Abortion and miscarriage can occur in various contexts; they may be planned, accidental, or natural. In instances where a pregnancy is intentionally interrupted, the unborn baby dies. A planned miscarriage is referred to as abortion and can range from the destruction of a fertilized egg to the dismemberment and forced ejection of a full-term baby.
Today, a significant controversy surrounds abortion, centering on whether the unborn baby (or fetus) is truly a person and at what stage of development the fetus becomes a viable human being. This debate focuses on the sacredness of human life and raises crucial questions: Does human life begin at conception, at birth, or at some point in between? Can one truly argue that a baby is not fully a human being at birth?
The crux of the argument lies in whether the unborn child is considered a full human being. Also, there is the question of whether there are justifiable reasons for abortion. Some Christians oppose abortion as a means of birth control. However, some believe abortion may be acceptable in specific circumstances, such as to save the mother’s life, in cases of rape or incest, or if the unborn child is known to have severe abnormalities.
Ultimately, the core question remains: when does human life begin? Equally important is a parallel inquiry regarding the value we assign to the developing unborn child.
Does the Bible Speak to Human Qualities in the Unborn Child?
One pertinent verse is Psalm 51:5, which reflects on the intrinsic nature of humanity, even in the womb: “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.”
Here are 20 Bible verses related to the sanctity of life and the unborn:
- Psalm 139:13-16
“For you created my inmost being you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful; I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” - Jeremiah 1:5
“Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, before you were born, I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” - Isaiah 44:24
“This is what the Lord says—your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb: I am the Lord, the Maker of all things, who stretches out the heavens, who spreads out the earth by myself.” - Exodus 20:13
“You shall not murder.” - Luke 1:41-44
“When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice, she exclaimed: ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.'” - Psalm 22:10
“From birth I was cast on you; from my mother’s womb you have been my God.” - Proverbs 6:16-17
“There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood.” - 1 Corinthians 3:16-17
“Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.” - Deuteronomy 30:19
“This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.” - Genesis 1:27
“So, God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” - Genesis 9:6
“Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made mankind.” - Job 31:15
“Did not he who made me in the womb make them? Did not the same one form us both within our mothers?” - Matthew 19:14
“Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.'” - Luke 18:15-16
“People were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. But Jesus called the children to him and said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.'” - Acts 17:26
“From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.” - Romans 14:13
“Therefore, let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.” - Psalm 127:3
“Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.” - Matthew 25:40
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'” - Ephesians 2:10
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” - Galatians 1:15
“But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased.”
Let us protect life from conception to natural death, honoring the sacredness of every human being as made in the image of God. By affirming the value of life at every stage, we uphold the dignity, purpose, and unique worth that each individual brings into the world, fostering a society that respects, nurtures, and celebrates the gift of life in all its forms
