My Body

Among the pro-abortion crowd the chant is for "the woman's right to do with her body as she chooses." Now, the pro-life side will raise the objection, "Yes, but that baby your killing isn't 'your body'." Still, is it true? Do people have the right to do with their bodies what they choose?

On the surface, despite all certainties to the positive, I think it's quite clear that we don't. I mean, there is the obvious. You can't kiss your elbow no matter what you choose. You can't tickle yourself. You can't sneeze with your eyes open. Then there is the legal. Suicide and euthanasia are still mostly illegal. There is an "age of consent" that does not allow an underage minor to engage in certain practices despite their willingness to do so. If someone engages in "cutting" or in excess alcohol, we seek treatment for them rather than indulge their whims. So, no, it is not true that you can do whatever you want with your body. Still, within limits can't we say it's our body and we can do what we please with it?

I would like to ask, however, the earlier question. Not, "Is it your right to do what you want with your body?", but "What makes you think it's your body?" You see, the rampant sexual sin and rise of the debased mind (Rom 1:28) in our society today is, in fact, premised on the question of authority. Who has the authority here? My generation preached, "Question authority" (for which I apologize). We've gone beyond that, making it rather a question of who is in authority. So when "my candidate isn't elected" you might hear, "That's not my president" (and I offer that having heard it on both sides -- liberal and conservative). Women don't want to submit to any sort of male authority. Men don't want to submit to much of any authority at all. Christians -- self-professed -- are quickly aiming to dismiss the authority of Scripture and, ultimately, the authority of God. The highest authority is self.

And, look, if it is your body, you are the highest authority. So, is it?

Scripture seems to deny this. God claims, "The world and its fullness are mine." (Psa 50:12) Paul says, "From Him and through Him and to Him are all things." (Rom 11:36) To the Colossians he wrote, "By [Christ] all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities -- all things were created through Him and for Him.". (Col 1:16) The author of Hebrews says that all things exist for and by God (Heb 2:10). Paul calls Christ "the head of all rule and authority." (Col 2:10) Who doesn't recognize the title applied to Christ -- "King of kings and Lord of lords" (1 Tim 6:15; Rev 17:14; Rev 19:16)? Abraham Kuyper said, "There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry: 'Mine!'"

The Bible argues that all that exists belongs to the One who made it and the One for whom it was made. The question, then, is who has authority over your body? Because it appears that it's not your body. "Appears"? Scripture is explicit on that (see, for instance, 1 Cor 7:4). And, yet, we stand with fists clenched arguing "It's my body and I'll do what I want with it!" So we push the boundaries of sexual morality and reject the authority of God and His Word.

Well, of course, that's what you'd expect from the unbeliever (Rom 8:7; Heb 11:6). The question is not about them. It is about you, believer. Is that really the position you want to take?