Abortion, the Bible, and Civil Government

Should abortion be legal to the moment of birth? Does abortion constitute killing an innocent human individual? Is abortion simply a family matter that should not involve government? What about the rights of the parents of a minor girl or the father of the baby? Should separation of church and state eliminate religious views from consideration?

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The purpose of this study is to examine abortion and pro-abortion legislation.*

If killing an unborn baby constitutes killing innocent human life, then this is fundamentally a question of morality which makes it a Biblical and religious issue, not just a matter of politics. Examining pro-abortion legislation teaches us the following about abortion:

The Bible, Gender, Transgenderism, and Sex Roles

Is gender a spectrum? A matter of choice? When is it determined? What should be the roles of men and women in the home, church, and society? How does transgenderism relate to homosexuality? What about men in women's restrooms and facilities? What about cross dressing and drag queens? What does the Bible say? Has the Creator spoken?

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Truth Matters: The Importance of Truth

Our society increasingly belittles the importance of truth in spiritual and moral Issues. Some say there is no absolute truth or truth for you is whatever you believe it to be. How essential is truth regarding the existence of God and the truth of His word. Do we need the truth regarding salvation, morals, the church, worship, and doctrine? Is truth essential in government, business, the family, education, and science?

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Why Do People Believe Evolution Instead of Creation?

Do people believe evolution because they have been convinced by examining scientific evidence? Is evolution scientific but creation is unscientific? Is evolution promoted but creation suppressed? Do all scientists believe evolution? Are scientists always objective? Are people's views influenced by bias, preconceived ideas, and personal desires?

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“Not Pleasing Men, but God”

When conflict exists between what God wants and what people want, what choice should we make? What about obeying government when civil rulers require us to disobey the Bible? Or what about family members or business employers or even church leaders or members who expect us to do what is sinful?

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Individual Responsibility in Salvation; Free Moral Agency

Is each individual personally responsible to choose to accept salvation? Are we free moral agents? What about inherited depravity and infant baptism? Are we righteous because we have godly family members or because we are members of a faithful local church? What about Identity Politics, Critical Race Theory, and the "Me To" movement?

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Consensus Thinking: Right / Wrong Based on Mainstream / Majority

People often determine what they believe in religion and morality based on the consensus, majority, or "mainstream" thinking, especially experts, scholars, or scientists. This occurs in government, media, education, denominations, etc. Is truth determined by polls and surveys or by the Bible?

Bible Justice, Social Justice, or Perverted Justice?

What is justice and what is the proper standard: God's word or human desires? Should we judge people based on individual conduct or on race, wealth, influence, or family? What about Social Justice?

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Relationships between Races and Nationalities

Prejudice, unfair discrimination, conflict, hatred, riots, and alienation often exist between people of different races or nationalities. What about the Black Lives Matter movement? Is there a solution to racial strife and bigotry? Can we be united in Christ?

How to Handle Persecution and Opposition

Introduction:

2 Timothy 3:12 – All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. Every Christian sooner or later will endure persecution. This has been true throughout history.

Persecution may come from civil rulers, employers, fellow-workers, teachers or professors, neighbors, friends, relatives, family members, people of false religious faiths, or even other members of the church.

George Washington’s Farewell Speech

There is some controversy about George Washington’s personal religious beliefs. But there is no doubt that he had great respect for faith in God and for moral living.

"Prove Yourself a Man": The Meaning of Manhood

In 1 Kings 2:2, David gave charge to his son Solomon who would serve as king after him. He said: "Be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man." Consider some observations:

Voting: Making Godly Choices

People who believe in Bible standards for the family, morality, and religious freedom often face challenging decisions in elections. On the one hand, we ought to prefer those who will encourage righteousness and discourage evil. Yet on the other hand, the available candidates are often less than ideal.

Some people wonder, if they vote for a candidate who holds some immoral view, are they having fellowship with evil (Ephesians 5:11; Romans 1:32). Or some may think that a candidate with a history of personal immorality cannot rule wisely (Proverbs 29:2; Luke 16:10).

These principles should be considered. But usually there is more than this to be considered.

Why Do We Have Mass Shootings?

Every society has had evil people, but today we have people who seek to murder as many of their fellow citizens as they can. This did not exist in our society 50 to 60 years ago. So why do we have it today? There may be many factors, but consider the connection to other changes in our society in the last 50 to 60 years:

Moral Decline and the Faith of Abraham

Hebrews 11:17 – By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, "In Isaac your seed shall be called," concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.

Several Scriptures discuss the faith of Abraham and especially his faith in being willing to sacrifice his son Isaac. Hebrews 11 says his faith was so great he believed God could raise Isaac from the dead. Consider some lessons we can learn:

Humanism and the Bible

Introduction:

Few people were aware of, or concerned about, the Humanist philosophy until recently. As it has become more influential, it has become better known. Yet still few people really understand it or realize the depth of its influence on society.

The purposes of this study are to acquaint people with the major doctrines of Humanism, to demonstrate the influence it is having in our society, and to compare its teachings to those of the Bible.

The Effects of Same-Sex Marriage

Numerous countries and states have granted the privilege of marriage to people of the same sex. Others are considering doing so.

This has followed after years of progressive moral decline: no-fault divorce, legalized abortion, trial marriages and the sexual revolution, and the gay rights movement. Granting marital status to homosexuals is one of the greatest downward leaps in this long progression.

The purpose of this study is to consider what view decent moral people ought to take, not just about homosexuality in general, but specifically about homosexual marriage. What effects will result if homosexuals are granted the right to marry?

What about people who do not practice homosexuality? How can this affect us?

Consider the following areas of concern:

Abortion and the Bible

Introduction:

In all the wars fought by the USA, a total of over 1.2 million soldiers have died. This study is about the people who have died in a different war: the war on the unborn. Since the United States Supreme Court ruled in 1973 that unborn babies could legally be killed, between 1 and 1.5 million unborn babies have been legally killed in this country every year. The yellow pages of any phone book list several nearby clinics where women can "terminate a pregnancy."

But no human legislature and no human court has final authority over what is morally right or wrong. Nazi law and Communist law allowed the killing of millions of adults. Was that moral? God is the final authority in determining what is morally right or wrong, regardless of what any man may say (Isa. 55:8,9; Luke 16:15; 1 Cor. 1:18-25). We must obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29).

The purpose of this study is to consider exactly what the Bible teaches about abortion. The Bible is the perfect standard of right and wrong (2 Tim. 3:16,17; 1 Cor. 14:37; John 12:48). Too much has been said about abortion without adequately considering the Bible teaching.

Separation of Religion and ... Everything!

Introduction:

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We often hear people speak of "separation of church and state."

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Many people think this proves that somehow government should never support or encourage anything religious. More recently, this idea is being used to claim that people's religious views should have no influence on the government.

We can easily document that this was never what the Founding Fathers meant when they wrote the Constitution, but what does God think?

The purpose of this lesson is to consider how religious belief is being systematically excluded from daily life.

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In God We Trust

Quotations from the Founding Fathers about Religion

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(Hobby Lobby Ad - 7/4/2013)

[Editorial Note: These quotations document the views of many founding fathers and others showing their respect for religion and morality. We quote it mainly to show that our country was established by men who generally believed that government should respect and encourage morality, decency, religion, and Bible teaching. They would be shocked to observe modern attempts to limit religious freedom or to exclude God or Biblical morality from influencing our laws and officials. (This is the text of an ad placed by Hobby Lobby in many newspapers across the country on the weekend of July 4, 2013. It apparently appeared in various forms. We have attempted to quote it as it appeared in our local paper.) – DP]