When does human life begin? This question has been asked for centuries, and answers have been given, according to the understanding of those seeking to eradicate our ignorance concerning this subject. It is difficult to think of a more sensitive subject among Christians today than whether or not abortion is murder. The answer to this question divides brethren and has politicized many to such a degree that he or she will overlook the clear and flagrant unrighteousness of the leader of the land, if that leader would assist to enact laws that would establish one way or another the legality of abortion. How can we address this issue intelligently, fairly and Scripturally?
I’ve already produced a study on the question: Is Abortion Murder, which the reader may consider, if he or she chooses. However, in this study I would like to, first, consider the creation of Adam in Genesis 2:7. If we believe the miracle of life isn’t merely magic, then we need to consider how Adam was created. It cannot be that he was simply formed like an artist forms his sculpture out of solid stone or solid clay. The Lord created Adam with a beating heart, flowing blood, arteries and veins to carry that blood, all his organs were functioning etc. God created Adam and, after his work was completed, he breathed into him the breath of life, and only at that point did he become a living soul. It seems logical, at least for me, to understand that Adam had to have had a vegetable life, while he was still in the process of being created. It wasn’t like God formed a solid lump of clay and said: “Poof! you’re a man!” God created Adam with all his life functioning organs and flowing blood, and **then** he breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. This is the only thing that allows Psalm 139:14 to make sense. At that very time, i.e. when the Lord breathed into Adam’s nostrils, Adam became a living soul, not before. The only difference between Adam and a fetus is that Adam wasn’t created inside a womb. Nevertheless, although he had life before the Lord breathed into his nostrils, he didn’t become a living soul, until the Lord completed the act by breathing into his nostrils, and this parallels the birth of a child that comes forth from his or her mother’s womb.
Another Scripture to consider is Hebrews 10:5-6, “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire; but a body You have prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure,” which is quoted from Psalm 40:6 in the Septuagint. Think about the wording of this Scripture for a moment. A body was prepared for Jesus, who was a living Being already, without “a physical body” ever being prepared. What was that body, while it was being prepared in Mary’s womb? Was the fetus Jesus? According to the Scriptures, such a thing wasn’t likely. The easiest understanding of this verse is, the body was prepared for Jesus. Jesus was not the body in the making. Rather, only after the body was prepared in Mary’s womb did Jesus embrace it to become man. The only alternative is that Jesus (God) had become a mindless fetus, before he was actually born to Mary, but this doesn’t seem Scriptural. How can God be mindless?
A related Scripture comes to us from Paul’s letter to the Philippians:
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming to be in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself, becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him, and has graciously given Him a name which is above every name, (Philippians 2:5-9 Complete Apostles’ Bible)
In this Scripture we are given a picture of Jesus both before and after his human birth. First he was alive in the form (body) of God prior to his human birth. However, he placed the form of God aside (i.e. his “spiritual” body), and he exchanged it for the form (or “physical” body) of a man. Notice that whether Jesus was in the form of God (i.e. his “spiritual” body) or not, he was alive and the same Being (God). In other words, whether he looked like God or looked like man, he was still the same person—i.e. he never ceased being God (John 1:1, 14). Therefore, just as God prepared a body for Adam, before Adam became a living person (Genesis 2:7), so God prepared a body for Jesus (Hebrews 10:5; Psalm 40:6 LXX), before he became flesh (cp. John 1:14).
Therefore, as this pertains to the life inside the womb, we can conclude that whoever that person is who the babe is to become, he or she is not the body in making, i.e. he or she is not the body growing inside the womb. The fetus, as long as it is inside the womb, is not a person, yet. The babe doesn’t become a person, until it draws its first breath. This understanding is completely based upon the Scriptures. I have not sought to read my understanding into the text, which is quite unlike all the testimonies I’ve heard from those who conclude abortion is murder. Abortion is not murder, and we should all stop condemning the innocent.
Smoodock's Blog 