Tennessee Right to Life (TNRTL) has published the last article of their July series concerning the Abortion Abolition movement. We will continue, as we have in past responses, pulling out quotes and responding with truth. We have mirrored our headings with the ones TNRTL used in their email so it is easier to follow. You can find their commentary in full on this Facebook post. You can find our previous articles here, here, and here.

Dear Friend

“These conversations have been important because they have reminded us that protecting innocent human life requires unwavering biblical conviction, compassionate ministry, and the wisdom to pursue laws that truly save lives.” We have covered in our last three articles how TNRTL has not practiced biblical conviction, biblical compassion, or biblical wisdom. As a result, lives are not being saved, and abortion numbers have only increased in Tennessee since the Dobbs decision. True biblical conviction, compassion, and wisdom is believing not only that life in the womb has value and dignity, but that it possesses equal value and equal dignity to life outside of the womb and therefore requires equal justice and equal protection. This is the biblical equality Abolitionists advocate for and that TNRTL rejects (Deut. 1:17).

“Laws matter because people matter. Public policy matters because people matter. Education matters because people matter. Everything we do begins and ends with the God-given dignity of every human life.” Yes, it does matter. But it only matters if laws, policies, and education are rooted in the Word of God—which is the foundation the Abolition movement is built upon. TNRTL may claim that everything they do centers around the dignity of human life, but as they have proven time and time again, it is not equal dignity, which is why they reject equal protection and equal justice for the preborn.

The Foundation

“Amendment 1 and the Human Life Protection Act” – TNRTL points to their version of progress and specifically mentions Amendment 1 and the Human Life Protection Act. Both of these accepted the legal framework imposed by Roe v. Wade. When the Supreme Court declared that some innocent human beings could legally be murdered, Christians should have rejected that decree outright and demanded the nullification of Roe—not built an entire legislative strategy around its limitations. Unlike Abolitionists, the question asked by TNRTL was never, “What does God require?” and then seeking to do that, but always, “What will the courts allow?” Because of their refusal to stand faithfully upon God’s Word and walk in obedience to it, millions of Tennessee babies were murdered, even post-Roe, pregnant mothers are still allowed to willfully murder their babies in the womb with full legal immunity.

“Because of that progress, it should not surprise us that there are now voices attempting to create confusion within the pro-life movement. Scripture reminds us that “God is not the author of confusion, but of peace” (1 Corinthians 14:33), and Jesus prayed that His followers would be one (John 17:20-23).” The voices of the Abolitionists are not “new.” They are simply becoming too loud to ignore. God is blessing the Abolitionist movement in Tennessee and nationally because we refuse to compromise His Word and His standards. TNRTL are the ones causing confusion. They are the ones telling their donors that life has value and then turning around and fighting against laws that would treat all life as equally valuable. Satan delights in their compromise. Abolitionists are followers of Christ, and we are one as John 17 describes. We would love for TNRTL to repent of their years of secularism, worldly pragmatism, adn compromise and join us!

“When pro-lifers begin turning their attention toward one another instead of toward Planned Parenthood, the abortion industry, and those who continue promoting a culture of death, the greatest beneficiaries are those who profit from abortion—not the unborn children and mothers we are called to protect.” Again, Abolitionists are not “pro-life”. We are not turning our attention toward one another; Abolitionists are turning toward pro-lifers and seeking to disciple them in the Word of God so that they would repent of their compromise with child sacrifice and obey God. TNRTL and their endorsed politicians are the reason the “abortion industry” is thriving in Tennessee (as proven by our increasing abortion numbers). Their laws granting immunity to pregnant women who desire to willfully murder their babies keep this industry thriving—and they always will until, by God’s grace, the Abolitionists establish justice for them.

What this Requires of Us

“Today, Planned Parenthood and the abortion industry continue searching for new ways to promote their deadly agenda despite the tremendous progress our state has made.” The fruit of this “progress” is more Tennessee babies being murdered in the years after Roe than in the last years of Roe. The abortion industry is not “searching.” Pregnant mothers to whom TNRTL has given legal immunity to willfully murder their children are searching. Planned Parenthood simply fulfills their request. If TNRTL truly wanted to shut down the “abortion industry” in Tennessee, they would stop pursuing injustice against the preborn by granting legal immunity to those who willfully seek their destruction.

“It requires legislators who pursue justice with wisdom and humility. It requires pro-life leaders who are willing to speak truth with both conviction and grace.” No TNRTL endorsed legislator is pursuing justice for the preborn. TNRTL will only endorse candidates who are committed to pursuing injustice toward our neighbors in the womb. Abolitionists would love nothing more than for pro-life leaders to repent and tell the truth concerning abortion in our state and how they have rejected following God’s commands because they feared man rather than God. (Matthew 10:28).

“Throughout this series, we have emphasized that principles tell us what is right, but wisdom determines how a righteous society faithfully applies those principles through laws that protect both justice and human life.” We mentioned discussed this fully in this article, but it is only biblical principles that tell us what is right. It is biblical wisdom that protects both justice and human life. TNRTL rejects both and relies secular principles and worldly wisdom. They Continue to pervert justice and denigrate life in the womb by their refusal to treat it equally to life outside the womb.

“We measure success by saving lives.” Abolitionists measure success by our faithfulness to God. We do not start with the question “Will this save lives?” but “Will this glorify God?” Laws that TNRTL supports do not glorify God, as they show partiality in judgment, employ unequal weights and measures, and acquit the guilty while leaving babies in the womb condemned. (Deut. 1:17, Proverbs 20:10, Proverbs 17:15). If their laws actually saved lives, abortion numbers in Tennessee would not be continuing to increase post-Roe.

Call to Action

“Pray for courageous legislators who continue defending life despite increasing opposition and who are often unfairly criticized simply because they refuse to abandon legislation that is saving lives.” We agree. Pray for legislators like Jody Barrett and Gubernatorial Candidate Monty Fritts, who were unfairly criticized last session by TNRTL because they chose to stand immovable on God’s Word and refused to abandon legislation (HB570) that would have established equal justice under law for pre-born Tennesseans. Pray for our upcoming election, as multiple races have candidates who are tired of the injustice perpetrated by TNRTL and their endorsed politicians and are seeking to unseat them.

Real-life Application

“Cultures are transformed through… thousands of faithful acts of obedience carried out by ordinary people who believe every human life bears the image of God. That is the Tennessee Right to Life mission.” TNRTL’s mission is the reason abortion numbers are increasing in Tennessee–they have tutored Tennesseans that although human beings bear the image of God, babies in the womb are not worthy of the same protections born image-bearers are. But by God’s grace, Abolitionists, through God’s Word and in His strength, are truly transforming culture, and TNRTL spending an entire month on our movement is proof of that.

Why This Matters

“We will not turn our backs on unborn children or the mothers who deserve both protection and hope. But they have—and have stated they will continue to.” Advocating for laws that say human beings in the womb are worthy of less protection than those outside the womb is turning your back on preborn children. Allowing mothers to willfully murder their children in the womb with immunity, instead of passing a law that would restrain such evil (and tutor our culture of death that life in the womb is equally valuable and therefore worthy of equal protection), is turning your back on them.

Looking Ahead

“Although this series is coming to an end, the conversation is not.” TNRTL is correct. Abolitionists, through Christ’s power alone, will remain steadfast and immovable on His Word and in our mission to glorify Him (1 Cor. 15:58). We will keep proclaiming His Word. We will keep discipling our neighbors, legislators, congregations, campuses, co-workers, and families in His truth, no matter how hard TNRTL and the pro-choice movement fight against us.

May God be glorified and abortion abolished.