I chose this title because I knew that if somebody were to check my blog, it would catch their eye. The very title of this goes against what everybody knows what I believe to be true. In an earlier posting, I discussed the topic of birth and stretched our minds to think of the possibilities that we may be born predisposed to certain types of sin. This blog challenged Christians to think and compare things in light of the word of God. It isn't always good, prudent, or wise to dismiss people and lifestyles that we deem sinful. These are the very people that we should be reaching out to the most. These are the people that we need sitting in our churches.
In the process of birth, there is a 9-10 month gestation period. I, for one, was dismayed to find out that we truthfully aren't pregnant for just 9 months, but our pregnancies are based on 40 weeks, which is technically 10 months. Pregnancy begins when the DNA of a man and a woman meet to form a new, living creature. Perfect babies are not just one day dreamed of, thought of, and created, rather there is a very long, sometimes painful process that occurs for new life to enter the world. There are months of preparation, caffeine elimination, nausea, moodiness, and growth. The growth occurs in both the mother and the baby. Sometimes the creation of human life is even more intense. The simple concept of the "birds and the bees" isn't sufficient. Numerous couples undergo rigorous fertility treatments, painful operations, and financial devastating tests in order to produce life. Even further yet, many people experience miscarriages,still births, and sometimes women chose to end a life that has begun through abortion.
I began to think of these things in relationship to our walk with God. I am particularly keen on this subject now for many reasons. One, I have given birth and been pregnant twice in the past 3 and a half years Two, many of my friends are currently expecting babies. Finally and third, we are in the process of starting a new church. Brand new churches are referred to as church plants. I prefer to think of them as nursery's and birthing wards. The new birth experience is mentioned time and again in the Bible. It is something that God desires for everyone. He doesn't want anyone to perish in the spiritual sense, but have everlasting life. This can only be achieved through regeneration. I have heard the church referred to as a hospital my whole life. You don't go to a hospital well, but you go to receive treatment and healing. God is the great physician and the church body is his hospital. If this is the case, then my analogy of a new church being the birthing ward is completely accurate.
I chose to title this blog "God is Pro-choice" because I have seen too many churches never get off the ground, too many established churches stagnate, and too few people fulfilling the great commission. (The great commission being to go into all the world and preach the gospel, to seek and to save those who are lost.) The Pro-Choice argument in the secular world is an argument that women should have the choice when they will give birth and what they will do with their bodies. This is completely incorrect terminology. The politicians are not pro-choice, they are pro abortion. Being pro-choice truly should mean that you chose before you copulated either to use birth control or not use birth control or that you made the choice to remain abstinent or not abstinent. That is where the choice should end. If you chose incorrectly, you should live with the results.
In the spiritual world, many Christians choose to terminate a new birth before it really becomes the baby in Christ that He desires for it to be. When new people come into our churches, we prematurely try to change them and force lifestyles and beliefs onto them. This would be like taking a month old embryo and asking it to ride a bicycle. When it fails to do so and dies, we just judge the embryo and say that it must not have a desire to ride the bike. In the spiritual world we say it must not really be hungry for God. They don't truly desire truth. It is insane for us to think that new people who have no knowledge of God or his principles should adhere to a certain lifestyle or that they should worship the way that we do immediately after encountering God. These are people who are just gestating in Christ. We need to nourish them, watch our mouths ( I know when I was pregnant I was very careful not to ingest toxins and caffeine), hold them, and allow them to grow at the pace they are capable of. Just like in the natural world, some babies are born premature and thrive outside of the womb at just 28 weeks or so of gestation, while other babies need the full 40 weeks to survive and thrive. We have all seen "road to Damascus" conversions where people find God, change all their wicked ways, serve Him hard core, and are used in ministry almost over night. This is very exciting, however, for the most part, people take time to learn the Bible, learn God's word, have God prove himself, and have the body of Christ minister to them. Sometimes people that jump in too soon crash and burn, just like some preemies initially thrive only to have developmental delays later in life.
God is Pro-Choice. He is for us making the correct choices. He doesn't want our churches to commit spiritual abortions and sabotage people searching for Christ. He desires for His church to be filled with healthy, thriving, growing, nourished babes in Christ. He desires for these Babes in Christ to reach spiritual maturity and consequently have their own spiritual births. None of these desires can come into fruition if we prematurely cut people off, judge them, and kill the birthing process before they are ready to be released. People are searching for love, acceptance, guidance, and belonging. If they can't find these things in the body of Christ, then we are not the Christians that God wants us to be. In addition, as a pregnant mom grows with her baby, we as established Christians should be continually growing in our walk with God as we minister to others and share the bread of life. If we aren't growing, those around us won't either. None of us are perfect. We are all on a journey and in need of expansion.
John 13:34-35
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
35 " By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." NASU
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