Some have exhorted me to give up the fight, that abortion has always been with us and always will. I understand their discouragement but I cannot keep silent when whole generations of children are wiped out. We must keep declaring truth with the hope that God will open ears and hearts to His purposes. As a very young pastor I preached a strong pro-life abortion, perhaps not realized the conflict that could arise from my position. But all of that turmoil was worth it when a young woman shared her story. Unbeknownst to her parents she was scheduled for an abortion the next day. She heard the message but fought against God's truth and kept her appointment. She cried as she lay on the abortionist's table, prepared to end the life of her baby. God's Word rang in her ears and she suddenly sat up and exclaimed, "I can't do this. I can't kill my baby." The doctor and nurses tried to convince her that she was just emotional and would "get over it" when she got on with her life without the burden of a child. But this young woman stayed firm. She confessed her pregnancy to her parents (church leaders) who immediately embraced her and encouraged her to bring her baby into the world. Which she did. Perhaps, dear reader, you have bought into the world's view of life and you are ready to end your child's life. I plead with you to consider the fact that from the beginning of time, God created life and this pregnancy is part of His plan for your life and the life of your child. But don't take my word for it. Read on and ask God to open your heart to His truth. Listen to the voices of ancient history, crying out to you.

The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles recorded in The Didache (1st Century AD)

"The Lord's Teaching to the Heathen by the Twelve Apostles:

"1 There are two ways, one of life and one of death; and between the two ways there is a great difference. 2 Now, this is the way of life:...The second commandment of the Teaching: 'Do not murder; do not commit adultery; do not corrupt boys; do not fornicate; do not steal; do not practice magic; do not go in for sorcery; do not murder a child by abortion or kill a newborn infant.'" (d.177)

"What reason would we have to commit murder when we say that women who induce abortions are murderers, and will have to give account of it to God? For the same person would not regard the fetus in the womb as a living thing and therefore an object of God's care [and then kill it]....But we are altogether consistent in our conduct. We obey reason and do not override it." (Legatio 35)

"How, then, when we do not even look on, lest we should contract guilt and pollution, can we put people to death? And when we say that those women who use drugs to bring on abortion commit murder, and will have to give an account to God for the abortion, on what principle should we commit murder? For it does not belong to the same person to regard the very fetus in the womb as a created being, and therefore an object of God's care, and when it has passed into life, to kill it; and not to expose an infant, because those who expose them are chargeable with child-murder, and on the other hand, when it has been reared to destroy it. But we are in all things always alike and the same, submitting ourselves to reason, and not ruling over it." (A Plea for the Christians 35.4)

"There are some women who, by drinking medical preparations, extinguish the source of the future man in their very bowels, and thus commit a parricide before they bring forth. And these things assuredly come down from the teaching of your gods." (Octavius 30)

To Anfilochius, Bishop of Iconia:

"She who has intentionally destroyed [the fetus] is subject to the penalty corresponding to a homicide. For us, there is no scrutinizing between the formed and unformed [fetus]; here truly justice is made not only for the unborn but also with reference to the person who is attentive only to himself/herself since so many women generally die for this very reason." (First Letter 2)

Ambrose (c.340-397) was a bishop of Milan who became one of the most influential ecclesiastical figures of the fourth century. He is counted as one of the four original doctors of the Church.

"Indeed there are those women who cut off the word prematurely born/aborted, before they give birth, there are those who have Christ in the womb but they will not yet have formed (him), to whom it is said: my children, whom I desire to bring forth again and again until Christ be formed in you." (Expositio evangelii secundum Lucam, lib. 10, line 252)

"But why the eye or the hand, since the aborted child has both a hand and an eye which has already been formed?" (Ambrose, Expositio evangelii secundum Lucam, lib. 10, line 283)

"And elsewhere the same Ecclesiastes, being an old man, guarded him better whom his mother had cast out by abortion, because he did not see these bad things which they make in this world, he neither came into these shadows nor walked in vanity, and for that reason he who did not come into this life will have more of a rest than he who came." (De bono mortis, cap 2, par. 4, line 11)

Jerome (347-420) was a Christian apologist best known for translating the Vulgate.

"You may see many women who go so far as to take potions that they may insure barrenness, and thus murder human beings almost before their conception. Some, when they find themselves with child through their sin, use drugs to procure abortion, and when (as often happens) they die with their offspring, they enter the lower world laden with the guilt not only of adultery against Christ but also of suicide and child murder. (Epistula 22)

John Chrysostom (347-407) bishop of Constantinople, was an important Early Church Father known for his eloquence in preaching and public speaking, his denunciation of abuse of authority by both ecclesiastical and political leaders, the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, and his asceticism.

"Why sow where the ground makes it its care to destroy the fruit where there are many efforts at abortion, where there is murder before the birth? For even the harlot thou dost not let continue a mere harlot, but makes her a murderer also. You see how drunkenness leads to whoredom, whoredom to adultery, adultery to murder; or rather something even worse than murder. For I have no name to give it, since it does not take off the thing born, but prevents its being born. Why then dost thou abuse the gift of God, and fight with His laws, and follow after what is a curse as if a blessing, and make the chamber of procreation a chamber for murder, and arm the woman that was given for childbearing unto slaughter?" (Homily 24 on Romans)

But that's not all from early Church Fathers. If you are still wondering about when life begins, tune in tomorrow to hear from Augustine of Hippo and others.

In His Grip,
Pastor Betters

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