Pharmakeia And Abortion
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Jeremiah 1:5-Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”
Some of the most heart-wrenching and difficult situations of personal ministry I have encountered over the years have been with those who were the survivors of abortion.
What do I mean when I write “survivors of abortion?”
Included on that list are those who have survived failed abortions, and also mothers and fathers who have chosen to undergo procedures to successfully terminate their babies in the womb. I have also worked with men whose wives and/or girlfriends made the decision to undergo abortion against their wishes. Those men were broken and devastated. Indeed, quite often, men and women who choose to terminate their baby’s life in the womb need psychiatric help afterwards, with some saying they never fully heal from guilt and emotional pain.
In the New Testament, there is a word that is translated as “sorcery” in the NKJV. It is the Greek word pharmakeia (from whence we get our words like “pharmacy” and “pharmaceutical”). The Jewish people pointed out that the word had reference to the abuse of drugs, and that one of the side effects of the abuse of drugs was making a person vulnerable to demonic influence (cf. Revelation 9:20-21). But interestingly enough, the same word also had reference to the use of drugs in causing abortions.
“Writing to the Christians in Galatia about A.D. 55, St. Paul issued a catalogue of sins (Galatians 5: 20). One of the sins mentioned is pharmakeia, the making and administering of potions. This word has commonly been translated as “sorcery” (NRSV) or “witchcraft”( NIV) because potions were often made in a context of sorcery. However, it is quite likely that when Paul used the word pharmakeia in Galatians, he meant the practice of abortion, because administering medicinal potions was a common way of inducing abortions among the Greco-Romans. There is additional evidence in the New Testament in support of this argument. In Revelation 21: 8, where the Apostle John condemns “sexual immorality,” these two words are immediately followed by the plural word pharmakois, evidently because sexual immorality often resulted in unwanted pregnancies being aborted. That pharmakeia (pharmakon), as used by St. Paul in his letter to the Galatians and St. John in the book of Revelation, apparently refers to the practice of abortion has added support in extrabiblical literature, both pagan and Christian.” (Alvin J. Schmidt, How Christianity Changed The World, 57-58 (Kindle Edition): Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan)
Abortion is overwhelmingly the unjust taking of human life, ie, murder. It is a sin which will cause people to be lost unless they repent of it (Galatians 5:19-21), and as the church of Christ, we must oppose it (Ephesians 5:11).
That is not to say that there are never any difficult situations that can lead to moral “gray area.” Frankly, I don’t always know what the “right thing” is in some situations (e.g. as in those situations where people opt to undergo abortion to save a mother’s life).
I can offer counsel from the Word and pray for wisdom and comfort for people in those situations, but I don’t always know what is best.
But when the vast majority of abortions are killing a baby in the womb as a form of birth control, that isn’t too difficult to label for what it is: murder. (On a related note: while there are many moral issues upon which I differ with our current President, I am thankful that he has often taken a stand against abortion. Let’s continue to pray for him and for all of our leaders while we commend the good and condemn the evil they do-1 Timothy 2:1-6).
Finally, we need to remember not be heartless or callous toward those who undertake abortions (or to those doctors who commit such procedures). Christians must always endeavor to hate the sin and love the sinner, as Jesus Himself teaches (Matthew 5:44-45; Galatians 2:20). Bombing abortion clinics and killing abortion doctors through vigilantism as some have erroneously promoted in the past have nothing to do with Jesus (even though such actions were often sadly done in His Name, yet they were against His Word). Love is the heart of the Gospel, not physical violence (1 Corinthians 13:1-8).
We can rest in the knowledge that those children who have died through abortion have gone on to be with our Lord and He will care for and comfort them (Matthew 18:14). In the meantime, let’s continue to speak up for the unborn even as we extend God’s message of grace and compassion towards those who sadly choose to practice abortion. Thanks to Jesus, there is hope for all.
Romans 6:3-4-Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
2 Corinthians 9:15-Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!
Lord, please be with our country as Christians continue to stand up for the unborn. Thank You for loving and caring for the children. We pray for those who have undergone those procedures that You will help them to find mercy through You. We pray for the doctors who commit these acts, that they will see their need for Your redemption. We pray for mothers and fathers who are scared and confused and who may be even now considering taking their child’s life in the womb. Please show them a better way and help them to have the courage and the love to seek it. Help us to be an encouragement to them. In Your Name we pray, Amen.