Sanctity of Life 1: Oppose vs Protect

Sanctity of Life Sunday gives the church a moment to speak with clarity and conviction. Not political clarity. Biblical clarity. As Christians, we believe every human life bears the image of God (Gen. 1:26–27). That truth alone settles the question of value.

Life is not valuable because it is wanted, convenient, healthy, planned, or easy. Life is valuable because God made it.

From the womb to the grave, every person carries divine worth because every person carries divine design (Ps. 139:13–16).

Because of that conviction, we unapologetically stand against abortion of every kind, in every place. We do not soften that belief to make it easier to hear, nor do we hide it to avoid cultural pressure. Scripture does not give us permission to redefine life based on circumstance or preference. God says plainly, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you” (Jer. 1:5). What God knows, values, and forms, we must protect.

But here’s where the conversation must go deeper.

If we are truly pro-life, then our witness cannot stop at what we oppose. It must be just as clear in what we are willing to support, sacrifice for, and step into. The same Bible that affirms the sanctity of life also commands God’s people to step toward the vulnerable. “Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.” (Ps. 82:3). “Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.” (Isa. 1:17). James goes so far as to say that faith which does not move toward orphans in their distress is incomplete (James 1:27). In other words, biblical conviction is not proven by agreement alone it is proven by action.

So if we say we are pro-life, that conviction must show up in real ways. For some, that may mean opening your home through adoption or foster care. For others, it may mean supporting a birth mother who feels alone, overwhelmed, and afraid. And for many, it will look like walking faithfully alongside families who have said yes, providing encouragement, practical help, prayer, and presence.

This is not a modern idea. It is deeply rooted in Christian history. In PLACED, I tell stories of believers who understood that pro-life convictions must always move toward people.

From the earliest centuries, Christians were known for rescuing abandoned infants left to die through the Roman practice of exposure. While the culture discarded unwanted children, believers stepped into the gap. That instinct to step into the gap when life was threatened did not fade as history moved forward. It became more organized, more intentional, and more costly.

Or consider George Müller, a 19th-century Christian evangelist who became burdened by the number of orphaned children living on the streets of Bristol, England. He began by simply opening his home and, over time, built orphanages that cared for over 10,000 children during his lifetime.

Or look at Charles Spurgeon, often called the “Prince of Preachers.” Spurgeon’s preaching ministry reached tens of thousands, but he was equally passionate about children with no families. Under his leadership, the Stockwell Orphanage was founded to provide not only shelter, but education, discipleship, and stability for boys and girls who otherwise would have been forgotten.

To be clear, abortion is a tragedy that the church must continue to oppose with courage and compassion. But if our opposition does not move us toward sacrificial care for children who are already here, already hurting, then our witness rings hollow.

The church has been here before. And when it rose to the moment, history noticed.

May this generation of Christians be known not only for what we stood against but for the children we stood beside, the families we supported, and the lives we helped protect along the way.