APRIL + MAY 2018
FAITH & Culture You are the light of the world - like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. MATTHEW 5:14
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APRIL + MAY 2018
CONTENTS
ARTICLES Church + State DR. JOHN NEUFELD No Worries PHIL CALLAWAY Let's Talk Marijuana Summary ISAAC DAGNEAU Does the Bible Matter? RAY DUECK Abortion and the Gospel STEPHANIE GRAY
FEATURES BIBLE READING Dr. John Neufeld CAN I SMOKE POT? Book offer by Mark Ward BACK TO THE BIBLE KIDS Now here! Download today!
CHURCH + STATE DR. JOHN NEUFELD is the Canadian Bible Teacher of Back to the Bible Canada, and is well known both nationally and internationally for his excellence in expositional Bible teaching. Dr. Neufeld is passionate about bringing the truth of God’s Word to life across Canada and beyond.
It’s hard to talk about the relationship of the Christian faith to a secular state without addressing the elephant in the room. The United States’ “Evangelical” support of President Donald Trump has taken all of the other oxygen from the room. Almost everything said these days about the relationship of evangelical Christians to the state is now being said against this background. How, it is asked, can those who used to take the moral high ground now support a man whose sexual morality, narcissism and propensity to lying are well known?
witness to the world. In a recent article published in the New Yorker, Pastor Tim Keller has admitted that “the word ‘evangelical’ used to denote people who claimed the high moral ground; now, in popular usage, the word is nearly synonymous with ‘hypocrite.’”
Of course, the answer is given: in order to secure political advantage, evangelicals have formed an alliance. In the meantime, one hears evangelicals either calling President Trump God’s man for this time, or a man who is harming the evangelical
1. We must acknowledge that whoever is in power is put there by God. Romans 13:1 reminds us that “there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” That includes the candidates we like, and the ones we
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On this side of the border, all of this has given a great many of us pause for thought. What should be the relationship between Christians and the state? Does the Bible offer us guidance? I think it does; indeed, it gives us a number of significant mandates.
don’t like. Therefore, we may not curse the ones we dislike. God, in infinite wisdom and for the sake of His wider purposes, installs and deposes kings according to His will. Daniel 2:21 says, “He changes times and seasons; He removes kings and sets up kings.” 2. We must pray for those who govern over us, whether we like them or not. 1 Timothy 2:1-2a states, “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions.” Hence, we have an obligation to be in earnest intercession for our current Canadian prime minister, even when he legislates that summer grants be suspended for those who will not agree to the abortion of children. 3. We must grasp the proper role of government. The Bible makes it clear that the principle task of government is to enforce laws against unrighteousness. Romans 13 reminds us that the government
bears the sword and carries out God’s wrath against the wrongdoer (Romans 13:4). Therefore, it is not the task of governments to assist us in advancing the Gospel. When Paul commands believers to pray for government, he states the reason: “That we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way” (1 Timothy 2:2b). We pray for peace, so that we might proclaim the Gospel; this is not the role of the state. Finally, it is my view that the best role for Christians in relation to the state is to be a prophetic voice, rather than a governing voice. Whenever we align ourselves with a given party or a given political leader, we give up this vital role. We must remain separate from the state, lest our voice is drowned out by the political advantage of others. We must never become a dependable political voting block. Rather, we must be the people who represent the righteousness of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
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DR. NEUFELD’S DAILY BIBLE READING PLAN MAY 2018
JUNE 2018
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
Hosea 1-4; Matthew 18:1-20 Hosea 5-8; Matthew 18:21-35 Hosea 9-11; Matthew 19 Hosea 12-14; Matthew 20:1-16 Jeremiah 1-2; Matthew 20:17-34 Jeremiah 3-5; Matthew 21:1-22 Jeremiah 6-8; Matthew 21:23-46 Jeremiah 9-11; Matthew 22:1-22 Jeremiah 12-14; Matthew 22:23-46 Jeremiah 15-17; Matthew 23:1-22 Jeremiah 18-19; Matthew 23:23-39 Jeremiah 20-21; Matthew 24:1-28 Jeremiah 22-23; Matthew 24:29-51 Jeremiah 24-26; Matthew 25:1-30 Jeremiah 27-29; Matthew 25:31-46 Jeremiah 30-31; Matthew 26:1-25 Jeremiah 32-33; Matthew 26:26-50 Jeremiah 34-36; Matthew 26:51-75 Jeremiah 37-39; Matthew 27:1-26 Jeremiah 40-42; Matthew 27:27-50 Jeremiah 43-45; Matthew 27:51-66 Jeremiah 46-47; Matthew 28 Jeremiah 48-49; Philippians 1 Jeremiah 50; Philippians 2 Jeremiah 51-52; Philippians 3 Joel 1-3; Philippians 4 Deuteronomy 1-3; Acts 1 Deuteronomy 4-6; Acts 2:1-21 Deuteronomy 7-9; Acts 2:22-47 Deuteronomy 10-12; Acts 3
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Numbers 9-11; Revelation 18 Numbers 12-14; Revelation 19 Numbers 15-16; Revelation 20 Numbers 17-19; Revelation 21 Numbers 20-22; Revelation 22 Numbers 23-25; Matthew 1 Numbers 26-28; Matthew 2 Numbers 29-31; Matthew 3 Numbers 32-34; Matthew 4 Numbers 35-36; Matthew 5:1-26 Jonah 1-4; Matthew 5:27-48 1 Kings 1-2; Matthew 6:1-18 1 Kings 3-5; Matthew 6:19-34 1 Kings 6-7; Matthew 7 1 Kings 8-9; Matthew 8:1-17 1 Kings 10-11; Matthew 8:18-34 1 Kings 12-13; Matthew 9:1-17 1 Kings 14-15; Matthew 9:18-38 1 Kings 16-18; Matthew 10:1-20 1 Kings 19-20; Matthew 10:21-42 1 Kings 21-22; Matthew 11 2 Kings 1-3; Matthew 12:1-23 2 Kings 4-6; Matthew 12:24-50 2 Kings 7-9; Matthew 13:1-30 2 Kings 10-12; Matthew 13:31-58 2 Kings 13-14; Matthew 14:1-21 2 Kings 15-16; Matthew 14:22-36 2 Kings 17-18; Matthew 15:1-20 2 Kings 19-21; Matthew 15:21-39 2 Kings 22-23; Matthew 16 2 Kings 24-25; Matthew 17
BEFORE I FORMED YOU IN THE WOMB I KNEW YOU, AND BEFORE YOU WERE BORN I CONSECRATED YOU; I APPOINTED YOU A PROPHET TO THE NATIONS. JEREMIAH 1:5
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HELPING GOD’S PEOPLE MANAGE GOD’S ASSETS
BIBLICAL TRUTH. ENGAGING CULTURE.
Behind the Many Christians in Canada have become concerned about the rapid negative changes affecting our country – and for good reason.
intellectually transformed, and not for the good, when it affirmed that man, rather than God, was the measure of all things.
• For many years now, Canada has been one of only three countries in the world with absolutely no prohibitions of abortions of any kind, including partial birth abortions.
Once this worldview was adopted, it was simply a matter of time before the logical consequences of these ideas weaved their way into every area of life.
• More recently, the confusion over sexuality and gender identity has found its way into every single area of public discourse.
How do we respond? At Back to the Bible Canada, we believe the Bible is our source of wisdom and truth, and that the exposition of Scripture, empowered by the Holy Spirit, is the most powerful tool for revealing a transformative worldview. It challenges our thinking and acting. So we stand firm, and live according to its instruction and direction.
CAROLS • This summer, if all goes according to schedule, the federal government will legalize marijuana for recreational use. • Further, the liberalization of laws in respect to “the right to die” have many of us concerned. As the list of changes grows ever larger, we as Christians can feel reactionary. We feel the need to speak into these issues, even while we feel our voices will not be heard. Furthermore, many of us fear that if our voices are heard, we will be perceived as hateful. What, then, are we to do? Theologian Francis Schaeffer understood this societal trajectory many years ago. From his perspective, change began over 100 years ago when society moved from a Christian worldview to a humanistic one. He argued that the western world was 8 | APRIL + MAY 2018
This year, Back to the Bible Canada celebrates 60 years of ministry affirming our continued commitment to teach the Bible faithfully – despite shifts of culture and popular thought – and to do so by continuing to engage the culture with every effective medium possible. Now 60 years in, Back to the Bible Canada is taking a new and bold step in ministry programming. To go hand in hand with our weekly online video program TRUTH and LIFE Today, we have seized the opportunity to partner with JoyTV beginning April 6, 2018, to present a new half hour version of TRUTH and LIFE Today
that will emphasize Biblical Truth, Engaging Culture. TRUTH and LIFE Today features the Bible teaching of Dr. John Neufeld and includes insightful conversations with respected Christian experts confronting critical issues of faith and life - for example, issues like abortion, politics, suffering, gender, Islam and more. The new TRUTH and LIFE Today program is a further response of our commitment to use every effective medium at our disposal to teach God’s Word, to engage the culture and to equip God’s people to live lives that glorify Him! Our prayer is that you would join us in special partnership to support Back to the Bible Canada’s TRUTH and LIFE Today. Candidly, our annual budget will be in the area of $85,000, but this investment we believe pales in when
set beside the 2.5+ million potential households alone that can be reached on JoyTV and the countless more through online and digital mediums. Perhaps we could be so bold as to ask you to join us in special partnership by either giving a fiscal gift over and above the norm, or join a special group of people contributing monthly through our Partner to Tell monthly partner program? Your partnership would help establish and sustain this new Bible teaching opportunity. On behalf of all of us at Back to the Bible Canada, thank you in advance for your prayers and support of this new ministry venture as together we represent and present the truth of God’s Word to the world. Sincerely,
Sincerely,
Ben Lowell
Dr. John Neufeld
Dr. John Neufeld Bible Teacher
TruthAndLifeToday.com WATCH ON JOYTV FRIDAY 9:30PM PST SUNDAY 1:30PM PST BACKTOTHEBIBLE.CA | 9
NO WORRIES PHIL CALLAWAY is an author and host of Laugh Again. He has five grandchildren. They wear name tags.
There are some golden humour quotes in movies. In Finding Nemo, Dory the fish says, “I suffer from short term memory loss. It runs in my family… at least I think it does.” Or, “If I’m not back in five minutes… wait longer.” Robert Hays says, “Surely you can’t be serious.” Leslie Nielson replies, “I am serious…and don’t call me Shirley.” And my favourite of all time: Inspector Clousseau pulls his hand back from a snarly little dog and says, “I thought you said your dog did not bite.” The 10 | APRIL + MAY 2018
Innkeeper replies: “That’s not my dog.” My wife and I recently watched Bridge of Spies, the true story of a lawyer who was brokering hostage deals with the Soviet Union during the Cold War in the 1950s. Tom Hanks is James Donovan, who faces the impossible task of defending Russian spy Rudolf Abel caught on U.S. soil and hated by Russians and Americans alike. As things look increasingly bleak, Donovan asks him, “Aren’t you worried?” Abel offers a deadpan response, “Would it
help?” We laughed, then pushed pause and began to talk. We were going through some tough things ourselves, and Abel’s answer was so appropriate. Our nephew was facing cancer treatments. Aren’t you worried? My son-in-law was looking for work. Aren’t you worried? The economy was in the tank. What about my health, my investments, my children, my grandchildren? Aren’t you worried? Well, would it help? A pastor was on a long flight when the plane hit major turbulence. Cracks of thunder could be heard above the roar of the engines. The plane was soon tossed like a cork in the ocean. Nearly all the passengers were upset and alarmed. The pastor later admitted that he was making a few things right with God. But a few seats away a little girl sat calmly, enjoying a book. With the adults scared half to death, everything within her world seemed peaceful and orderly.
The plane landed safely. The passengers hurried to disembark. And the pastor spoke to the little girl. “The storm was horrible,” he said. She agreed. “But you didn’t seem to be afraid. Why?” The little girl laughed. “Cause my Daddy’s the pilot,” she said. “He’s taking me home.” Storms enter all our lives. During the turbulence, we do well to remember that our Father is the pilot. He has yet to miss a runway. And, He’s taking us home. Philippians 4 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” To worry is like pouring sand in your car engine. Faith is the oil. Let’s give our cares over to God and drift off to sleep tonight. Our Father is awake.
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DR. MARK WARD received his PhD in New Testament Interpretation from Bob Jones University in 2012. He now serves the church as a Logos Pro, writing weekly on Bible study for the Logos Talk Blog and training users in the use of Logos Bible Software. He blogs at byfaithweunderstand.com and is the co-author of the book Can I Smoke Pot? Marijuana in Light of Scripture.
At our recent “Let’s Talk: Marijuana” indoubt:live event, we discussed the Christian perspective on marijuana. It was an excellent event to help young people (and old) to critically and biblically think about marijuana use – mostly in terms of recreational use. Below is an excerpt from Dr. Mark Ward’s presentation on marijuana and culture, in which he briefly examines God’s reign, culture’s desire for freedom and culture’s inability to discuss things (in this case, recreational marijuana) in a moral way. We're in an era of history in which God permits His creatures to permit things He doesn't permit. I think it's fair to say that the West overall is giving more liberty to people to live against God's rule. But you cannot throw off the yoke of Christian truth all at once. By God's grace, He restrains sin even in culture. Think of Abimelech in the Old Testament, to whom God says, "Yes, I kept you from touching Sarah, Abraham's wife." There are many non-Christian Canadians who have supported morally good policies. They sustained moral good in culture because God has restrained the effects of the fall 12 | APRIL + MAY 2018
in their mind and heart. And by God's special grace, there are many Christian Canadians who have acted as moral roots in the soil. At least that's the way we're supposed to act, right? Western culture is saying it wants freedom; we Christians need to be moral voices warning them – graciously and lovingly – of the slavery that comes with any freedom that has not been granted by Christ. You either get Christ's easy yoke or the world's hard and deadly one. Those are the only two options out there. Now, I want to talk about what I think Western culture is revealing in its talk about marijuana. The West says it wants more freedom, but I think it's revealing that its moral language is thin, if not entirely bankrupt. I say this because in my judgment marijuana is discussed almost solely in utilitarian terms. In my searches through Canadian news about this topic, I was struck by how difficult it was for me to find anyone talking about marijuana from a moral perspective. I'm certain that the topic has been discussed from this angle in Canada, because all people are moral
beings – Paul says so in Romans 2. Also, Canada has a Christian cultural heritage. But I searched the major news outlets and I didn't see any moral talk. About the closest I came was a MacLean's article which dismissed the "moral panic" which led to the criminalization of marijuana in Canada in 1923. The article went on to say, "The case for legalizing personal use of cannabis hangs on addressing two key questions: What is the cost and social impact of marijuana prohibition? and What are the risks to public health, social order and personal safety of unleashing this on Canada?" I was hopeful when I saw "social impact." I thought, "Okay. Maybe we're going to get to moral analysis, some kind of question about what kind of society Canadians want to have and what values we want our children
to live out?" But instead I got more utilitarian talk about the high financial costs of enforcing existing marijuana restrictions and the projected impact on traffic safety and public health. This was conceived in a merely physical way, not moral or spiritual. The secularizing West does not know how to talk about morality, because the public square is supposed to be not only free, but equal – not picking one worldview or one vision of the “good life” over another. But humans cannot live this way. We cannot keep our moral visions out of the public square. So, we smuggle in our visions of the good life under guises we ourselves don't always see. A moral vision of what life should be, one which maximizes freedom (conceived by prevailing norms today) has ended up winning lots of the ground, especially elite ground in our culture.
CAN I SMOKE POT?
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By looking at the biblical teaching on creation, government, medicine, and alcohol, this book sets out to help people make wise and Godhonouring decisions about marijuana use. Rather than just providing a list of proof texts, Can I Smoke Pot?: Marijuana in Light of Scripture looks at what the Bible teaches as a unified whole, from Genesis to Revelation, so we can more confidently answer the question:
“What does the Bible say?” SHIPPING, HANDLING + TAXES INCLUDED!
SUMMARY ISAAC DAGNEAU is the Ministry Manager of indoubt, the young adult ministry of Back to the Bible Canada. indoubt discusses relevant issues of life and faith with a biblical perspective through a weekly audio program, articles and Bible studies.
The ministry of indoubt exists to bring the gospel to the relevant issues of life and faith that young adults face every day, cultivating conversation. This is primarily achieved through a weekly radio/podcast show that features a conversation with a Christian leader/ pastor who is an expert in a certain topic of discussion. indoubt also publishes articles, blogs, Bible studies, and hosts live events. The idea of the name indoubt comes from the fact that many young adults are “in doubt” about many things in life – faith, college, relationships, marriage, jobs, etc. So, the mission of indoubt is to help young adults work through these things so they can engage them in a gospel-centred way. With this being the main idea of the ministry of indoubt, it makes perfect sense that the issue of recreational marijuana be a point of discussion. For years, young adults grew up hearing that “marijuana is bad.” Organizations would come into their elementary and secondary schools and do presentations explaining how it’s unhealthy to get 14 | APRIL + MAY 2018
involved with marijuana. Now, as most know, our Canadian government is preparing to legalize marijuana for recreational use. With the legal age to buy marijuana set at 18, this is a crucial topic to discuss. Instead of simply holding a few discussions of this topic for the radio/ podcast show, the decision to do an indoubt:live event on it was obvious. indoubt:live is a type of event that indoubt hosts that resembles a TED Talk. Three speakers present for 15 minutes each, and then a question and answer period follows. These events provide a successful opportunity for young adults (and others) to engage an issue face-to-face. Not only that, but young adults can come with their questions and have them answered live. So, on February 22, 2018, indoubt held its second indoubt:live event on recreational marijuana use. With a rented “cinema-turned-church” near Vancouver, BC filled with people, indoubt addressed this issue thoughtfully, critically, and biblically. Dr. John Neufeld from Back to the
Bible Canada, Dr. Mark Ward (an author), and Dr. Lucinda McQuarrie (a family physician in BC), spoke on what the Bible says, what culture says, and what marijuana does to the body. Upon their presentations, attendees were encouraged to write in their questions for the question and answer period. More than enough questions flowed in – more than could be answered that night! The evening went by very smoothly, the volunteers were great, and the viewers enjoyed themselves. The content shared with the attendees greatly helped them in their understanding of recreational marijuana in a critical and biblical sense. Over 200 people participated in theatre and via livestream on the actual night,
and now hundreds have been able to access the livestream post on indoubt’s Facebook page. The livestream post has also received over 20 shares. On top of this, the Christian news broadcast show “CONTEXT with Lorna Dueck” from Ontario sent a reporter to the event to not only capture it, but to interview Isaac Dagneau from indoubt, Dr. John Neufeld, and Dr. Lucinda McQuarrie. This obviously helps the reach! indoubt's indoubt:live events are a critical way for young adults to engage tough topics critically and biblically. indoubt will not cease to continue this endeavour. Visit indoubt.ca and click the “Let’s Talk: Marijuana” button to view the livestream post.
BACKTOTHEBIBLE.CA | 15
DOES THE BIBLE MATTER? BY RAY DUECK
I mean, does the Bible matter anymore in this day and age?
say, "well it helped me, so it is making a difference in my life.”
Is the Bible relevant today? Does the Bible matter anymore? Does the Bible answer the big questions that our generation is asking? In some ways, the answer would depend on who you asked.
However, I believe the answer would be different if you asked a typical 16–45-year-old person on the streets of our town or our city. Most people, when asked about the relevance of the Bible, would say, "I don't understand what you are asking me," without skipping a step; if they thought about it for a moment, they would answer, "it’s irrelevant to my daily life." If you drilled down a little further, you would find that many would regard any stories from the Bible as myths or allegories,
If you ask a person who is on their way into the church carrying a Bible, undoubtedly the answer would be, "of course it matters." If you ask an older person who is going through struggles and illnesses, that person will probably 16 | APRIL + MAY 2018
and moral precepts recorded by man." Though 47% still think the Bible is the inspired word of God, they also think that not all the Bible or events described are true. Though the Bible was completed nearly 2,000 years ago, it is still relevant to the spiritual needs of people today, whether they realize it or not. When and where it deals with the natural world, historical events, psychology or science, it is accurate and relevant. The most important aspect of the Bible today is that it includes essential information on how we can know God personally. In 1 Corinthians 15:3, Paul said that what he received from God he now “passed on to you as of first importance� and then he shares the Gospel, regarding how Christ died for our sins, was buried and was raised on the third day.
or lessons to learn from, but not to base or have shape your life. The late Stephen Hawking emphatically stated in El Mundo newspaper that the Bible is irrelevant to science when he said, "there are no gods, I am an atheist. Religion believes in miracles, but these are not compatible with science." In a survey done by Gallup in 2011, three in 10 Americans still interpreted the Bible literally, saying it was the actual word of God. In 2017, that number dropped to 24%, the lowest in Gallup's 40-year trend. 26% viewed it as "a book of fables, legends, history
If we accept the fact that the universal need of all people is to know God personally, to experience His forgiveness, and to know how to live, then the Bible matters today. Though our culture is shifting dramatically, the basic needs of people will not. We still need a Saviour to save us from our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. This past month, four people prayed to receive Christ for the first time – two with our street witnessing team and two after a Sunday morning service. The Bible is still relevant and matters even today, despite what the polls might say.
STEPHANIE GRAY is a Canadian pro-life activist. She spent 12 years as executive director and co-founder of the Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform, and now writes and speaks on behalf of her ministry, Love Unleashes Life.
ABORTION AND THE GOSPEL Stephanie Gray is an international speaker who has given over 800 prolife presentations. We recently had the opportunity to interview her on indoubt as well as on our new TRUTH and LIFE Today television show. I want to share with you two answers to two questions I asked Stephanie during my interview with her on indoubt. I first asked, How has the Gospel shaped your beliefs on abortion? This was her response: In every way. I always like to ask people, “When did Christ enter the world? When did He experience the human experience?” We often will say, “Christmas.” But the reality is, Christ entered the world in human form nine months before Christmas. I remember reflecting on the first chapter of Luke when the angel Gabriel visited Mary, and upon telling her that she would conceive and bear a son, she was informed that her cousin Elizabeth was also with child. So, Mary makes with haste, visits her cousin, and the 18 | APRIL + MAY 2018
Scriptures talk about how when Mary entered her home, Elizabeth says the child in her womb leapt for joy. And as Christians, we often look at this passage and say, “Okay, there's John the Baptist leaping for joy, so life exists before birth.” But I take it a step further and say, “No, wait a minute, why did John the Baptist leap for joy? He leapt for joy because when Mary entered Elizabeth's home, she didn't enter alone.” She, in a sense, was bearing in her womb God Almighty in the human form of a tiny embryo who had probably not even implanted yet. It was this late-term fetus, John the Baptist, who recognized the first trimester embryo of Jesus Christ, and he leapt for joy in the presence of God Almighty in human form. So that to me is the heart of the Gospel – that God sent His Son, and He sent His Son as an embryo, and that's who came to save me from my sin. We then asked Stephanie to give an appeal to those Christians who are “sitting on the fence” when it comes to abortion.
This is what she said: A question that comes to mind is, “Do I believe in human rights?” And as I have asked many people around the world that question, I always get the answer, “Well, yes.” I then ask, “If we believe in human rights, then what about the preborn human’s rights?” Some might say, “Well, that's not a human yet,” and I would just ask, “Well, what are the preborn child's parents? Is the pregnant woman human? Is her partner human? If yes, then wouldn't it follow that the offspring of those two humans must be human as well?” If we believe in human rights at the most basic level, then that which has been conceived from two humans is the same being as us, and therefore
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has the same rights as us. As believers, if we go a step further and say that beyond believing in human rights we also believe in human value (because the human being is made in God's image), then we simply need to go back to, “Okay, if human beings are made in God's image, and if science teaches me that beings which reproduce sexually begin their lives at fertilization, and, therefore, because two human beings reproduce sexually their offspring will begin its life at fertilization, that means that individual becomes an imagebearer at fertilization. Therefore, if I value the other because he or she is an image-bearer, then I have to value a child at fertilization because that child is an image-bearer.”
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