What About Women Who Have Had Abortions?

 What about women who have had abortions? How does God deal with them and how do we deal with them?

Every mother who is self-aware knows that something very traumatic has just occurred when she has an abortion. The procedure is very invasive and, sometimes, very dangerous. Additionally, there is an emotional-biological connection between mother and baby which is profound. Some women try to minimize this, but the amount of post-partum depression clearly shows how deep the connection is.

There is also the shame and remorse associated with mothers who have had abortions. Given the deep connection between mother and baby, you can see how this would affect many women tremendously. This is not to say that some mothers seem to be unaffected by their actions of ending their baby’s life. Perhaps a few are not. Most of these mothers, however, are putting a big mask over their emotions.

The good news, the great news, is that Jesus loves every woman who has had an abortion just like He loves each and every sinner in the whole world. Those women who have not gotten abortions, and every single man who is not Jesus Christ have also sinned. No one is exempt. As it is written: “We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.”

Jesus died on the cross for all of our sins. He died to pay the penalty for the mother who aborted her baby just like He died to pay the penalty for the liar, the cheat and the oppressor. All anyone has to do to gain redemption and forgiveness from God is to repent (change what we are doing) and believe in Jesus as our Savior with our whole heart. These two things go hand in hand.

If any of us commit to Jesus in this way, we have new life with God. The old things have passed away and we are a new creation. This includes mothers who have had an abortion — or more than one!

This doesn’t change the fact that a baby has been killed, but it does allow the mother to shed the shame and remorse that comes with this action. The love of Jesus is greater than any wrong.

We who represent Christ on earth need to be particularly aware of condemning the person for the action of abortion. Jesus came to this world not to condemn people but to save them. If He came to save us, then we were/are all condemned until we repent and accept Him. The mother may be guilty of a terrible thing, but she is no more condemned because of this than any of us are for our multitude of sins. You can’t be more condemned if you’re already condemned.

“For God so loved the world, that He sent His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

Therefore, we need to show the love of Jesus to these mothers who had abortions while, at the same time, doing everything possible to stop future abortions both through educating women (and men) about what abortion really is and changing laws. This is where the church has failed. We have tended to be so bent on changing the law that we forget to show love and mercy. The two must work together. Indeed, if we showed more love and mercy, changing those laws might even be easier!