Timothy Session 13 | Sanctity of Human Life Part 2 Take Away from Part 1: 1. Clarify the Issue-What exactly is being discussed when it comes to the topic of sanctity of human life? We can have a broader conversation then simply one issue by understanding the biblical value that God puts on human life in all forms. 2. Be intellectually honest and challenge your listeners to do the same. 3. Learn to defend your pro-life stance with biblical, scientific, and philosophical arguments. 1 Timothy 6:3-5 If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, 4 he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, 5 useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself. Big Ideas: ● Sharing my faith during the chaos. ● Let’s follow the science and reason and not arbitrary arguments or agendas. ● Walking in Love=Truth + Grace A preborn child has legal rights. A preborn child has legal rights. The first five books of the Old Testament are called the books of the Law because they provide the legal framework for God’s Old Covenant people. In this law, an unborn child is clearly seen as a fully human being with full legal rights and when their life is taken, murder has been committed and capital punishment is mandated. Exodus 21:22-23 example 22 “If men fight, and hurt a woman with child, so that she gives birth prematurely, yet no harm follows, he shall surely be punished accordingly as the woman’s husband imposes on him; and he shall pay as the judges determine. 23 But if any harm follows, then you shall give life for life, 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe. Numbers 5:11-31 (I won’t be reading the text but referencing it) ● After David committed adultery with Bathsheba and she conceived, the prophet Nathan confronted David and said, “Because by this deed you have utterly scorned the LORD, the child who is born to you shall die.” (2 Samuel 12:14, ESV) ● Following his sin of taking forbidden items from Jericho, Achan was stoned and then burned along with his sons, daughters, and belongings. (Joshua 7:25) ● When Korah, Dathan, and Abiram rebelled against Moses’ God-ordained leadership, the Lord caused the earth to open up beneath Korah, Dathan, and Abiram along with their wives, sons, and little ones. (Numbers 16:27–33) Let’s follow the science and reason and not arbitrary arguments or agendas. Some Stats: (Guttmacher Institute & cdc.gov) ● 40% of minors having abortions report neither of their parents know. ● An estimated 930,160 abortions took place in America in 2020. ● In 2019, approximately 19% of us pregnancies (excluding spontaneous miscarriages) ended in abortion. ● More than 60 million legal abortions have occurred in the United States since 1973. The state of Florida records a reason for every abortion that occurs within its borders. In 2020 there were 74,868 abortions in Florida ● .01% result of incest ● .015% result of rape ● .20% the woman’s life was endangered by the pregnancy. ● .98% there was a serious fetal abnormality. ● 1.48% the woman’s physical health was endangered. ● 1.88% the woman’s psychological health was in danger. ● 20.4% social or economic reasons. ● 74.9% no reason but simply elective. Biblical worldview compared to others. ● Darwinism- Natural selection or survival of the fittest ● Naturalism- action, inclination, or thought based only on natural desires and instincts. ● Secular humanism- truth is relevant to my situation and wants ● Margarette Sanger- ● Marxist- creates classes of people and puts value where they determine many times viewing the marginalized as not necessary and less than. ● Pantheism- putting greater value on animals and the environment over human life. Some Top objections people have with pro-life and some ways to address it. Many people when losing an argument, they change the subject. ● Choice- ● Privacy-not in the constitution but the right to life is. ● Why do you hate women? ● Why do you want to push your belief on me? ● You are a man and have no opinion. Christians can defend this from an extra biblical position. (science and philosophy) Scientifically- We argue from science that the unborn are distinct, living, and whole human beings. They are themselves whole living entities from the one cell stage. Which is backed up in every embryology textbook in the world. Philosophically-there is no essential difference between Nate the embryo and Nate the adult that would justify killing him at the earlier stage of development. Yes, there are differences, but the question is do those differences matter such that we can say that its ok to kill you then but not now? 5 differences between Nate in womb and now (SLED) 1. Size- 2. Level of development- 3. Environment- 4. Degree of dependency- 5. Are they wanted or not? These 5 differences are morally insignificant-they have no bearing on whether or not we can kill you. Same arguments that Lincoln made with slavery. Abraham Lincoln quote July 1, 1854 “You say A. is white, and B. is black. It is color, then; the lighter, having the right to enslave the darker? Take care. By this rule, you are to be slave to the first man you meet, with a fairer skin than your own. You do not mean color exactly?--You mean the whites are intellectually the superiors of the blacks, and, therefore have the right to enslave them? Take care again. By this rule, you are to be slave to the first man you meet, with an intellect superior to your own. But, say you, it is a question of interest; and, if you can make it your interest, you have the right to enslave another. Very well. And if he can make it his interest, he has the right to enslave you.” Speech at Peoria, Illinois October 16, 1854 How to defend pro-life in: 7 seconds-I am pro-life because it's wrong to kill innocent human beings. 1 minute- ● It's wrong to kill innocent human beings and the science of embryology has clearly shown that from the one cell stage of development that people are distinct living and whole human being. You were not a part of another human being like the skin cells on the back of my hand. You were already a whole living member of the human family even though you had yet to grow and mature. There is no essential difference between you the embryo and you the adult that would justify killing you back then. Differences of size, level of development, environment and degree of dependency are not good reasons to say you could have been killed then but not now. Take Away From Part 2: 1. Where are my core beliefs on the sanctity of human life anchored? 2. What am I going to do to be a loving voice, full of grace and truth, to this generation? 3. What are some steps to find healing from the result of abortion in my life? And/or how am I going to use my story to share Christ’s love to others in need of healing? Resources to help local organizations with the sanctity of human life.