Sanctity of Human Life-Part 1

In David P. Kuske's edition of the Luther's Catechism a full 6.3 pages are given to the discussion of the Fifth Commandment. The 5th comd't. has been given by God to preserve and protect human life. That means life is sacred. The heart and core of seeing life as sacred is understanding  what being alive means. The time of one's life is important because after a person dies he/she spends eternity either in heaven or in hell. ("Man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment." Hebrews 9:27.)

So, when God's representatives, the government in this case, determines that a homicidal maniac is to be executed for his or her brutal slaying of another person(s), it is well within the rights accorded the authorities or powers that be as established by God. (He (the governing authority) does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Romans 13:4) Again the word of God says in Genesis 9:5,6; "From each man, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of his fellow man. Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed."

There are two sides of this commandment; 1.The things that God forbids, and 2. The things that God commands. First of all, God forbids that we do anything to shorten, embitter, diminish, weaken, or take away one's life, either that of our own, or that of anyone else. Suicide or murder are absolutely wrong. More than the actual deeds themselves, God also clearly expresses his will about what  we say and think in this regard: "Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him." (1 John 3:15).

Clearly our society in its present era is fully immersed in the public debate of such matters of the sanctity of human life. Capital punishment, abortion, embryonic brain cell harvesting and all that goes along with it are topics that fuel the fire of the debate among thinking people of all ages. If, however, there is no acceptance of the notion that human life is sacred because it is the time within which a person comes to know and believe in Jesus Christ as the only Savior from sin, death, and eternal separation from God, there will be no agreement on the issues, much less resolving the questions about what is right and/or wrong for the members of the human family.

On the other hand, if we begin with the premise that God is sovereign, and that he, and he alone has the right to set the standard or principles according to which his creatures are to live, then we may discuss, debate, and conclude what it is that we are to do in the area of preserving and protecting human life among us. If however, there is no sensitivity or response to our conscience and/or the written will of God as set forth in the Bible there is nothing but the irresolvable chaos that presently fills the arena of public debate as it does today. To use the analogy of a ship, human society is like a ship without a rudder when it comes to moral decisions being made when there is a denial of God's law.

The first step, then, is to begin with a thorough study of the Bible so that we may know what it says and means. At Emmanuel the opportunity to join in public bible study is offered on Sunday mornings immediately after our worship services, and on Wednesday mornings at 10 A.M. Please accept the invitation to come to these study hours. Bring a friend or interested neighbor with you as well, both you and they will be glad you did. God bless your studies. Pastor Kogler.

Comments

[Russ]

I don't disagree with what you are saying, but just so I understand this issue better; you're saying that God has given the right to our governing authorities to execute "homicidal maniacs", but how do we, as Christians, know that these decisions are being made based on God's law, or man's law?
Also, how does repentance and redemption fit into this? If a man on death row repents, admits his sins, acknowledges that Jesus died for all of our sins, and asks God for forgiveness in Jesus' name; the Bible tells us he is forgiven. Yet the state, which is following man's law, does not recognize this forgivness, and will probably not stay his execution. Thus, does not the executioner become a murderer instead?

[Mark]

Just because a man repents of his sin, and is forgiven, doesn't mean that the consequences of his sin go away. A man that truly repents of his sin as in the posted scenario of a man on death row will accept the sentence meted, knowing that he deserves the sentence. The execution is still justified, and is not simply murder.

Also, don't forget that all governments, even the bad ones, and put in place by God.