Abortion and the Church

Abortion and the Church

1/9/18

The time has arrived that God is going to deal with us concerning this topic and when this article is finished you will understand that both of these subjects run together and have a common point that defines each entity.  The common point is a word that should mean everything to each side of these issues yet it is one that is totally ignored within both communities.  Discipleship is the key to any subject’s passage and then spread and if not conducted properly a gross injustice will be the result of such actions, or lack of action as these cases may be.  God is in the restoration business but if things are dropped as soon as people walk out of the doors all is lost and every effort by the human being is left in vain.  Church it is our responsibility to grab hold of both of these issues and play the vital role in discipleship so that our hearts can once again be turned in the correct direction.

The last week of 2017 was an eventful one for many of us who live in western cultures and societies and my family’s life was no exception.  God has asked me on occasion to address a few difficult settings and worldly rules that affect the church and everyone’s lives and for the next couple of articles, this will be the case once again.  Anytime someone goes up against the subject of abortion and homosexuality the worldly standards rear their ugly heads and the seditious claws of such unholy rulers and leaders come out.  When these instances come to light the church and those who are against such practices are usually thrown into the proverbial lion’s den and watched being shredded to pieces.  Over the last few decades the cries of the unborn have been growing and while the procedures of this practice are law of the land there is a gap in one side of this issue that is a gross injustice and needs to be addressed.  Ironically, it is the exact same point that needs to be conducted in churches as well and that is the common point of discipleship.

Be honest, have you ever placed these two subjects at a common point such as this?  I have not and when God gave me this topic during the last week of 2017 I could not believe my heart.  But as God began to show me what He wanted His children to understand it made perfect sense and I hope that after you read this article you will know a bit more about whom God is and just how much He cares about each and every one of you even after a devastating procedure as an abortion has occurs.  Plus, I hope that you shall also understand that when a person leaves the church building after their profession of salvation and then nothing is done to disciple that person the exact same procedure of abortion has been done for as soon as they walk out of the building the act is completed but no one talks with them to make sure that their walk is changed and different from when they went into the building before they made the life-altering decision.

As I stated above that when God gave me this topic to write about I had no idea of how He was going to approach things, for we all know how God feels about life and death and what each polar representation means.  But let me reassure those who may have some doubts about this topic that God wants you to understand two truths about Him that shall never change.  The first is that God cannot stand death of any kind especially when it is an elected death by a human being towards another.  Abortion is the law of the land and it probably will never change because so many people in western societies depend on its finality to escape their previous choices, yet an abortion kills physically the baby and emotionally and potentially spiritually the mother.  Second thing that God wants you to understand about Him is that no matter what you have done and in this case have an abortion, that He loves you and He wants to not only forgive you of this heinous act but to restore you into His loving arms as well for you have a child to meet one day.  The question here is not going to deal with the procedure of abortion but to the people who have gone through them and the problems that they deal with afterward.  It is this setting that God cares about the most for the mother because it is at this time that her life has changed and needs to have all the help necessary that deters her from having another abortion sometime in the future, not another smile and thank you for your business.

I shall never vote for any measure, candidate, proclamation, or any type of general or specific legislature concerning the expansion of abortion.  I cannot because in my personal story if I did I would be voting against my own life and that would be a divided kingdom and I could no longer have any authority to write for God.  This article is not going to address any type of abortion subject other than the aftermath and what should occur after the procedure has been performed.  God may share some further insight about this process to me or to you at a later time but for now, the subject has been determined discipleship.  Yes, discipleship, it is this specific word that God dropped into my heart concerning this topic and to add to this unusual subject He also directed my attention to discipleship after salvation.

After the woman had completed this procedure she is rested for a while, vitals taken, asked about how she is feeling, given a once over and then is allowed to walk out the doors of the clinic.  With modern pharmaceutical advances, she is now able to skip this specific process and go to the pharmacy and obtain a morning-after pill in order to complete the process in her own timeframe and manner.  All of these measures are legal and available to women across western societies without objection to the outside world, but what occurs to these precious women after the process has been completed?  Who counsels them for the emotional rollercoaster ride that they are about to face?  Who is going to be with them in the quiet moments when their hearts and consciences come back online?  There is one consistent answer to these questions for right at this moment there is one being that will be right there with them afterward but it will not be one with a sound, kind, and loving voice.  That voice of “reason” after the fact is Satan and he will “comfort” these women in a way that only he can while others are separating themselves from the ladies who have had these procedures.  It is this portion of the setting that irks me the most for it is this portion that will affect and then haunt the lady for decades to come if it is not taken care of properly and properly I mean through discipleship.

It is here that the place for discipleship comes into play for the only discipleship these women are receiving is from Satan, you know, the one who put it into our hearts that an abortion is nothing more than an outpatient throwaway procedure.  It is at this junction that Christians should be right there to disciple these ladies for what they are about to go through will harden their hearts if not told correctly of how to handle the aching and emotional distress that will arrive.  How is this discipleship you ask?  It falls into this category for one reason alone and that is for spiritual educational reasons for when any worldly procedure becomes a routine then it is no longer an important issue to deal with, thus no longer deemed ugly or any need to hesitate to be placed into the same situation down the road.

This type of attitude was brought to my attention many years ago when I was in college for it involved the mother of the girl that I was dating at the time.  I knew about abortions and what they meant and dealt with but I had never been placed into a situation of that magnitude before and while it did not directly affect me it did change the atmosphere of my girlfriend’s house.  I was told that my girlfriend’s mother was going to Houston on Friday and would return on Sunday evening, no big worry I thought for my thoughts were that she was visiting some of her family.  It was not until after she left that my girlfriend told me about what was going to occur, my heart dropped for I knew what was going to occur and that things might not be the same afterward.  Furthermore, the man that she was living with at the time, who really treated the mother quite well, was not told of the procedure which I found so devastating because he, first of all, did not know that she was pregnant and then did not know about the abortion.

After a few moments, I asked my girlfriend if her mother would be okay to drive back alone, and without any hesitation, her answer floored me.  She stated that her mother would have no problem at all driving back because she had had this procedure done four times previously and had no complications before.  Now, at that time I had no clue about what type of emotions or feelings that a woman would go through after the abortion procedure occurred and I did not even ask my girlfriend about such a feeling either, for my mind did not think about it.  It was not until later in my life that I had a clue as to what occurs in the heart and mind of a woman who has had an abortion.  Not understanding the emotional side of things but already familiar with the physical procedure itself I watched my girlfriend’s mother quietly to see if any visible changes occurred, but none to my visual contact could I make out.  How 50% of me I now look back and think about, and to not have noticed the inner pain and hurt that she must have felt.  But honestly, with this being her 5^th abortion she had already fallen into the hardened heart state category for as the days rolled by all seemed normal in their house.

Do most people understand what the word discipleship means or can they quote the definition of the word?  I know most people know what the word is and use it on a regular basis but do we actually follow it on a continual basis? Knowing about a word and following its meaning are two different areas and truths which is why Jesus addressed it to His disciples when He asked them about who they believed He was.  Some of them referred to John and others to Him as a prophet but that was not the question He really asked because He used the specific word “you” which placed the definition on a personal level, not a general plain.  According to the Webster dictionary, a disciple is defined as one who accepts and assists in spreading the doctrines of another.  When we take a closer look at this definition it says “of another” which provides a great deal of information about how we perceive such a doctrine.  It most importantly forces us to proclaim another’s position that we have adopted in our lives, so Jesus was getting His point across when He asked such a question to His disciples.  He is still asking this question to His disciples today and many of them are falling away or not even reaching the point of calling themselves true disciples; remember, discipleship is a kingdom word and is alive and moving.

This brings us to the other area of discussion, the Church and how all of this relates to abortion but is plain and simple, to be honest, and one that most have missed including me.  It is a common and exciting time when a person goes to church and sincerely gives their heart to Christ.  It does not matter if that person gives their heart to Christ at the end of the service or after the service is over but we know that when they do many people are rejoicing including all of heaven.  But the Christian walk is just beginning and not reached its end but for the majority of churches that is all that they believe they are responsible for, that they have fulfilled their purpose so to speak and then allow those people to leave the church building saved but uneducated or in other words having the knowledge of discipleship.  Yes, it is a joyous time when a person truly commits their lives to Christ but it does not end there and their lives are not going to magically turn around and become immaculate.  There is a process to which we need to take them under our wings and teach them God’s Word and what to expect from the enemy.  These people have no clue about what they are going to face and now that they have eternally turned against what they have been living within up until that point in time, our enemy is not going to be happy about things.  Here is the problem that we all are facing and that is we have lost the truth about who our enemy is and what he stands for.  Why?  Because we have accepted his standards into our own lives and now promote such standards, which is the number one reason Jesus asked His disciples about who He was for He knew that they had lost sight of the truths that He was teaching as well.

The Church has dropped the ball in so many ways and areas concerning discipleship that it has effectively destroyed the functionality and foundation of the Church herself.  If we stand alone on a salvation foundation that is all we will have to defend ourselves with, a foundation with no permanent and holy structure.  While salvation is our foundation we cannot afford to stand on it alone, we must incorporate God’s Word into our existence to have any fighting chance against our enemy.  How many church denominations have such a program to teach new followers of Christ?  Honestly, how many?  I am not talking about Sunday School classes or further weekly prepared sermons, but true and specific discipleship classes.  There are not many who do have such provisions and it is a major reason why many of those who really want a change in their lives and who come to Christ are not provided such direction and end up falling away from Christ because of their frustration with so much inner turmoil that they do not understand.  Does this sound familiar to anyone about a certain area that was discussed above?  This common point does not seem so drastic now does it?

When an abortion is completed there is a drastic change inside the mother because a natural result of a sexual setting has done what it was supposed to do.  It does not matter what type of setting the conception has taken place since it has occurred and an inner change has taken place.  While the change is not identical in nature the same type of inner change occurs inside a person when they accept change and it is at this time to when discipleship needs to be given for both areas of this topic will produce the same type of inner and eternal division if not conducted and instructed in the correct manner.  The pain, anger and continual frustration buildup of not knowing how to deal with what they are facing will produce a hardening of the heart and will eventually result in a complete downfall of that person.  In the area of abortion, the intimate relationship with another will be forever changed and looked upon as a service instead of a desire which is exactly what will occur in the person who has come to Christ if discipleship has not been provided as well.  Returning to the old ways is another habitual step that will take place if discipleship is not given and this is exactly what occurs in both areas that we are discussing here.  How many ladies end up having another abortion and how many people end up leaving God after both settings have been present in their lives?  The answer to that question is heart-breaking.

What is worse is that when these people do not receive the godly information about their lives, they will become witnesses to themselves, a grotesque form of discipleship which serves to destroy another when handed out.  This is not what the definition of discipleship or being a disciple means but it what the world preaches and teaches and is bought by countless of individuals on every aspect of life.  Look t the people who have been hurt by the Church in some way or fashion, most of the time it is by humans and not God yet they carry out their anger towards God.  The same is true about ladies who have destroyed their babies because of other people’s decisions or from their own yet it always comes back to God and His Ways at some point down the road.  How important is discipleship again?  What an eternal sham on both accounts!

Do you wonder why abortion is one of the common practices in western society but are highly contested yet growing on a continual basis?  Ever wonder why the Church promotes such ridiculous beliefs and promotes worldly practices from within their own building doors and ever wonder why the church is fading away and is now irrelevant with no spiritual backbone?  The answer to these questions and numerous others that can be presented here is the lack of discipleship.  The ones who do not receive proper teaching after their abortion process is complete are subject and prone to return for another and those who receive Christ yet receive no teaching about what they are going to face will soon leave and become angry without understanding why they have become that way.  Both areas once again prove that with no discipleship a common point will be made and when this occurs further division from others who differ in opinions will arise and a more serious issue shall occur as well and that is the deepening and further division from God will ensue as well.

If we are so concerned about ladies who are readily accepting and then having abortions why are we not getting out there and providing proper counseling to them?  I address this issue not only to the Church bit to the society which promotes such procedures as well.  You are promoting the murder of children and then expecting the lady to just walk away from that setting with no further concerns about her or her inner health.  The act of an abortion is bad enough but what you are NOT providing for these hurting ladies is beyond devastating, think about this local, state and federal government. You are doing your people wrong by just promoting 50% of a process and then leaving them to rot from the inside out, oh and by the way, if you actually believe that sending them to or suggesting that they go to a psychiatrist will change them concerning their feelings you are drastically mistaken for that institution also just wants to drag out and bleed them for their money as well.  So, Church, what do you have to say for yourself on this matter?  There is NOTHING you can honestly say because you have fallen into the exact same lie that the world promotes.  Salvation is the key to a person changing their life but afterward, you let them dangle with no defensive information about what is going to occur.  You are as guilty as the world is when they promote abortions when you do not provide new Christians with no process of discipleship.

Here is the important detail God wants u to understand about this topic and it goes like this.  The world is not going to change their perception about the abortion process nor will they ever provide the ladies who have such a procedure any type of discipleship for if they did it would open them up to a huge liability that would undermine that procedural institution.  However, the Church is in another position to do some good here not only in the area of salvation but in the area of abortion as well.  But first, we must return to the truth concerning discipleship for if those who are following us in the faith do not know about this word and its importance the presence of the Church will be gone in a few generations, if not less.  No longer can we afford to sit back in our pews and listen to feel good, coffee filled sermons, look at where that has gotten us.  This type of service and sermons have produced angry and hurt people who shy away from God and tend to end up accepting the world as their savior instead and it is through this pain and anger that will not only justify a lady having another abortion but also the new Christian and a seasoned one as well to fall away from God.

Both of these areas represent a protected yet vile act and at the same time both provide nothing after the change in people’s lives to help them in their way.  You know, God provided the perfect act of discipleship to Adam and Eve while they were in the Garden of Eden yet they strayed.  Jesus’ ministry was completely based on discipleship yet the ones closest to Him on a daily basis missed it.  How important is it that we teach the truth and concepts to people?  I believe that the examples in this paragraph alone show us that answer.  It is a disgrace that the world has accepted abortion as an accepted procedure without any reprimand given afterward, but at the same time, you would not expect anything else from a ruler who only promotes death, devastation, and total destruction to those who follow him.  Which brings us to a question of who is actually representing a divided kingdom here?

But there is NO excuse that the Church does not provide discipleship, true and holy discipleship to those who come to Christ.  I understand the fact that people have the ability to read and to comprehend God’s Word on their own but when a person has just come to Christ they need our help more than ever in this matter.  Satan has done a wonderful job in only promoting a 50% agenda for abortions and at the same time has done the EXACT same percentage point salvation plan for the Church.  I can guarantee that if churches begin to have discipleship classes on a regular basis that many more people who have recently accepted Christ will stay in church, plus it will place the excitement of being a Christian back into the ones who doubt God and His will for their lives.  And most importantly, it will restore the advancement of God’s Kingdom into a dying world that desperately needs God.

The discipleship concept has a twofold benefit, which is like the parable of the talent that we just read about previously.  If we bury this truth that has been given to us we can expect nothing in return but a more serious problem and issue down the road.  Plus, at some point in time, we will stand before God and take account as to why we have buried discipleship for discipleship is completing what Jesus commanded His Church to do.  Furthermore, when the Church becomes active in advancing God’s Kingdom then it shall automatically be present to those who are hurting and need help.  God will somehow bring those people into our lives so that we can direct them to the holy wisdom that they need.  But as of now, we see that the Church is silent on discipleship and the world is gaining its territory as each second passes.  Until the Church wakes up and figures out it has done people wrong, repents of her sins, and then begins to advance God again, the numbers of hurting people shall continue to rise.

There is no further ability to define a spectrum’s endpoints than this topic and the Church is the only entity that has the ability to change the course we have set.  The lack of discipleship is not a new concept but it is one that needs to be fully addressed by the Church right now!  It is through this word alone that proves that God does not care about anyone’s political status or stance, but that He only cares about one of His Children being healed completely and returning to His presence.  God entire Word does its best to teach us about this truth, for God does not wish to see any of His children fall away from Him and have to spend eternity from His sight.  It is up to us Church to make sure that as many people possible come to Christ, but when they do we cannot afford to stop there, we must be grounded in the Bible and in the TRUTH of the Bible, not of our own will, in order for us to understand the importance of discipleship.  I love the way God brings two completely opposite positions together through His Word for that is the exact reason why He gave us His Word in the first place. 

God encourages you to seriously consider starting a discipleship class for those who are struggling with everything that is going on around their lives and to help those who have recently come to Christ as well.  Discipleship is Kingdom and the advancement of God’s Kingdom is what Jesus commanded us to do.  Church, it is time to really change!  You really want the number of abortions to dramatically drop in western societies and in all parts of the world?  Start a discipleship class!  You really desire your church to become a spiritual temple again?  Start a discipleship class.  It does not matter if you have one inside the church or in your home, just do it.  Oh, isn’t God good!!

DLB