I think we can all agree that bringing up the topic of abortion at a Christmas party would inevitably kill the warm, celebratory spirit. Most people don’t want to talk about it, and this is understandable. It makes people uncomfortable – either because they don’t want to think about that gruesome reality or because they don’t want to talk about something politically and emotionally sensitive. But since Christmas is a celebration of the most famous pregnancy – not to mention unwed pregnancy – in history, it ought to be a topic that Christians aren’t afraid to broach.
The reality that abortions occur at all is gruesome, but the fact that they occur so frequently is staggering and disturbing. Live Action recently held a campaign that sheds light on the number of abortions committed every day in the United States: 2,363. It’s described as “the equivalent of nearly 30 buses of children.” This is the modern-day genocide in the United States.
If you’re in the pro-life arena, you have probably come across a well-meaning Christian who is in favor of abortion in at least some cases. Or they are personally pro-life. In other words, they personally wouldn’t choose abortion but are leery of forcing that belief onto others. (I can attest to this vantage point as that was me before I finally heard the basic pro-life case).
But then you may have come across the friend who uses their faith in Christ to justify abortion–usually in the name of love and compassion for the woman. It’s one thing to meet a Christian whose assumptions have been shaped by the law of the land and the culture, and it’s another thing to meet someone whose faith is infused with the pro-choice position. Some of these friends may have an abortion undealt with from their past. We know that 4 in 10 women with an abortion in their past attended church in the month they became pregnant.
So yes, this topic may be too sensitive to talk about at a party, and I would hope you can eventually direct that person towards healing resources. But if you do happen to get into a civil dialogue with a Christian pro-choice friend or family member, you can remind them of the example of Christ – the creator of the universe, author of our faith…. and former fetus.
1. Christ came into the world at the moment of conception.
Ask them “When did Christ become a human? If He is fully God - fully human - at what point did He become human?” If they respond by saying “He was human at birth,” this may be a chance to explain to them the science of embryology and the consensus across every biology textbook that life begins at the moment of conception. Just like you and me, the human person of Jesus Christ began as a zygote, as an embryo, and as a fetus. He could have come out of the clouds with lightning, thunder, glory, and splendor, but He chose to arrive as a defenseless embryo. As the Scripture says,
“Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity.” Philippians 2:7
There’s something to be said about the Creator of the Universe choosing to come to earth as the proverbial clump of cells. And I don’t believe Mary should have had the fundamental right to abort the savior of the world in the same way that I don’t believe that killing someone’s son or daughter for money should be a legal practice, much less portrayed as compassionate. And this conviction stems not merely from my faith in God but from my humanity–as a former fetus.
“Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 1:18
2. The first person to worship Jesus Christ was a fetus.
In further conversation with a Bible-believing (yet pro-choice) Christian, you can also point to Luke 1. It tells of a newly pregnant Mary visiting her cousin Elizabeth in the hill country. Before Mary could give Elizabeth the news, this is what happened:
And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!” Luke 1:41-42
John the Baptist leaped in the womb, and immediately Elizabeth knew Mary was pregnant with someone important. Seth Gruber, a perpetual voice for the unborn, has described Christians as “former fetuses worshipping a former fetus.” In this case, an actual fetus was caught in the act. God’s word depicts the personhood of the unborn.
3. Christ came into the world through a taboo pregnancy
I like to think that God may have been giving a message to humanity by sending his only begotten Son to the womb of a single woman. To say that Mary’s pregnancy was taboo was an understatement. She was a virgin, betrothed to be married to Joseph. A betrothal was a commitment as binding as marriage itself. For a betrothed young woman to become pregnant would have been a death sentence–literally. In that period of time, Mary would have faced a public stoning. Instead, Joseph made plans to divorce her quietly. Rather than making her pregnancy public scrutiny, scripture says:
“And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.” Matthew 1:19
Undoubtedly Joseph was distraught over these circumstances. But in the midst of his troubles, this is what happened next:
“an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. Matthew 1:19
Perhaps God was showing an example through this story of how we ought to treat a pregnant single woman no matter her circumstances. We should be unwilling to put her to shame, and we should actively save her and her unborn child from an act of violence.
4. Christ was born under poor circumstances
Christ’s birth was to take place in a stable with farm animals. No hospital care nor midwifery. It was not the glamorous celebrity birth we would expect of the King of Kings. Christ came to us in our humanity –in the most humble of conditions, and as Christians, we marvel at the fact. The first to receive the news was a group of lowly shepherds –considered the societal riffraff of the time. God favored the most humble people on earth to bring them the Good News first. The historical accounts in the Bible show God orchestrating His plans through people of low or no status in ancient times, including many women.
To the follower of Christ, a person’s circumstances don’t dictate their treatment. Similarly, a Christian with a pro-choice position–who considers a preborn unworthy of saving due to circumstances–ought to look again at the Christmas nativity. At the center of it is Jesus, wrapped in the same “swaddling clothes” that were used for newborn sacrificial lambs. He is our Redeemer of sin and death. And He commands us to reflect Him and follow His example of redemption, forgiveness, and rescue:
Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter. Proverbs 24:11
Speak up for those who have no voice, for the justice of all who are dispossessed. Proverbs 31:8-9
You may not actually have this conversation at a Christmas party this year, but if you do in the future, I hope these points provide perspective. It may discourage you to know that there are professing pro-choice Christians. But God is on the move in and through His Church. Christians are waking up to the silent genocide taking place and doing something. These past few years have been a time of awakening and emboldening for many. They are more courageous and equipped than ever to share their convictions and take a stand at this moment.
Let the Christmas Nativity encourage you to serve Christ rather than to serve the expectations of man. We all have a part to play at this moment in history. Take your stand and be a light in this dark world –as Christ came as the Light of the world. The darkness cannot overtake you as you remain in Him.
Tracy is the director of "The Matter of Life" – an award-winning documentary that clarifies the abortion issue, coming to theaters nationwide in May 2022. Watch the trailer here.