crisis pregnancies not to abort
their babies. Adoption is one loving option. |
| 4. |
To
persuade medical personnel in SA to have no part in
child killing. |
| 5. |
To
challenge voters not to support candidates who support
abortion. |
| 6. |
To
save the lives of pre-born babies and recruit volunteers
for crisis pregnancy centres. |
| 7. |
To
mobilise most pastors to preach on when life begins
and the sanctity of life on Sanctity Life Sunday. |
|
WHAT
SHOULD I DO?
Be
Informed
“My
people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.” Hosea 4:6
Obtain
and read: “Fight for Life – a pro-life handbook
for Southern Africa.” (R18 each) and "Making
a Difference a Christian Action Handbook for Southern Africa"
(R59 each). Write to ACA and request free copies of “You
Can Stop Abortions” (part I and II); “It’s
My Body” and “Abortion – The Facts”.
You can also request a Resource List of available pro-life videos,
books, stickers and precious feet lapel pins.
Be Interceding
“If
My people who are called by My Name, will humble themselves and
pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will
I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their
land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14
Abortion
is a tragic national disgrace and we should pray for God to have
mercy upon us and to revive His Church to oppose this evil.
Be Involved
“Whatever
you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did
it for Me.”
Matthew 25:40
Our
first priority is to see that our congregation is informed, interceding
and involved. Ask for your pastor’s permission to
pin up a pro-life poster on the notice board and to make available
pro-life literature to the congregation. Pray for mothers
going through crisis pregnancies, for pre-born babies who are
in danger of abortion and for pro-life ministries.
Try
to organise for a pro-life speaker to address your church
service and for pro-life videos such as “Eclipse of
Reason”, “The Hard Truth”
and “City of Refuge” to be shown to your
youth group, women’s group or home fellowship.
Join ACA and order a copy of the Christian Action
Starter Pack (at R10 each). Then encourage some
other concerned friends to join with you in starting a Christian
Action Group or Pro-life ministry in your home, workplace or church.
Start now to educate and enlist others in the campaign
to end abortion. Mark your calendar and encourage your church
leaders to plan now to observe Sanctity Life Sunday
31 January 1999.
Lives are at stake.
Dr.
Peter Hammond
|
For
more information and resources contact:
AFRICA CHRISTIAN ACTION
|
