How Should the Church Care for Women Who Think Getting an Abortion Is Their Only Option?

How should the church care for women who are thinking about getting an abortion? You can also post your question on our Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter accounts. You can watch Adriel live in the studio right now on YouTube and message him that way. And of course, you can always email us your question at questions at corechristianity.com.

First up today, here's a voicemail from one of our listeners named Marcos. Does God send people into your life to test your promises that you've made? An example of mine is, I'm married, but I've had temptation of finding other women. Just tonight, a young lady asked me for my number, and I told her that I'm very flattered, but I am married. I now just can't get the thought out of my head of things being different, and I want to know how to answer the questions that are popping up in my head.

Marcos, hey, thank you for that question. Brother, I would say run from that. Don't mess around. This is serious stuff, and just first to your question, does God tempt me, and is God putting this other woman in my life to tempt me? Remember what James said in James 1, verse 13. Let no one say, When he is tempted, I am being tempted by God. For God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured away and enticed by his own desire. Then desire, when it is conceived, gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is fully grown, brings forth death. And so let me just say, what it is, is it's our own internal sinful desires that we have. We're led astray by those desires. It's not God who is tempting you to sin. It's the sin inside of us, the indwelling sin, and you don't want to give into that.

Don't give any place to that. Don't play with that. Don't entertain that, because it leads to death, and that's just always how sin works. It promises a lot. It seems exciting, but in the end, it's bitter. It's like ashes in your mouth. It leads to death and to destruction and to pain for you and for the people that you love, for your family.

And so I would plead with you and with everyone listening. When we experience these kinds of things, just run from it. In fact, it's really interesting throughout scripture. We're thinking about the battle with temptation.

I think there are two strategies that the Bible says we have to use, and the first one is sort of counterintuitive. The first strategy to facing temptation is retreat. Flee. Run.

You think of the story of Joseph with Potiphar's wife in Genesis chapter 39. What happens? She's coming on to him, and what does he do? He runs away. I just got to get out of here.

I'm not going to give any chance to this. It's exactly what Paul tells Timothy in 2 Timothy, just an interesting text, 2 Timothy chapter 2 verse 22. He says to Timothy, so flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace. Flee. Run from it. Those sinful passions, just retreat. I love that the Bible says this because it doesn't say stay and try to fight. Don't be confident in yourself and your own ability.

Don't entertain the thought. Just don't put yourself in situations where you're going to have that temptation. You want to honor your spouse, and you want to honor the Lord in everything that you do. The second strategy is, if you're familiar with this, is a scorched earth policy against temptation. Something that was popularized during the Second World War and at various points in history is essentially just removing all of the provisions for war, for battle, for life, so that the enemy can't use them.

You scorched the earth. When it comes to temptations, the Apostle Paul says in Romans, I believe it's chapter 13, give no provision for the flesh. In other words, where you find temptation coming to you in your life, the places of temptation, just remove yourself from them. Don't put any confidence in the flesh. Don't give yourself any provision there. We have to lean not on our own strength, but on the strength that God gives in the grace of his Spirit.

And so no, God is not tempting you, and you are called to exercise wisdom and to flee from temptation and to provide no provision for the flesh. God bless you, Marcos. Some great counsel. Thanks for that, Adriel. This is Core Christianity with Pastor Adriel Sanchez. Our phone lines are open right now. If you have a question about the Bible, the Christian life, maybe how your faith intersects with what's going on in today's culture, because there's a lot of tension right there.

And maybe you have doubts about the Christian faith. We'd be open to receiving calls if you consider yourself to be an agnostic or an atheist and have some questions for Adriel on that. Here's the phone number. It's 833-THE-CORE. That's 1-833-843-2673. Let's go to a voicemail we received from one of our listeners.

This is from Kurt. Hey, Pastor Adriel. I'm wondering, with recent news about the apparent decision of the Supreme Court to overrule Roe v. Wade, you know, how can the church step up? What should their response be to maybe helping care for women who feel vulnerable and feel like getting an abortion is their only option of what to do with an unwanted or unplanned pregnancy?

Yeah. Yeah, so important, right? Like, I think that this is something that we should be grateful for, obviously. Like, I believe that one of the jobs of the civil government is to promote justice for people and for the vulnerable, especially. And the unborn are extremely vulnerable in our society. And so any law that would promote justice, care for the unborn, I think is a good thing. But we need to go further than that, as you're saying, you know, as the church in terms of caring for these children through things like adoption. I heard somebody say recently, like, hey, the next step is, man, we've got to find a way to make adoption cheaper.

Adoption is so expensive, cost prohibitive for so many people that we have to think about ways that we can help each other and help especially, as you say, those who feel like they're in this position where, you know, I have to get an abortion. Of course, some of it, I think, is teaching, teaching about the sanctity of life, teaching about, you know, God's will for children, God's care of us. I love, anytime I think about this question, to go to Psalm 139, where David is talking, verse 13, he says, For you, speaking of God, formed my inward parts. You knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Wonderful are your works. My soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes saw my unformed substance. In your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. I mean, talk about the beauty and the mystery even of what's happening there in Psalm 139. He's saying, God, you formed me, you knitted me together in my mother's womb. The baby that's growing in your womb is a person, God is knitting that person together. And I think there is a lie out there that says, oh, this is just a clump of cells.

You know, you don't have to worry about it. This is not a real person, doesn't become a real person until the baby's born, that kind of thing. It just doesn't make any sense at all.

It's not grounded in anything. Biologically, it's just sort of this idea that we get to choose or decide when somebody becomes a person. No, at the moment of conception, you have everything that's needed. This is a person being woven together, knit together by God. And so I think a part of it is teaching, coming alongside of, offering help, resources. I'm grateful for many of the pregnancy care clinics that are out there that provide free ultrasounds and screenings and resources for mothers who are in need.

Really wonderful. I know that there are a lot of Christians that volunteer in those care clinics and who help walk with a mother, oftentimes a single mother, who's wrestling through these things, who's trying to figure out what to do. And they're able to come alongside, give an ultrasound, and help a person and say, hey, this is a precious child and we're here to support you and to help you in whatever way that we can.

We want to plug you in and get you connected with resources. And I think that's what we can do as the church is not just saying, well, we do praise God for things like, I mean, what's potentially going to happen, pray that that happens. But we also want to mobilize and think, okay, how can we come alongside of these people who feel like they don't have any help and help them and care for them and care for their children as well. I think that's the part of what God calls us to. And so maybe volunteering in some of those pregnancy care clinics where you're going to be able to engage with these very mothers would be a good start.

Consider doing something like that and pray that the Lord gives you more opportunities to serve those who are in need. Thanks for your question, Kirk. Thanks for that, Adriel. This is CORE Christianity with Pastor Adriel Sanchez. You know, abortion is a big controversy in our culture right now. So is homosexuality. And one of the things we often receive calls about here at CORE Christianity is the gay and lesbian issues, even things like gay and lesbian marriage.

And so many young people are confused about that. We've actually prepared a wonderful resource for you that we'd like to offer you today. Yeah, Bill, as you were saying, you know, different people in different situations, varying perspectives, have asked us questions about the Bible's teaching related to this subject, related to homosexuality. So we created a resource over at COREChristianity.com called 10 things you need to know about the Bible and homosexuality. And it's free when you sign up for our weekly newsletter. We know this is one of those hot button issues in our culture today.

And oftentimes, you know, we get in arguments about these things, you know, sometimes they're not very helpful discussions. We want to have charitable, helpful discussions around this, ultimately going back to the teaching of the Bible, what God says in his word about this. And so that's why we've made this resource. And again, you can get a hold of it over at COREChristianity.com forward slash offers to download 10 things you need to know about the Bible and homosexuality. Check that out today, COREChristianity.com forward slash offers. Of course, you can call us for that resource or any one of our resources. Here's our phone number. It's 833-THE-CORE, 1-833-843-2673.

You can also call that number right now if you have a question for Pastor Adriel, and our phone lines will be open for the next 10 minutes or so if you want to call us with your questions about the Bible, Christian life, doctrine, theology, you name it. Let's go to Liana from Orlando, Florida. I hope I said your name right. Liana, is that correct?

Yes, that is correct. Hey, sister, thanks for calling. What's your question? Okay, thanks for having me. It just so happened, I'm thinking to myself, because right before I turned on the radio, you were talking about, you know, having provision when situations were taken and when we get in the situation to flee.

I just had experienced a not so pleasant breakup, and all of a sudden now, you know, he's in town again, and it's like, peek-a-boo, I'm back. And I just had said before I turned the radio, I'm like, God, help me. And then, just then, you were saying about having provision and, you know, fleeing from, like, if we're in a situation where we're tempted, like, don't, if I feel like, you know, being in the place where he would be, or maybe not answering his phone call, like, don't put myself in a situation where I'm tempted, because I could tell myself, you know, I'm strong, like, I'm not going to give in, and of course, the flesh is weak. So my question following, after tuning in, like, perfect timing, and hearing that, my question is, okay, I get that in that moment, okay, I don't answer, don't be at the same place where an individual or a situation where I may be tempted, but how do I maintain that? Not just for the moment, but, like, daily.

How do I go about that? Yeah. Hey, sister. Man, praise God for his providence, right? Like, this is amazing, you know, tuning in, right when you needed to hear that, and I think that there's, you know, a couple of places in Scripture I would go. I read the first part of 2 Timothy chapter 2 in that initial question, but if you keep reading there, you know, where Paul tells Timothy to flee youthful temptations, he adds something to that that I think we oftentimes miss. 2 Timothy chapter 2 verse 22, flee youthful passions, and it's not just running from the temptation, and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. So what are we occupying our time with? You've maybe heard the saying, idle time is the devil's workshop, you know, we're just sort of, you know, not doing anything, we're getting bored. That's where temptation can oftentimes come in. I think of David in the Old Testament, you know, when he fell into sin with Bathsheba.

It was, you know, during the season when kings are out to war, and he's at home. I mean, he should be out working, but he's at home, sort of lounging and relaxing, and that was an open door for temptation for him. We need to be occupied with the pursuit of righteousness, faith, love, and peace. And the reality is, temptation is always going to present itself.

We have to be vigilant on guard. Isn't that the exact thing that Jesus said to his disciples when he's praying in the garden of Gethsemane? In verse 41, you know, they're falling asleep. He says to them, watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation, because the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. And so we recognize our weakness, our need for God's help, our need for God's provision in the sense of him supplying his spirit to give us strength.

And so I think that's a good thing that you see. So lean on God's provision, and make no provision for the flesh. Don't put yourself in a situation where you know it's not going to end up well. And if that means not answering this guy's calls, then I would say, don't answer.

Block his number, right? I mean, if that door has been shut and it's clear, this is not something that the Lord has for me. This is not a relationship that was honoring to the Lord. It was difficult.

It was painful. Sister, set your eyes on Jesus. Pursue faith, love, righteousness, those things.

And that's a daily thing. You think of how Jesus taught us to pray in Matthew chapter 6. He says, one of the things we pray is, lead me not into temptation, temptation, deliver me from evil. It's something we ask God every single day because we recognize our own weakness, our own need. And that's something that the Lord wants to help you with and encourage you in. And as you grow in that and continue to draw near to Jesus, by his grace, he'll sustain you.

He'll be at work in your life by the power of the Holy Spirit to strengthen you in your walk with him. And so I want to just take a moment right now, sister, to pray for you, for God's grace to be poured out in your life, for the filling of the Holy Spirit, so that you might do these things, these things that the Lord calls us to, and honor him in so doing. So Father, thank you so much that in your providence, Lord, our sister, Liana, turned on the radio just at the right time. And I pray for her, Lord. Would you give her wisdom and the filling of your Holy Spirit so that she might walk, live, in a manner that is pleasing to you, protecting the things that you've called her to protect, guarding her heart, Lord, in a sense, and fixing her eyes on you, pursuing you and relationships that are honoring to you. And I just ask that you would bless her, Lord, that you would fill her with joy, with the fruit of your Holy Spirit, and God, that you would continually sanctify her. I thank you, Lord, for my sister, and just pray that you would be with her in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. God bless you, sister. Liana, thanks so much for your call. And again, God's providence that you were tuned in just at the right moment.

That's wonderful. This is Core Christianity with Pastor Adriel Sanchez. Let's go to Casey calling in from Seattle. Casey, what's your question for Adriel?

Hi, thank you so much for taking my call. My question is around preferred pronouns. I am a new employee at a company whose focus is largely on diversity and inclusion, and by that they really need focus on gender fluidity and inclusivity from that perspective. So I'm told that I need to make known what my preferred pronouns are, and I'm wondering where I stand on my values on this. Is this something that I can see to and participate for sake of the company culture, or does God find that offensive because I hold a biblical view on gender?

Hey, Casey, thank you. I mean, obviously one of these things, it seems like it's becoming more and more of an issue. We just had a conversation earlier in the week with someone related to the exact same thing. It's interesting. One of the things that's just wild is, you know, there's all this talk about diversity and inclusivity, inclusion, but some perspectives are not really welcome, are they? I mean, you think about, for example, what the Bible has to say about gender and sexuality and what we believe the Christian faith teaches, which ultimately we're called to, no matter what. I mean, that's the main thing, is being faithful to God and to his word. And so I commend you in wanting to do that. Now, with regard to, you know, what they're asking of you, if they're saying like, hey, what are your preferred pronouns?

The way I would approach it is I'm a man, so he, you can call me. I think you can go about it in that way. I don't know that you need to go further than that in this, but if it becomes an issue where they're binding your conscience and calling you to do things that are contrary to God's word, I think you can, in humility, protest and just say, hey, look, this is what I believe as a Christian. And the fact of the matter is, as believers, I think our beliefs and clinging to those beliefs faithfully according to the scripture are going to, in some contexts, ruffle feathers. And so I think we want to balance being gracious, being respectful, you know, not intentionally trying to stir up the pot, while at the same time not compromising what we believe according to the scripture. And I believe that if you do that, if you're fixing your eyes on the Lord and saying, God, I want to be faithful to you, help me to be faithful to you in the workplace, to be a light in this place. And one of the ways I think we stand out as Christians today, as you know, Casey, is in just the distinct way in which we live related to these things, right?

I mean, it shouldn't be that out there, but the reality is just because of how things are going, it seems more and more like this is the minority view. I mean, the view that people have had for the last, you know, several thousand years, now it's treated as if, you know, that there's something problematic with that, but there isn't. So I would say being faithful to your convictions according to scripture and at the same time being respectful of your neighbors there to the extent that you're not having to compromise your beliefs is what I would try to do. And just praying that the Lord brings peace in that situation allows you to work there with a clear conscience and even uses you there as a light for his word, for the truth, and ultimately for the gospel of Christ to shine through. And so, Casey, thank you, and God bless you, and give you wisdom in this situation. Casey, thanks so much for your call and for your heart and for wanting to follow God's word. This is Core Christianity with Pastor Adriel Sanchez.

Quick email question for you from Eric. He says, do I have to be baptized to participate in weekly communion at my church? In the weekly bulletin it says all are invited to participate in communion. I've even had people within my church tell me that everyone is welcome to take communion regardless of baptism.

What do you think? I was just asked this question by someone in my church earlier in the week because usually when I'm administering the Lord's Supper on a Sunday morning I say this is a meal for Christians, and then I'll go on and say for those of you who have been baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, have professed faith in Jesus Christ, so on and so forth. But in other words, baptism is a prerequisite for taking the Lord's Supper. Taking the Lord's Supper prior to being baptized is mixing up the order. Baptism is the sign, the sacrament of our entrance into the visible church, the family of God, the community of faith. It's this picture of new birth, regeneration.

It comes first. The Lord's Supper is that nourishment, that sustaining grace, if you will, that we need throughout the Christian life. But to take the Lord's Supper without having been baptized is wrong.

That's not the way it's supposed to be. It mixes up the order of the sacraments. Yes, you do need to be baptized. I think part of it gets at what the apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 11, where he talks about examining ourselves, discerning, rightly discerning the Lord's body. And that phrase there, rightly discerning the Lord's body, could be taken a couple of ways. It could be talking about the elements in the Lord's Supper, the wine and the bread, understanding what's happening there. But it's also probably in the context of 1 Corinthians, rightly discerning the Lord's body as in the church.

There were divisions there in Corinth. So I think there's somewhat of a double entendre there in that passage in 1 Corinthians 11, where he's saying, look, we need to have a right understanding of the church, the body, and the sacrament, what we're doing when we take the Lord's Supper. And who is the church made up of? It's made up of the baptized. And so you need to be baptized prior to taking the Lord's Supper. And if you haven't been baptized and you're taking the Lord's Supper, I would say talk to your pastor and get baptized. It's something that God calls us to.

It's a sign of his grace, his love for you in Christ. Thanks for listening to CORE Christianity. To request your copy of today's special offer, visit us at corechristianity.com and click on offers in the menu bar, or call us at 1-833-843-2673. That's 833-THE-CORE. When you contact us, please let us know how you've been encouraged by this program. And be sure to join us next time as we explore the truth of God's word together.