The Sanctity of Human Life

Thou shalt not kill. (Exodus 20:13)

Close to the top of the list of God’s laws concerning our relationship to our fellow man is the command not to commit murder. In our constitution is the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Life is precious. Life is fragile, for it is held in earthen vessels. Since the Supreme Court’s decision to legalize abortion in 1973, there have been over fifty-five million abortions. These were not some kind of a blob, they were human beings. They were not guilty of any crime, but their lives were taken away before they ever saw the light of day. By the way, I know for a fact abortions were being done in at least one hospital before the Supreme Court passed down its decision and I just imagine it was happening all across our land. It just wasn’t advertised.

It amazes me to see how compassionate some people can be over the death of animals and then not raise their voices in protest to abortion. You can be sure of this, God is aware of each loss of life. He will hold us responsible for how we respond to this. I shudder to think what will happen in the future with the liberals in control of our nation. Do you ever wonder what some of these individuals could have done if they had been allowed to live? I do. Lest I sound to harsh, God can and will forgive those who cry out for His mercy.

I. LIFE IS GOD GIVEN.

And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. (Genesis 2:7, 19)

1. Man was created in the moral, mental and spiritual likeness of God.
2. Man was made for God.
3. It appears to me everything else was made for man.

II. GOD ESTABLISHED THE SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE.

1. God forms the child in the womb.
   

   Thine hands have made me and fashioned me together round about; yet thou dost destroy me. Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as the clay; and wilt thou bring me into dust again? (Job 10:8-9)

   I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. (Psalms 139:14-16)

   Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. (Jeremiah 1:5)

2. An animal that takes a human life is to be put to death.
   

   And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man’s brother will I require the life of man. (Genesis 9:5)

   If an ox gore a man or a woman, that they die: then the ox shall be surely stoned, and his flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall be quit.
   (Exodus 21:28)

3. A human that willfully takes a human life is to be put to death.
   

   And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man’s brother will I require the life of man. Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man. (Genesis 9:5-6)

   He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death. (Exodus 21:12)

   And if he smite him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. And if he smite him with throwing a stone, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. Or if he smite him with an hand weapon of wood, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.
   (Numbers 35:16-18)

4. There must be witnesses.
   

   Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die. Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death. (Numbers 35:30-31)

5. If someone has an animal that is dangerous and that animal kills someone, then he is responsible for the death of that person.
   

   But if the ox were wont to push with his horn in time past, and it hath been testified to his owner, and he hath not kept him in, but that he hath killed a man or a woman; the ox shall be stoned, and his owner also shall be put to death. (Exodus 21:29)

6. God puts greater value on human life than animal life.
   

   And he that killeth a beast, he shall restore it: and he that killeth a man, he shall be put to death.
   (Leviticus 24:21)

7. A person who commits murder is responsible for his own death.
   

   And the man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death. And the man that lieth with his father’s wife hath uncovered his father’s nakedness: both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them. And if a man lie with his daughter in law, both of them shall surely be put to death: they have wrought confusion; their blood shall be upon them. If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them. And if a man take a wife and her mother, it is wickedness: they shall be burnt with fire, both he and they; that there be no wickedness among you. And if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death: and ye shall slay the beast. And if a woman approach unto any beast, and lie down thereto, thou shalt kill the woman, and the beast: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them. A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them.
   (Leviticus 20:10-16, 27)

8. Under God’s law, those who kill the unborn are to be put to death.
   

   If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman’s husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine. And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe. (Exodus 21:22-25)

9. It is up to the law to deal with these things, not the individual, therefore, the executioner is not responsible for the life of the murderer.

III. SIN BRINGS DEATH.

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23)

1. There is physical death.
   

   Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (Romans 5:12)

2. There is a second death.
   

   And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:11-15)

IV. THE DEATH, BURIAL AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST WILL GIVE ETERNAL LIFE TO THE BELIEVER.

Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: (I Corinthians 15:1-4)

1. The Gospel is able to save all who believe.
   

   For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. (Romans 1:16)

2. There is no sin too great, not even murder.
   

   Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. (Hebrews 7:25)

   This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. (I Timothy 1:15)