The Value of Human Life: Upholding Sanctity from Beginning to the Grave

This article discusses the sanctity of human life from a Christian perspective. It highlights how God created humans in His image and likeness and how the value of human life is grounded in God. The article addresses the issue of abortion and how it disregards God’s moral order. It also encourages Christians to extend self-giving care and compassion to those who are suffering, whether born or unborn, young or old, able or disabled. The article includes biblical references to support its arguments. Every morning when we wake up, we usually say thank God for the gift of life. This shows how valuable we cherish our lives and hope for a better day.

God created us in His image for His advantage, not for ours, our lives belong to God and not for our advantage.

As a result, anyone who takes the life of another will be held guilty and punished by God through his human representatives.

God forbids murder, this is the sixth commandment in the bible. This does not only refer to killing intentionally, but death caused based on negligence. Taking the life of a person is understood as taking life outside the boundaries set by God.

A few days ago I was reading a piece of online news about how a world-class nation was about legalizing abortion. Abortion was a known practice in the past, and the bible did not explicitly mention its practice, but if we listen carefully to the teaching of the Bible, we will discover that the bible speaks on the subject of abortion. In ancient times both Christians and non-Christian strictly condemned it. What a pity, it shows how decaying a nation could be.

Medically, abortion can be legitimately considered only in the event of an ectopic pregnancy or an unavoidable case best know to the doctor. The question here is, is it not also considered murder? But of the less of two damage, losing one life instead of two.

Other issues of abortion that occur are the choice of the mother, rape, standard of living, etc. A mother’s decision should not include ending another person’s life. A murderer ends another’s life, not a mother. And with rape, a horrible crime as rape should not be compounded by adding to it another heinous crime as abortion. Based on the quality of life, it causes a pang of great sadness for a baby to be born into poverty, or with a physical disability. Such suffering is grievous and real and must be addressed tenderly. The answer to a burdensome life for an infant is not to deny life to the infant who is created in God’s image and likeness.

Based on the fall in the beginning, since then death has become inevitable or proportional to normal for all, be it rich or poor, young or old, black or white, etc. Suffering, pain, illness is usually the process of dying. How should Christians respond to pain and suffering in those who are unable to care for themselves? We must understand and remember that the value of human life is grounded and rooted in God, and this is because God Himself is the giver of life. Human worth is grounded in the image and likeness of God, it depicts the Goodness of God even when they depend on others, or are sick or dying, deserve the same respect granted to anyone else. Christians are to uphold the value of life, whether a young, old or disabled is never less the image of God and God cherishes them all, so we should. That was why he came!

How would you handle such suffering? How would you help to improve the quality of life for those suffering from a disability or major terminal illness or needs? Does suffering has any other meaning? Even in the face of chaos.

I will conclude here by saying, the value of human life is gotten from God the Creator of the universe, and this is rooted in the fact that all humans have been created in His image and likeness. As faithful stewards of the life God has given, our responsibility is to uphold its sanctity from beginning to the grave. Ending one’s or someone else’s life to relieve suffering is not only unjustifiable; it disregards God’s defined moral order. Suffering should bring us not to end life but to entrust ourselves more completely to our faithful God no matter what happens to us or those whom we love. We find strength and ultimate hope in Christ Jesus, who has conquered death in victory and can sympathize with human suffering.

The basis of God’s love is to enable Christians to extend self-giving care and compassion to those who are suffering, whether born or unborn, young or old, able or disabled.

Bible References: Genesis. 2:7, Job 34:14–15, Genesis. 1:26–27, Genesis. 9:5–6; Romans. 13:1–7, Exodus 20:13, Exodus 21:12–32, Jeremiah 7:9; Joshua 20:3–6; Psalm 139:13, Psalm 51:5, Exodus 23:7, Proverb. 6:16–17, Roman 5:12–14; 1 Corinthians 15:21–22, 1 Samuel 31:3–5, 2 Samuel 1:1–16, Leviticus 21:16–23, Leviticus 19:14,32,
Matthew 14:14, Matthew 9:36; Mark 8:2; Luke 7:13, Colosians 3:12, 2 Corinthians 1:8–9; Hebrew 2:14–18; 4:15–16, Romans 12:15, 1 Peters 4:19.