"It's My Body! I Have a Right to Choose!"
In September's edition of the Indiana Christian News a letter was published which read in part, "I'm a Christian woman. I believe and love God with all of my heart; but I also believe... it is a woman's right to choose, and not let her God-given rights be taken away... We have a right to make choices." In this woman's mind, the choice to continue or terminate a pregnancy is a fundamental right woven into the fabric of creation.
This is not a new argument. In fact, the Pro-Abortion advocates have subtly shifted the debate to the issue of personal freedom. We now talk about "Pro-Choice" when referring to abortion supporters. It is more palatable to stand for "choice" than "abortion." When the discussion is couched in terms of personal rights, those who are "Pro-Choice" are merely defending a woman against social injustice. No longer is it important to ask when life begins. The very concept of "life in the womb" is relegated to the dark corners of religious theology. Who can know when that fertilized egg becomes a viable person? Let the theologians dispute the finer issues of religion. "Pro-Choice" people are waging an important war to preserve a woman's freedom. Sadly, some professing Christians are falling prey to this line of reasoning.
Of all the arguments in the "Pro-Choice" arsenal, in my opinion, this one is probably the weakest. Not only is it non-Christian, it simply makes no sense. Suppose we use this argument in other areas of life. Do we say, "I have a right to be a drug addict because this is my body. It's my personal freedom. You have no right to make anti-drug laws which infringe upon my right to choose."? Absolutely not. We seek help for the drug addict. We pass laws to preserve the social order. There is a limit to a drug addict's right to choose. Does society look indifferently toward suicide? When someone attempts to take his/her life, the proper authorities intervene and seek professional help for the victim. No one shouts, "Leave him alone! It's his body to do with as he pleases!" Society has never recognized such an all-encompassing right. There are values, both personal and societal, which trump our personal right over our bodies. To think that a woman's right to choose what happens to her body during a "9 month pregnancy" is more important than the preserving of infant life is ludicrous. It's saying, "My right to choose not to suffer the inconvenience of a pregnancy is more important than preserving the life of an infant." If that reasoning were applied to the rest of life, there could be no social order. Personal rights would stand above preservation of life. That's a self-centered world in which no one could be safe.
The Biblical Perspective
The Biblical perspective is easily stated. God is the Sovereign Creator of the universe. As the Creator He is the Lord of all created things. Thus, God is the only One with sovereign rights over our bodies because He created them. When the Apostle Paul reasoned with Greek philosophers in Athens he carefully set forth God as their Creator and the purpose of His creating activity, "God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him... for in him we live and move and have our being."(Acts 17:27-28) In Romans 9 Paul used the analogy of a potter and clay - God being the Potter, humanity being the clay. His conclusion was, "Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, why did you make me like this?"(Rom. 9:20) This fundamental principle is core to Christian commitment: "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit... you are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body."(I Cor. 6:19-20) God is the only One who has complete and total rights over our bodies.
Once we understand the Biblical teaching, the sin of the "Pro-Choice" position becomes apparent. To claim sovereign rights over my body is to usurp the authority of God. Ultimately, I am making myself God and refusing His divine authority over me. Such a position is anti-Christian and contrary to the overwhelming witness of Scripture. To say, "I am a Christian and support Pro-Choice" is a contradiction in terms.
Politics And Pro-Choice
There are some who see this as a political debate. One party is Pro-Choice, another party is Pro-Life. Consequently, the issue gets lost in the shuffle of other political considerations. The economy, the war in Iraq, healthcare, Social Security, etc. bury any serious analysis of the abortion problem. However, this one issue is more important than all the others because it reflects the moral fabric of our society. Are we a people that places personal freedom over life? Are we a nation who ignores the sovereign rights of our Creator? How we answer those questions will determine the strength or weakness of our country. Moral values, the dignity of life and our recognition of God are far more important than the economy, healthcare, etc. There is only one position for the Christian: our bodies belong to God and are to be used for His glory.
