When did you first exist?

10 weeks – the size of a kidney bean

Our world currently is undergoing an explosion of emotion regarding the question, when does the life of a human begin to exist and who holds the power over life? This may be a good time to review God’s Word for wisdom and guidance on this subject. We know that humankind was created as the master over everything on earth and everything on earth is subservient to humankind. Humans were never created to serve things on earth.

(Genesis 2:7)¹NIV New International Version Translations -” Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.”

The story of creation begins with a metaphor. God takes that which exists, useless and dead dust, and with His breath, creates life. It is important to understand that, as living beings, we give full credit for life to God. Humans have a very poor track record for creating life other than through sex between a man and woman. Humans, however, do a great job destroying life.

(Psalm 139:15-16) – “My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”

The power of God is part of the formation of life from the very beginning in the womb, even though that life is not yet perfect. The Hebrew word used in our psalm for “unformed body” is (gā-lə-mî). It is not the same as the word used for “my frame” in verse 15. This is the only usage of the word “golem: an embryo“ in the Bible except for 2 Kings 2:8, where it means wrapped together. The psalmist specifically intends to state that God is watching the unformed embryonic mass, which over time, is being fashioned daily in a fetal form into a human being from its conception! The psalmist (thought to be David) says that God’s great power is guiding the very formation of life in the womb. Even though that life is still imperfect or just an unformed embryonic mass, in the mind of God, that life is a human a life. Then from “God’s perspective,” in His Book of Life, the blueprint for a human is recorded.

Does this match up with science?

“Science teaches without reservation that life begins at fertilization (conception). It is a scientific fact that an organism exists after fertilization that did not exist before. This new organism has its DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid) distinct from the mother and father, meaning that it is a unique person. As the embryo grows, it develops a heartbeat (22 days after fertilization), has its own circulatory system, and its own organs. From fertilization, it is a new organism that is alive and will continue to grow and develop as long as nutrition is provided and its life is not ended through violence or illness.”² https://www.liveaction.org/news/life-begins-at-conception-science-teaches/

Together with God, a man, and a woman, whether voluntary or not, create human beings in God’s image (Genesis 1:26-27). The creation of human life begins with the decision to have sex. With sex typically comes conception unless steps are taken to stop conception. The decision to have mutual sex comes with responsibility. To disregard the possible outcomes is irresponsible! As God Himself established, the purpose of sex is to “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.” (Genesis 1:28). During the time of pregnancy, the growing life within its mother (the womb) is fully dependent upon her. The care and feeding of the mother sustain the fetus until birth. Then after birth, it is the responsibility of both the child’s mother and father to sustain the child, feeding, nurturing, educating, protecting, and raising the newborn. Biblically, God intended this to be the foundation of a family. The concept of family is extremely important in the Bible, both in a physical sense and in a theological sense. The concept of family was introduced at the very beginning of our world by God, as we find in Genesis 1:28.

Society (our world) is telling us that because the child is in the womb, the child is just property, owned by the mother. However, that is reminiscent of a time when slavery and property rights were assigned to human beings. Scriptures do not support this position. God’s position is that when life was created by the acts of a man and a woman, the resulting human being gained certain inalienable rights. Those rights include life, liberty, and an opportunity to pursue happiness.

(Exodus 20:13) – “You shall not murder.”

In God’s “Big 10 List,” Number six is the prohibition against murder. Murder is a term that is reserved for the intentional killing of another human being. Any instance where the death of a human being is because of malicious intent and action of another person is referred to as murder. There are no provisions from God for intentionally killing an unborn child, even if it is not wanted. Our society stands on a slippery slope when it assigns the decision to terminate life as a “heath decision.” Are we also to believe that a handicapped child, a dismembered military veteran, or just an older adult with dementia could, one day, have their life terminated by the simple decision of others! Life is never an “inconvenient truth. “The primary reason God hates murder is that out of all creation, only humans are made in His image and likeness (Genesis 1:26 – 27, 9:4 – 6). Even before the codification of the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai, the murder of other human beings was wrong (Genesis 4:8 – 12, 4:23 – 24, 9:4 – 6, Exodus 1:16 – 17).

While on earth, Jesus spoke out against murder (Matthew 5:21 – 26, Mark 10:17 – 19). We also see in the writings of Paul (Romans 1:18, 29 – 32, 13:8 – 10, Galatians 5:19 – 21), James (James 2:8 – 11, 4:1 – 3), Peter (1 Peter 4:15 – 16) and John (Revelation 9:20 – 21, 21:7 – 8, 22:14 – 15) that murder is wrong. Every Christian must take a stand on whether the 63 million abortions performed since Roe v. Wade was established, is a right granted to a mother or an abhorrent sin against the very Creator Himself.

God’s first commandments to His people were intended to guide and protect the family (Exodus 20:1-17). The interests and characteristics of a person are not formed by accident. You along with every other human are unique in God’s eyes. Unfortunately, so were the 63 million aborted children that never experienced life. God has great plans for every life, and those plans were established at the moment of conception. God created every life for a purpose. In those plans and purposes are the hopes, desires, and discoveries that make living in this world worthwhile.

(Psalm 139:13-16) – “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”

There are things God has in store for every life that only they can experience. Created in His image, each human is priceless, intentional, and valued. Each was created for a personal relationship with God, knowing Him in deep and personal ways, and representing Him to a world in need of His love and Truth.

(Ephesians 2:10) – “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Do not let the world define what is right and what is wrong. Only God defines His Truth! Do not stand upon the slippery slope and find yourself sliding farther away from the God who loves you.

Contemplations

• One area causing continued controversy is the subject of life created through rape or incest (an involuntary act on the part of the mother of a child). How do you think our God views the decision to terminate life under those circumstances?
  • Ideas to Explore: What are the rights of the life that was created? Who should suffer the punishment for the sin, the child, the parents, or others? How would you solve this dilemma?
• Society has become comfortable with the decision to prioritize the mother’s life over that of an unborn child. In such an instance, how would you make sure that all parties (mother, father and child) involved were served fairly in the eyes of God?
  • Ideas to Explore: What is a fair process to make such a difficult decision? Who should be involved in such a decision, the mother of course but what about the father? Doctors? Existing children in the family? Government? Church?
• If the conclusion is that aborting life is wrong, how do you personally feel about leaders who support abortion?
  • Ideas To Explore: We have leaders who fight to maintain Roe v. Wade yet profess to place their faith in Jesus and call themselves Christians. How do you personally reconcile this within your own faith?