Today we are going to start a two-week session on issues of life. This will cover the span from conception to death and include the use of Fetal Stem Cells, Abortion, Murder, Suicide, Killing by Military or Police, Capital Punishment, and Assisted Suicide.
Remember, we want to remember that we are to be united in Christ, dispite our discussions or topics and we do that by remembering the following three Scriptures:
Phill 2:3
3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.
Eph 4:2-5
2Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4There is one body and one Spirit-- just as you were called to one hope when you were called-- 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
Gal 3:28
28There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
In order to understand the entire scope of these issues, from a purely logical viewpoint, we simply have to understand the answers to three questions:
- What is life?
- When does it begin and end?
- When, if ever, is it ok to take a life?
Does that make sense?
We are going to take at least two sessions, maybe three to discuss this important topic.
I want to start by talking about the word life.
Scripture talks about two general types of life.
What are they? Spiritual life and physical life.
When we talk about “Issues of life” I want to be clear that we are talking about physical life. As human beings we have no power or ability to terminate a spiritual life. We can set the destiny of our own spiritual life but it is eternal and we can’t change that.The first thing that I would like to discuss is the definition of life.
One dictionary defines life as the ability to metabolize or grow. This is kind of low level and I’m sure when we get deeper into some of the topics we’ll want to talk about when it starts, and quality of life, and more.
For now does this sound reasonable – being alive means having cell reproduction?
This helps to distinguish the “alive” (people, creatures, plants) from the inanimate (rocks, computers, etc.).
So where does life come from?
Genesis 2:4-7
This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created.
When the LORD God made the earth and the heavens-- 5and no shrub of the field had yet appeared on the earth and no plant of the field had yet sprung up, for the LORD God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no man to work the ground, 6but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground-- 7the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
So God gives us life. Without this gift of life, we are no different than the dust of the ground in that we are made up of atoms and molecules.
Who did God give this life to?
Genesis 1:9-27
9And God said, "Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear." And it was so. 10God called the dry ground "land," and the gathered waters he called "seas." And God saw that it was good.
11Then God said, "Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds." And it was so. 12The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. 13And there was evening, and there was morning--the third day.
14And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years, 15and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth." And it was so. 16God made two great lights--the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. 17God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth, 18to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19And there was evening, and there was morning--the fourth day.
20And God said, "Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky." 21So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 22God blessed them and said, "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth." 23And there was evening, and there was morning--the fifth day.
24And God said, "Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind." And it was so. 25God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.
26Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."
27So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
Considering the term life, what do you find interesting about this passage?
There is sort of a progression:
- Plants and vegetation are created – but they are not referred to as alive. (vs. 11-12)
- Then creatures, and birds, and fish are created – and they are called alive. They are made seemingly bunches at a time. (vs. 20-25)
- Then man is made in the likeness of God, and as we saw earlier, God gave man life,
What is it that makes animals and people different from plants?
What do you think it is?
Let’s look at some Scriptures and see if we can figure it out.
What do you think it is?
Let’s look at some Scriptures and see if we can figure it out.
Genesis 9:4
4"But you must not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it.
Deuteronomy 12:20-25
20When the LORD your God has enlarged your territory as he promised you, and you crave meat and say, "I would like some meat," then you may eat as much of it as you want. 21If the place where the LORD your God chooses to put his Name is too far away from you, you may slaughter animals from the herds and flocks the LORD has given you, as I have commanded you, and in your own towns you may eat as much of them as you want. 22Eat them as you would gazelle or deer. Both the ceremonially unclean and the clean may eat. 23But be sure you do not eat the blood, because the blood is the life, and you must not eat the life with the meat. 24You must not eat the blood; pour it out on the ground like water. 25Do not eat it, so that it may go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is right in the eyes of the LORD.
Leviticus 17:10-14
10" `Any Israelite or any alien living among them who eats any blood--I will set my face against that person who eats blood and will cut him off from his people. 11For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one's life. 12Therefore I say to the Israelites, "None of you may eat blood, nor may an alien living among you eat blood."
13" `Any Israelite or any alien living among you who hunts any animal or bird that may be eaten must drain out the blood and cover it with earth, 14because the life of every creature is its blood. That is why I have said to the Israelites, "You must not eat the blood of any creature, because the life of every creature is its blood; anyone who eats it must be cut off."
So apparently this “life” that God gave to both man and animals is the blood that flows within our veins.
As we can see, God allowed man to eat the animals but not the blood, because “life” is in the blood.
So let’s hold those things in our back pocket for now and let’s talk about the next step in our study:
Taking a life.
It’s obvious from our readings of Scripture that man is allowed to take the life of an animal, because he is encouraged to eat them. Now you may argue that there are some animals we are not to eat, but the discussion of clean and unclean animals is out of the scope of our discussion on the issues of life.
Genesis 9:4-6
4"But you must not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it. 5And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each man, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of his fellow man. ”Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man.”
Here we see an extension of the idea of “lifeblood” in that man must not take the life of another man.
Why does God say that we must not take the life of another man?
Because we are made in the image of God.
Exodus20:13
13"You shall not murder.
This is the sixth commandment that God gave to Moses on tablets of stone, to pass on to the people of Israel.
Sometimes we get caught up in our understanding or misunderstanding of what God means by the term Murder.
Exodus 21:12-14
12"Anyone who strikes a man and kills him shall surely be put to death. 13However, if he does not do it intentionally, but God lets it happen, he is to flee to a place I will designate. 14But if a man schemes and kills another man deliberately, take him away from my altar and put him to death.
Here we see a repeat of the sixth commandment.
What is the difference though here?
God differentiates between those that kill intentionally and those that kill accidently.
Leviticus 24:17
17`If anyone takes the life of a human being, he must be put to death.
Again, the condemnation for taking a human life.
Numbers 35:16-21
16" `If a man strikes someone with an iron object so that he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death. 17Or if anyone has a stone in his hand that could kill, and he strikes someone so that he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death. 18Or if anyone has a wooden object in his hand that could kill, and he hits someone so that he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death. 19The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death; when he meets him, he shall put him to death. 20If anyone with malice aforethought shoves another or throws something at him intentionally so that he dies 21or if in hostility he hits him with his fist so that he dies, that person shall be put to death; he is a murderer. The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when he meets him.
Here we see the term for someone that intentionally kills another human being,
What are they called? A murderer.
But then read on…
Numbers 35:22-24
22" `But if without hostility someone suddenly shoves another or throws something at him unintentionally 23or, without seeing him, drops a stone on him that could kill him, and he dies, then since he was not his enemy and he did not intend to harm him, 24the assembly must judge between him and the avenger of blood according to these regulations. 25The assembly must protect the one accused of murder from the avenger of blood and send him back to the city of refuge to which he fled. He must stay there until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.
So is it fair to say that when God wrote the sixth commandment, “you shall not murder” He was talking about intentionally taking the life of another human being?
Yes, He even made the cities of refuge so that those that took a human life unintentionally would have a safe haven.
But if the command is not to intentionally take a human life that leaves us with a dilemma.
God’s people partake in this very kind of intentional killing over and over again,
1Kings 18:40
40Then Elijah commanded them, "Seize the prophets of Baal. Don't let anyone get away!" They seized them, and Elijah had them brought down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered them there.
Deuteronomy 20:10-13
10When you march up to attack a city, make its people an offer of peace. 11If they accept and open their gates, all the people in it shall be subject to forced labor and shall work for you. 12If they refuse to make peace and they engage you in battle, lay siege to that city. 13When the LORD your God delivers it into your hand, put to the sword all the men in it.
Joshua 8:20-27
20The men of Ai looked back and saw the smoke of the city rising against the sky, but they had no chance to escape in any direction, for the Israelites who had been fleeing toward the desert had turned back against their pursuers. 21For when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city and that smoke was going up from the city, they turned around and attacked the men of Ai. 22The men of the ambush also came out of the city against them, so that they were caught in the middle, with Israelites on both sides. Israel cut them down, leaving them neither survivors nor fugitives. 23But they took the king of Ai alive and brought him to Joshua.
24When Israel had finished killing all the men of Ai in the fields and in the desert where they had chased them, and when every one of them had been put to the sword, all the Israelites returned to Ai and killed those who were in it. 25Twelve thousand men and women fell that day--all the people of Ai. 26For Joshua did not draw back the hand that held out his javelin until he had destroyed all who lived in Ai. 27But Israel did carry off for themselves the livestock and plunder of this city, as the LORD had instructed Joshua.
Numbers 21:7-8
7They fought against Midian, as the LORD commanded Moses, and killed every man. 8Among their victims were Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur and Reba--the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword.
Scripture is full of examples of men taking the lives of other men, intentionally and seemingly with malice.
Isn’t this murder?
Who was Elijah? A prophet of God.
When Elijah ordered the Israelites to kill the prophets of Baal, who’s authority was he acting under? Who appointed him to order that command? God did.
When Joshua ordered the Israelites to kill the men of AI, who's authority was he acting under? Who appointed him to order the command to kill? God did,
From the Scriptures we looked at earlier it's clear that intentionally taking a human life is called murder and forbidden.However, it also seems clear that there is an exception to this rule. Killing is not murder if it is commanded by God.
Does that make sense?
When we talk about killing being commanded by God, it’s not always a direct command. God gives people authority to do His will.
He gave Moses, and Joshua, and Elijah authority to command men to kill, and it wasn’t called murder.
But what does that mean to us today?
Romans 13:1-5
1Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. 4For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience.
If our government is established by God, then is it fair to say that have His authorization? In some senses are they not given the right to be in charge?
What then is the difference between God authorizing Elijah to command the Israelites to kill the prophets of Baal, and God authorizing our government and the government commanding soldiers to fight in a war?
In one sense they are both authorized by God.
Now I have had a lot of comments about repressive governments and peoples right to overthrow them such as America did to England.
I think there are two ways to look at it. The first is that Paul makes no qualification for "good" or "evil" governments in Romans 13 when he says that we are to obey the appointed government. On the other hand if our lives were in danger from evil men, it appears that we have the right to defend ourselves. We need to work like it depends on us, and pray like it depends on God.
Since the Government is authorized by God, Police or Soldiers commanded to take a life are not committing murder.
Human life is precious to God as we are made in His image. Intentionally taking a life is distinguished from accidental killing in that intentional killing is referred to as murder and those that commit the offense are referred to as murderers. The only exception to God viewing this as an abomination is when it is authorized, directly or through elected government, by God.
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