I never use my "pulpit" for political purposes. This article is no departure from that policy. The article below has nothing to do with politics, but with right and wrong, good and evil, and the image of God displayed in humankind.
Ohio is considering as a ballot measure an amendment (known as “Issue 1”) which will allow for the broadest, most unrestricted environment for child endangerment conceivable. I won’t take the time to exposit the whole amendment. Please take the time to read it here. You’ll be taken to the Ohio Secretary of State website, which has published the language of the amendment, as well as all material that will be visible on the ballot itself.
There are major problems with the amendment.
First, it contains a plethora of undefined terms which opens the door to the broadest possible interpretation of the amendment. Some of these undefined terms include:
“other reproductive decisions”. One cannot and should not equate this amendment with providing a constitutional right only to abortion since the amendment explicitly broadens the scope beyond abortion to other reproductive decisions. What might other reproductive decisions include? The sky is the limit because the phrase is never defined. The ambiguity allows for unlimited access to sex-change operations for children (why children? See "individual" below), sex-change hormones for children, and sexual relationships between children and adults.
“individual”. Because this term is undefined it is unlimited. This means that under an amended Ohio constitution, adults with intellectual disabilities, children, and teens would have the unquestionable right to make the above “reproductive decisions.”
Given that the amendment forbids any interference with this “right”, parental notification goes away. The most important decisions affecting a child’s wellbeing will essentially be no business of the parents.
“A person or entity that assists”. No delimitations are given regarding who has the right to “assist” an “individual” in carrying out “reproductive decisions.” This creates an unconscionable blanket of legal protection for those who might exploit children and kill the unborn.
“treating physician”. What is a physician? What is a treating physician? Since it is left undefined, the treating physician could be the abortion provider. Why is this a problem? The “treating physician” has the unfettered legal authority to determine the viability of an unborn child, which allows for an end-run around the amendment’s one limitation—“viable” children may not be aborted.
The right of the “treating physician” to determine viability is a problem because “viability” is one of only two terms defined in the amendment. Please read the amendment. It essentially leaves viability to the sole judgment of the “treating physician.” In other words, a child is viable only if the doctor says so.
Once the abortion provider has determined the child is not viable, he or she is covered by the legal protections ensured to “a person or entity that assists exercising this right.” This is like giving a used car salesman the unquestionable right to determine how much you can afford to pay for a car. He can rob you blind and there is no recourse.
A second problem is that--by definition--the amendment changes the state constitution. Amending a constitution is not evil in itself. The U.S Constitution can be amended. Thankfully, the founding fathers wisely made it extremely difficult to do so. Sadly, in Ohio, it is extremely easy to amend the state constitution. A simple majority of the voting population is required.
The fact that this is an amendment and not a simple law has grave significance. This amendment does not merely make abortion and “other reproductive decisions” lawful while also protecting anyone associated with the exercise of these things. Rather, it becomes the standard by which all other laws are determined to be lawful. In other words, it precludes the enacting of any legislation that limits in any way the rights guaranteed by the amendment. That is, there can be no laws passed banning partial birth abortion. There can be no laws passed requiring parental consent for any “reproductive decision”. There can be no laws passed bringing criminal or civil penalties upon anyone “assisting” a child in exercising these unnamed, unenumerated reproductive decisions.
The amendment essentially writes child endangerment into the Ohio constitution. Abortion and other “reproductive rights” become untouchable by legislation or judges. Only another amendment could undo it.
Why should Christians care about this issue?
First, we care about the glory of God as displayed in his image-bearers. Genesis 1:27 reads, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” This has profound theological significance. Man’s creation in the image of God means that killing a human being is among the worst acts of rebellion one can commit against God. It is not like killing an animal, which God allows.
The Bible makes a contradistinction regarding the value of animal life and human life in Genesis 9. Following the great flood, God gives man the right to eat animals. That is, it is lawful to kill an animal for food (Gen 9:1-3). On the other hand, any animal that kills a human must pay with its life. Further, any human who murders a human must pay with his life (Gen 9:5-6). Why? “…for God made man in his own image” (Gen 9:6).
This is a crucial text for several reasons. It invalidates the moral equivalency some make between abortion and capital punishment. God commands capital punishment…in the case of those who murder humans. The only way to bring justice upon one who intentionally takes a human life is for their life to be taken. This shows the great value of God’s image and the significance of His glory displayed in man.
To abort a child is to kill a human. I am not advocating any kind of vigilante measures against those who have abortions or the people who provide them. The point is simply that abortion is a desecration of the image of God in man.
Given the wide open door to other “reproductive medical treatment” allowed by the amendment, there is also great potential for the unencumbered mutilation of children’s bodies through sex-change procedures.
Christians care about the glory of God displayed in His image-bearers. Therefore, they should care about this issue and stand against it.
Second, we care about children. This is related to but distinct from the point above. God has given adult humans the responsibility to protect, nurture, and provide for children. The value that God places upon children — including unborn children — is reflected in Exodus 21:22-23. It requires the capital punishment of someone who accidentally causes the death of an unborn child. This is striking because the law of Moses provides protections for those who commit manslaughter of adults. Why is the manslaughter of an unborn child a capital offense but other cases of manslaughter are not? Likely because of the vulnerability of the child and the responsibility of adults to protect them.
In general, God demands care for the vulnerable and calls for severe punishments of those who exploit them (Exo 22:22; Deut 10:18; 14:29; 24:17, 20-21; 27:19; Psa 10:14; 68:5; 82:3; 146:9; Isa 1:17; Jer 5:28; 22:3; Zech 7:10; Mal 3:5). Christians should be among the first to care for children and the loudest in condemning their exploitation. Therefore, they should care about this issue and stand against it.
Third, we believe parents are a child's primary human authority and source of care. This is evident from both testaments. Deuteronomy 6:4-9 calls for fathers—not pastors, priests, pedagogues, or politicians—to raise their children to know the Word of God and to love Him. Ephesians 6:4 reads, “Fathers…bring your children up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” The Bible is filled with other passages that would make no sense outside of the assumption of deep parental love for and protection of children (Gen 4:1, 25-26; 15:1-5; 16:11-13; 21:1-7, 8-21; 37:29-36; 46:28-34; 1 Sam 1:1-20; Psa 2:7-9; 127:3-5; John 3:16; 1 John 3:1; 4:9). So serious and unique is the right and responsibility of parents to care for their household (including children) that 1 Timothy 5:8 condemns the one who fails to do it. It is biblically inconceivable that parents would concede their right to guide, care for, and protect their children. Further, it is unnatural, illogical, and evil that a society would remove that parental right in the fashion represented by this amendment.
Christians believe that parents are a child’s primary human authority and source of care. Therefore, they should care about this issue and stand against it.
Fourth, we care about justice. Biblical justice is the rewarding of those who do good and the recompense of those who do evil. One of the main reasons for ancient Israel’s expulsion from the land was their denial of justice (Jer 22:13; Eze 9:9; 18:24; Hos 13:10). The NT teaches that God has appointed governmental authority for the specific purpose of carrying out God’s wrath on wrongdoers (Rom 13:1-7).
Justice is a function of God’s own perfect character (Deut 32:4; Psa 33:5; 103:6). Because of who God is, every good must be rewarded and every sin must be recompensed.
The good news of Jesus Christ demonstrates this. Why do those who repent of their sin and trust in Christ enjoy eternal reward rather than the judgment they deserve? Because by grace through faith, two things happen: (1) Christ’s perfect record of righteousness and its resulting reward are credited to the believer; and, (2) their own record of rebellion and its resulting punishment are paid for by Christ on the cross (2 Cor 5:21). When God forgives, He does not deny justice (Rom 3:23-26). Rather, He counts Christ’s death as justice for the believer’s sin so that Christ’s resurrection can give them life. God cares so deeply about justice that only the atoning death of the Son could provide a way for forgiveness of men.
Issue 1 provides an unqualified shield from recompense against those who do evil. It writes injustice into the highest law of our state.
Christians love justice because they love God and the gospel of His Son. Therefore, they should care about this issue and stand against it.
Very simply, there are three things we should do regarding Issue 1: Pray against it, speak the truth against it, and vote against it.
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