Fearfully and Wonderfully Made (Part 2): The Value of Human Life in a Culture That Has Forgotten God

David’s words in Psalm 139 offer one of the most beautiful and intimate pictures in Scripture:

“Thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb… I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”—Psalm 139:13–14

In Part 1, we explored God’s craftsmanship in the womb and His intentional design of every human being. In Part 2, we turn to a tragic reality: not everyone sees life this way.

How has our culture drifted so far from the biblical view of human worth? Why do millions treat the unborn as disposable, inconvenient, or sub-human?

To answer these questions, we must understand the ideas that shaped modern attitudes toward life.

1. Roe v. Wade: The Turning Point That Changed a Nation

On January 22, 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court legalized abortion nationwide. The ruling opened the door for abortion on demand during the first trimester—and in practical reality, far beyond that.

Since then, millions of unborn children—roughly 1.5 million annually for decades—have had their lives ended through procedures that burn, crush, or dismember the most vulnerable among us.

Biblical truth stands in stark contrast:

“Lo, children are a heritage of the Lord… Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them.”—Psalm 127:3–5

God calls children a blessing. Our culture increasingly treats them as a burden.

2. A Long History of Devaluing Human Life

The devaluation of children is not new. Ancient Greek and Roman societies killed infants born with deformities. Pagan cultures practiced child sacrifice—including Israel when it drifted into idolatry (Ezek. 16:20).

But in recent centuries, new philosophies emerged that led to modern disregard for the unborn.

3. Evolution and Eugenics: Deadly Ideas with Deadly Consequences

The modern abortion mindset didn’t appear overnight—it was shaped by influential thinkers whose ideas still shape society today.

Francis Galton — The Founder of Eugenics

In 1883, Galton coined the word eugenics, meaning “good in birth.” Influenced by his cousin Charles Darwin, he believed society should eliminate the “undesirable” and multiply the “desirable.”

Ernst Haeckel — The Fraud Behind “Embryo Evolution”

Haeckel promoted the idea that human embryos go through stages of evolution in the womb. His drawings—used to justify abortion and deny the humanity of the unborn—were later exposed as fraudulent. Shockingly, some textbooks still repeat his false claims.

Margaret Sanger — The Founder of Planned Parenthood

Sanger echoed the same disturbing ideas:

• Advocated sterilizing the “feeble-minded”

• Supported eliminating “defectives”

• Claimed the most merciful thing for a poor infant was to kill it

Her writings show a chilling contempt for the weak and vulnerable.

These ideas eroded moral boundaries. When people see human beings as advanced animals rather than image-bearers of God, compassion collapses, and life becomes negotiable.

4. What the Bible Actually Says About Life in the Womb

Far from being “potential persons,” Scripture always describes life in the womb as human life:

Jacob and Esau were called “children” in the womb

(Genesis 25:21–22)

John the Baptist leapt for joy before birth

(Luke 1:41)

Jeremiah was known by God before birth

(Jer. 1:5)

The unborn were protected by law

(Exodus 21:22–23)

Scripture never speaks of a fetus as a “non-human.”God sees the unborn as fully human, fully valuable, and fully under His care.

Life doesn’t become human at birth—it begins at conception, when a unique individual with distinct DNA comes into existence.

Humans beget humans, just as Scripture teaches.

5. A Culture Shaped by Evolution Has Lost Natural Affection

Paul warned of a society that would lose what he called “natural affection” (Rom. 1:31). When a culture forgets God:

• Morality declines

• Families break down

• Children become expendable

• The weakest suffer

We see this today in abortion, infanticide, euthanasia, and in cold-hearted stories where children with Down syndrome are being denied life-saving care simply because they are considered “less desirable.”

This is where evolutionary thinking inevitably leads. If human beings are merely highly evolved animals, then “value” becomes subjective.

But God does not measure life that way.

6. God Values Every Life—Regardless of Ability, Age, or Circumstance

To those who would discard the weak, God asks:

“Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? Have not I the Lord?”—Exodus 4:11

Scripture affirms:

• Every child is made in God’s image

• Every life matters

• Every person deserves protection

Even the unborn are included in God’s command:

“Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.”—Psalm 82:4

This consists of the smallest, quietest, and most vulnerable among us.

Conclusion: We Are Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

Human life is not the product of evolution. We are not animals. We are not accidents. We are fearfully and wonderfully made.

David saw it . The prophets saw it. Jesus affirmed it . And Scripture teaches it from Genesis to Revelation.

Every life—from the elderly to the unborn—is precious in God’s sight.

May God’s people stand firmly, compassionately, and courageously for the truth:

All human life has value because all human life bears the image of God.