The Sacredness of Human Life

Exodus 20:13; Matthew 5:21-24; 10:29-31; 18:10-14

GOLDEN TEXT: “But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.”—Matthew 5:22

HUMAN life indeed is sacred! The only One who has the right to take it is the Creator who gave it; and he destroys life only when sin on the part of those who possess it makes them a menace to the well-being of others and a detriment to themselves. Some have found it difficult to understand why God commanded the Israelites, “Thou shalt not kill,” yet on several occasions ordered them to kill their enemies. The point is that the Israelites were not to destroy human life on their own initiative.

The command, “Thou shalt not kill,” should not be construed as hindering God from carrying out his decree that “the wages of sin is death.” (Rom. 6:23) Such a view would mean that God did not have the right to pronounce the sentence of death upon our first parents because of their sin, and that it has been wrong for death to pass upon all because our first parents transgressed his law. God, who originally created human living souls in his image, had the right to demand obedience of them; and he was also within his rights when he imposed the death sentence because of their sin.

But this viewpoint considers only the justice attribute of God’s character. God is also love, and because of this he has made provision for the recovery of those who have been condemned to death in Adam. So from this standpoint we can say that God has the right to take human life because he has the power to restore it again, and will restore it except in the case of those who sin the “sin unto death”—the “second death.”

The whole world is dying because of sin, but, as we have seen, God has made provision whereby all are to have an opportunity to regain life, and he wants his people to keep this viewpoint in mind in dealing with their fellowmen. Human life is so sacred to God that he gave his beloved Son to redeem and restore the sin-cursed and dying race. It is this thought which, primarily, is referred to in the parable of the lost sheep.

In the great universe of God there are many orders of intelligent creatures—angels, cherubim, seraphim, etc.—besides man. And it was the human race, among all these others, which went astray. This gave an opportunity for God’s love to reach out, and at great cost, to provide the means to save the “lost sheep.” This not only affords an excellent example of how God treasured his human creation, but is an object lesson to impress upon us the interest we should take in all to whom we can render assistance.

The simple command to Israel was, “Thou shalt not kill.” But Jesus enlarged upon this, pointing out that hatred of another was a violation of its spirit. The words, “without a cause” are not in the oldest manuscripts. The general teaching of Christianity goes still further. Instead of commanding us, as Jesus’ followers, not to kill, we are enjoined to give up our own lives for the benefit of others. We are to lay down our lives for the brethren; and besides, our burial into Christ is a baptism on behalf of the dead world of mankind.—I Cor. 15:29

Surely, then, those who are willing to die for others cannot, at the same time have a spirit of hatred in their hearts which would cause them to slay their brethren, or even their enemies. Not only should we endeavor to have our hearts purified from all hatred but we should also seek to be filled with and controlled by love—a love so all-comprehensive that it will not ignore even the least of the Lord’s people, but try to do them good. This is the divine viewpoint of the “lost sheep” which is the human race, which, while created “a little lower than the angels,” was not to be despised or ignored by the Creator.—Heb. 2:9

God has a special love for and interest in his “new creation”—the church. It is his loving care over these which Jesus illustrated by reference to the sparrows and to the fact that the very hairs of our heads are numbered. The sparrows, he said, do not fall to the ground without the Father’s notice, and then added that we are “of more value than many sparrows.”

Peter explains that God is long-suffering toward his people, “not willing that any should perish.” (II Pet. 3:9) It is surely true that God takes no pleasure in the death of those who die. (Ezek. 18:23; 33:11) It is his will that all shall live; and he has made every necessary provision of grace whereby both the church and the world may gain life. But equally sacred to God as life for his creatures, is their free moral agency. This he will not violate. Those who choose to disobey him when every favorable opportunity has been given to them to do otherwise, leave the Creator with no other choice but to make payment of the “wages of sin,” which is death.

Of the next age we read: “It shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that Prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.” (Acts 3:23) But even this penalty will be inflicted because God desires to protect the lives of those who are loyal to him.

QUESTIONS:

Did God violate the commandment, “Thou shalt not kill,” when he sentenced our first parents to death?

What is the principal lesson taught in the parable of the “lost sheep”?

Who will be to blame for those who, go into the second death?

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