David Platt urges Christians to 'understand reasons' behind abortion after Dobbs ruling
Megachurch pastor David Platt of McLean Bible Church in Virginia marked the overturning of Roe v. Wade by delivering a message this Sunday offering his view of what Scripture has to say about what it means to be pro-life.
Citing the "historic moment" of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling, Platt told his congregation that he's "not interested in promoting a political party or personality."
The author and former head of the Southern Baptist Convention's International Mission Board continues to urge believers to speak up on behalf of the unborn and continue caring for mothers and families.
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Acknowledging the spectrum of political views within the Church, Platt challenged Christians with eight biblical affirmations to consider in light of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization ruling that the U.S. Constitution doesn't confer a right to abortion.
First, he said, every human being is worthy of honor, according to 1 Peter 2:17 — including women who opt for abortion.
"So much pro-choice rhetoric revolves around honoring women in ways that dishonor and eventually discard a child in the womb," the 43-year-old said. "And at the same time, so much pro-life rhetoric revolves around honoring the child in the womb while dishonoring various challenges that women face."
"Meanwhile, God clearly says we must honor both the child in the woman and the woman who carries that child."
Platt cited examples of women "whose physical life may be in danger" from medical complications with pregnancy and "the women who, for a variety of social, relational or economic reasons, feels like she cannot care well for a child and sees abortion as her only hope."
"God help us to honor her and every woman in every way that God Himself does," Platt said.
Citing data suggesting that 85% of women seeking abortions are unmarried, Platt said the choice between honoring women or honoring children as our "two-party political system says we must" is false.
"We must honor both women and children," he said, adding that it's both "biblically good and right" for the government to protect both women and children.
"As a basic rule of thumb, we should work on behalf of the most vulnerable who are being harmed or mistreated," the Radical author said. "That's true when it comes to abuse, that's true when it comes to racism, surely it's true when it comes to abortion.
"So let's step out of a muddled middle road that says, 'I don't think we should impose morality on someone else' and realize that God institutes government for this purpose, the protection of people, and it is right for us to protect all people from harm."
Platt also discussed economic factors, such as one survey that found 75% of women seeking abortions live at or near the poverty line.
Many women, he said, don't prefer abortion but also don't see any other way out of their circumstances.
"So, yes, let's be thankful for a court ruling, but let's also realize that a court ruling doesn't change those circumstances," he said.
Platt then offered five applications for Christians to get involved and urged believers to "understand the reasons behind abortion" and "spend time with people from different perspectives."
He said Christians should support and serve "women and men with unwanted pregnancies" — including for other men to come alongside men dealing with those circumstances — as well as single parents and grandparents.
Platt advised the Church to reach out to those in need by "working for justice in high-risk communities so that the factors that lead to abortion are addressed."
"If we don't address root issues of poverty and sexual activity and substance abuse and sexual abuse and affordable housing and healthcare and on and on, then we're just putting Band-Aids on broken limbs," he said.
At the 2020 March for Life in Washington, D.C., Platt told The Christian Post that there was a time in his life when he needed to "repent" for failing to preach on abortion as a younger pastor.
"There was a point as a pastor when I just kind of stayed away from abortion [because I'd think] that's a political issue," Platt said. "But I got really convicted. Far before it is any kind of political issue, it is a biblical issue that God speaks really clear about the value of life."
Platt said that as a younger pastor, he "dodged abortion altogether."
"I had to repent before the Lord for sitting idly by and not doing anything personally or pastorally to mobilize people to see the value of life according to God's Word," he said.
During his sermon Sunday, Platt said he has worked to launch a foster care and adoption ministry with over 150 families. Platt and his wife, Heather, have adopted three children of their own.
