ACS #3: God's Child, in the Womb

In this part of the Abortion for Christians Series, I provide a short informative about fetal development and some features thereof. I chose to begin my description at 5 weeks, mainly because shortly after this period, it can be considered that everything needed for the child is present and separated, and only requires mass building. This is also around the time when the heart begins to beat.

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The Bible is clear that God's image is imbued in the child in the womb. It is also very clear that life in the womb is a fully valued human life created in the imago dei. "For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. (Psalm 139:13–15)"

“Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you; Before you were born, I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations. (Jeremiah 1:5)”

From the moment that the sperm and egg fertilize, a brand new genetic code is created. This code is supremely unique and will never be replicated, but there's more. The moment this genetic code is created, it begins its work directing the development of the person. From the moment this person is created, there is a massive amount of work being done to grow that person. Human beings in the womb are not an organism with human potential, rather, it is a human being with vast amounts of potential.

The Development of God's Child by Weeks

At 5-7 weeks...

Beginning at the fifth week, the heart is present and has already started to beat sometime in week four. In one week (week 6), the heart will have been beating consistently at about 160 bpm. The eyes, nose, and ears begin to separate and develop, along with tiny paddle masses that will eventually grow into the arms and legs. During this week, the child will respond to a source of sound, touch, and specific movements. Skeletal movements also begin this week. When the seventh week arrives, the eyes and stomach, along with the esophagus, begin to develop. The esophagus is the cavity through which food will enter post-birth.

So by the seventh week, we have all the necessary parts in place and isolated within the body; eyes and stomach beginning to develop; a functional and beating heart with circulating blood has begun; and a system for intaking and digesting food post-birth. God's Child is almost done with their journey.

Over the Next 3 Weeks (Weeks 8-10)...

Over the next two weeks (8 and 9), the brain will become completely present with brain waves and activity. The stomach will begin to produce gastric juices, and the child will start to swallow, squint (having the facial muscles developed), and move their tongue. Brain cells are rapidly multiplying and neural pathways are forming, and the baby is now fully moving. At the tenth week, the baby's teeth begin to develop from a milky substance, solidified into a harder material. The brain is fully present and heading toward maturation, and the feet are fully formed and look like tiny adult feet. In the weeks to come, the baby will be almost fully formed.

Weeks 11 and 12 Yield...

During the tenth and eleventh weeks, the reflexes begin to develop, the lungs are fully formed, and the child begins to breathe its amniotic fluid, and at birth will breathe air. All body systems are present and functioning, and even fingernails are present. The child will often suck their thumb, and does so with passion:

“Eleven years ago, while giving an anesthetic for a ruptured tubal pregnancy (at two months), I was handed what I believed to be the smallest human being ever seen. The embryo sac was intact and transparent. Within the sac was a tiny (one-third inch) human male swimming extremely vigorously in the amniotic fluid… This tiny human was perfectly developed with long, tapering fingers, feet, and toes. It was almost transparent as regards the skin… The baby was extremely alive and swam about the sac approximately one time per second with a natural swimmer stroke… When the sac was opened, the tiny human immediately lost its life and took on the appearance of what is accepted as the appearance of an embryo at this stage (blunt extremities, etc.)." (Paul E. Rockwell, M.D., Director of Anesthesiology, Leonard Hospital, Troy, New York, Albany Times Union, March 10, 1970)

During the Rest of the Time (Weeks 13 - 18)

The thirteenth week marks the final week of the first trimester. Fingerprints are present; all the veins and organs are formed and in place; and the child will also have ovaries full of eggs if it is a girl. For the last three weeks just covered, the baby is, for all purposes, fully formed and has just been building mass. Weeks sixteen to eighteen, the eyelashes are visible. Also, being equipped with vocal cords can cry, but can't produce sound without oxygen. From this point on, and until death, the child will simply be adding mass to itself (Aka, growing).

Early Abortions? {Graphic Warning}

Priest For Life has an amazing multi-page graphic that displays many live pictures taken of fetuses after abortions. I warn you of the gore displayed of little human parts torn apart. Follow the link out of your curiosity, it's tough to look at, so be ready. The page is organized by week, starting at 8 weeks. IF YOU ARE SENSITIVE TO GRAPHIC CONTENT, VIEW AT YOUR DISCRETION. The link to such a page is here( https://www.priestsforlife.org/graphic-images/index.aspx?gid=5&sid=8)

Conclusion

As we can see, very early in the development of humans, every organ system and body part is present. The child is then, in shape, a human being in miniature, and from fertilization has always been one. If size and viability determine Human Value, then why aren't we killing the disabled, the very young that we don't want, or people smaller than the majority? Arguing in support of abortion creates very slippery slopes that always fail logically, thus, it is the safest and best option to stick to God's Word instead of our own deceitful, arbitrary desires. "You Shall Not Murder. (Exodus 20:13)." Every Human being, no matter the size, viability, and stage of development, will always remain a unique Human being created in the Image of God imbued with innate value from the Creator who designed all to love God with all our hearts and care for each other and creation. To intentionally end the life developing in Utero is the Murder of a valuable Child of God. Life is God's domain, not ours (Romans 14:8; 1 Corinthians 3:23, 6:19; 1 Peter 1:18-19; Psalm 24:1-2; and More).

I hope this short article can kickstart you in learning the facts about fetal development. Many sources online offer long articles covering every little detail, by every week, I unfortunately do not have the time or goal to give such a detailed presentation. So thus I invite you to research just that, and to actually see what happens in the womb. May Jesus Christ help us all, and our sins be forgiven if we put our faith in Him. Amen.