The Babe and Child

by Terry Wane Benton

Luke, a first-century physician and an inspired historian, lets us see how an unborn and born baby are fully human, whether in or out of the womb. In other words, birth is not the moment of becoming human and now worthy of life-support!

When John the Baptist was still in the womb, he was called “the babe” that leaped “in the womb” (Luke 1:41), and when Jesus was born, He was called “a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths” (Luke 2:12) and at the same time called “this child” (Luke 2:17). In neither case were they a worthless blob of tissue, a non-human being!

So, to God, an unborn child is a baby and a child, and a born child is a baby and a child. Killing John in the womb or Jesus in the womb would be killing a child. That was not a lawful option open to Mary or Elizabeth. One of the things God hates is the shedding of innocent blood (Proverbs 6:6,17). We cannot encourage anyone to opt for the murdering of innocent children in or out of the womb! God let us know His judgment in this matter, and humans do not get to overrule God! We are formed in the womb (Psalms 139), fearfully and wonderfully made, and such tells us to treat human life with god-fearing respect!