What’s Really Behind New York’s New Abortion Law

It often takes me a while to respond to current events that shake our culture.. I try to understand all views best I can and then process and pray on it until I feel ready to contribute to the fall-out.

First, I’d ask you to please read my post, “Of Politics and Presidents: A Letter To My Church.” If short on time, specifically see the “Abortion” section. Would love for you to hear more of my heart on women facing abortion.

As you know well, about two weeks ago New York Governor, Andrew Cuomo, signed into law the Reproductive Health Act. This law allows abortions after(!) 24-weeks if the fetus (not “baby”) won’t survive, or if the mother’s health (not “life”—my God the loopholes here) is in jeopardy, and can be performed by any(!) health care practitioner.

The baby to be aborted is given a lethal injection into its torso or skull. Interesting that New York abolished the death penalty by lethal injection via an intravenous saline drip into the arms of convicted murderers in 2007. The hypocrisy here is striking.

But the hypocrisy is not limited to only one side. Per the pro-choice folks, pro-life people can ring hypocritical too when they are pro-death penalty or even pro-gun, unmoved by families who are victims of gun violence. In addition, there’s the often rightful claim that the pro-life tribe has little compassion or consideration for struggling women’s access to proper medical care, or women trapped in poverty, or women running for their lives from domestic abuse.

Round and round we go. Politics around this issue are explosive. But with this new law, we’ve launched far beyond politics.

When I watched the clip of Governor Cuomo signing the act into law with a smile, followed by the cheers and applause of those present, and then the One World Trade Center’s spire and other landmarks lit pink in celebration, I shuddered.

Evil is real.

What’s really behind New York’s new abortion law? The demonic.

Trust me, I never just toss around words and claims like that, ever. But they are called for here. I’m not saying the Governor and supporters of abortion are demonic, but that the spirit of evil and demonic power is at full play.

Watch how this unfolds in Scripture to the present day:

In Genesis, sin broke the world through the lie of the serpent—the evil one, the devil, Satan. Yet God began the pursuit of His children. He promised the day would come of a baby born through the line of Abraham and of King David who would crush the heads of the evil one and the demonic powers (Gen. 3:15). Since that promise of the baby to come, there’s been unleashed a culture of death throughout history.

In Exodus, Pharaoh witnesses the miraculous multiplying of Abraham’s lineage through whom would come the blessing of all nations. The birth of those babies was God’s miracle and blessing. This threatened Pharaoh’s power and control. His response? Do away with the threat. Kill the babies.

Later in Scripture, we’re confronted with child sacrifice. Set alongside sexual rituals, we find Molech, “the detestable god of the Ammonites” (1 Kings 11:7). Note the title “god”, not “idol”, pointing to a real, evil spiritual being. Historians hold that Molech was represented by a statue with outstretched arms and a hollow belly. The baby was placed into the arms or into the belly of the statue. Then a fire was lit within or around the statue. The belief was the sacrifice of babies would ensure prosperity for the family.

Enter the New Testament—King Herod. From the line of King David, a baby was to be born who would be the ultimate blessing, the True King. King Herod is threatened. His power and control are also on the line. He will go to any length to eliminate the threat. He too kills babies.

The last book of the Bible—Revelation. There we find the picture of a woman giving birth to “a male child, who is to rule all the nations…” (Rev. 12:5). Standing before the woman giving birth is the dragon, the serpent of Genesis (Rev. 12:9) so that he might “devour” it (Rev. 12:4). “Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring…” (Rev. 12:17). That war continues to this day.*

Christian leader and author, Russell Moore, drives it home:

“The demonic powers hate babies because they hate Jesus. When they destroy ‘the least of these’ (Matt. 25:40,45) the most vulnerable among us, they’re destroying a picture of Jesus himself, of the child delivered by the woman who crushes their head (Gen. 3:15). They know the human race is saved—and they’re vanquished—by a woman giving birth (Gal. 4:4; 1 Tim. 2:15). They are grinding apart Jesus’ brothers and sisters (Matt. 25:40). They are also destroying the very picture of the newness of life and of dependent trust that characterizes life in the kingdom of Christ (Matt. 18:4). Children also mean blessing—a perfect target for those who seek only to kill and still and destroy (John 10:10).”

Where do we go from here? What can we do?

Know the real enemy.

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:12).

Let raging voices be raging prayers against the powers of darkness, not against people on the other side of the abortion canyon. No one is ever convinced by losing an argument or by outraged tones and posts. Just as the kindness of God leads us to repentance, (Rom. 2:4) so might our kindness influence for the good those behind this law.

Fast.

When King David’s child was sick and dying, he fasted day and night before God for the health and life of his child (2 Sam. 12:15-17). We can do the same on behalf of the unborn.

Pray.

Spiritual warfare is engaged through prayer and Scripture (Eph. 6:10-18). So let’s pray. And let’s pray the Scriptures. Pray Psalm 139:13-18 to crush the culture of death. On behalf of the unborn, let’s resist the serpent of old, the dragon, the devil, Satan, so that he might flee (James 4:7).

Love.

It’s easy to repost articles and post comments in all-caps, bold, italics, and scare quotes to scream your views. But what action are you taking? Does your church serve and support crisis pregnancy centers? Then tithe. Volunteer at the pregnancy center. Come alongside to support and mentor a young woman facing a difficult choice. Consider foster care or adoption.

Engage.

Though the fight is not against flesh and blood, you can take civil actions to be a voice for the voiceless to flesh and blood authorities. Perhaps call, send emails, and mail letters to your congressman or senator. A simple step could be to sign this petition asking New York state to overturn the new abortion law.

We are not without hope. I’m strangely encouraged that demonic powers are behind abortion laws. Because those powers are already defeated (Col. 2:15). Jesus provides the ultimate victory through His cross and resurrection. The culture of death, even death itself, could not stop Him. And it’s not by might, nor by power, but only by the Spirit of God that victory can come for the unborn.

Even so, come Lord Jesus.

* See Adopted For Life: The Priority of Adoption for Christian Families & Churches, by Russell D. Moore; specifically chapter 2, “Joseph of Nazareth and Planned Parenthood.” I read this almost ten years ago and it’s a fresh today as then.