Pastor preached a sermon entitled “Ingratitude & Idolatry – The Spiritual Root Causes of Abortion” on the steps of the Historic Sauk County Courthouse in Baraboo at a pro-life rally.
Representative “Doc” Hines also shared his reflections on this anniversary of the Roe VS Wade decision of the US Supreme Court.
Ingratitude & Idolatry – The Spiritual Root Causes of Abortion
Leviticus 18:21, And thou shalt not let any of thy children pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.
I thank my God for the opportunity to bring his word to bear upon each of our lives this afternoon as well as upon this peaceful demonstration. But let me tell you, I had to beg God for wisdom. I had to ask him for direction.
I prayed, “Lord, what should I say? After all, I’ll just be preaching to the choir.” But then the Lord said, “Christian, you know better than that! You know that there is no choir. And you also know that those who claim to be in the choir are oftentimes furthest from the kingdom of heaven! For there is none righteous; no not one.”
This, brothers and sisters, is where we need to begin today. This is where our hearts need to be before ever opening our mouths, or lifting up our banners, or signing our petitions. There is none righteous; no not one.
Now perhaps you will recall the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican which our Lord Jesus gave to us in Luke chapter 18. This parable can be adapted and applied to our meeting today.
Let’s just say that it was two women who went up to the church to pray…
The first woman stood up and prayed thus within herself, “Lord, I thank you that I am not like other women – shallow, ditzy, promiscuous, careless, baby killers, and the like… I go to church three times a week and I support the Pro-Life Cause…”
Then the other woman began to pray. She would not even enter the sanctuary. O no, she knew better than that. You see, she had already killed her first three children.Why? Well… because it wasn’t the right time, because she couldn’t afford it, because she wasn’t married…This woman, crippled by her conscience, fell face down to the ground, wept out loud, and cried out to God, “Lord! Have mercy upon me, for I am a sinner!”
Now I tell you (and that with the Lord Jesus Christ) that it was this woman who went home justified while the other woman went home twice the daughter of hell than she was in the first place! For Jesus did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
So – Do you stand here today in self-righteousness or in self-abasement? Are you ready to acknowledge and confess your spiritual poverty before the Holy and Omnipotent God?
If not, then guess what? You have simply not been called by God to protest anything – but rather to go home, repent of your sins, and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.
You see, it is far too easy for us to comfort ourselves and to congratulate our sanctimonious selves, saying, “I would never do this… I would never do that…” But that is simply not biblical.
God says that every single natural born son and daughter of Adam is born a hater of God and a murderer at heart. God says that the wicked go astray as soon as they be born…
So who are you that judges another? Can you not see in your own heart the black stain of original sin? Can you not see in your own heart the propensity even to kill your own children?
Can you not say with me this afternoon, that but for the grace of God – there go I? If not, then let me help you in this.
Yes, abortion is a most heinous crime. Yes, abortion is an abomination in the sight of the Lord. Yes, abortion is like some foul and stinking weed which does nothing but pollute God’s good green earth.
But listen, abortion (like all other outward sins) has roots – spiritual roots – hidden roots – deep deep roots which strangle the heart and darken the mind.
Therefore, we must understand and attack abortion at its roots if we ever plan on eradicating it.That is why, this afternoon, I declare unto you the two spiritual root causes of abortion: Ingratitude & Idolatry.
The Bible says in Psalm 127, that children are a heritage from the Lord and that the fruit of the womb is his reward.
But is this how we see our children? Are they a blessing to us or a burden? Are they our treasure? Or are they only an obstacle to obtaining the riches of this world?
This is where abortion starts. It starts as a warped mentality. It starts as a wrong attitude toward children. It starts as foul Ingratitude.
God says that children ARE his inheritance and reward. But people do not like God’s inheritance – do they?
They want the kind of inheritance they see on television: Cars, toys, clothing, Plasma TV’s, houses – pieces of metal and plastic – junk that will rot away in due time.
And unfortunately, ingratitude does not typically end there. O no, once a person has chosen covetousness rather than contentment, that person will usually find a way to get those things which seem to make this fallen world go around. Thus we see the other root cause of abortion: Idolatry.
And this is actually quite logical when you think about it:If we reject God as the giver of every good and perfect gift (as the only source of true and lasting treasure) then what is there left for us to do other than to create for our selves an alternate source of ‘blessing’? This is idolatry according to God’s word.
Abortion has always been linked to the sin of idolatry. This is most clearly seen in even the most ancient form of infanticide: Molech Worship – Baal Worship – Mammon Worship – Money Worship.
That’s right – the ancient Cannanites were just as worried about the economy and their checkbooks as most Americans are today.
And let me just tell you what they did in order to ensure for themselves a prosperous future – to get themselves into the black for 2005 – to feel as if they were actually in control of their own destinies:
They would try their best to convince the so-called god of prosperity of their loyalty and depth of devotion. How? By sacrificing their own children to him. That’s right – What they would do is this:
First, you would take your infant child to the local Molech shrine. Then, when it was your turn, you would put on your robe and approach the stainless steel table (o, sorry… the idol).
And let me tell you about this idol: Molech was made of metal, had the body of a man, had the head of a bull, and had his arms outstretched with a red hot fire burning in his belly.
And then the music would begin… why? So that the cries of the burning child would not be a nuisance or a distraction to those who were so happily engaged in cultic fornication.
Then the baby would be placed into the outstretched arms of Molech and rolled in to the burning belly of the beast.
Believe it or not, this is how badly people want to control the future. This is how far people will take their covetousness – which is idolatry. And listen, we are no less barbaric and idolatrous than they were.
Molech is alive and well in America today. His arms are still outstretched and he is whispering to each one of us:
“Give me your children and I will give you economic stability – I will give you convenience – I will give you a timely pregnancy – I will give you control over your own body – I will give you a no-strings-attached sexual experience.”
Now, does all of this sound terribly familiar? It should, because the Word of God says that there is nothing new under the sun. And yes, that does include abortion.
Therefore, my little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.