Human Life (Personhood) Begins At The First Heartbeat, During The Third Week Of Pregnancy, Not At The Moment Of Conception

Blessings to you, the readers of this page, in Jesus Christ our Lord. May He guide you and protect you always.

When does human life begin?
Human Life (Personhood) Begins At The First Heartbeat, During The Third Week Of Pregnancy, Not At The Moment Of Conception.

By Rev. Bill McGinnis, Director - LoveAllPeople.org
Search our pages => http://loveallpeople.org/searchallpages.html



Biblical quotations are taken from the authoritative King James Version (KJV) of the Bible.


NOTE: The advertising above is served automatically by Google and may be theologically incorrect.

Jesus Teaches Us Always To Seek The Truth

         "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall
          make you free." ( John 8:32 KJV)
We may have strong feelings and beliefs about a subject such as abortion, but some of our feelings and beliefs might be false. Jesus teaches us to seek the truth, no matter where it leads.

Christians Search The Bible For Moral Truth And Guidance

The Bible is the inspired written Word of God, sufficient to guide all human action, for all people, at all times. Although its Source is infallible, the Bible itself is not perfectly infallible because fallible humans have introduced human error into it. Also, the Bible cannot always be understood literally, because it contains figures of speech which are never intended to be taken literally. Nevertheless, the Bible is the highest written authority in all matters which it discusses. And if it is properly understood and properly applied, it is a sufficient moral guide for all human action.

   "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and
    is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction,
    for instruction in righteousness: 

   "That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished
    unto all good works."
         (2 Timothy 3:16-17 KJV)
The Bible Prohibits The Taking Of Innocent Life

This prohibits abortion (after life begins) in all but the most extreme cases of necessity.

Exodus 23:7 (KJV)
Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay 
thou not: for I will not justify the wicked.

Deuteronomy 19:10 (KJV)
That innocent blood be not shed in thy land, which the LORD thy God 
giveth thee for an inheritance, and so blood be upon thee.

Deuteronomy 27:25 (KJV)
Cursed be he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person. And all the 
people shall say, Amen.

Psalm 106:38 (KJV)
And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their 
daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land 
was polluted with blood.

Proverbs 6:17 (KJV)
A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
The Bible Also Teaches Us That "Life Is In The Blood."
     "But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood
      thereof, shall ye not eat." (Genesis 9:4 KJV)

    "For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have
     given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for
     your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement
     for the soul." (Leviticus 17:11 KJV)

    "For it is the life of all flesh; the blood of it is for
     the life thereof: therefore I said unto the children of
     Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for
     the life of all flesh is the blood thereof: whosoever eateth
     it shall be cut off." (Leviticus 17:14 KJV)

    "Only be sure that thou eat not the blood: for the blood
     is the life; and thou mayest not eat the life with the flesh."
                           (Deuteronomy 12:23 KJV)
This means that human life does not begin until blood is present in the embryo.

Therefore, Life (As The Bible Understands It) Cannot Begin At The Moment Of Conception, Because There Is No Blood Or Heartbeat Present Until Sometime During The Third Week Of Pregnancy.

Here is the early timeline of fetal development, from Pro-Life America, an anti-abortion organization. It shows that the first heartbeat occurs at the eighteenth day after conception, and that blood is pumped at the twenty-first day.

Day 1 - conception takes place. 
7 days - tiny human implants in mother's uterus. 
10 days - mother's menses stop. 
18 days - heart begins to beat. 
21 days - pumps own blood through separate closed circulatory system 
with own blood type. 
28 days - eye, ear and respiratory system begin to form. 
42 days - brain waves recorded, skeleton complete, reflexes present. 
7 weeks - photo of thumbsucking. 
Source: http://www.prolife.com/FETALDEV.html 

THEREFORE the Bible does not prohibit terminating pregnancy before the first heartbeat, during the third week after conception. Thus the so-called "morning-after pill" and other soon-after-conception methods of birth control are not prohibited by the Bible.

# # #

From The Moment Of Conception? No.

Human life does not begin at the moment of conception. This belief is a Church tradition only, not supported anywhere in Scripture.

I have before me the official "Catechism Of The Catholic Church," and I am looking at the sections on abortion, sections 2270-2275, which begin with the statement, "Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception."

Scripture agrees with this concept entirely, except the part about "moment of conception." The "moment of conception" idea is doctrine of man, with no Scriptural foundation. In the sections on abortion, there are only four references to Scripture, but eleven references to the writings of men. Here are the four references to Scripture, none of which even mentions "conception."

       Jeremiah 1:5 (KJV)
               Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before
               thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I
               ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
       
       Job 10:8-12 (KJV)
        8
               Thine hands have made me and fashioned me together round
               about; yet thou dost destroy me.
        9
               Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as the
               clay; and wilt thou bring me into dust again?
        10
               Hast thou not poured me out as milk, and curdled me like
               cheese?
        11
               Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, and hast fenced
               me with bones and sinews.
        12
               Thou hast granted me life and favour, and thy visitation
               hath preserved my spirit.
       
       Psalms 22:10-11 (KJV)
        10
               I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from
               my mother's belly.
        11
               Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none
               to help.
       
       Psalms 139:15 (KJV)
               My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in
               secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the
               earth.
Yes, human life must be protected, from the moment it begins. But when is that? Whenever it is, it is not the moment of conception.

Scripture distinguishes three stages of pregnancy: conception, "in the womb," and birth. Life begins, then, during the second Biblical stage: "in the womb."

        "As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird, from
         the birth, and from the womb, and from the conception."
         (Hosea 9:11 KJV)
Conception is when pregnancy begins, but it is not when life begins. "The life is in the blood," is a major concept throughout Scripture, as shown here => https://www.google.com/#sclient=psy-ab&hl=en&safe=off&rlz=1C2CHNU_enUS398&source=hp&rlz=1C2CHNU_enUS398&q=%22Life+is+in+the+blood%22&pbx=1&oq=%22Life+is+in+the+blood%22

Search all pages in The LoveAllPeople.org Network,
using the search box below . . .

http://www.loveallpeople.org/searchallpages.html

To support us, please visit the advertisers appearing on our pages . . .

NOTE: The advertising above is served automatically by Google and may be theologically incorrect.

We are . . . http://InternetChurchOfChrist.org
A service of . . . http://LoveAllPeople.org

God's one law for all mankind: "Love All People As Yourself."

"Start Each Day The Positive Way," at Internet Daily Chapel - Christian daily worship service and practical guide.
http://www.internetchurchofchrist.org/idc.html