Last week the UK Parliament voted to change the abortion laws in England and Wales, marking a significant political and moral milestone in our country. 379 lawmakers voted in favour of the new legislation, with just 137 MPs voting in opposition. This is an enormous moral and ethical issue, one that is fraught with complexity and incredibly emotive. People on both sides of the debate present their cases with deep conviction and interestingly both appeal to compassion and the importance of human rights in order to articulate their point. The question for Christian parents and those involved in ministry to children and young people is simple: how do we help them to engage with this issue? How can we teach them to respond in a way that is biblically faithful, pastorally sensitive and culturally compelling? That is an enormous task. Here are some thoughts as to how we might do that.
1. Use the Biblical Language of Lament
We have perhaps neglected this form of prayer, but in the Bible lament is one of the ways that we bring our sorrow to God. The Bible us full of lament. Around one third of the Psalms contain language of lament. There is a whole book of the Bible – Lamentations – that is full of expressing pain and sorrow to God. We need to teach our young people that lament is an entirely appropriate response to laws that are passed that so blatantly disregard the sanctity of human life. To lament is to take the honest cries of our hurting hearts and wrestle with them before God and in light of His goodness. In Psalm 10, for example, we can lament with the Psalmist:
‘Why, LORD, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?’
And later, reflecting on the actions of those who perpetrate evil:
“His eyes watch in secret for his victims;
9 like a lion in cover he lies in wait.
He lies in wait to catch the helpless;
he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net.
10 His victims are crushed, they collapse;
they fall under his strength.
11 He says to himself, “God will never notice;
he covers his face and never sees.”
Potentially many victims will be crushed because of this legislation. This is an evil that we can lament before the LORD. Indeed, He himself has given us the language to do so in His Word. Part of teaching our young people to respond prayerfully to this issue will be teaching them the language of lament.
2. Encourage Clarity in Conviction
We need to teach clearly what Christians have historically believed about the nature of human life and personhood. Namely, that life begins at conception (Psalm 139:13-16, Jeremiah 1:5) and that every single human life is precious because we believe that every single human being has been made in the Image of God. Christians believe that the baby in the womb is not just a clump of cells but rather a person. And therefore someone of eternal value and worth, someone with intrinsic dignity. And so as we teach on these things we must clearly hold out the sanctity of life in such a way that is clear and compelling – while also allowing for genuine questions that young people might have. And as we teach, encourage them that to stand for Christian truth on this issue may well be costly and lonely – but that the LORD God takes great delight when His people stand for His truth.
3. Compassionate Engagement
All of our conversing on this issue should be marked with deep compassion. This issue is tremendously sensitive and, for some, incredibly complex and painful. We must teach our young people to engage with care and compassion. Christians are called to show grace and mercy to those in need – and that includes those who face crisis pregnancies or have experienced an abortion. The doctrine of the Image of God is also important to remember for our interactions with others. Even when our young people find themselves vehemently disagreeing with others on this issue (or any issue) we must teach them that we always disagree with those who are image bearers of the triune God. And therefore we disagree with respect, compassion and grace.
4. Persevere in Prayer
We need to teach our children and young people about the power of prayer to change hearts and to impact our culture. The Bible instructs us to pray for those in civic authority over us (1 Timothy 2:2). It also teaches us that the state enjoys a delegated, derived authority that comes from God (Romans 13:1-2). And so we are to be those who plead with our God to be merciful to us in the leaders that He gives us. We should pray that they will govern with wisdom, compassion, justice, righteousness and a care for those who are most oppressed and marginalised. We should also pray for those who are facing a crisis pregnancy, for those who have adopted and fostered children, for those who harbour untold guilt because of previous abortions and for those who seeking to raise children in the most complex and challenging of circumstances. We need to teach our young people that to love people well will mean to pray for them persistently.
5. Remember the Redemptive Power of the Gospel
In all of our hurt, disappointment and frustration with laws that we disagree with, we must remember the power of the gospel. The story of the Christian faith is one of scandalous grace. The triune God has resolved to redeem a people for Himself, even at great cost to Himself. He delights to rescue those who are failures, those who sin grievously and those who live in ignorance of Him and His ways. We need to teach our children and young people that this is what we were – but that we were washed by the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor 6:11). God humbled himself to become a tiny, vulnerable, helpless embryo. He passed through the birth canal and was born into humble, lowly circumstances to a teenage mother. His birth – like his life – was shrouded in controversy. And yet His life and death would be the means by which God would redeem a people for Himself. And so as we engage in this whole conversation, we must teach our children and young people that no one is outside the scope of God’s grace. People who make bad laws, people who champion terrible ideas, people who make devastating decisions – ALL can be redeemed by the grace of God through repentance and faith. This is the scandal of the Christian gospel – and this is what we need to be holding our before our young people all the time – and encouraging them to hold out to others.
