Spiritual Abortion

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Brother Nally's analogy about "Spiritual Preemies", those Christians who
receive God's salvation in some way but fail to embrace and experience
the Apostolic fullness of salvation, has had me thinking for the last
couple of days. Analogies are useful!  They take that which is known and
understood by men in their earthly existence and use it to understand
the things of God.  How else can we understand the things of God if not
in a human way?  We are, after all, only human.  But analogies are
limited.  They are not identical with the reality they seek to represent
only an approximation made by fallible human beings.  True understanding
awaits the eschaton.  God may surprise us all yet!  I do not want to
enter the pearly gates and begin arguing with Jesus that He has
interpreted Scripture wrong, not followed the outlines of my theology,
and not fulfilled my analogy!  With that dose of humility I would like
to expand and present Brother Nally's analogy from a different
perspective.

When does human life begin?  This is the central question in the
abortion debate.  Those who advocate abortion contend that the fetus is
only alive and truly human  when it is viable, capable of living outside
of the womb. Those against abortion contend that life begins at
conception when fertilization occurs and the potential exists for the
development of the fullness of human life.  From a Christian
perspective, I question the restriction of the definition of human life
to a biological basis.  Genesis makes it very clear that the essence of
what constitutes human life does not reside in any biological
substance.  Scientists have conclusively demonstrated that the DNA of
members of the animal kingdom is distinguished only by a unique
molecular arrangement.  The uniqueness of man cannot be defined
substantially, the uniqueness of man resides in his creation in the
image and likeness of God.  The creation of man in the image and
likeness of God defines man relationally, in relationship to God.  Man
is man because he exists as God's creation in relationship to God.  In
other words, human person hood is a divine bestowal.  God and not man
defines who man is.  Proponents of abortion err in defining the essence
of man only from a biological basis and ignoring the possibility of a
creator.  Humans are humans  because they exist in relationship to God,
are created in His image and likeness, and are proclaimed persons by
God.  

I would like to apply these thoughts to Brother Nally's analogy and
provide some illustrations from the cycle of human pregnancy.  When does
spiritual life begin?  For some it only begins at birth when an
individual is born by water and the spirit, Acts 2:38, into the Kingdom
of God.  But is this really the beginning of spiritual life or the
entrance into a new and exciting dimension of the fullness of God's
salvation?  Let me use our analogy to explain.

Human life begins at conception.  The genetic reality of what
constitutes a human is present and that human person exists in
relationship with God and is defined as a person by God, and God alone. 
Spiritually, who conceives spiritual life?  Is it not God?  Is not God
our Father in a spiritual sense? God conceives us spiritually in the
womb of the church and all of the potential for the fullness of
spiritual life exists waiting to come to expression.  Those conceived by
God are alive unto God.  They are experiencing God's salvation in some
way.  They may have faith, experience forgiveness, healing, the baptism
of the Holy Spirit, etc.  In some way, they are participating in the
reign of God.  For Luke, this is salvation.

Conception is not birth.  Conception is followed by gestation, a period
of fetal, human, development which prepares the fetus for life outside
of the womb.  Full development takes time.  38 weeks is the normal human
cycle.  During this time all of the  organ systems necessary for life
outside of the womb develop. Those born pre term survive only with very
intensive care.  They are not ready for the struggle of human existence
outside of the protected environment of the mother's womb.

In deference to those who prefer shorter posts I will only mention a few
significant highlights of the human developmental process.  By six weeks
the embryo has a four chambered heart has developed and  electrical
activity begins in the nascent brain and spinal cord.  Eight weeks finds
the beginnings of all key body parts present. The beating of the fetal
heart can be detected at 10 weeks and the fetus exhibits movements which
cannot be detected by the mother.  The sex of the fetus can be
determined at 12 weeks and the fetus is capable of swallowing and
producing urine through its kidneys.  At 16 weeks the fetus begins to
swallow, kick, and sleep and ears stick out from the head.

Finally, after 20 weeks the mother begins to feel the movement of the
fetus.  The fetus has fingerprints, and may have hair on the head and
body.  By the 24th week the fetus is capable of hearing sound.  Four out
of ten babies born at this stage will survive with intensive medical
help.  The fetus' eyes are open at the 28th  week and the lungs can now
breathe air.  Almost all fetuses born at the 32nd week will live.  The
fetus can now firmly grasp.  By the 38th week the fetus is ready to be
born with an excellent chase of survival.

During gestation the fetus is totally dependent upon its mother for its
nourishment and well being.  Malnourishment and substance abuse,
alcohol, drugs, tobacco, seriously affect the unborn child.  Those
students in my class of serious emotionally disturbed adolescents who
have organic brain disorders and serious cognitive functioning
disabilities all had parents who abused them in the womb.  This abuse
does not have to be confined to substances.  Studies have shown that
fetuses are affected by the emotional well being of the mother.  They
share in a mother's anxiety and stress.  Miscarriages, premature births,
and serious disabilities occur when a fetus is not properly nourished in
the mother's womb.

Spiritual conception by God is also followed by a period of "gestation"
or development within the womb of the church.  The Church is called to
provide the spiritual nourishment for the fetuses God has conceived. 
The Church is to teach the Word of God, witness to Jesus Christ, correct
false beliefs, evidence the fruits of the Spirit, dwell in unity, et.
al. to create the environment where those God has conceived can develop
and experience a spiritual birth.  For Apostolics, this spiritual birth
involves water baptism in Jesus name, the baptism of the Holy Spirit,
the revelation of the fullness of God in Christ, and a life of
discipleship.  This spiritual birth empowers Christians to participate
in the reign of God following the pattern of the Apostles in the new
Testament.  They become members of the Apostolic Church!

Spiritual abortions occur when the church does not recognize the
spiritual life which has been conceived in its womb and/or abuses the
fetus which is in its womb.  God and God alone conceives and defines
spiritual life.  This spiritual life is evidenced by faith and faith
acts.  Those conceived by God are gifted with spiritual life and respond
to Him in faith praying, reading His Word, worshipping Him, and seeking
to follow Him.  As the life and movements of a fetus may be unknown and
undetected in the mothers womb, so the spiritual life and movements
toward Jesus of those God has placed in the church's womb may be unknown
and difficult to detect.  But the spiritual life is still present!  Who
has not heard the testimony of a new born saint of God chronicling the
hand of God upon his/her life before they experienced the fullness of
salvation and participated in the reign of God in an Apostolic way?  The
Church should be very careful in pronouncing that which God has
conceived as "dead" because it is not able to discern the existence of
spiritual life or the activities of spiritual life. The Church must not
abort that which God has conceived but allow time and provide
nourishment for a complete gestation.  

Spiritual abortions may occur when the church abuses the fetus in the
womb.  This abuse is twofold; 1) a lack of nourishment; and 2) stress
and anxiety.  Nourishment is essential for the development of spiritual
life.  The Church can easily forget the proper diet required for the
unborn.  Prayer, Bible study, worship, preaching, and fellowship are the
essential ingredients of a well balanced spiritual diet.  The unborn are
totally dependent upon the Church.  They cannot nourish themselves.  
How can the Church nourish the unborn if they do not allow the newborn
access to its womb?  How can the Church bring the unborn to "full term"
if they do not create an environment where the unborn feels welcome to
abide, receive nourishment, and grow?  Rejecting the unborn and refusing
nourishment is spiritual abortion.  Without access to the womb of the
Church the unborn will die.  What God has conceived must be allowed to
grow and develop.  Long gestation cycles are God's concern, not that of
the Church.  

Spiritual abortions may also occur when the Church is overcome with
stress and anxiety.  The unborn feel the tension of discord and disunity
within the Church.  They sense the animosity and suspicions which exist
among members of the Church.  They know when the fruits of the Spirit
are not being manifest. The Church has a responsibility to alleviate the
stress and anxiety which affect the unborn within its womb by making
every effort to establish and maintain the unity of the Spirit.  The
spiritual life God has conceived must not be allowed to die because of
human aspirations for power and prestige  The spiritual life God has
conceived must not allow to die because the Church fails to manifest the
life of Christ.

Gestations can be long!  I remember my wife's' first pregnancy.  I avoid
saying "our" pregnancy because my wife frequently reminded me that what
was happening was her flesh and blood.  I was just a close relative! 
Anyway, it seemed like an eternity!  D Day may be the longest day, but
that had to be the longest year.  My wife went through all of those
physical changes.  I had to change mentally.  I now had a very irritable
and emotional pregnant person for a wife. Patience and sensitivity had
to be learned quickly!  Through  the long months we both struggled to
cope with and understand the significance of the great thing God was
doing in our lives.  Morning sickness and weariness, gave way to an
expectant glow and anticipation of the birth of our child.   But then he
was late!  (Believing in the power of suggestion I always insisted
everyone say he.  No doubts would be entertained!  And no, I didn't want
to see or believe in any ultrasound prediction!)  Two weeks late! 
Another eternity!  But then the day came, rather the late night.  The
pains of labor began and in 4 hours we were in the delivery room.  Only
those who have been there can understand.  To see that eagerly awaited
child emerge from the womb and utter those first few sounds of life, a
loud cry!  What an experience! And then they placed him in my arms,
rather her!  But it didn't matter!  As she gripped my finger I was
overwhelmed by love and I knew would do everything in my power to see
that she would have a wonderful life and come to know the Jesus as
Lord.  

Then there was another day.  The day she was taken to the Church.  We
took her to Church to dedicate her to the Lord!  After our Pastor
reminded us of our responsibilities as parents he turned to the Church
and said, "As the Church God has ordained that you share in the
responsibility of raising this child. You must help her learn how to
pray and to worship.  You must teach her the Word of God that she might
know God's truth.  You must show her the reality of Jesus in your lives
that she might see the fruits of the Spirit. You must show her what it
means to be the Church, to know Jesus, and to be a disciple of Christ. 
You must do this so that one day she will make a decision to serve Jesus
Christ."  Then he asked, "As the Church of God will you stand to affirm
that you will help Steve and Sharon in raising this child for the
Lord?"  They stood and only a few months out of her mother's womb my
daughter was  placed in the womb of the church to await the conception
of spiritual life by God and gestation by the Church.

Let us nourish all of those in the womb of the Church today that in
God's time they may come to know and experience the fullness of God's
salvation in an Apostolic way.

God Bless!

Steve