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July 14, 2026
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At Bethlehem Baptist Church, we exist to spread a passion for the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of all peoples through Jesus Christ. Our biblical convictions—what we believe, teach, and preach—are articulated in the Bethlehem Elder Affirmation of Faith and guide all aspects of our life and ministry. In response to congregational questions and cultural confusion regarding the sanctity of human life, we offer this statement of affirmations and denials. Our aim is both to clarify our convictions and to call God’s people to the obedience of faith (Romans 1:5; 16:26), in a world that increasingly disregards the value of human life and the glory of God. We believe that human life is sacred—created by God, in His image, through Christ, and for His glory. Therefore, we joyfully affirm the value of every human being from conception to natural death and reject every ideology or practice that sinfully distorts or devalues God’s design for humanity. We pray that God would use this statement to strengthen the church, protect the vulnerable, convict the conscience, and exalt Christ as our Sovereign Lord and Redeemer.
We affirm that God is the Creator of all human life. Every human being exists by His will, through the creative power of Christ, and for His glory. The worth of human life is not grounded in humanity itself but in the infinite value of God, by whom and for whom we were made. Therefore, every assault on human life, which God himself has not prescribed, is not only an offense against the individual made in God’s image, but also a direct affront to the glory of God Himself.
We deny that human beings exist for self‑determined ends, or that true flourishing is possible apart from the God-given purpose for which we were created (Genesis 9:6; Colossians 1:16; Isaiah 43:7; Romans 1:21–23; 13:4; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
We affirm that every human being—at every age, stage, ability, and condition—is created in the image of God and therefore possesses inherent God‑given worth and dignity. The unjust taking of human life violates this image and warrants God’s judgment.
We deny that human dignity and worth depend on functional capacity, social contribution, or subjective evaluation, or any other human appraisal or societal assessment (Genesis 1:27; Exodus 4:11; 1 Peter 2:17; James 3:9; Genesis 9:6; Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 27:25).
We affirm that human life begins at conception and that every human being—from the moment of conception, whether by natural or assisted means—fully bears God’s image and possesses equal dignity and worth. Without regard to location, development, or circumstances of conception, each person is uniquely created, known, purposed, and valued by God and is therefore worthy of protection from unjust killing. The guilt of a criminal offender never transfers to an innocent child conceived through the crime; the circumstances of a child’s conception, including conception through rape or another criminal act, do not diminish that child’s dignity, humanity, or right to life. Apart from the just and lawful exercise of civil authority where Scripture permits the forfeiture of life, human beings ought to be protected from unjust killing at every stage of life. Rare and tragic circumstances do exist that may warrant the loss of an unborn child or a mother’s voluntary sacrifice to preserve the physical life of the other; such actions should be approached with deep sorrow, careful moral discernment, and reverence for the sacred worth of both lives.
We deny that abortion can be justified by appeals to personal autonomy, emotional hardship, convenience, economic concerns, or social pressure. The deliberate termination of innocent preborn human life is the unjust taking of life and is therefore rightly understood as murder— an unjust killing of a human person under the law. Such actions violate God’s sovereign authority over life and death and dishonor the sacred worth of His image-bearing creation (Genesis 9:6; Exodus 21:22-25; Jeremiah 1:5; Psalm 139:13–16; Luke 1:41–44).
We affirm the need for biblically informed wisdom, pastoral counsel, and a well-formed conscience when considering contraception and reproductive technologies. Because human life must be honored and protected from its earliest beginnings, Christians must carefully distinguish between methods that prevent conception and methods or technologies that act upon or end the life of an already conceived human embryo. We further affirm that drugs or procedures specifically intended to terminate the life of an already conceived human being are abortifacient and are therefore morally equivalent to abortion. We also affirm that practices involving the creation of embryos for selective use, the destruction of embryos, or their indefinite freezing are inconsistent with the dignity of human life and the sanctity of life from conception. These concerns commonly arise in some uses of IVF and related assisted reproductive technologies.
We deny that all technological possibilities in reproduction are morally permissible merely because they are available. With respect to contraception, current medical data—especially concerning some hormonal methods—do not warrant a universal judgment forbidding every such method in every case. Nevertheless, we deny that such uncertainty may be used as a moral justification for employing a method when there is credible reason to believe that it may act upon or end the life of an already conceived human embryo. These matters, therefore, require careful ethical reflection shaped by biblical convictions, informed medical understanding, pastoral counsel, and a well-formed conscience (Genesis 1:27; Psalm 139:13–16; Romans 14:1–5; 1 Corinthians 8:9–13).
We affirm that children are a gift from the Lord —no matter how or when they come— and that procreation within marriage is a sacred blessing to be received with joy and gratitude. God’s call to “be fruitful and multiply” is entrusted to a man and a woman in the covenant of marriage. We further affirm that faithful couples, in prayerful dependence on the Lord, may arrive at differing convictions regarding contraception. Some may choose to forgo contraceptives, receiving children freely as God gives. Others may choose to delay or limit childbearing for Christ-honoring reasons. When such decisions are made in faith, with openness to life and a desire to glorify Christ, they reflect a reverent embrace of God’s design for marriage, family, and the sanctity of life. We further affirm that children born outside the context of marriage—whether to unmarried parents or to single mothers—are no less valuable in the sight of God. Such children are fearfully and wonderfully made in God’s image and are to be received with joy, dignity, and gratitude. In such situations, the church has a particular responsibility to all those who sinned in begetting the child outside marriage to repentance, and to surround these parents and their children with Christlike love, practical support, and faithful discipleship. As a spiritual family, we are called to bear one another’s burdens and to reflect God’s heart for the fatherless by ensuring that no child is overlooked or unsupported within the covenant community. We further affirm the beauty and dignity of parenthood through adoption, foster care, mentorship, and other forms of care. These expressions reflect the heart of our heavenly Father, who has adopted us as His children and places the lonely in families. The church is called to honor, support, and walk alongside the childless with compassion, hope, and truth. We also affirm that children are ordinarily best cared for in a biblically ordered home with a father and mother united in marriage, while recognizing that complex circumstances may call for wise pastoral counsel and careful discernment (Genesis 1:28; 2:24; Psalm 68:6; 82:3; 127:3; 139:13-16; Ephesians 1:5).
We deny that infertility is a sure sign of divine judgment or spiritual deficiency. A couple’s inability to conceive does not lessen their dignity, calling, or capacity to glorify God through a life of fruitful faith, love, and service (Genesis 30:2; Isaiah 54:1; Psalm 34:18; Romans 8:28; Psalm 68:6; Ephesians 1:5).
We affirm that every human life—regardless of suffering, disability, dependence, or terminal diagnosis—bears God’s image and therefore possesses inviolable dignity, worthy of honor, protection, and compassionate care until natural death. Only the Lord holds sovereign authority over life and death and has the prerogative to number our days. We further affirm that euthanasia and assisted suicide are morally wrong and should be opposed and prohibited. These acts violate God’s authority over life as they involve the unjust and immoral taking of human life. Christians are called not to end suffering by ending a life, but to offer biblical truth about suffering and palliative care, as we bear witness in love to the dignity of every person and the hope of the gospel. We affirm that mortal life is a stewardship to be lived for the glory of God, the good of others, and the service of Christ’s kingdom. This includes the wise use of medical means to sustain life and relieve suffering. In some cases, however, this same stewardship may permit the foregoing or withdrawal of life-sustaining medical interventions when such measures only prolong the dying process or are disproportionate to their expected benefit, especially in the approach of death. Such decisions must never rest on the belief that a person’s life has lost worth because of disability, dependence, or diminished capacity, but should be made prayerfully, with biblical counsel and medical discernment, in the hope of resurrection and eternal life in Christ (Genesis 1:27; Psalm 139:13–16; Deuteronomy 32:39; Philippians 1:20–24; 2 Corinthians 1:3–5; Romans 14:7–8; Philippians 1:21–23).
We deny that subjective criteria—such as diminished quality of life, perceived usefulness, or fear of being a burden—can justify euthanasia or assisted suicide. No one should be pressured, encouraged, or aided in ending their life prematurely. We further deny that Scripture requires the indefinite prolonging of biological life at all costs. When death is imminent and unavoidable, sustaining life through medical intervention may reflect fear, not faith. Christian hope honors both the value of earthly life and the promise of eternal life. We also deny that the practice of Voluntary Stopping of Eating and Drinking (VSED) is morally acceptable when done with the intent to hasten death. While reduced intake is often part of the natural dying process, intentionally refusing food and water for the purpose of bringing about death contradicts the Christian vision of life as a gift to be faithfully stewarded until the end (Psalm 31:15; Romans 14:4; 2 Corinthians 5:1–8; Ecclesiastes 3:1–2; Philippians 1:20–24; Proverbs 31:6–7; Psalm 104:14–15).
We affirm our biblical calling to protect the vulnerable, defend the defenseless, and oppose all forms of injustice and exploitation. This calling flows from the very character of God and His commands to love our neighbor, uphold justice, and extend mercy to the weak and marginalized. Therefore, we affirm our calling to care especially for the unborn, the poor, the oppressed, the orphan, the widow, the sojourner, the elderly, the disabled, the abused, the trafficked, and all who are at risk of neglect or mistreatment. We further affirm that all forms of human trafficking, abuse, and exploitation—whether for profit, pleasure, or power—are violations of human dignity and direct assaults against the image of God. Christians are called to expose such evil, pursue justice for the oppressed, and embody God’s mercy and holiness in every sphere of relationship and care, including family, church, vocational, civic, and public life. According to their callings and responsibilities, believers should support what is righteous and just, resist what is evil, and advocate for the protection of those whose lives are threatened or devalued (Proverbs 31:8–9; Proverbs 24:10–12; Isaiah 1:17; Micah 6:8; Zechariah 7:10; Isaiah 58:6–7; Genesis 1:27; Leviticus 18:21; Matthew 23:23; Ephesians 4:32; Ezekiel 22:6–7; Deuteronomy 10:17–19).
We deny that any Christian can remain faithful to Scripture while ignoring injustice, tolerating oppression, or neglecting the suffering of the vulnerable within his or her sphere of responsibility. We deny that any human being—made in the image of God—may ever be treated as a commodity or reduced to a means of personal or societal gain. The exploitation of others—especially through trafficking, coercion, or systemic injustice—is a grievous sin that defaces God’s design and should be confronted with righteous action and a call to repentance (Jeremiah 22:3; Ezekiel 16:49; Psalm 94:20-21; Isaiah 1:15–17; 10:1-2; Romans 12:21).
We affirm that true pro-life advocacy reflects a whole-life commitment to human flourishing. This includes care for mothers in crisis, support for fathers, advocacy for adoption and foster care, compassion toward the elderly and disabled, support for widows and orphans, and active concern for the poor and the sojourner. Such love flows from the recognition that all people are made in God’s image and are worthy of care and protection.
We deny that genuine pro-life convictions can be separated from practical expressions of love, compassion, and sacrificial service toward our neighbors. True faith works through love and should be embodied in action for the glory of Christ (James 1:27; Proverbs 31:8–9; 1 John 3:18).
We affirm that the grace of God in Jesus Christ does not merely forgive sins—it saves sinners, cleansing and restoring all who turn to him in repentance and faith, including those who have participated in abortion or euthanasia, human trafficking, or the mistreatment of the defenseless. All who turn to Christ are made new—entirely forgiven, fully accepted, and empowered for a life of healing, hope, and faithful service (Romans 8:1; Psalm 103:12; 1 John 1:9; Isaiah 1:18).
We deny that any sin—however grievous—or any past participation in abortion or euthanasia, places a person beyond the reach of God’s mercy. We reject the lie that such individuals are condemned to permanent guilt, shame, or exclusion from the people of God (2 Corinthians 5:17; Titus 3:3–7).
We affirm that faithful churches proclaim the whole counsel of God—including the biblical teaching on the sanctity of human life—and seek to embody these convictions through worship, prayer, discipleship, advocacy, and compassionate care.
We deny that a church can remain faithful to Scripture while affirming the sanctity of life in word but neglecting to live it out in deed. To ignore love, justice, or care for the vulnerable is to contradict the Scriptures we proclaim (Matthew 6:10; Ephesians 6:18; James 1:27; 2:17; 1 John 3:18).