How many times have we heard, from the Right to Life community and Christians in general, that “life begins at conception”? “The Lord gave her conception.” (Ruth 4:13) The process of egg and sperm uniting to form an embryo is called “conception,” and it is when a human baby first begins to grow and develop. The idea that life begins at conception, and the idea that life is sacred (a gift from God), comprise the most important argument used against the advocates of medically-induced abortion. Those who believe life begins at conception usually consider it a tragedy when an embryo starts growing in the wrong place (ectopic pregnancy) or when an embryo miscarries (does not implant securely in the womb/uterus, or detaches prematurely from the womb/uterus and dies, in a “spontaneous abortion”). Mothers who have experienced such “spontaneous abortions,” or miscarriages, usually mourn the loss of their children, because children is surely what those embryos were. Mothers who have experienced miscarriages are particularly concerned with their fertility, for this same reason.
Throughout the Bible, we often read of times when God-fearing mothers desired children and asked God for children. Sarah (Genesis 17:17), Rebekah (Genesis 25:21), and Hannah (I Samuel 1) are some famous Biblical mothers who found themselves barren (infertile) and depended on God to give them children. In each of these cases, no Biblical reason is given for these women’s infertility, other than advanced age, in Sarah’s case. Usually the Bible simply states that God either “closed” or “opened” the wombs of such women. However, there is one story in the Bible which explains that God “closed” the wombs of all the women in a Canaanite king’s household (Genesis 20) because he desired another man’s wife as his own, besides the wife that he already had. When the man repented of his desire, his own wife and the other women in his household were able to have children again. These stories, among other similar passages in the Bible, consistently teach (among other things) that God is in complete control of a woman’s fertility. For instance, Moses’ law states that if a man marries his aunt, they will be childless as a consequence (Leviticus 20:20).
Even in the story of Rachel and Leah, two other Biblical women who famously struggled with infertility, their apparent efforts to use surrogate mothers and aphrodisiacs (homeopathic fertility treatments) did not appear to circumvent God’s evident control of their fertility. He gave to each of them the number of children He wanted them to have. “And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.” (Genesis 29:31) “And God hearkened unto Leah, and she conceived.” (Genesis 30:17) “And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister, and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die. And Jacob’s anger was kindled against Rachel, and he said, Am I in God’s stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?” (Genesis 30:1-2)
Self-proclaimed “conservatives” seem to fully understand that life begins at conception when they discuss how wrong abortion is. Because God’s law prohibits murder, or the intentional killing of an innocent person (Genesis 9:6, Exodus 20:13), medically-induced abortions are truly unconscionable. The intentional destruction of a human embryo, or the intentional prevention of its safe implantation within the body is the very definition of taking an innocent human life. Whether that life is taken at six weeks or six months or six days or six hours (with the “morning after” pill) is a moot issue and does not deserve the endless debate that all our states continually allow.
But recently, instead of agreeing in conservative circles that any sort of abortion is wrong, no matter what the circumstances are, we have begun hearing a defense of a procedure called IVF. IVF has recently been touted as family-friendly, family-positive, and a promotion of population growth as opposed to socialistic population control. Surely, we need more children! We need more God-fearing families! Then what is so terribly wrong with IVF?
IVF stands for “in vitro fertilization.” “In vitro” means “within the glass,” as in a test tube or Petri dish. Fertilization, of course, is another name for conception, or the meeting of egg and sperm which results in God-given life. IVF is the medical process of collecting eggs from a woman and sperm from a man, and uniting them outside the body to produce embryos! This is God’s job, which He never intended to be completed outside a woman’s body. This is procreation which bypasses sexual activity. This is an invasive medical procedure which interferes with a loving, intimate moment.
More importantly, IVF typically produces more than one embryo at a time. While God still remains in charge here, in allowing what He wills, and remaining the sole giver of life, IVF is yet another example of humanity’s rebellion at God’s will and an example of humanity’s self-centered efforts to enter God’s domain. A strong viable embryo produced by IVF may be then reintroduced into a woman’s womb/uterus for continued growth. More than one embryo may be introduced at the same time, but the embryos may or may not successfully implant, resulting in twins or triplets, or twin or triple miscarriages, as the case may be. And then what happens to the other embryos leftover in the Petri dish? They are either frozen for later use, or for sale or adoption, or for scientific research. Or, they can just be discarded.
Discarded? So let’s get this straight. IVF includes invasively tampering with the genesis of life. IVF results in human conception outside the body, totally against nature. Check the statistics – fifty percent (half) of embryos produced through IVF are destroyed! How is this intentional process materially different from intentional abortion?
Some people may argue that frozen embryos do not have to be discarded. “Snowflake children” are those who have been successfully reintroduced to the womb, have been carried to term, have been born, and have lived to tell about it. While their births are no less a miracle than any other birth, this is no thanks to IVF, but instead to a merciful God who spared their lives. Their unwanted, unchosen, unborn brothers and sisters who were quietly and simply “discarded” or used for scientific experiments would tell quite a different story if they had been allowed a voice!
Christians or any other conservatives who abhor abortion and yet favor IVF should be ashamed of themselves for not thinking through this process and its ramifications, because its ramifications are essentially the same as those of medically-induced abortion. Nowhere in the Bible does God authorize either abortion or such fertility treatments. When He allows infertility, it may be either a negative consequence of sin, or simply His will for another reason beyond our understanding. At any rate, it is a circumstance that should definitely be left in God’s hands, not in a woman’s, doctor’s, or scientist’s hands. The only “reproductive right” a woman has is the freedom to embrace any choice that God has instructed her to make, and that would not include the freedom to take an innocent life on purpose as a result of planning her family.
“For thou [God] hast possessed my reins [inward parts]: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members [body parts] were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.” (Psalm 139:13-16)
“Before I [God] formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee.” Jeremiah 1:5a
“In [God’s] hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.” Job 12:10
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