Once an abortion has occurred, the pain and regrets of many women are very real and agonizing. They sometimes carry the guilt pain of their abortions indefinitely.
In this radio discussion, Dr. Larry Lewis includes an emphasis that repentance toward God and saving faith in Jesus Christ provides forgiveness for all sins, including abortion.
For those who have received Jesus into their lives, — regardless of whatever sins committed, including abortions — the Word of God promises that “… the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from ALL sin.” It does NOT say “… all sin … except abortions.” (I John 1:7 – underlining and capital letters mine.)
With that wonderful truth in mine, this powerful story: a generation ago Pastor/Dr. Lewis was shocked to see a full page ad in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that the Southern Baptist Convention, (recognized as the USA’s largest protestant denomination), was in support of abortion!
Out of great concern he took action. He called the newspaper’s editor as to the source of this information. An SBC denominational leader was named.
. The brief summary of his subsequent actions is as follows: he consulted with then SBC President Dr. Adrian Rogers. Pastor Rogers then appointed Larry to serve on the “Resolutions Committee” of the 1980 Annual Meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention, meeting that year in St. Louis. Larry wrote a resolution advocating the truth that all life is sacred, especially and including the lives of unborn children. The committee approved the strong pro-life resolution to be presented to the Convention in session and asked Dr. Lewis to – at the appointed time — present it to the Convention in session. He did so … before an estimated 20,000 messengers.
After an hour of debate, the Convention – by about 80% — approved the resolution.
The Southern Baptist Convention did – and now – officially supports sustaining life for unborn children and opposes abortion.
The living God spoke to the prophet Jeremiah, saying: “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I set you apart. I called you to be a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5 — underling mine) Five times God used the personal pronoun of personhood to describe the unborn Jeremiah. Clearly in the womb he was a person … before he was born.
Dr. Lewis speaks of the 2008 death of this wife Betty Jo. His current wife, Creda, lost her husband in death the same year. They met and, in time, wed. Now they both have a great second marriage … to each other!
Earlier radio, titled … “Dr. Larry Lewis: his gripping story leading USA’s largest protestant denomination to support life” … can be accessed for anytime listening by clicking on … http://haroldhendrick.com/content/view/562/5/.
The credits of Larry Lewis are impressive:
· Following Seminary, he served in the “trenches” of “pioneer” mission work in the Northeast;
· In time became pastor of the Tower Grove Church in St. Louis;
· Was President of Hannibal-LaGrange College (now University);
· Became President of the SBC’s “Home Mission Board” (now “North American Mission Board’) with their 5,000 mission workers;
· Served as Mission America liaison between Mission America (www.missionamerica.org) and scores of denominational and parachurch leaders;
· And even now he serves as Director of Missions in a Mid-America Association of Baptist Churches, in and around Columbia, Mo.
My dear wife, Joan (who posts all my radio conversations for anytime listening on www.haroldhendrick.com), and I are so blessed to have Larry and Creda Lewis as dear friends. May God help us all to finish the course of our lives in serving Jesus … in His strength!