The Value of Human Life

Last Sunday we discussed the value of human life. This is especially relevant during our time of remembrance - millions of human lives were lost during the World Wars, each one of them precious in God's sight. Although most people love to live - and know deep in their hearts that we exist to live life to the full - one wonders why there is so much killing and bloodshed. The concept of a 'war to end all wars' proved to be an illusion, if not for Europe, then for many other parts of the world. The wars since WWII were too numerous to mention, and still today conflicts savage regions, and even whole nations, while women, children, and the elderly are the most innocent and vulnerable victims. As we remember the wars, should we not be moved to make more effort towards peace? Jesus said, 'Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God' (Mt 5:9). So what does the Bible have to say about the value of human life?

The Bible on The Value of Human Life

The Bible presents God as Creator, an infinite Being who created a beautiful, functioning, and harmonious world - when He saw what He created, He said, 'it is very good' (Genesis 1:31). Yet a pure and innocent Creation was spoiled by sin, the very force of evil that still drives humans today to commit terrible acts against fellow humans. Throughout biblical history sin is the very evil responsible for tragedy, misery, and suffering. Sin is that which is going against God's good will. The abuse of human freedom - a God-given freedom - so often leads to war, misery, and suffering. Ever since the Fall of the first human beings humanity has suffered because of the devastating and destructive effects of sin.

We live in a society where people do no longer want to talk about such uneasy themes as mentioned above. We rather talk about 'nobody is perfect,' or simply 'human weakness.' The problem is, that if we fail to be honest about our condition, the right and appropriate cure cannot set it. Before a medical doctor prescribes medicine he or she must accurately analyse and address the problem. It would surely be unreasonable to try to deny cancer in one's body if treatment can still cure it!?

We need to ask ourselves, How can a mother allow her baby to be beaten - and worse, beaten to death? What value do these people ascribe to human life? How can a mother - or anybody - stab her - or any other - children to death? What value do these people ascribe to human life? We need to ask ourselves, What value do I ascribe to human life? If someone can kill with - or without - second thought, what value is there to human life? Are we simply the useless, meaningless product of evolution? Yet what if we are created by God? What value does that give us? Scripture makes clear that murder is unacceptable to God because humans were created in His image, like God (Genesis 9:6). Whether one believes in Creation by God or not, what is important here is that the Bible ascribes infinte value to human life!

While WWII, for example, was, from an Allied point of view a necessary war - however sad to say that is - most other wars are simply down to human greed (lust) for power and wealth (Hitler's unquenchable lust for power was, of course, at the root of WWII). In response to that: 'The love of money is the root of all evil' (1Ti 6:10), and 'bad company corrupts good morals' (1Co 15:33). There are numerous passages of Scripture that refute lust for money and the misuse of power, as God wants a just and honest world. Yet the world seems to be everything God doesn't want it to be. It is a strange - and unreasonable - contradiction in human thought, that people don't care about God, want to abolish everything religious in public, and reject biblical values, yet when things go bad the same people blame God! So does He exist after all? Is He simply a 'convenient scapegoat'? Well, scapegoat He was, yet whether the truth thereof is that convenient is a matter of personal response.

Jesus Christ died the death of a criminal though he was innocent. Against the backdrop of Jewish Temple worship, Jesus died like a sacrificial lamb to atone for human sin. And beyond that, He was a scapgoat, that is, the One who carried the sins of the world. It is in this act of God's love through which He caused a perfect and eternal salvation for all of humanity - British or Polish, Hindu or Muslim, African or Asian, police man or bus driver, banker or bankrupt - that God displayed what value He ascribes to human life: infinte value. He would have His Son died to save humanity, rather than to spare His Son and see humanity suffer eternal damnation. It is the love of God that does care for human life - if only people allow Him to. Why blame God for a tragedy if He was rejected und unwanted in the first place? Why not start a fresh life with God through Jesus in which you come to understand that your life is of infinte value to God, that He does care for you, and that He will provide and protect you - despite any circumstances you might face. Join us on Sundays, if you can, and we'll talk about it. You can also contact us by phone or eMail - at your service in God's love.


Shalom,
Gordon