BASIC CHRISTIANITY Q&A
LESSON NUMBER 47– JANUARY 18, 2015 (SANCTITY OF LIFE SUNDAY) – PARTS 1-3
RIO Revolution Church – 3419 East Lamar Alexander Parkway – Maryville, Tennessee
www. riorevolution.net – (865) 984.9200 – Pacer Hepperly, Pastor
This lesson is written to teach basic concepts of Christianity. RIO Revolution Church desires that members and visitors begin
studying the basics of Christian faith. Please study each lesson, as we learn together what we Christians should know and
believe. Lessons are numbered. If you miss lessons, we have replacement lessons available for you. Please share copies of
any lessons you find useful with relatives, friends, neighbors, or co-workers. Help us spread the Good News (the Gospel),
which is: Jesus the Messiah died for our sins and is resurrected to live eternally with those who believe in and follow Him!
WHAT DOES GOD FEEL ABOUT LIFE AND ABORTION?
WHAT DOES GOD FEEL ABOUT YOU, IF YOU HAVE HAD AN ABORTION?
This Sunday's Q&A lesson is longer than most weeks' lessons. We take the occasion of Sanctity of Life Sunday, this Sunday,
to teach a few things about life and abortion. If RIO Revolution Church is a statistically average church, at least one woman in
four women attending our church has had an abortion or will have an abortion in the future. Abortion is a difficult topic to
discuss in a lesson, and it may be uncomfortable for some members to read. However, abortion should be addressed by
churches. Post-abortive women often need spiritual and emotional healing. Where better to receive such healing than in God's
house? If you have had an abortion and still experience guilt, your Savior stands with outstretched arms to welcome you back
into the joy of God's Kingdom and enjoy full fellowship in His Church. If you have had an abortion, God loves you and we, as a
congregation, love you. Healing and the joy of life are yours for the asking!
INTRODUCTION. In the United States, today is observed as Sanctity of Life Sunday. This day should call Americans to grieve over a day
of shame– January 22, 1973. On this day, the United States Supreme Court issued rulings in two cases, Roe vs Wade and Doe vs
Bolton. These rulings made performance of abortion on demand legal throughout the entire nation. Abortion on demand may be
performed solely upon a pregnant woman's request, without consideration of the father's wishes, medical condition, or duration of
pregnancy (gestation). Since these 1973 rulings, at least 56.7-million unborn babies have been killed in America's abortion clinics.
In two lessons, we will discuss four parts:
●-Part 1 (today): What does the Holy Bible teach about sanctity of life?
●-Part 2 (today): What are effects of abortion on our society?
●-Part 3 (today): What should you consider before having an abortion? Do you need healing after an abortion (or, after fathering an
aborted baby)? What are some resources available for you to reach a decision that pleases God and causes peace in your heart?
●-Part 4 (next Sunday): What can you do to defend life, and can this become a personal ministry?
PART 1: SCRIPTURES CONCERNING LIFE...
God, Creator of life, is surely “pro-life.” Scripture verses in God's Holy Word help us know His feeling about life. A few verses follow:
WE ARE CREATED AS UNIQUE, COMPLETE, SEPARATE, IRREPLACEABLE PERSONS IN THE IMAGE OF GOD:
Genesis 1:1, 26-28a: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. ||
The Holy Bible (Book of Genesis) teaches that
God created the universe, including His final and Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let
them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over
most important creation on earth– mankind:
the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the
earth.” So God created man in His own image;* in the image of God He created
him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them,....
*EXPLANATION, “In the image of God:” God is an eternal Spirit. Each person has
“God's image” carried in his/ her soul. This eternal spirit, or soul, distinguishes
mankind from all other animals. Only mankind is responsible to God for actions.
God Himself breathed life into the first human to
be passed to future generations. The “spark of
life” that makes us living creatures is a gift of
God, rather than godless chemical interactions:
Genesis 2:7: And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and
breathed into his nostrils the breath* of life; and man became a living being.
*EXPLANATION: The Hebrew word here translated “breath” may also be translated
“spirit.”
God not only created us, He considers us His
children. Each person, whether born or unborn,
is a child of God.
Acts 17:28: [Paul said] “... for in [God] we live and move and have our being, as
also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’”
Humans are so special in God's eyes that He
knows even the smallest detail of every person:
Matthew 10:30: [Jesus said] “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.”
1 John 3:1a, 2a: Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us,
that we should be called children of God!.... Beloved, now we are children of
God;....
EACH PERSON'S LIFE IS IN GOD'S HANDS:
God, not man, should decide when the length of
a person's life should end:
Job 12:10, paraphrased: In [God's] hand is the life of every living thing, and the
breath of all mankind.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS ABOUT LIFE:
Isaiah and Paul addressed the majesty of God's
creation, including human life:
Isaiah 42:5: ... God the LORD,... created the heavens and stretched them out,...
spread forth the earth and that which comes from it,... gives breath to the
people on it, and spirit to those who walk on it:....
Acts 17:25: [Paul said] “Nor is [God] worshiped with men’s hands, as though
He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things.”
SHOULD WE REFUSE TO ACCEPT A GIFT FROM GOD?
A child is a gift– a reward– from God to us; this
gift is a heritage throughout future generations:
Psalm 127:3: Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the
womb is a reward.
GOD KNOWS AND LOVES EVERY PERSON BEFORE BIRTH:
The Holy Bible teaches that the Heavenly Father
knows and loves each person before he or she
is born. God has a plan for each person's life.
Many Scriptures teaching this truth could be
quoted, but we include only three examples:
Psalm 139:13-18a: For You [O LORD] formed my inward parts; You covered me
in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not
hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the
lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet
there were none of them. How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in
number than the sand;....
Jeremiah 1:4-5: Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, “Before I
formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I
ordained you a prophet to the nations.”
Isaiah 49:1b, 5a: “... The LORD has called Me from the womb; from the matrix of
My mother He has made mention of My name. || And now the LORD says, who
formed Me from the womb to be His Servant,....”
EACH PERSON IS IMPORTANT TO GOD; HE HAS PLANS FOR THAT PERSON'S LIFE, EVEN BEFORE BIRTH:
God ordained two nations to arise from the
twins, Jacob and Esau, carried in Rebekah's
womb. He had plans for each twin, even before
they were born:
Genesis 25:22-23: But the children struggled together within [Rebekah]; and
she said, “If all is well, why am I like this?” So she went to inquire of the LORD.
And the LORD said to her: “Two nations are in your womb, two peoples shall
be separated from your body; one people shall be stronger than the other, and
the older shall serve the younger.”
Paul used this same prophecy to teach that God Read Romans 9:10-13 for Paul's example, not reproduced here.
has plans for every person, even before that
person is born:
The births of John the Baptizer (to Elizabeth)
and Jesus the Christ (to Mary) prove that
personal identities and God's plans extend to
unborn children:
Matthew 1:18b, 22-23: … After [Jesus'] mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph,
before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. || So all
this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through
the prophet [Isaiah– Isaiah 7:14], saying: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child,
and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated,
“God with us.”
Luke 1:35: And the angel [Gabriel] answered and said to [Mary], “The Holy Spirit
will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you;
therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.”
Luke 1:44: [Elizabeth said to Mary] “For indeed, as soon as the voice of your
greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.”
Luke 2:21: And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the
Child, His name was called JESUS, the name given by the angel before He was
conceived in the womb.
In reading these passages about Jesus and John, notice how they are regarded by God:
●-God sent an angel to Mary to tell her that Jesus in her womb was an UNBORN CHILD.
●-The angel of the Lord spoke of John as the CHILD in Elizabeth's womb.
●-God did not confuse Jesus or John as being “choices,” irrelevant “collections of cells,” “tissue,” or other dehumanizing terms used by
abortionists. Growing in the wombs of Mary and Elizabeth were beloved unborn CHILDREN, whom God planned to use in the future.
GOD CLEARLY FORBIDS THE SHEDDING OF INNOCENT BLOOD:
One of the Ten Commandments forbids the
willful taking of innocent human life:
Exodus 20:1, 13: And God spoke.... || “You shall not murder.”
EXPLANATION: The Hebrew word for “murder” in this verse (rah ▪ TSAKH) indicates
a premeditated (planned) killing of a person– murder. The word literally means a
“violent dashing or breaking.” This commandment does not read, “Thou shalt not kill,”
as poorly translated in the King James Version. Certain types of killing (accidental,
self-defense, etc.), although regrettable, do not constitute murder in God's eyes.
Only God can give life. Therefore, only He
should decide when life ends:
Psalm 31:15a: My times are in Your hand;....
Exodus 21:22a, 23a: [The LORD said] “If men fight, and hurt a woman with
God's law demanded a severe penalty for
child,... [and] if any harm follows, then you shall give life for life,....”
anyone who killed an unborn baby. Since this
penalty was even for careless, accidental death,
how much more serious would be an intentional
death of an unborn baby?
God forbids shedding of innocent blood. Can
any person be more innocent than an unborn
baby? Can you believe that God condones
shedding the blood of (killing) an unborn baby?
(Pro-choice advocates believe such killing is
condoned by God.):
Exodus 23:7b: [The LORD said] “... do not kill the innocent and righteous. For I
will not justify the wicked.”
God warns that He hates the person whose
hands shed innocent blood (that is, the person
who kills an innocent person):
Proverbs 6:16-17: These six things the LORD hates, yes, seven are an
abomination to Him: … [one of which is] hands that shed innocent blood....
EXPLANATION: God's view is not irrevocable, as He will forgive even the killing of an
innocent person (if asked appropriately– see following text about forgiveness).
JESUS' FEELINGS FOR CHILDREN:
Jesus taught that persons who would enter
God's Kingdom must present themselves before
Him as innocent, little children. God so loves
little children that they serve as the model of
purity and faith God requires of all of us, and we
must strive to attain childlike faith and trust:
Matthew 19:14: But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not
forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”
Similar verses may be read in Mark 10:14 and Luke 18:16.
Although He was teaching against causing
children to sin, Jesus revealed His protective
nature of and love for children. Jesus' love for
children surely would extend to protecting
children while they are still in their mothers'
wombs:
Matthew 18:16: [Jesus said] “But whoever causes one of these little ones who
believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around
his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.”
Similar verses may be read in Mark 9:42 and Luke 17:2.
OBEDIENCE TO GOD'S LAW:
The Bible directs us to obey earthly governments Acts 5:29: But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to
obey God rather than men.”
and rulers, but our responsibility to follow civil
(man's) law ALWAYS ceases whenever civil law
is opposed to God's law, as given to us in the
Holy Bible. The U.S. Supreme Court has made
abortion on demand “the law of the land” (1973
Roe vs Wade and Doe vs Bolton decisions), but
these decisions conflict with God's law. Although
abortion may be the law of the land, God's law is
the law of our faith:
WARNING TO AVOID FALSE KNOWLEDGE (FALSE SCIENCE):
Many false teachings have occurred throughout
history to be accepted at first, but later rejected.
False teachings also occur at the present time.
Disregard any “science” which “proves” that life
does not begin at conception but begins in later
pregnancy or at birth. There is only one Truth–
the Truth presented in the Holy Bible.
1 Timothy 6:20-21a: O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust,
avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely
called knowledge*– by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith....
*EXPLANATION: In the Greek text, Paul used a word, gnoseos (pronounced:
NOH▪seh▪ohs), which may be translated as “knowledge” or “science.”
YOUR BODY– AND ANY BABY GROWING INSIDE OF YOU– BELONGS TO GOD, RATHER THAN YOU:
The Holy Bible clearly states that a person's
body belongs to God. That body is God's temple
Romans 12:1: I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that
you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is
in which God's Spirit resides and which houses
the person's spirit (soul). An unborn baby
developing inside a woman's body also belongs
to God. When you abuse your body, you abuse
God's temple. Jesus the Messiah was crucified
to heal your body (read Isaiah, chapter 53).
When you disrespect your body, you disrespect
Jesus' sacrifice for you:
your reasonable service.
1 Corinthians 3:16-17: Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that
the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will
destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20: Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the
Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your
spirit, which are God’s.
PART 2: ABORTION'S EFFECT ON OUR SOCIETY (EXAMPLES)...
Consider the following effects of abortion on demand for our society:
Abortion– the leading cause of death in America: According to recent (2010) data, there were this many deaths in America: (1)-heart
disease (596,577 deaths); (2)-all cancers (576,691 deaths); (3)-chronic lower respiratory diseases (142,943 deaths); (4)-stroke,
cerebrovascular diseases (128,932 deaths); (5)-traumatic accidents (126,438 deaths); (6)-Alzheimer's disease (84,974 deaths); (7)diabetes (73,831 deaths); (8)-influenza and pneumonia (53,826 deaths); (9)-nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, nephrosis (45,591 deaths);
and (10)-suicide (39,518 deaths). For the same year (2010), there were 1,120,775 deaths in America by abortion (and this number may
be under-reported). Thus, deaths by abortion are approximately equal to the number of deaths for heart disease and cancers combined.
A silent epidemic of death: Suppose an infectious disease struck America in 1973. Since that time, 56.7-million Americans died, and
more than 1-million Americans will die in 2015, as well as each year thereafter. Would politicians, the media, and citizens be alarmed?
Would newscasters breathlessly report the latest number of deaths due to this “infection?” Would demands be made that this “infection”
must be stopped? This number of deaths has occurred in America's abortion clinics. Ho hum. Most politicians, news reporters and
pundits, pastors, and citizens shrug off these deaths. It's a woman choice, after all. To better understand deaths by abortion, the number
of deaths is approximately equal to the entire population of twenty-six states and the nation's capital– Louisiana, Kentucky, Oregon,
Oklahoma, Connecticut, Iowa, Mississippi, Arkansas, Utah, Kansas, Nevada, New Mexico, Nebraska, West Virginia, Idaho, Hawaii,
Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Montana, Delaware, South Dakota, Washington DC, Vermont, and Wyoming. Visualize a map of
the United States, with these twenty-six states and the capital having not a single living human in them. All residents died in this
“epidemic” since 1973. Now, visualize the United States with a generation lost by abortion.
Abortion deaths compared with war casualties: In America's major wars (eighteenth through twentieth centuries– Revolutionary War
through the Vietnamese War), we have experienced approximately 1.11-million deaths. Approximately the same number of unborn babies
die each year in America's abortion clinics as all of America's warriors have died in battle since 1776. No one comments about the
deaths. No parades honor the dead babies. Seemingly, few people care.
Abortion compared to 9/11 casualties: On September 11, 2001 (9/11), America was attacked by Islamic jihadis. Approximately 2,997
innocent people were killed in terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers, Pentagon, and a Pennsylvania field (Flight 93). America still mourns
these deaths, and rightfully so. Prorating the number of abortion deaths over every day of the year (365 days), there are more than 3,000
unborn baby deaths every day. Think: more unborn babies die every day of every year by abortion in America than died on a single day
on September 11, 2001. These babies die in silence, as few people notice or mourn their deaths.
Abortion– America's Holocaust: We still mourn, and rightfully so, the 6-million Jews who were murdered by the Nazis in 1933 – May,
1945. America has a far greater Holocaust. Compare and contrast the Nazi and American holocausts:
FEATURE NAZI HOLOCAUST (1933-1945)
Sanctioned by government Third Reich, through Adolf Hitler
Citizen involvement Tolerated or accepted because of apathetic
citizens and churches
●-A few citizens worked in death camps
●-Most citizens wanted not to think about
death camps
Victims Innocent Jews (and other “undesirables”)
Legal charges against victims None
Legal proceedings afforded victims None
●-No representation by attorney
●-No trial (court) appearance
●-No appeal to higher court
●-All civil rights abolished
Killing place Nazi death camps
Method of killing Gas suffocation/ intoxication/ starvation/
burning/ shooting
Reasons for killings Jews inconvenient, unwanted, burdensome,
with few friends to speak in their defense
AMERICAN HOLOCAUST (1973, continuing)
U.S. government, through Supreme Court
decisions, with enthusiastic or tacit approval by
presidents and Congress
Tolerated or accepted because of apathetic
citizens and churches
●-A few citizens work in abortion clinics
●-Most citizens want not to think about abortion
clinics
Innocent unborn babies
None
None
●-No representation by attorney
●-No trial (court) appearance
●-No appeal to higher court
●-All civil rights abolished
American abortion clinics
Chemical poisoning (RU-486) or mechanical
destruction (suction, surgical instruments)
Babies inconvenient, unwanted, burdensome,
with few friends to speak in their defense
Results 6-million Jews killed
Date killing stopped May, 1945
Repentance? Yes. Nazi death camps are closed. Jews are
no longer exterminated.
More than 56.7-million unborn babies killed
Continues at present time at a rate of more than
two deaths per hour (prorated for every hour of
every day of the year), with no end in sight
No. America's abortions are still active. Without
fear or shame, American abortion clinics will kill
babies tomorrow, and the next day, and the next
day, and .... Few Americans care. We might
ask: do Americans fear God?
QUESTIONS:
(1)-Could the large number of homicides and violent crimes in America be related, at least in part, to the loss of respect for life caused by
widespread abortion on demand?
(2)-Of the 56.7-million babies aborted since 1973, did we kill future great evangelists? Future scientists? Future leaders? Future great
dads and moms– and the generations who would follow them?
(3)-WWJD (What Would Jesus Do?) bracelets were popular several years ago. WWJD? If Jesus, the Great Physician, lived on earth
today, would He work in an abortion clinic? Would He contribute money to Planned Parenthood?
PART 3: IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING AN ABORTION OR HAVE HAD AN ABORTION...
An unplanned pregnancy– and the decision whether to bear the child or abort him/ her– may be one of the most difficult situations a
woman will ever face. We do not presume to make this decision for any woman. That decision should be made by the woman and,
hopefully, her family, after cloaking her decision in prayers and careful consideration of the Bible's teachings.
ARE YOU CONSIDERING WHETHER TO HAVE AN ABORTION? A few women have abortions because of medical advice. Fortunately,
modern obstetrical care has significantly reduced the need for abortion to save the life or health of the mother. Far too many abortions are
performed for a mother's convenience, being viewed as just another birth control method. Assuming the abortion is not considered upon
medical advice to save the life or health of the mother, think very, very carefully. Abortion is irreversible and life-altering. Discuss your
plans with family and your pastor. Search the Scriptures. Pray. Listen for the Holy Spirit's guidance. Trust God that He will lead you in the
right path.
HAVE YOU HAD AN ABORTION AND NOW EXPERIENCE GUILT? Many women have had abortions. If RIO Revolution Church is a
statistically average church, at least one woman in every four women members has had an abortion (or will have a future abortion).
Many women resolve conflicts by talking to family, friends, or others. Abortions are commonly performed in secrecy, and many women do
not share their feeling or heartaches with others. They suffer in silence, sometimes for many years. These women may experience signs
and symptoms of what may be called “post-abortion stress syndrome” (PASS). Understand what women may feel, and what you yourself
may feel. Not all post-abortive women have these symptoms or have them to the most extreme degree.
Stages of PASS: A woman who has had an abortion may experience symptoms of loss and grief, possibly including:
Stage 1: Denial, numbness, apathy. This stage, a defense mechanism against reality, may begin as soon as the decision to have an
abortion is made (that is, even before the actual abortion). They may experience “disassociation,” mentally separating themselves from
the actual abortion, as though the abortion is about to occur/ has occurred to someone else. Abortion clinics play on this emotion,
assuring the woman that the abortion is merely a surgical procedure to remove a clump of cells.
Stage 2: Beginning of awareness. This stage begins a grieving process for the loss of a baby. The woman may avoid live babies and
children because of memories that are brought to mind. Sadness covers the woman's life. Joy of life is replaced with nervousness,
agitation, irritability, and ease of being upset, even by every-day noises and sounds.
Stage 3: Full awareness. This stage includes full awareness that an abortion has been performed. Sadness, depression, and grief may be
experienced (after all, a death has occurred). The woman may seek to punish herself, because she feels she has done something wrong
and feels she is unworthy. Use of drugs (alcohol is a drug) may become heavy and a problem, which intensifies symptoms. Eating
disorder (eating too much or too little food) may occur. Sleep disturbance, including nightmares and insomnia, may be experienced. A
“replacement pregnancy” (becoming pregnant again to replace the lost pregnancy) may be sought, even involving sexual promiscuity to
become pregnant or prove to herself she is “still a woman and desirable.” Flashbacks to the day of the abortion may be haunting. The
woman may withdraw from other people, feeling she is unworthy, or has betrayed family, or has no one who will understand.
Stage 4: Beginning anger. This stage begins with anger toward the man who impregnated her, or people (spouse, boyfriend, parent) who
coerced her to have the abortion, or abortion clinic personnel. Emotional instability may result in irrational anger (temper outbursts,
throwing objects, etc.). Emotional outbursts may be triggered by coming in contact with people responsible for her pregnancy or abortion.
Clinical depression may grow and become severe.
Stage 5a: Anger. The fifth stage may show either anger or depression. Self-destructive behavior– excessive drinking; use of illegal drugs;
sexual promiscuity; careless, hazardous activities; emotional detachment from family and, especially, children; eating disorders
(overeating, bulimia, anorexia); and self-mutilation (cutting the body) – may occur. Loss of emotional control may become severe. These
symptoms may further alienate the woman from people who would like to help her. Loss of self-esteem and alienation from family and
friends may lead to depression.
Stage 5b: Depression: In this variant of the fifth stage, the woman may not show outward hostility but may fall into deep depression. Life
seems not worth living. She may have trouble getting out of bed in the morning or performing simple daily hygiene; feel hopeless;
express wishes that death would come (“to join her baby”); and eat too much or too little. She cannot see a future. Only black days are
ahead. Her depression may cause her to lose her job or drop out of school, and such “failure” reinforces her feeling of inadequacy.
Despair fills her life. Suicide may actually result. A depressed woman should seek competent medical care. Depression can be managed.
Stage 6: Beginning resolution. This stage involves the woman's realization that she needs help and needs to deal realistically with what
has happened. PLEASE UNDERSTAND: People who can help are available in this community (see following section). PASS symptoms
may linger, but the woman now sees hope and believes she can recover.
Stage 7: Forgiveness. This stage involves the woman forgiving herself (guilt is unforgiveness of self) and forgiving others who were or
may be thought to be responsible for the pregnancy or abortion. In a following section, we present the steps to forgiveness. Jesus was
very clear (Lord's Prayer and other teachings) that to be forgiven a person must first forgive others. Forgiveness of others is often an
extremely difficult hurdle a woman must overcome, as she becomes healed.
Stage 8: Beginning peace. This stage represents a continuation of the healing process. The light of hope begins to break through the dark
clouds of despair. Grief, guilt, and depression become less prominent in the woman's life. She begins to feel better about herself and can
confront the abortion as a mistake she made, but a mistake that God will forgive. She may feel loss for her baby for years (expected
birthdays, for example), but the abortion is not as emotionally devastating as it was once. She now sees pregnant women and children
without becoming upset. Her anger fades. Life now is worth living. Relationships with family and friends are re-established.
Stage 9: Full peace. This stage marks the woman's complete forgiveness for having had an abortion. As difficult as it once seemed, she
now forgives the father of her baby (even a rapist, as difficult as that may seem), and she forgives abortion clinic personnel and any
relative who coerced her to obtain an abortion. Some women, after recovery from PASS, wish to volunteer in pregnancy crisis centers to
help other women who are trying to work through the despair of abortion. Other women, though, take great pride that they had an
abortion and become staunch pro-choice (pro-abortion) advocates.
Possible symptoms following abortion: To re-cap the preceding section, we list some symptoms that a woman may experience after
an abortion. These symptoms may be defense mechanisms to guard against the realization that the woman has killed her unborn baby.
Not every woman experiences all or even any of these symptoms. The symptoms may occur at different times in the healing process .
The symptoms may be milder or stronger in different women. In no particular order, these symptoms may include:
●-Fear of medical or dental offices
●-Feeling of sadness, even with crying, when seeing infants, children, or pregnant women
●-Feeling of jealousy, when seeing infants, children, or pregnant women
●-Anniversary date flashback (such as, sadness at anniversaries of the abortion, the expected birthday [due date] of the aborted baby)
●-Sleep disturbances (insomnia, disturbed sleep)
●-Dreams and nightmares
●-Replacement baby feelings (desire to get pregnant again and keep this baby to replace the aborted baby)
●-Flashbacks (involuntary recollection of the abortion or events surrounding the abortion)
●-”Numbing out” (avoidance of feelings, thoughts, and situations, akin to amnesia following other traumatic events)
●-Anger (either hidden or explosive anger; either anger at self or others)
●-Guilt
●-Shame
●-Self-isolation, often associated with depression (withdrawal from others, including family, friends, and church)
●-Exaggeration of phobias (a phobia is an irrational fear, and existing phobic fears may be increased)
●-Eating disorder (compulsive over-eating, or bulimia, or anorexia nervosa; some women even intentionally gain excessive weight,
feeling they may be less sexually desirable and will not again become pregnant)
●-Emotional instability, including becoming startled and upset by every-day noises and sounds
●-Obsession with photographs of fetuses (especially fetuses at the stage of development of the aborted baby)
●-Relationship problems (problems with husband, boyfriend, relatives, or others)
●-Inability to make decisions
●-Inability to cope with even minor life or routine schedule changes
●-Shunning, neglecting children in the home (even avoiding her living children-- “I must be a bad mother”)
●-Overprotecting children in the home (overly protecting and worrying about her living children– “I do not want to lose another child”)
●-Difficulty with subsequent pregnancy (even a planned pregnancy may be filled with nightmares and fears of miscarriage or stillbirth)
●-Obsessive thoughts about what the aborted baby might have looked like, compared to other children
●-Viewing a future miscarriage or infertility as a punishment from God that she had an abortion
●-Suicidal feelings or attempts
●-Emotions
triggered
by
smells
or
food
WHO CAN HELP YOU? There are many resources available for you, whether you are now pregnant and believe abortion “is the only
way out” or whether you have had an abortion and still experience emotional and spiritual pain.
Resources available at this church: Pastor Hepperly will be honored to meet with you and advise you spiritually. Consider carefully
what God speaks to you through the Holy Bible and through the “still, quiet voice” of the Holy Spirit. God has a solution for you, if you will
listen. Request a meeting with the pastor by calling the church office– (865) 984.9200.
Christian counseling not associated with this church: If you wish to talk to trained, dedicated, loving Christian women about your
present or past pregnancy, call the Pregnancy Resource Center (PRC). PRC is located at 3028 Old Niles Ferry Road, Maryville. PRC's
telephone number is (865) 977.TEST, which is, (865) 977.8378, and the Website is www.prcbctn.com . PRC provides the following
services, free of charge:
●-Pregnancy test (for pregnancy diagnosis)
●-Ultrasound examination (for pregnancy confirmation)
●-Counseling: adoption services, parenting classes, and abortion alternatives
●-Maternity and baby clothes; baby supplies
●-Post-abortion support and recovery
●-Parenting support and education
Suicide prevention: In case the church office is closed and you feel you need immediate counseling about feelings of suicide, the
following agencies offer their services to our community (SOURCE: suicide.org):
●-Helen Ross McNabb Center– adult: (865) 637.9711
●-Helen Ross McNabb Center– youth up to age 18 years: (865) 523.8695
●-CONTACT of Knoxville– (865) 523.9124
●-Teen Line, Kid Kall, Parent Helpline– (865) 523.9124
●-Overlook Mobile Crisis Unit– (865) 539.2409
Prayer: The Spirit of God lives within you. He will hear any prayer you offer to Him. Christian teaching commonly has Jesus as High
Priest and Mediator. Pray to God for your needs. Listen for His answer.
Forgiveness of sin is equal to the remission of guilt: If you experience guilt following an abortion, you have not experienced
forgiveness of any sin you associate with the abortion. Guilt is an emotion implanted in your mind by Satan. Guilt does not come from
God. (Guilt is not the same as the Holy Spirit's conviction of sin or the need for salvation.)
Understand that every person sins (Romans 3:23): … for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.... Because of sin, you will
never be removed from God's ever-lasting love. You are still His beloved daughter. Jesus came to earth to die for your sins. His
crucifixion, coupled with God's grace, established the New Covenant whereby your sins can be forgiven. The Bible presents a formula for
any person's sins– for your sins– to be forgiven. If you have guilt because you feel your abortion has been a sin against God, follow these
steps:
●-Step 1: Accept Jesus as your Savior; begin following Him.
●-Step 2: Forgive and love others before seeking forgiveness. This step may be the hardest step and is often overlooked by many
Christians. In Jesus' model prayer (The Lord's Prayer, Matthew 6:10-13), He taught us how to pray. One verse is important for
forgiveness (Matthew 6:12): [Jesus prayed] And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” [Re-phrased, this verse may be
read: “Forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us.”] Conjunctions, “as” in this verse, are the “fine print of
God's contract” with us. God is willing to forgive us in proportion to the degree we forgive others. Of the entire prayer, Jesus explained
only this sentence because of its importance (Matthew 6:14-15): [Jesus said] “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your
heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your
trespasses.” Prayer is considered a sacrifice, and Jesus emphasized that any sacrifice brought to God must not be given if there is no
forgiveness of other persons (read Matthew 5:21-24). You must also love God, your neighbors, and other persons to be in right
relationship with God (read the three love-based commandments you must keep– Matthew 22:-35-40, John 13:34-35).
●-Step 3: Confess your sin to God, with a contrite (sorrowful) heart.
●-Step 4: Ask for forgiveness.
●-Step 5: Repent. Repent means to turn away from the sin for which you ask forgiveness. If you are repenting of abortion, try not to have
an unplanned pregnancy again. In this case, repentance may involve change in your sexual behavior.
●-Step 6: Receive God's promise of forgiveness; receive joy, restoration, and healing of guilt. God promises to forgive us, that we
may come boldly before His throne (read Hebrews 14:16). Because of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, our sins were nailed to that cross
and covered by the Savior's blood (read Colossians 2:14b); a final cleansing by washing in Jesus' blood will occur in Paradise (read
Revelation 7:13-14, as well as Isaiah 1:18, Psalm 51:7, and Mark 9:3).
●-Step 7: Forgive yourself. If God forgives you and you have asked forgiveness of those against whom you have sinned, forgive
yourself. Satan is a liar (read John 18:44 and more than thirty other verses describing the lying, evil nature of Satan). He will always
tempt and lie to you, seeking to rob you of the joy of life and preventing you from serving God. Put Satan's tricks behind you. You are
forgiven. You have no reason to feel guilty. If you are a forgiven daughter of God, He has completely removed your sins from His memory
(Psalm 103:12): As far as the east is from the west, so far has [God] removed our transgressions from us. If you need reassurance
from time to time, share your burden with Jesus (Matthew 11:28-30): [Jesus said] “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy
laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find
rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Physician advice: A medical condition may rarely arise in which the obstetrician recommends abortion to save the mother's life. Listen to
the physician's advice, possibly seeking a second opinion (?), and prayerfully make the decision in conjunction with your family. God
understands more than we give Him credit for. Would God ask a living daughter, wife, and mother to die to carry a baby to term at great
risk to her life and health?
A resource to avoid: Do not expect Planned Parenthood or an abortion clinic to give you any advice except that you should have an
abortion. If you have money for an abortion (cash paid in advance), you can be assured of receiving an abortion. Talk to someone not in
the abortion industry– someone who does not financially benefit from an abortion– to learn about alternatives to abortion.
SAMPLE PRAYER FOR FORGIVENESS. If you are unfamiliar with prayer, repeat any of this sample prayer, if you are in
agreement. Make your next prayer in your own words. Prayer is merely talking to God, and no special words must be said.
Dear Heavenly Father:
I have sinned against others. I confess my sins and ask for
forgiveness.
I accept Jesus as my Savior. I want to follow Him the rest of my
life. I will tell at least one Christian tomorrow about my decision to
love and follow Jesus, and I will ask other Christians to help me.
For my sins, I ask forgiveness. I will try never to repeat these sins
again. I may slip and repeat the sins, though, and I ask that the
Holy Spirit remind me that I need to ask your forgiveness again.
I ask you to bring joy and laughter to my life, because my guilt will
be lifted from me. I wish to let Jesus help carry my burdens.
I believe You have forgiven my sins and have even forgotten them.
I forgive persons who have sinned against me:
Thank you for being a good and loving God. May I serve you for
[NAMES] ........................................................................................... the rest of my life.
I will treat them as my new brothers and sisters.
In Jesus' precious name, I pray. Amen.
SAMPLE PRAYER FOR GUIDANCE ON WHETHER TO HAVE AN ABORTION. If you are unfamiliar with prayer, repeat any of this
sample prayer, if you are in agreement. Make your next prayer in your own words. Prayer is merely talking to God, and no
special words must be said.
Dear Heavenly Father:
I am pregnant. I am plagued with reasons I feel I cannot become a
mother now. Can I afford a child? Can I interrupt my job or school
to become a mother? Will my child be accepted by my husband or
family?
When You help me answer my questions, please return joy and
laughter to my life. Please give me joy that surpasses all
understanding.
I ask that Jesus share my burdens. I ask that He lighten my load.
Please bring people into my life who can help me and can give me
People urge me to have an abortion. I know an abortion is the easy advice which honors You. Please give me the wisdom to
and quick solution, but I am bothered that this may not be the best understand and accept any advice that comes through the Holy
solution... the solution You desire for me.
Spirit's guidance.
I have never felt this alone in my life. I need Your help. I need to
feel Your presence in every step I take and every decision I make.
I love You, and I know You love me. Thank You for my life. May I
use my life to honor and please You at all times.
I ask you to tell me through the Holy Spirit what I should do. Is it
In Jesus' precious name, I pray. Amen.
Your will that I have an abortion; or, give birth and place the child in
adoption; or, give birth and serve as his or her mother?
SAMPLE PRAYER FOR RELIEF FROM POST-ABORTION SYMPTOMS. If you are unfamiliar with prayer, repeat any of this
sample prayer, if you are in agreement. Make your next prayer in your own words. Prayer is merely talking to God, and no
special words must be said.
Dear Heavenly Father:
I have had an abortion. My spirit aches from this decision.
I ask You to forgive me. I know the Bible's teachings about
forgiveness, and I am trying to follow these teachings. I accept
Jesus as my Savior. I forgive those who have sinned against me. I
ask you to forgive– and forget– my sins. With the Holy Spirit's
guidance, I will do my best not to repeat the actions which led to
my pregnancy in order that I will never again consider an abortion.
If there are people in my church or community who can help me,
please bring them into my life.
I suffer from guilt. I believe that when You put my sins as far from
You as the east is from the west and forget my sins, You can
remove my guilt as far from me as the east is from the west and I
can forgive myself and remove guilt from my life.
I want to have joy in my life again. I want to laugh again. I want to
enjoy the many wonders of this life again. I want to serve You
without guilt. Please, Father, heal me. I know Jesus was crucified,
that I might be healed. I ask for that precious, blood-bought healing
now.
In Jesus' precious name, I pray. Amen.
CONCLUSION. We have tried to teach a few things in this lesson:
●-As Creator of the universe, God holds human life created in His image as special in His sight.
●-If you love and follow God, you, too, should regard human life as special. You should become a fearless champion and defender of life
at all ages (from conception to grave).
●-If you are contemplating abortion, know that this procedure is irreversible and life-changing. Please study teachings of the Bible. Please
talk to a Christian leader– the pastor of this church, a Pregnancy Resource Center counselor, or someone else you trust. Can you talk to
your husband, mother, sister, aunt, or someone else?
●-If you have had an abortion and are experiencing any symptoms of Post-Abortion Stress Syndrome (PASS), please talk to the pastor, a
Pregnancy Resource Center counselor, or someone else who can help you to heal. You should not suffer alone.
●-Pray for God's guidance and healing. God's temple resides in your body. He is as close to you as a prayer. Do not be embarrassed to
open up fully to God in prayer. He has heard and witnessed things far worse than anything you can tell Him.
●-We believe God will heal you. He loves you. Many persons who attend this church love you. You are not alone in your anguish. God the
Father, Jesus your Savior, and the Holy Spirit are ready to help you NOW. Many members of this church are ready to help you NOW.
Organizations in this county are ready to help you NOW.
NEXT WEEK. We will continue this lesson about life. Abortion really is this important. We will explore more about God's forgiveness of sin
and restitution to joy and ways you can be a champion for life.
All Scriptures are taken from the NEW KING JAMES VERSION (NKJV), © Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. Holy
Scriptures are reproduced in red boldface font.
●-If you have questions about salvation or re-dedication of your life to serve God or if you wish to be counseled, call the RIO Revolution
Church office at (865) 984.9200, email the pastoral staff at www.riorevolution.net/contact-us/ , or come to the altar during any
worship service.
●-If you have questions, comments, or suggestions concerning this lesson series, contact the author, Raymond Finney, at (865)
984.1424 or raymondfinney@ charter.net . The author assumes full responsibility for any error or misstatement.
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