His Word Today

^13 “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. ¹⁴ I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. ¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. ¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them” (Psalm 139:13-16 ESV).

Psalm 139:13 says that the LORD intricately created and crafted each human being during the nine month gestational period. This creative craftsmanship is supported by science. Logically, it supports the idea of a master craftsman.

David’s response to this truth is found in Psalm 139:14. “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.”

David’s response is praise. The Hebrew word for praise is yadah. It means to give a public confession of praise for a person acts of power. Attention is also given to the person giving the praise and thanksgiving (1Ch 29:13).

Why does David praise the LORD? It is because God made him; fearfully and wonderfully. Fearfully (yā·rē) means reverence and respect. Wonderfully made (pā·lā(h) refers to that which is extraordinary.

David’s conclusion is that Yahweh’s work in creating humankind is wonderful. This knowledge David exceedingly possesses within the center of his being.

“Psalm 139:13–16 paints a vivid picture of God’s intimate involvement with a preborn person. God created David’s “inward parts” not at birth, but before birth. David says to his Creator, “You knitted me together in my mother’s womb” (v. 13). Each person, regardless of his parentage or handicap, has not been manufactured on a cosmic assembly line, but personally formed by God,” explains Christian author Randy Alcorn.

Both Job and the Prophet Isaiah describe the way the LORD created them before they, and Israel, were born.

⁸ Your hands fashioned and made me, and now you have destroyed me altogether. ⁹ Remember that you have made me like clay; and will you return me to the dust? ¹⁰ Did you not pour me out like milk and curdle me like cheese? ¹¹ You clothed me with skin and flesh, and knit me together with bones and sinews. ¹² You have granted me life and steadfast love, and your care has preserved my spirit.” (Job 10:8–12 (ESV)

 “But now hear, O Jacob my servant, Israel whom I have chosen! ² Thus says the Lord who made you, who formed you from the womb and will help you: Fear not, O Jacob my servant, Jeshurun whom I have chosen.” (Isaiah 44:1–2 (ESV)

“The most significant thing about abortion legislation in Biblical law is that there is none. It was so unthinkable that an Israelite woman should desire an abortion that there was no need to mention this offense in the criminal code.” All that was necessary to prohibit an abortion was the command, “You shall not murder” (Ex. 20:13). Every Israelite knew that the preborn child was a child. So do we, if we are honest. We all know a pregnant woman is “carrying a child,” explains theologian Meredith George Kline.

Remember, each person, regardless of his parentage or handicap, has not been manufactured on a cosmic assembly line, but personally formed by God. Like David, may each of us understand this truth in our soul.

Soli deo Gloria!

^13 “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. ¹⁴ I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. ¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. ¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them” (Psalm 139:13-16 ESV).

For the next several days, I will explain what David wrote concerning God’s knowledge of the unborn. We begin with vs. 13 which says, “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.”

The subject is God and has been for the first twelve verses of this psalm. He alone knows not only our spiritual condition (vs. 1-6) but also our physical location (vs. 7-12). Why is this so?

It because the LORD formed out inward parts. The Hebrew word formed (qā·nîʹ·ṯā) means to create. The grammar indicates that this creative act occurred as a past, completed action with continuing results.

What is it that God formed? David said our inward parts. In the Hebrew (ḵil·yōṯ) it means the reins of a persons or their most vital organs. This includes the kidneys.

David continued to say, “you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.” Using metaphorical language, the psalmist evokes the image of a silk weaver who interweaves, intertwines and shapes. God does this during the nine-month gestational period. This activity occurs within the mother’s womb during three distinct stages: The Germinal Stage, the Embryonic Stage, and the Fetal Stage.

Following the Germinal and the Embryonic Stage, there is the Fetal Stage.  

Once cell differentiation is mostly complete, the embryo enters the next stage and becomes known as a Fetus. The fetal period of prenatal develop marks more important changes in the brain. This period of development begins during the ninth week and lasts until birth. This stage is marked by amazing change and growth.

The early body systems and structures established in the embryonic stage continue to develop. The neural tube develops into the brain and spinal cord and neurons continue to form. Once these neurons have formed, they begin to migrate to their correct locations. Synapses, or the connections between neurons, also begin to develop.

Between the ninth and twelfth week of gestation (at the earliest), reflexes begin to emerge. The fetus begins to make reflexive motions with its arms and legs.

During the third month of gestation, the sex organs begin to differentiate. By the end of the month, all parts of the body will be formed. At this point, the fetus weighs around three ounces. The fetus continues to grow in both weight and length, although the majority of the physical growth occurs in the later stages of pregnancy.

The end of the third month also marks the end of the first trimester of pregnancy. During the second trimester, or months four through six, the heartbeat grows stronger and other body systems become further developed. Fingernails, hair, eyelashes, and toenails form. Perhaps most noticeably, the fetus increases about six times in size.

The brain and central nervous system also become more responsive during the second trimester. Around 28 weeks, the brain starts to mature faster, with an activity that greatly resembles that of a sleeping newborn.

During the period from seven months until birth, the fetus continues to develop, put on weight, and prepare for life outside the womb. The lungs begin to expand and contract, preparing the muscles for breathing.

While development usually follows this normal pattern, there are times when problems with prenatal development occur. Disease, malnutrition, and other prenatal influences can have a powerful impact on how the brain develops during this critical period.

“Brain development does not end at birth. A considerable amount of brain development takes place postnatally, including growing in size and volume while changing in structure. The brain quadruples in size between birth and preschool. As children learn and have new experiences, some networks in the brain are strengthened while other connections are pruned,” writes one physician. (Information accessed from http://www.verywellmind.com).

What should be our response and wonder? We will see how David’s reaction to the truth of psalm 139:13 should mirror ours. May we realize how holy, and awesome is our Creator and Sustainer.

Read and meditate upon today’s passage of Scripture. Have a blessed day in the LORD.

Soli deo Gloria!

The His Word Today Weekly Podcast begins Monday, September 5 featuring expository messages from the Epistle to the Ephesians.

¹¹ “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, ¹² training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,” (Titus 2:11-12 ESV).

Godliness is an effect brought about by a preceding cause. The cause is the grace of God.

For the grace of God. Grace (χάρις; charis) refers to God’s unmerited and kind favor. It is favor originating from and sourced solely in God; the One, True God.

Paul stated that this grace of God has appeared (ἐπιφαίνω; epiphainō). Grace is a manifested and revealed work by God for sinners. Grace appeared not as a doctrine but more importantly as a person; Jesus Christ. Jesus is the embodiment of grace and the source of grace (Rom. 3:21-26).

Grace brings salvation (σωτήριος:sōtērios) or deliverance from sin’s penalty, power and eventual  presence. This gracious salvation is extended to all people, or all kinds of people.

“Bringing salvation to all people is sometimes misunderstood as meaning that all people will be saved. However, such a reading is not necessary here and flatly contradicts other Scripture (I Tim. 2:4). It means, rather, that salvation has been offered to all people (including all ethnic groups), not just to some,” explains Dr. Ray Van Neste of The University of Aberdeen.

This gracious salvation does not just address our past sins, along with our future hope of heaven. It also speaks to our daily pursuit of godliness. In the midst of this quest for Christ-like character, the believer battles the world, their remaining sinful desires (the flesh) and the Devil.

God’s grace presently and actively trains (παιδεύω; paideuō) or disciplines believers to renounce (ἀρνέομαι; arneomai) or deny certain behaviors. “Salvation is transforming (2 Cor. 5:17; Eph. 2:8–10), and transformation (new birth) produces a new life in which the power of sin has been broken (Rom. 6:4–14; Phil. 3:8–9; Col. 3:9–10),” states Dr. John MacArthur.

What is the believer in Christ to personally disown? Paul lists ungodliness (ἀσέβεια; asebeia) and worldly passions (κοσμικός; kosmikos/ ἐπιθυμία; epithymia).

Paul then instructs Titus regarding what the believer in Christ should do. This includes being self-controlled (σωφρόνως; sōphronō), upright (δικαίως; dikaiōs), and godly (εὐσεβῶς; eusebōs). This is how the Christian ought to live.

Is your Christian life characterized by not only what you do not do, but also what you do? Take time today to examine your walk with the Lord. Ask Him to reveal to you where you need strength and courage to be godly.

Soli deo Gloria!

^13 “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. ¹⁴ I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. ¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. ¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them” (Psalm 139:13-16 ESV).

For the next several days, I will explain what David wrote concerning God’s knowledge of the unborn. We began with vs. 13 which says, “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.”

The subject is God and has been for the first twelve verses of this psalm. He alone knows not only our spiritual condition (vs. 1-6) but also our physical location (vs. 7-12). Why is this so?

It because the LORD formed out inward parts. The Hebrew word formed (qā·nîʹ·ṯā) means to create. The grammar indicates that this creative act occurred as a past, completed action with continuing results.

What is it that God formed? David said our inward parts. In the Hebrew (ḵil·yōṯ) it means the reins of a persons or their most vital organs. This includes the kidneys.

David continued to say, “you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.” Using metaphorical language, the psalmist evokes the image of a silk weaver who interweaves, intertwines and shapes. God does this during the nine-month gestational period. This activity occurs within the mother’s womb during three distinct stages: The Germinal Stage, the Embryonic Stage, and the Fetal Stage.

Following the Germinal Stage, what the occurs is known the Embryonic Stage.

At this point, the mass of cells is now known as an Embryo. The beginning of the third week after conception marks the start of the embryonic period, a time when the mass of cells becomes distinct as a human. The embryonic stage plays an important role in the development of the brain. 

Approximately four weeks after conception, the neural tube forms. This tube will later develop into the central nervous system including the spinal cord and brain. The neural tube begins to form along with an area known as the neural plate. The earliest signs of development of the neural tube are the emergence of two ridges that form along each side of the neural plate.

Over the next few days, more ridges form and fold inward until a hollow tube is formed. Once this tube is fully formed, cells begin to form near the center.

 The tube begins to close and brain vesicles form. These vesicles will eventually develop into parts of the brain, including the structures of the forebrain, midbrain, and hindbrain.​

Around the fourth week, the head begins to form, quickly followed by the eyes, nose, ears, and mouth. The blood vessel that will become the heart start to pulse. During the fifth week, buds that will form the arms and legs appear.

By the eighth week of development, the embryo has all of the basic organs and parts except those of the sex organs. At this point, the embryo weighs just one gram and is about one inch in length.

By the end of the embryonic period, the basic structures of the brain and central nervous system have been established. At this point, the basic structure of the peripheral nervous system is also defined.

The production of neurons, or brain cells, begins around day 42 after conception and is mostly complete sometime around the middle of pregnancy.

As neurons form, they migrate to different areas of the brain. Once they have reached the correct location, they begin to form connections with other neural cells, establishing rudimentary neural networks. (Information accessed from http://www.verywellmind.com).

More to come. May we realize how holy, and awesome is our Creator and Sustainer.

Read and meditate upon today’s passage of Scripture. Have a blessed day in the LORD.

Soli deo Gloria!

The His Word Today Weekly Podcast begins Monday, September 5 featuring expository messages from the Epistle to the Ephesians.

^13 “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. ¹⁴ I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. ¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. ¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them” (Psalm 139:13-16 ESV).

For the next several days, I will explain what David wrote concerning God’s knowledge of the unborn. Let’s begin with vs. 13 which says, “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.”

The subject is God and has been for the first twelve verses of this psalm. He alone knows not only our spiritual condition (vs. 1-6) but also our physical location (vs. 7-12). Why is this so?

It because the LORD formed out inward parts. The Hebrew word formed (qā·nîʹ·ṯā) means to create. The grammar indicates that this creative act occurred as a past, completed action with continuing results.

What is it that God formed? David said our inward parts. In the Hebrew (ḵil·yōṯ) it means the reins of a persons or their most vital organs. This includes the kidneys.

David continued to say, “you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.” Using metaphorical language, the psalmist evokes the image of a silk weaver who interweaves, intertwines and shapes. God does this during the nine-month gestational period. This activity occurs within the mother’s womb during three distinct stages: The Germinal Stage, the Embryonic Stage, and the Fetal Stage.

More to come. May we realize how holy, and awesome is our Creator and Sustainer.

Read and meditate upon today’s passage of Scripture. Have a blessed day in the LORD.

Soli deo Gloria!

The His Word Today Weekly Podcast begins Monday, September 5 featuring expository messages from the Epistle to the Ephesians.

^13 “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. ¹⁴ I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. ¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. ¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them” (Psalm 139:13-16 ESV).

Abortion is nothing new. It is not an act exclusive to the 20^th or 21^st century. Rather, it can be traced throughout recorded history.

“Virtually every culture in antiquity was stained with the blood of innocent children. Unwanted infants in ancient Rome were abandoned outside the city walls to die of exposure or from attacks by wild foraging beasts. Greeks often gave their pregnant women harsh doses of herbal or medicinal abortifacients. Persians developed highly sophisticated surgical curette procedures. Primitive Canaanites threw their children onto great flaming pyres as a sacrifice to their god Molech. Egyptians disposed of their unwanted children by disemboweling and dismembering them shortly after birth—their collagen was then ritually harvested for the manufacture of cosmetic creams. None of the great minds of the ancient world—from Plato and Aristotle to Seneca and Quintilian, from Pythagoras and Aristophanes to Livy and Cicero, from Herodotus and Thucydides to Plutarch and Euripides—disparaged child-killing in any way. In fact, most of them recommended it. They callously discussed its various methods and procedures. They casually debated its sundry legal ramifications. They blithely tossed lives like dice. Indeed, abortion, infanticide, exposure, and abandonment were so much a part of human societies that they provided the primary literary leitmotif in popular traditions, stories, myths, fables, and legends—from Romulus and Remus to Oedipus, Poseidon, Asclepius, Hephaestus, and Cybele,” explains Dr. George Grant, pastor of Parish Presbyterian Church, Franklin, TN.

Are humans nothing less than animals? Is the historical practice of infanticide a simple way of disposing unwanted babies who are totally dependent creatures? If not, where in Scripture does it teach the inherent value of the unborn? I direct your attention to today’s text from Psalm 139.

Psalm 139 is a Psalm of David. A key word in the psalm is “know.” God knows (vs. 1, 2, 4, 6, 23) and the faithful soul knows (vs. 14). God possesses intimate knowledge of His people and there is no place where anyone can flee from that knowledge (vs. 1-15). Verses 13-16 illustrate this truth by describing God’s knowledge of the life of the unborn child.

“This intensely personal Davidic psalm expresses the psalmist’s awe that God knew him, even to the minutest detail. David might have remembered the Lord’s words, “the LORD looks on the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7). The exact occasion is unknown,” explains Dr. John MacArthur.  

For the next several days, I will unpack what David meant by what he wrote about God’s knowledge of the unborn. May we realize how holy, and awesome is our Creator and Sustainer.

Read and meditate upon today’s passage of Scripture. Have a blessed day in the LORD.

Soli deo Gloria!

The His Word Today Weekly Podcast begins Monday, September 5 featuring expository messages from the Epistle to the Ephesians.

^26 “Then God said, ‘Let us make man^[a] in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ ²⁷ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:26-27 ESV)

One of the results of God creating humankind in His image was giving us the responsibility of dominion over God’s creation. Dominion involves the righteous use of power, authority and control.

Unfortunately, the fall into sin (Genesis 3) perverted man’s delegated dominion over God’s creation. This is because the human heart became wicked and sinful (Ps. 51:5-6; Jer. 17:9).

“Tragically, the man and the woman turned away from God and fell into sin, seeking to become yet more like God (3:5); to choose for themselves what is good and evil. The image of God was defaced. Though made upright, they sought out many schemes (Eccl. 7:29). Their descendants would likewise bear this defaced image (Rom. 5:12–21),” states Dr. Mark Ross, professor of systematic theology at Erskine Theological Seminary in South Carolina.

Christians understand that human beings were created good, but fell into sin and rebellion against God and alienation from one another. Apart from God’s redeeming and renewing grace, fallen man finds only violence in his heart. David expresses the truth eloquently as he writes of God’s attitude toward the wicked: “The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers. You destroy those who speak lies; the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man” (Ps. 5:5–6),” explains Dr. W. Robert Godfrey, president of Westminster Seminary, California.  

The wicked are boastful in what they do. They are evildoers. They speak lies and feel little to no remorse for doing so. The are bloodthirsty and deceitful. It is the result of a secular worldview born of a sinful soul.

“In one way or another, they (the wicked) claim that the victims of their violence are in some way inferior or less human than they are. I can justify violence against those who are not like me: they are not part of my family, my neighborhood, my tribe, my nation, my race, or my religion,” Godfrey comments about the secular individual’s propensity for violence.

With respect to abortion, the advocacy of it rests not only on the woman’s right to choose, but also on “scientific” arguments that argue that the unborn baby is sub-human tissue. Is this argument legitimate?

“Proponents of abortion insist that they are exercising their freedom legitimately. However, they have actually dehumanized the unborn child to justify their elimination of unwanted pregnancies. The real problem is not science, but the abuse of science. The horrendous effect of these pseudo-scientific justifications is dehumanizing violence born of selfishness,” concludes Godfrey.

Are humans nothing less than animals? Aside from today’s text, where else in the Scriptures does it teach the inherent value of the unborn? When next we meet, we will examine Psalm 139:13-16.

Have a blessed day in the Lord. I appreciate your prayers. You have mine.

Soli deo Gloria!

The His Word Today Weekly Podcast begins Monday, September 5 featuring expository messages from the Epistle to the Ephesians.

²⁶ “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. ²⁷ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:26–27 (ESV)

“In America and throughout the world, the church of Jesus Christ must rise up to defend the rights of all individuals—children in the womb and abused children outside the womb, kidnapped girls forced into sex trafficking, men captured and sold into slavery, and the aged, infirm, or unwanted murdered through euthanasia and genocide. Our triune God is the Almighty Creator and Sustainer of life, He has bestowed dignity on every person, and He alone has defined personhood. The barbaric murder, abuse, and slavery of our fellow human beings ought to bring us to tears, to our knees in prayer, and to action on behalf of the least of these as we preach the gospel to the nations and fight for the life and freedom of all individuals so that they might live and hear the gospel of eternal life,” explains Pastor Burk Parsons.

Pastor Parsons stated that the Almighty Creator and Sustainer of life has bestowed dignity on every person and He alone has defined personhood. When did God give inherent dignity and personhood to every individual; born and unborn? He did so when He created man, as recorded in today’s text from Genesis 1:26-27.

I remind you that abortion is one example of a spiritual battle of worldviews. The Secular/Atheistic Worldview does not believe that people possess inherent value because they do not believe in the existence of God. Therefore, their rationale is that people do not possess inherent value because God did not create them in His image. God could not do this because they say God does not exist.

The Biblical Worldview says otherwise. The Bible says individuals are valuable, regardless of gender, intelligence, ethnicity, age, class, wealth, notoriety, or social position. God created mankind in His image. What does this mean?

The image of God, the Imago Dei, comes from the Hebrew word Sal-me’. The Hebrew word De-mut means model, shape or likeness. In Genesis 1:27, the Hebrew word Selem is also used for image. While the words “image” and “likeness” appear as synonyms, image refers to natural reason while likeness refers to original righteousness prior to the fall (Genesis 3).

God emphasizes the likeness of God in man. Man is not made in the likeness of other creating beings, such as fish, birds, or animals: domestic or wild. Rather, mankind is made according to God’s “kind” or likeness. “We possess the dignity of the divine,” says Pastor Parsons.

It is understood that the image of God in man is our ability to rationally think, express emotion, and to make conscious decisions. This is the essence of personhood. Whether the potentiality of personhood has been achieved following birth makes no difference. God has given inherent personhood, and value, to created man; born and unborn.

Therefore, “that image provides human beings with a unique ability to mirror and reflect the very character of God,” writes Dr. R. C. Sproul.

It is apparent that mankind does not always reflect the very character of God. Why? It is because of sin. Sin is the subject of our next article.

Have a blessed day in the Lord as you reflect the character of God because you bear His likeness; the Imago Dei.

Soli deo Gloria!  

The His Word Today Weekly Podcast begins Monday, September 5 featuring expository messages from the Epistle to the Ephesians.

^26 “Then God said, ‘Let us make man^[a] in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ ²⁷ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:26-27 ESV)

On January 14, 1988, President of the United States Ronald Wilson Reagan released a declaration entitled The Personhood Proclamation. Many American citizens may not remember this event. I did not, but it is worth considering since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, June 24, 2022. The following is an excerpt.

“America has given a great gift to the world, a gift that drew upon the accumulated wisdom derived from centuries of experiments in self-government, a gift that has irrevocably changed humanity’s future. Our gift is twofold: the declaration, as a cardinal principle of all just law, of the God-given, unalienable rights possessed by every human being; and the example of our determination to secure those rights and to defend them against every challenge through the generations.  

“One of those unalienable rights, as the Declaration of Independence affirms so eloquently, is the right to life. In the 15 years since the Supreme Court’s decision in Roe v. Wade, however, America’s unborn have been denied their right to life. Among the tragic and unspeakable results in the past decade and a half have been the loss of life of 22 million infants before birth; the pressure and anguish of countless women and girls who are driven to abortion; and a cheapening of our respect for the human person and the sanctity of human life. . .

“That right to life belongs equally to babies in the womb, babies born handicapped, and the elderly or infirm. That we have killed the unborn for 15 years does not nullify this right, nor could any number of killings ever do so. Our nation cannot continue down the path of abortion, so radically at odds with our history, our heritage, and our concepts of justice. This sacred legacy, and the well-being and the future of our country, demand that protection of the innocents must be guaranteed and that the personhood of the unborn be declared and defended throughout our land.”

President Reagan said that abortion was so radically at odds with America’s history, heritage and its concepts of justice. Abortion is also at odds with the Scriptures. The Bible declares that God created man in His image. As such, man possesses inherent value.

What is meant by the image of God and why is it so important to the concept of personhood? I will address this question next time.

Have a blessed day. I appreciate your prayers. You have mine.

Soli deo Gloria!

The His Word Today Weekly Podcast begins Monday, September 5 featuring expository messages from the Epistle to the Ephesians.

^“I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.” (Psalm 139:14 (ESV)

The subject of abortion is controversial and emotional. Intensity exists on both sides of the debate.  Often any discussion concerning it emits more heat than light or enlightenment.  It is similar to the issues of American slavery in the 19^th century and the American Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War in the 20^th century.

Questions abound concerning abortion. What about women’s rights? Does any government have the right to allow or restrict personal decisions affecting one’s own body? What about the use of contraception’s? Is abortion permissible under the law in the instance of incest or rape? What about the rights of the unborn child?

Abortion is a complicated issue. It raises many questions and requires thoughtful answers. Slogans on a bumper sticker or shouted in protests are insufficient. Careful consideration must be given to science, natural law and the Scriptures.

A writer must know his limitations. It is wise to decide what corner of any subject must be addressed and to be content to examine it well and then stop. Abortion is a vast topic and this blog is limited.

Therefore, I am focusing on one aspect of the debate; the biblical truth that the unborn child is a living, human person created in the image of God. What does it mean to be a living, human and a person? What does it mean to be created in the image of God? When does an unborn child become a person? Is it at conception or is it at birth? Or is personhood obtained when the child begins to be a productive member of society? Is there a standard age when personhood and productivity occurs? Does the unborn child have intrinsic value?

As a pastor, theologian, seminary professor, and Biblicist, I unapologetically assert that the Bible is the Word of God and therefore is profitable for teaching, reproof, correction and instruction in righteous living (2 Tim. 3:16). The Scriptures are the ultimate authority for believers in Christ. All other authority must be examined in light of biblical revelation.

It is my prayer and hope that those who are non-Christians may be persuaded by what I teach from Scripture concerning the unborn child. I also hope and pray that Christians will affirm what I teach as biblical and thereby be strengthened in holding to a biblical world view concerning the value of all human life, including the unborn. Ultimately, it is the Holy Spirit who will accomplish this work. I am solely His instrument for noble purposes.

I appreciate your prayers. You have mine.

Soli deo Gloria!

The His Word Today Weekly Podcast begins Monday, September 5 featuring expository messages from the Epistle to the Ephesians.