A Consistent Ethic of Life
Tags: abortion, sexuality, modesty
Exodus 20:1-17
1 Then God spoke all these words, saying,
2 "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
3 "You shall have no other gods before Me.
4 "You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.5 "You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me,6but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
7 "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.
8 "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.9 "Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a sabbath of the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you. 11"For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.
12 "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the Lord your God gives you.
13 "You shall not murder.
14 "You shall not commit adultery.
15 "You shall not steal.
16 "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
17 "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor."
Imagine this scene: A group of teenage girls and young women carrying pro-life signs, urging the safeguarding of the lives of the unborn. Imagine them further, dressed in short, tight skirts, bare midriffs, tight-fitting tops, and low necklines. Does anyone see a contradiction in the message they are communicating? Their message is not as blatantly inconsistent as Larry Flint's brief fling with putting Bible verses on his centerfolds, or Mickey Cohen's ambition to be a Christian gangster (why not, he asked; there are Christian lawyers, Christian shopkeepers, and Christian school teachers, aren't there?). But I see a growing and increasingly damaging disconnect between the 6th and 7th Commandments. The sixth, forbidding murder, is based on the larger principle of the sanctity of life; the seventh, forbidding adultery, is based on the larger principle of the sanctity of marriage. These two Commandments are mutually dependent--they do not and cannot stand alone. The typically not understood principle is that if human life is sacred, then the act that generates human life is sacred. Conversely, if the act that generates life is treated as a thing that is recreational or casual in nature, then the biological end of that act will not long be regarded as sacred either. To put it crassly, if sex is cheap, life is cheap, and vice-versa, if life is cheap, sex is cheap. One would never casually, flippantly, or promiscuously end a human life; neither should one casually, flippantly, or promiscuously generate a human life. In other words, if we are to be consistently pro-life, then the act that generates life must be regarded as sacred. Furthermore, all that tends toward sexual expression outside of the sacred context of marriage must be forsaken, whether they be found in literature, cinema, television, fashion, or personal speech.
I've gotten a little ahead of myself, so let me back up and argue more comprehensively for 1) the sanctity of life; 2) the sanctity of the act that generates life; 3) that which must be forsaken if we are to be consistently and credibly pro-life.
Sanctity of life
First, is human life sacred? Does human life have a distinctive value and dignity that distinguishes it from lower forms of life, such as plant, insect, or animal life? Nearly everyone would answer this question in the affirmative. Even those "who wouldn't kill a fly," typically do, and without the least twinge of conscience.
Is this just "specicism" on our part, as avant garde ethicists call it, or is there some basis in reality for placing a higher value upon and demanding better treatment of human life?
It has to be admitted that on naturalistic principles alone there is no basis in fact for affirming a distinctive sanctity and dignity for human life. If we inhabit a world without God, then our claim to be special does look something like the inter-species equivalent of racism and sexism. We are, in fact (on the basis of this model), merely a more complex form of molecules existing in a world which has no reason or capacity for valuing complexity over simplicity.
But if we turn to the Bible as God's word to humanity, we find a divinely established ethic of life. He declares the nature and worth of human beings.
We are set-apart from the animals from the beginning of creation.
Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. (Genesis 1:26-27)
We alone bear the image of God. Because we do, innocent human life may not be destroyed, and those who do wantonly kill others must pay the ultimate price:
Whoever sheds man's blood, by man his blood shall be shed, for in the image of God He made man. (Genesis 9:6)
As bearers of the image of God, human life is endowed with a unique dignity and sanctity. This is the background to the 6th Commandment:
"You shall not murder." (Exodus 20:13)
The New Testament assumes the principle of human sanctity and dignity throughout its ethical teaching, applying it even to how we speak to each other.
With (our tongue) we bless our Lord and Father; and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. (James 3:9,10)
James' point is that we cannot claim to bless the God we cannot see and, at the same time, curse the likeness of God, which we do see in those around us. The image of God in man is the ethical basis for respectful treating of all human beings: we protect their lives, their health, their physical well being, and treat all others with dignity and respect.
Jesus extends the principle of the sanctity of human life even to our thoughts. So important is it that we respect human life that our hearts must be rid of hatred, lest sin conceived in the mind lead to its actual expression in human relationships.
"You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not commit murder' and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.' But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever shall say to his brother, ‘Raca,' shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever shall say, ‘You fool,' shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell." (Matthew 5:21,22)
The principle of human dignity includes the unborn, since unborn human life cannot be anything other than human life. It is not mineral, plant, or animal life. The fetus' genetic code is human, and its every molecule is human. It bears the image of God from conception to birth and throughout its life outside of the womb. It cannot be terminated, tampered with, or experimented upon without undermining the sanctity of all human life.
Sacred Sex
Second, if human life is sacred, then one cannot trivialize the act that generates new life. What is the biological meaning of sexual acts? They are the means by which new life is created. The sanctity of human life (the 6th Commandment) is the background to the 7th Commandment, and a host of other commandments, that restrict sexual expression. The 7th depends on the 6th. Because life is sacred sexual acts must be sacred. The wanton, careless, promiscuous generation of plant and animal life is apparently not a moral concern of God's. Cats may have all the litters they want with all the partners they want, resulting in countless unwanted and uncared for kittens, if they so choose. Not so with humanity. What the 7th Commandment teaches is that marriage, that is, the permanent union of one man and one woman, is the only safe context within which human life may be generated, nurtured, and reared. Consequently it is the only context within which legitimate or sanctioned sexual relations may take place. Anonymous sex, casual sex, recreational sex, premarital sex, extramarital sex, all cheapen the potential product of the procreative act, the conceived child. These promiscuous sexual acts, in effect, say that human children are of such little value that they can be conceived, nurtured, and reared in any context, without mother or father or both. The 7th Commandment says just the opposite. Human life is of such importance that it may only be conceived, nurtured, and reared within the permanent context of committed marriage. Because human life is sacred, all sexual expression must be restricted to the relatively safe context of marriage.
This principle of "sacred sex," as we put it, is so vital that Jesus addresses our thought life respecting it, as he did respecting life itself. It is crucial that our thoughts be pure lest sin conceived in the mind lead to sin expressed by the body.
"You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery'; but I say to you, that everyone who looks on a woman to lust for her has committed adultery with her already in his heart. And if your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out, and throw it from you; for it is better for you that one of the parts of your body perish, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off, and throw it from you; for it is better for you that one of the parts of your body perish, than for your whole body to go into hell." (Matthew 5:27-30)
Lust must be "nipped in the bud," as the expression goes, lest sexual urges be expressed outside of marriage and one places one's eternal soul at risk. Jesus does not hesitate to hang the risk of hell's torments over our heads. The marital bond is sacred and, because it is, divorce must be restricted as well. Jesus goes on immediately to say:
"And it was said, ‘Whoever sends his wife away, let him give her a certificate of divorce'; but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the cause of unchastity, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery." (Matthew 5:31,32)
We may surmise that one reason (among the many) why divorce is forbidden is the value of maturing human life. Human beings are of such worth that they must be reared in intact homes. Divorce subjects young image-bearers to a nurturing environment that is damaging to their development. Consequently, divorce must be discouraged and severely restricted.
Consistency
Are you convinced? Our argument is that because human life is sacred (the 6th Commandment), the sexual act that generates life is sacred (the 7th Commandment). Because human life is of great value, it must be conceived, nurtured, and reared in the God-ordained environment of permanent marriage. What are the implications of this principle? They are legion. Our third point is: Anything that would tend to undermine the sanctity of human life or the act that generates human life must be avoided. This places us in direct and constant conflict with our culture which constantly and aggressively promotes promiscuity.
First, in the realm of fashion, Christians must dress modestly. Christians must be careful never to dress in a way that is sensuous or suggestive. The Apostle Paul puts it this way,
Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments; but rather by means of good works, as befits women making a claim to godliness. (1 Timothy 2:9,10)
Dress "modestly and discreetly," says the Apostle Paul. Wear clothing that is "proper," not improper. Christian women should not wear clothing that is too tight or form fitting. They should not wear skirts that are too short, or wear necklines that plunge too low. Why? Because the distinctives of the female form stir up lust in men. Putting that form on sensual display increases the likelihood that sin imagined will lead to sin committed. We lose all credibility in the fight for life if we dress in a way that makes more likely the promiscuity that leads to the unintended pregnancy that leads to the abortion. This is not rocket science. We all know that there is a difference between dressing in a way that is feminine and discreet, as opposed to a way that is sensual and provocative. If we believe in the sanctity of all human life, including unborn human life, we will dress modestly.
Second, regarding visual and auditory media, Christians must avoid all images, music, language, and lyrics that stir up lust. We must be vigilant to avoid cultural forms that break down inhibitions, which are likely to promote the sinful thoughts that lead to sinful acts, or are likely to break down the will's resistance to those acts. We lose credibility as a pro-life community if we choose as entertainment for ourselves and our children sensual and promiscuous shows, programs, movies, concerts, CD's, DVD's. To be blunt: TV cannot be watched, the radio and CD's cannot be listed to, cinema cannot be enjoyed, except highly selectively. Why? Because we cannot be part of endeavors which cheapen sexual acts, which in turn cheapen the value of human life. We cannot say life is sacred, on the one hand, and then on the other allow ourselves to be entertained by and poisoned by those that cheapen the act that generates human life. Those who are pro-life must forsake this amoral and immoral culture to a degree that we have not been willing to up to this point. Otherwise our entertainment choices shout to the world that we are not serious about being pro-life, not if we cannot be disciplined about forsaking as "entertainment" the glamorizing of the immorality that makes the abortions "necessary" in the first place. Job "made a covenant" with his eyes "not to look lustfully at a girl" (Job 31:1). The Apostle Paul says our minds are to dwell on the pure and honorable (Philippians 1:9). We must be more serious about doing the same.
Third, in the realm of speech, Christians must avoid all intimate or suggestive language, double entendre, and "off-color" jokes. The Apostle Paul says,
But do not let immorality or any impurity or greed even be named among you, as is proper among saints; and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. (Ephesians 5:3,4)
The Apostle Paul, in this passage, connects immorality and filthy, silly and coarse speech. Again he says,
for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. (Ephesians 5:12)
There are things that should not be talked about, certainly not with anyone but one's spouse. Talk, jokes, discussions, etc. regarding intimate things break down our inhibitions, our natural sense of shame, our natural reserve. The worldly-wise use "dirty talk" intentionally to do this very thing, to begin to dismantle inhibitions. What one can't talk about one is unlikely to do. There are short steps, however, from thinking, to discussing, to doing. If we are credibly pro-life, we will guard the purity of our speech so as to guard the purity of our lives, so as to guard the sanctity of life.
What we are saying, in summary, is that Christians must limit all sexual expression to marriage. Anything that tends to break down sexual moral discipline must be forsaken. I do not think that I exaggerate for one moment. Jesus said that we are to take extreme measures in avoiding lust, cutting off the offending hand and plucking out the offending eye (Matthew 5:27-30). His images are hyperbole, of course, but they do indicate the most extreme action on our part to avoid sexual sin. Forsake and abandon whatever starts you down that road. Young people, determine to enter marriage with your virtue untarnished. Married people, determine to remain faithful throughout your marriage, and to remain committed to your marriage as long as you live. We cannot credibly claim to be pro-life if we are undermining the God-ordained institution in which sacred human life is to be conceived and nurtured.
To be consistently pro-life requires that one be consistently pro-marriage, and consistently anti-everything that tends to undermine marriage as the sole context within which human sexual expression is to occur. Only if we in the pro-life community clean up our own act, only if we live morally chaste lives, can we expect the world to take us seriously.
We do not retreat from the gospel when we take time to discuss our ethical principles. Have we shown disregard for the sanctity of human life, perhaps even participating in an abortion? Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, even the foremost of all (1 Timothy 1:14,15). Have we shown disregard for the sanctity of marriage? Do we need to repent of thoughts, words, entertainment choices, and deeds that have cheapened the procreative act? Where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more (Romans 5:15,20). It is only when we face our failures that the gospel shines its most glorious rays of mercy and forgiveness into our hearts, and the doors for further service open most widely.