Letter to Churches

Talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. He said to them: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile or visit him. . . .”
- Acts 10:27-28(a)

     The early church struggled with accepting Christians who did not come from an Israelite background. It was hard to imagine God redefining His “people” to include outsiders. God, however, was doing something new in forming the church, and it included even the Gentiles.

     The struggle of the church to pursue and embrace those seen as “outsiders” did not end with accepting Gentiles in Peter’s day. While today’s “outsider” list may vary from church to church, far too many lists include church members who have had abortions. Many churches struggle with how to minister to those hurting from abortion without being labeled as somehow condoning or even promoting the act of abortion.

     While we may find avoiding the topic very appealing, God desires to use our struggle to reveal what all our struggles reveal –- our heart with the prejudices and arrogance that reside therein. As God reminds us how far removed we are from loving our neighbors, He reminds us (as He did Peter) that the opportunity of His salvation is extended to everyone, even to post-abortive women and men.

     I encourage local churches to reach out to those who have had abortions in their congregations. I also encourage pastors to help churches to distinguish abortions from parents of aborted children. Like other church members, those who are post-abortive need the love and acceptance of Jesus Christ reflected towards them by the church body. Anything short of that breaks the heart of God.

“ So if God gave them the same gift as He gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could oppose God?” When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life.”
- Acts 11:17-18

 

Copyright © 2004, Virginia H. Curd, Mechanicsville, Virginia. All rights reserved.