When Does a Baby's Life Begin? God Knows.

As the Sabbath approaches, I thought it worthwhile to
consider two marches held in Washington the first full week
of the new U.S. president’s term.

In looking at the two marches, one can see an immediate
contrast between those involved in the Women’s March on
Washington and the March for Life. In examining the two
groups there could be no more vivid example of the cultural
divide that plagues our country in 2017.

The women’s march on January 21 was characterized by
vulgarity, coarse language, and the primary goal of the
gathering was to ensure that abortion on demand continues to
be available. It is sad to see ladies taking pride in being called
“nasty” women and heartily endorsing the killing of potential
children of God before they have a chance at life.

In contrast, we have another group of people who gathered to
promote the right of the unborn to life. The demeanor of the
participants in the January 28th march was much more
positive. Interestingly, many people gathered for the pro-life
event were motivated by God’s word on the subject. The view
of many among them is that God is the giver of life and He
alone has the right to give or take life.

Sadly, the marches are over but the cultural war will continue.
But if the Bible were the guide there would be no abortions
and Roe vs. Wade would be superseded by God’s truth on the
matter.

One great question that arises out of this controversy is,
“When does life begin?” Consider the example of Jesus Christ
in this regard.

Consider that the one we know as Jesus Christ dwelled in
heaven throughout eternity as John 1 makes clear.

But it was God’s plan to send a Savior in the likeness of men
in order to save man from the penalty of sin. God’s plan to
send a Savior was instituted immediately after the sin of Adam
and Eve (Genesis 3:15).

At the right time in His great plan of salvation, God sent His
son, in the likeness of flesh, to redeem mankind of the death
penalty because of sin. “But when the fullness of the time had
come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under
the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we
might receive the adoption as sons” (Galatians 4:4-5).

The Apostle Paul tells us that the Messiah, Jesus Christ, was
an eternal being inhabiting eternity with God the Father. But
the one who became the Son of God was willing to let go of
being God in order to enter human realm (Philippians 2:6-7).

So, we find that Jesus Christ had eternal life. Yet He was
willing to place His very existence in the hands of the Father
to bring about a transference from being at the Father’s right
hand to life in the womb of Mary.

How did Jesus’ life begin in Mary’s womb? Luke 1:34-35
explains how this came about, “Then Mary said to the angel,
“How can this be, since I do not know a man?” And the angel
answered and said to her, “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.”

The scriptures equate the Holy Spirit with the power of God,
and the power of God with the Holy Spirit. It is through God’s
power that the life of Jesus Christ began in the womb of Mary.
Mary supplied the ovum and God supplied the rest. What God
began in the womb of Mary was not some glob of tissue, but
the life of the one who would become the Savior of the world.

If we look to the example of Jesus Christ’s, we see His life
began in the womb. The womb is where all human life begins
as well, at conception.

Sadly, at this time, there is a controversy, a cultural divide
over when life begins. Someday, there will be no marches in
Washington, D.C. But mankind will come to know that life
begins at conception and every baby is a potential member of
the family of God.

Gary Smith

Doritos Stirs Up Debate With Super Bowl Commercial

One of the Super Bowl commercials and the reaction is the stimulus for this week’s Sabbath Thought.

The ad was promoting Doritos. “The ad portrays a lively unborn baby on an ultrasound screen reacting with enthusiasm to the Dorito-munching expectant Dad’s packet of snacks. Each time the husband moves a chip towards his wife’s belly and the baby on the screen makes a lunge for it. When the annoyed Mom throws a chip across the room the baby, to everyone’s consternation, decides to make an early arrival” (CNS News—http://cnsnews.com, 2/8/2016).

NARAL Pro-Choice America responded to the ad with the following Tweet, #NotBuyingit-that@Doritos ad using #antichoice tactic of humanizing fetuses . . . .” Only in 21st century America could we have someone outraged by “humanizing” a fetus. Honestly, what other way should we look at a baby in the womb? It is a potential human being with fingers, toes, hands, and all of the other important parts that make up a baby. Amazingly, the baby moves and every time it moves a mother knows she has a living being in her womb.

We might ask, “Does God like babies?” Consider Genesis 1: 27-28, “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, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth." Amazing, God instructed mankind to be fruitful and multiply. In fact, God’s directive was to “fill the earth.” We can clearly see that from the beginning of human existence, God wanted many children to be born.

As one considers the Bible as a whole, in what chapter and verse do we find any parents who don’t want children? Abraham and Sarah were desperate to have a child. In fact, they believed God would give them a child, but they didn’t know the exact timing. So they took matters into their own hands and Ishmael was born. Ishmael was not the promised child. The couple was most joyful when the son of promise, Isaac, arrived.

In 1 Samuel 1, we learn of Elkanah who had two wives. One wife had children, but the other wife, Hannah, had no children. We learn that God has closed Hannah’s womb. The outcome of this situation, “And her rival also provoked her severely, to make her miserable, because the Lord had closed her womb. So it was, year by year, when she went up to the house of the Lord, that she provoked her; therefore she wept and did not eat” (1 Samuel 1:6-7). Ultimately, Hannah went up to Shiloh and petitioned God to give her a child. God heard her prayer and blessed her with a son, Samuel.

From Genesis to Revelation, we find women having children and we never find them bemoaning their pregnancies and births. In fact, the Bible takes a most positive view of children, “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one's youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; they shall not be ashamed, but shall speak with their enemies in the gate (Psalms 127:3-5).

The ad was meant to be funny, but sadly there is a significant element of American society which fails to see the humor. More importantly, they refuse to accept the fact that a baby in the womb is not just a glob of unfeeling tissue. A fetus is a living being awaiting the time when it will burst forth into this world hopefully into the waiting arms of proud parents.

All we can do at this time is enjoy our children and grandchildren realizing that each one of them is a potential son of God. We look forward to that time when all mankind will come to understand the incredible human potential of each child.

Have a pleasant Sabbath,

Gary Smith