The issue of protecting the life of the unborn child is great and not to be belittled in any way among Christians. I think what Mark is finding issue with here is the fact that the Christian community prefers to sweep it under the rug and not to bring it out in the open to the shame and disgrace of the church.
No Christian should ever do anything that would bring reproach upon the name of Christ. Please note I said should ever. You see, we do bring shame to our blessed Saviour daily. However, that, too is not the issue Mark is endeavoring to discuss.
I believe the issue Mark is concerned with is that of not letting a sin become public knowlege in the open community or the church community and bring shame to the CHURCH. You see, the shame has already been brought to and placed upon our blessed Saviour if one of his saved ones sins.
In the case of a pregnancy out of wedlock, in times past it would have been handled by a back alley abortion, a visit to a friendly family doctor who would keep it secret, or the mother-to-be being sent out of town to "visit Auntie Susie" for a year. You see, if any of these options were exercised, the CHURCH would not be shamed.
In today's Open Community and Open Church, I would think that the "anything goes" philosophy would prevaile and the unwed mother would simply continue life as usual; and when it was near time for the child to be born, the CHURCH would host a baby shower (note: this is almost always done for wedded mothers, WHY not for UNwed mothers?). The baby is born and given up for adoption or raised by the grandparents or by the young single mother. I have seen this happen numerous times. What is RIGHT about this senario is that the child lives to be born!
What is wrong about this senario is that the sin issue has not been addressed. Once the sin issue is addressed by the church pastor and the young mother-to-be, she should be welcomed into the church. I am not certain I would go so far as to host or attend a shower in such a situation, but I would probably want to help provide for the child through a gift.
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Draw me my Saviour, How precious Thou Art!
Success is not always measured by acceptance. Success is also measure by completion and endurance.
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