Humanism is the belief that man can be morally good apart from God—relying on nothing more than his own heart and feelings to guide him through life. History shows this philosophy at work in many cultures, including during the time of the Israelites: “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25, KJV). When man sets himself up as the authority of right and wrong, the outcome is predictable: evil is redefined as good, and good is condemned as evil.

​

A modern example of this philosophy can be seen in the widespread acceptance of abortion. It is not surprising that humanists—having divorced truth from the Word of God and bound it instead to their own feelings—have concluded that abortion is a fundamental human right.

 

In its Resolution Affirming Human Rights for All, the American Humanist Association declares:

“WHEREAS the responsibility of bearing and raising a child is arguably the most important, difficult, and rewarding challenge a human can choose, and personal fulfillment is not possible without the freedom to choose or choose not to bear a child … the AMERICAN HUMANIST ASSOCIATION AFFIRMS the right of pregnant women to terminate their pregnancy at any time and of those women to have easily accessible, professional medical care to do so.” (1) 

​

Notice the “rights” that humanists have come to:

​

1. Raising children is difficult; therefore, parents should have the option to end their unborn child’s life. (1)

2. Overpopulation creates burdens on the environment; therefore, abortion is permissible. (1)

3. “Personal fulfillment” is impossible without the ability to choose whether or not to bear a child. (1)

 

Put plainly: humanism declares that abortion is acceptable in all cases, for any reason. If pregnancy interferes with career goals, causes financial strain, or simply feels inconvenient, abortion is seen as a moral option. The humanist has declared these conclusions to be right—an unsurprising outcome when God’s truth is left out of the picture.

​

In John 17:17, Jesus declared, “Thy word is truth” (KJV). The Bible, therefore, is the absolute and final moral authority for mankind, and Christians are called to “earnestly contend for the faith” (Jude 1:3, KJV).

 

With that foundation, consider several biblical principles that directly address the evil of abortion:

 

I. Abortion Is the Opposite of Love

Jesus said, “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Matthew 22:39, KJV). The unborn child is no less a neighbor—though tiny and unseen—whom we are commanded to love. The Apostle Paul also wrote, “Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law” (Romans 13:10, KJV). Abortion, however, is the deliberate harming—and indeed, the killing—of a neighbor.

 

II. Abortion Is the Murder of a Human Being

Proponents of abortion often contend that the unborn are not truly “neighbors” because they are simply a cluster of cells and therefore not living souls. However, Scripture consistently teaches that life begins in the womb and that the unborn are fully human. Consider these verses: “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee” (Jeremiah 1:5, KJV). Before Jeremiah the prophet was even conceived, God knew who he was, and before he was born, God had a plan for his life.

​

Along these lines, consider the story of Rebekah’s pregnancy with Jacob and Esau. The Bible records, “And the children struggled together within her … and the LORD said … Two nations are in thy womb” (Genesis 25:22–23, KJV). It is clear from Scripture that even while a baby is still in the womb, God sees them as “children,” knows their future, and has a plan for their life.

​

Consider also how the psalmist David described the unborn child: “For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:13–14, KJV). While the child is yet in the womb, God considers them to be fully human—fearfully and wonderfully made in His image, and each child has a divine plan for their life.

Abortion is not the killing of a mere cluster of cells—it is the murder of a human being, made in God’s image, fearfully and wonderfully made, for whom He had a plan.

 

III. Abortionists Will Be Punished by God

While humanists can choose their actions, they cannot choose their consequences. Unrepentant sinners, including abortionists, will be judged by God: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers … shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8, KJV). God is just. He will punish murder, including the murder of unborn children.

​​

IV. Abortionists Can Be Forgiven by God

But here’s the good news: for those who have had an abortion, there is hope found in the Lord Jesus Christ: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17, KJV). All who believe in Christ, no matter the gravity of their sin, will find immediate cleansing in the blood of Christ.

Not only will those who have aborted their child find forgiveness, they will also see their aborted babies once again in heaven. When King David and Bathsheba experienced the loss of their child, David knew that “I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me” (2 Samuel 12:23, KJV). God has restored the lives of the millions of aborted babies throughout time, and He longs to give spiritual life to the abortionist as well.

​

What about the exceptions?

 

While most Christians and conservatives—and even some in the world—agree that abortion is wrong, many hesitate to say it is wrong in all cases. Common arguments in favor of abortion often point to situations involving rape, incest, or the life of the mother. So what about these exceptions? Consider these points first:

​

1. According to the pro-life organization the Charlotte Lozier Institute, 0.4% of abortions are due to rape or incest, and only 0.3% are due to risk to the woman’s life. (2)

2. Even more striking is that the pro-abortion Guttmacher Institute—a former subsidiary of Planned Parenthood—found that only 1% of abortions were due to rape, and less than 0.5% were due to incest. (3) 

​

Despite these small numbers, these cases are often used to justify the legality of abortion on a national scale, effectively opening the door to abortions for everyone and for any reason. It is telling that we don’t hear thousands of rape victims who became pregnant applauding abortion. In fact, a study by the Elliot Institute found that nearly 80% of rape victims who had an abortion later reported that it was the wrong choice and that it increased their trauma, (4) while more than 80% of victims who carried their pregnancy to term later said they were glad they had done so. (4)

Overwhelmingly, the push for abortion is not for these small cases. It’s no surprise that the Charlotte Lozier Institute found that 95.9% of abortions are performed for “elective and unspecified reasons.”(2) Even the Guttmacher Institute records that 74% of women choose abortion because “having a baby would dramatically change my life.” (3)

As Christians, we must beware that man’s heart is desperately wicked—the agenda to legalize abortion for all is often hidden under the false cloak of compassion for the victims. Yet, even if these agendas were truly made only out of “compassion” for the victim, the Bible tells us that these exceptions would not truly be biblical, nor compassionate.

Consider first that we are not to be “rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing” (1 Peter 3:9, KJV), and that we are to “Recompense to no man evil for evil” (Romans 12:17, KJV). We should not commit evil against an innocent life because evil has been committed against us.

 

Additionally, abortion, even in these extreme cases, is still the opposite of love. In fact, some of the highest love a mother could show is to carry a baby to term even after a terrible trauma. The Bible records: “Charity … beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things” (1 Corinthians 13:4–7, KJV). “Suffering long” and “enduring all things” is epitomized in a mother carrying a rape baby to term. We must also remember that God is just and will punish those who have sinned against us: “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord” (Romans 12:19, KJV). While exceptions to abortion are not biblical, God is still just and will rectify any wrong committed against another person.

In consideration of the most extreme case, the life of the mother, remember the words of Jesus, who said, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13, KJV). In a decision of life or death, a doctor’s advice—although very important—is not enough. Life-or-death decisions must also be backed up with a Bible verse and much prayer. God is not the author of confusion and will reveal a clear answer.

 

Abortion at its very core is selfishness—to quote once again the humanist, abortion is done overwhelmingly because “personal fulfillment is not possible without the freedom to choose or choose not to bear a child.” (1)  Additionally, exceptions often used to justify abortion are statistically rare, and even in those cases, abortion is neither biblical nor healing. Christians can begin to take a stand by teaching their children and others around them what the Bible really says on this issue of abortion—and, in so doing, fulfill the command of the Lord to earnestly contend for the faith. 

​

Endnotes

​

1. “Resolution Affirming Human Rights for All.” American Humanist Association, 27 Sept. 2015, https://americanhumanist.org/key-issues/statements-and-resolutions/humanrights/. Accessed 31 Aug. 2025.

2. Charlotte Lozier Institute. Fact Sheet: Reasons for Abortion. Aug. 2022, https://lozierinstitute.org/fact-sheet-reasons-for-abortion/ . Accessed 4 Sept. 2025.

3. Finer, Lawrence B., et al. “Reasons U.S. Women Have Abortions: Quantitative and Qualitative Perspectives.” Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, vol. 37, no. 3, 2005, pp. 110–118. Guttmacher Institute, https://www.guttmacher.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/pubs/psrh/full/3711005.pdf. Accessed 7 Sept. 2025.

4. Elliot Institute. Sexual Assault and Abortion Survey. AfterAbortion.org, https://afterabortion.org/sexual-assault-and-abortion-survey/. Accessed 4 Sept. 2025.​