Download 91505_podcast.mp3

Should Christians fight and reject
“the right to die” movement, just as we fight against the abortion industry? A basic Christian belief is that my life is not my own
to do as I please, but it belongs God. If we believe that the Bible
teaches that murder is wrong and we believe in the sanctity of human life, we
must not allow the secular world view of euthanasia to be promoted or
endorsed. If we allow a person the ability to be euthanized, we are
basically saying that suicide is acceptable and should not be
condoned. The Bible teaches that taking a life (murder) is wrong and is a
sin. If a person takes their own life it must be assumed that God is not
pleased and considers the unjustified taking of the life as sin. When a
person is terminally ill and takes their own life, they are denying God the
opportunity to work through healing or through the giving of His grace.

Because of sin
all humans will die physically, unless Christ returns before the death
experience. We cannot be fooled into thinking that we can prolong life any
further than God allows or wishes. For
believer’s death is not the end, it is the beginning into life that is free
from the illnesses of this physical life. The secular world view believes
that death is a biological event that takes place when certain vital organs
cease to function. Christians believe that death is a spiritual event that
has physical consequences, i.e. death of the physical body. Even if a
person is in a comatose state and does not respond to physical stimulation,
from a biblical viewpoint they should be seen as being alive, unless all brain
activity has ceased.

When individuals accept and
pursue the “right to die” theory, they are taking matters into their own
hands. By doing so they do not allow God to work in such a way that would
bring glory and honor to Himself. Not to beg the point or be preachy, I
would like to share a personal experience. In July 1994 my father had a
massive cerebral stroke that literally destroyed his brain with no hope of
recovery. After a few hours of consciousness he lapped into a comatose
state with no response to any physical or chemical treatment. My family
was given the option to artificially respirate him, which we chose to do for
various reasons. After three days of ventilation we made the hard decision
to remove him from all life support. His body was able to function for
approximately twenty-four hours before he departed for his eternal heavenly
home. Through this experience we were able to experience God’s sustaining
grace and be a witness to many hospital staff. Many people who have had
life threatening or life hampering illnesses and accidents have been able to
use them to bring glory to God. Probably the most famous of these is Joni
Eareckson Tada who is a quadriplegic due from an accident she was in. Joni
is a firm believer that "suffering gets us ready for heaven."[1] 

[1]
Joni Eareckson, A Step Further (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1978).