Christian Ethics, Abortions, and Stem Cell Lines

by Michael P. Riley

And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just. Romans 3:8

A basic principle of Christian ethics is that Christians are never permitted to do evil. This remains true even if that evil might accomplish some other good. In the context of Romans 3 Paul’s argument is that even though “where sin abounded, grace did much more abound,” we must not defend sin with the thought that it would bring glory to God. Since glorifying God is the highest good and that highest good cannot justify sinning, then it follows that no lesser good can justify sinning.

Elective abortion is sin. We must therefore conclude that the sin of abortion is not justified even if it is pursued to obtain some otherwise virtuous goal.

This presents us with a problem. Many modern medicines and vaccines have been developed or tested using tissue cell lines originally taken from aborted babies. This practice is exceedingly common. Indeed, when I searched Google for “HEK-293” (the designation of one important cell line), the top results were for ads to purchase samples of these cell lines. I found this jarring: “Order now and get it on Friday,” the website promised. The banal commodification of a tragedy, of a baby, violates any normal sense of natural affection (2 Tim. 3:3).

FETAL CELL LINES AND COVID VACCINES