CG7: After Abortion, You Can Still Choose Christ
Bas-relief at Angkor Wat depicting a demon performing an ancient abortion.
The following is in the July 2011 edition of CG7-Denver’s Now What? written by Kimberly Davidson (who may or may not be in a COG):
Rapid deterioration
As I grew into adulthood, my self-esteem continued to deteriorate…Then my body started desiring and needing alcohol… Everyone else is sleeping around. It was a way to fill the hole in my heart. But it only deepened the wounds of shame, humiliation, and abandonment.
Choosing abortion
I eventually got pregnant and chose to have an abortion…
There was no doubt in my mind that abortion was the answer. After all, I wasn’t married. I had an established lifestyle, and I would have brought embarrassment and shame upon my parents… I didn’t value myself, so how could I value my baby’s life?…
Finding Christ
…Jesus walked into my messed up life and a couple months later, I confessed my sins and received His salvation. The Bible says, “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9, NIV).
Jesus pronounced, “Daughter, you’re free to go. I’ve done the time for you (see 2 Corinthians 3:17). Now go and tell the world what you have experienced.” The shackles released; evil evaporated.
Changed identity
Through my experience, I learned that I don’t have to be good enough, smart enough, or religious enough to earn an audience with God. I can have a personal, intimate relationship with the God Almighty.
Of course, salvation is not just for ourselves. As Evangelist Richard Ames has written:
How would you answer the question, “Are you a Christian?” What, in fact, is a Christian? Most people in the world would simply say, “It is someone who accepts Christ.” But is that the Bible’s definition? Notice: “But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His” (Romans 8:9). In other words, unless Christ is in us—unless we let Him guide us to live His way—we are not Christians. Remember Christ’s admonition, “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things I say?” (Luke 6:46). And: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Matthew 7:21).
A true Christian, of course, will be found doing the Work that Christ commissioned the Church to accomplish. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19–20)
A Christian will attempt to walk as Jesus walked, and would no longer agree to sins such as abortion.
And of course, all sin, except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, can be forgiven. Including abortion, as well as the related sins of performing and/or encouraging abortions.
But what, one may ask, is the unpardonable sin?
A couple of portions of scripture basically explain what the unpardonable sin is:
31 Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. 32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come (Matthew 12:31-32)
4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame (Hebrews 6:4-6).
1 Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. 2 For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, 4 God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will? (Hebrews 2:1-4)
Notice that the only sin not to be forgiven in the age to come is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which seems further defined as knowing and willingly rejecting/neglecting the Holy Spirit which is received after repentance and baptism (Acts 2:38).
This is further implied later in Hebrews:
26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? (Hebrews 10:26-29)
Of course, abortion is wrong and it is a sin. But Christians are forgiven sinners. Notice some of what the Apostle Paul wrote:
9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)
Furthermore, notice what the Apostle Peter said to do:
38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” (Acts 2:38-39)
Repentance would not be necessary if people had not sinned–and Peter even stated that they needed to be baptize to forgive their sins. All should repent. And yes, even having, performing, or encouraging abortion can be forgiven.
Some articles of possibly related interest may include:
Abortion, the Bible, and a Woman’s Right to Choose Do you know what the Bible teaches on this? What do the Living Church of God and the Church of Rome teach?
The Ten Commandments Reflect Love, Breaking them is Evil Some feel that the ten commandments are a burden. Is that what Jesus, Paul, Peter, James, and John taught?
What is the Unpardonable Sin? What is it? Can you repent of it? Do you know what it is and how to avoid it?
Born Again: A Question of Semantics? Many Protestants use the term born-again. Do they know where the concept came from or does it matter? Are you born or begotten upon proper baptism?
Baptism and the Early Church Was it by immersion? Did it include infants?
Did Real Christians Practice Nude Baptism? This is not a joke. Find out what was taught in the second and later centuries.
Are You Saved? Do You Love Jesus? What is a True Christian? What is the Gospel? Evangelist Richard Ames answers those important questions.
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