While I will continue this series on beyond this post, this is the final post in developing a theological framework for the pro-life position. I’ve discussed personhood, God’s ownership of our bodies, God’s prerogative based on His ownership, and that God hates the shedding of innocent blood.
I have one last beam for this framework… in the Bible we can see that God has a special love for children. It isn’t that He doesn’t love all people, but He does have a heart for the young.
Having a child come to him and his disciples he says:
“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven,” (Matthew 18:10, ESV).
Prior to that he gives a grave warning to not cause a child to stumble. If one harms a child it is better for that person to have a large millstone tied to their neck and drowned. Pretty harsh, and pretty serious.
The Greek word for despise in Matthew 18:10 is kataphroneo which also means to contemn, disdain, think little or nothing of. Which is exactly what one does when they promote abortion and try to reduce pre-born boys and girls to not achieving personhood.
He then says in v. 14 that it “is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish, (ESV). Since that is so it would absolutely shocking that anyone would want to lead these children astray. It would be unconscionable that anyone would despise one of these “little ones”. A quick digression – did you realize that the word fetus is the Latin word for “little ones”?
In the same vein in another episode in the life of Christ where we see His heart for kids.
Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them. And when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them to him, saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God,” (Luke 18:15-16, ESV).
This is important and unusual because at this time children had no social status. The disciples of a particular rabbi wouldn’t want their rabbi’s time being taken up blessing children. Here Jesus says that for such belongs the kingdom of God. Children and others who are seen as nobodies have “status” in Jesus’ eyes.
We are also instructed in Psalms to see children as a blessing. Often times people see children as an obstacle, roadblock or a burden. That is the exact opposite of how God sees them.
Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
the fruit of the womb a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
are the children of one’s youth, (Psalm 127:3-4, ESV).
Kids are our heritage. They are our future mothers and fathers, leaders, pastors, lawyers, doctors, teachers, presidents… they are our future. Children are our legacy. One can only imagine what dreams and futures have been snuffed out by abortion.
