We must love our preborn neighbors and boldly go forth

Abortion is the greatest evil of our day. Regrettably, that statement doesn’t resonate with most Christians. Instead, Eric Rust’s letter this past week is a much more common response from people who see abortion imagery in a public space.  

Eric was angry, indignant, incensed, and sorry … that the images were rudely and uninvitingly brought into his life and that the citizens of Sandpoint had to experience “the dark side of abortion.”  (Is there a side that isn’t dark?). But the shockingly sad fact is that Eric’s heart — and the heart of most Christians — is in the wrong place. They ought to have a greater response — of anger, sorrow, brokenness, and repentance — to the reality of abortion than to seeing Christians stand up and cry out for those children with no voice that are daily led to the slaughter.

What does it mean to be a Christian in a culture that practices child sacrifice? It must begin with answering the call to love God and love our neighbors. We must love our preborn neighbors and boldly go forth and speak the truth in love. We must love post-abortive women and men enough to minister to their physical needs (our money, our time, and our homes), and we must love them enough to address their spiritual needs. Women who are guilty of murdering their children need more than our sorrow and compassion; they need repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ alone can bring healing and new life to all those touched by the evil of abortion – that’s the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  And if you preach it from the pulpit … if you share it with your friends … if you boldly stand in the public square and declare it … may God be glorified.  But if you shrink from the task – if the fear of men constrains you - repent, turn to God, walk by faith, and start being salt and light.

To all the people who have been given false hope and temporary comfort from the idea that Jesus doesn’t care about your sin, we are sorry. There is forgiveness in the blood of Jesus Christ – you can have new life in Him and peace with God — but you must repent and be born again.

We rejoice that you are discussing, debating, and arguing our actions. But stop talking about our signs and start considering those children that are destroyed each day - not only in Afghanistan — not only in India — not in some other country — but in YOUR country.  

The Abolitionist Society of North Idaho meets the fourth Tuesday of every month at Sandpoint Community Center on First Street from 5:30-8:00 p.m.  Come out and share your opinion. Share your convictions of how we ought to respond to this evil. But whatever you do, don’t lapse back into apathy and indifference about the greatest evil of our age.  

SCOTT HERNDON and

JEREMIAH SMEDRA

Directors,

Abolitionist Society of North Idaho