“For the sons of Judah have done evil in my sight, declares the Lord. They have set their detestable things in the house that is called by my name, to defile it. And they have built the high places of Topheth, which is in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire, which I did not command, nor did it come into my mind.”
(Jeremiah 7:30–31, ESV)
The CDC gave the following statistics. In 2022, a total of 609,360 abortions were reported, with an abortion rate of 11.2 abortions per 1,000 women aged 15–44 years, and an abortion ratio of 199 abortions per 1,000 live births. This is a sad epitaph of the mindset of humanity and the times in which we live. Yet the slaughter of children is not a new issue. The Lord condemned the Israelites for such atrocities. They had set up a place where they would practice child sacrifice to false gods, burning them in the fire.
We know that the Lord values all life, even the life of the unborn child. The reason is that God created man in His image. He has an awesome purpose for every life. When we look at the Scriptures it is very clear. Look at the Psalmists words.
“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.” (Psalm 139:13–14, ESV)
Every unborn child is unique. Every child is valuable. To put a child to death is an abomination. Abortion should not be supported or endorsed by anyone.
The Lord’s condemnation of Judah regarding this was clear. They would experience the destruction from the Babylonian conquest and their dead would be burned in the same place where they had practiced child sacrifice.
So, if God dealt so harshly with Israel for child sacrifice, what will be the consequences for one who has had an abortion? Well, there are psychological repercussions for those who have committed sin. It is the carrying of guilt for terminating a life. Many have carried this guilt and the repression of guilt can result in a variety of emotional issues such as depression. Moreover, the wages of sin is death.
So, is there any hope for one who has committed the sin of abortion? Yes, the only hope is Jesus Christ. Jesus came to seek and to save sinners from the power of sin and its penalty. That includes all sin. Jesus stated that there is only one unforgiveable sin.
“Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.” (Matthew 12:31, ESV)
When Jesus stated every sin would be forgiven people, the phrase every sin means every sin. Jesus clearly started that every sin of man is forgivable. Only one sin, that of blaspheme against the Spirit is unforgiveable. Now I do not have time to dig into what is meant here regarding the blaspheme of the Spirit, but the sin of abortion is not it.
So, if you have committed the sin of abortion, there is one hope. That is to trust in Jesus and His finished work on the cross. He died on the cross to pay the complete penalty of sin. On the cross He bore our griefs and our sorrows, that means among other things, our guilt. You will receive the forgiveness of all your sins when you come to true saving faith in Jesus Christ. True saving faith results in the confession of your sin to the Lord for forgiveness and repentance from your own ways to the will and ways of God. This will result in a new way of living. When you trust in Christ in this way you receive the awesome gift of eternal life.
In the next devotion I want to continue this thought and cover a second application of how we are sacrificing our kids to false gods.
For now, if you have committed the sin of abortion and are feeling the guilt of that sin, trust in Jesus Christ for His salvation. He will forgive your sin, remove your guilt, and grant you eternal life.
Renewing the Heart 