In 1984, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the third Sunday of January the first Sanctity of Human Life Day. He stated in his Presidential Proclamation:

“We have been given the precious gift of human life, made more precious still by our births in or to a land of freedom. It is fitting, then, on the anniversary of the Supreme court decision in Roe v. Wade that struck down State anti-abortion laws, that we reflect anew on these blessings, and on our corresponding responsibility to guard with care the lives and freedoms of even the weakest of our fellow beings.”

Over the years, many have adopted the whole month of January as Sanctity of Life month to do just what President Reagan hoped, reflect on the blessing and responsibility that we must protect and care for the lives and freedoms of unborn children. Whether you work in a pregnancy center or are an advocate for life in your community, it’s important to have a biblical perspective on the Sanctity of Human life.

Human life is sacred. It is not sacred because of what we have done since we are all sinful. Instead, it is sacred because of WHO created us. Genesis 1:27 states, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” Human life is sacred because it is directly connected to the God that created it. This also shows that each precious unborn child is an unborn image bearer of Christ. 

Human life is also sacred because of HOW God created us. In Psalm 8:3-5 the Psalmist wonders how in all of God’s amazing creation, he chose to make man in His image, “When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.” When humans were created, we were made in his image. In the image of God, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. We were set in a place of authority over all the other creation that God had made.

All of this is easy for us to understand and grasp as believers. We believe the Bible and that we were created by a good God who died on the cross for our sins, and made it possible for us to be redeemed, forgiven, and loved.

But when an unbeliever comes into your center, how will they be able to see the true worth of that little unborn child without a true understanding of the God who created them and their little baby? This is why sharing the gospel with each expectant mother is so important. Being in a right relationship with God will allow her to see how valuable her child is to God.

Therefore, the best way to celebrate The Sanctity of Human life is to keep pointing people to the Savior who gave them life and offers them eternal life. And when a mother comes to faith in the Lord Jesus, she can then see her baby through God’s eyes and truly appreciate why we celebrate “the sanctity of life!”