Free P church: We support Ireland's 8th because abortion is a rebellion against God that can never be justified

In their attempt to move the subject of abortion away from its Biblical and moral narrative, to a humanistic, political liberalism, the Irish government has endorsed a process, that, if approved, will lead to the deaths of an incalculable number of children.

Recently, the government was to be commended for their swift and unreserved condemnation of the murder of innocents in places such as Manchester and London, but this same government clearly fails to recognise that life within the womb is also to be preserved and protected.

Abortion transcends national boundaries and political ideologies.

Life is not the creation of man but of the God of Heaven.

God created man in His own image and breathed life into him so that man “became a living soul” (Genesis ch2v7), thus setting him apart from the animal kingdom.

As such, human life is precious, and a warning is given against taking this life, except in righteous judgement.

Since Scripture clearly shows that God alone created life, it naturally follows that no human being has an absolute right over their own life or that of another.

This prohibition also extends to the child in the womb.

While some try to dispute the point at which life begins, the Free Presbyterian Church in Ireland totally rejects the view that the unborn child is not a living person.

The Bible plainly teaches that life begins at conception.

The Psalmist David writes “for I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139 v14). Job specifically says “There is a man child conceived”,(Job ch 3v3). It is said of Jeremiah the prophet “before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee” (Jeremiah ch1v5).

Dr Luke records how Elizabeth rejoiced at the Virgin Mary’s news and how that “the babe leaped in her womb” (Luke ch 1v41).

From the moment of conception, a new person forms within the mother, one who is genetically distinct and physically separate from her. So then, the issue of abortion cannot only be a matter of maternal choice because it involves purposefully taking away the life of another human being.

In no other walk of life would this be considered either lawful or moral.

While we recognise that there may be circumstances where both the life of mother and child cannot simultaneously be preserved and acknowledge that the support needed for each expectant mother can differ, it must be stressed that the deliberate act of abortion can never be justified.

Government legislation may seek to accommodate the destruction of the body but it cannot destroy the eternal soul, that will one day, rise up in Judgement upon those who have denied them the right to an earthly life.

For anyone to sentence the life of an unborn child to its physical death is an act of murder and rebellion against God the creator.

For these reasons the preservation of the Eighth Amendment must be maintained.

Government & Morals Committee of the Free Presbyterian Church