"Every Life is Sacred"

[TheLightInTheTower]

Today I want to ask about another part of Christianity that leaves me confused - and, much like with my last question, I'm sure I have plenty of mistaken assumptions about the little I feel I do understand!

Christian's largely seem to embrace a policy that life is sacred - I hear it especially often during abortion debates. This post will not be about abortion and I hope it doesn't turn into that sort of conversation, but it's a reasonable starting point into the issue I actually want to know about.

In a religion that believes in an immortal soul and the power of resurrection to a life after death, why is life in this world seen as sacred? Why are there rules against murder, for example, if, in the end, no real harm is done? I am assuming that being murdered does not in and of itself hurt your chances of getting into heaven - but perhaps I am wrong here!

 

[crossnote]

Murder is not in God's nature but it is in satan's nature.
God would not have man act contrary to His own nature.
Life is His nature as well.

 

[ExodusMe]

Today I want to ask about another part of Christianity that leaves me confused - and, much like with my last question, I'm sure I have plenty of mistaken assumptions about the little I feel I do understand!

Christian's largely seem to embrace a policy that life is sacred - I hear it especially often during abortion debates. This post will not be about abortion and I hope it doesn't turn into that sort of conversation, but it's a reasonable starting point into the issue I actually want to know about.

In a religion that believes in an immortal soul and the power of resurrection to a life after death, why is life in this world seen as sacred? Why are there rules against murder, for example, if, in the end, no real harm is done? I am assuming that being murdered does not in and of itself hurt your chances of getting into heaven - but perhaps I am wrong here!

Interesting questions.
Let's start with this. The logic that would lead to this life not being sacred because Christian's will be resurrected & live eternally is not coherent. Let's look at a syllogism.

P1 Christians will be resurrected after death
P2 Christians will live eternally after death
C1 Therefore, the life in this world is not sacred/important/etc

There is no reason the conclusion would follow from your premises, so you are hiding some assumptions not explicitly stated in your post.

The assumption is: this life is not sacred because I can commit sins that have no impact on the next life. For instance, when this life ends God essentially hits the 'reset' button and everything. This would be the false assumption you are making. There is not reason to assume whatever you do in this life has no impact on the next. Next time you read the bible consider trying to find verses in Revelation on what the "New Earth" will be like. Here is some food for thought.

1) God created men & women in his image (Genesis 1:27). Imagine, an absolute Holy, Righteous, Just, Merciful, etc... God created you and others in His image. What is the penalty for murdering someone who bears the image of this God or killing the body that God has given you?
2) Revelation 20 & 21 speak to how God will judge & recreate the world. The bible says he will make a new heaven & a new earth. I don't see anywhere that says we won't forget our life on this earth. We could still posses the memories from this life.
3) Christian's aim is for God's glory. In this life we can work for God and bring him glory. Why wouldn't I want to do that for him?

 

[Strivax]

... why is life in this world seen as sacred? Why are there rules against murder, for example, if, in the end, no real harm is done? ...

The traditional answer to this question would be that since God gives us life, only God has the right to remove it.

Best wishes, Strivax.

 

[Far Side Of the Moon]

The traditional answer to this question would be that since God gives us life, only God has the right to remove it.

Best wishes, Strivax.

I agree.

 

[Galatea]

If the person you murder is not saved, then you are dispatching them off to Hell. This is why I do not believe in the death penalty- to give the person enough time in this Earthly life to be saved.

Murder is in a way, pride. Being a little god- taking someone else's life in your hands. This is usurping God. I think all sins go back to pride- the first sin.

 

[ExodusMe]

If the person you murder is not saved, then you are dispatching them off to Hell. This is why I do not believe in the death penalty- to give the person enough time in this Earthly life to be saved.

Murder is in a way, pride. Being a little god- taking someone else's life in your hands. This is usurping God. I think all sins go back to pride- the first sin.

Genesis 9:5-6 (And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man.) provides how capital punishment can be instituted according to God's command. I don't think humanity has the capacity to judge what would happen if a person was allowed to live longer, etc... This is similar to how you said murder is like being a 'little god' considering the same could be said about allowing capital punishment (if murderers were given the opportunity to repent prior to being executed they COULD become saved rather than being allowed to live longer and fall further into sin).

 

[Strivax]

Yes, my attitude to capital punishment is to avoid it, and counsel others to do so. As I read the New Testament, Jesus came to redeem the world, and the Christian God is a redemptive God. Capital punishment is the absolute antithesis of this divine attitude, when our spiritual goal should be to emulate Christ, and approach the absolute virtue of God. You do not redeem a sinner by killing them. And, as Jesus so memorably put it*, 'He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone...'. Or post the first unforgiving meme across this interweb thing.

Best wishes, Strivax.

*John 8:7 KJV

 

[FireDragon76]

Heaven doesn't have much to do with that. Life is sacred because man and woman are made in the image of God. God created humanity to be priests between matter and spirit, to represent him on earth. As such, humanity has a sacred calling. Murder is a denial of that calling.

 

[redleghunter]

Today I want to ask about another part of Christianity that leaves me confused - and, much like with my last question, I'm sure I have plenty of mistaken assumptions about the little I feel I do understand!

Christian's largely seem to embrace a policy that life is sacred - I hear it especially often during abortion debates. This post will not be about abortion and I hope it doesn't turn into that sort of conversation, but it's a reasonable starting point into the issue I actually want to know about.

In a religion that believes in an immortal soul and the power of resurrection to a life after death, why is life in this world seen as sacred? Why are there rules against murder, for example, if, in the end, no real harm is done? I am assuming that being murdered does not in and of itself hurt your chances of getting into heaven - but perhaps I am wrong here!

Life is sacred for the Christian in this mortal life as we are created in the image and likeness of God.

Hold this Christian principle up to the fact of a fallen world due to free will and embrace the paradox.

 

[Galatea]

Genesis 9:5-6 (And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man.) provides how capital punishment can be instituted according to God's command. I don't think humanity has the capacity to judge what would happen if a person was allowed to live longer, etc... This is similar to how you said murder is like being a 'little god' considering the same could be said about allowing capital punishment (if murderers were given the opportunity to repent prior to being executed they COULD become saved rather than being allowed to live longer and fall further into sin).

If a murderer is in prison with nothing to do but contemplate the meaning of his existence, perhaps he will come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Perhaps he will not. I don't know. I do know there are Christian ministries that go into prisons in an attempt to lead prisoners to Christ.

It is not my place to determine whether or not a person will get saved or not. I would prefer that murderers be imprisoned for the rest of their lives to keep them from falling into the sin of murdering again.

I do not know how long it takes to give a person a chance to repent, for some people, it may take years and years. My great grandfather was in his 80s before he was saved.

 

[SkyWriting]

Why are there rules against murder, for example, if, in the end, no real harm is done? I am assuming that being murdered does not in and of itself hurt your chances of getting into heaven - but perhaps I am wrong here!

Life is considered valuable and a given privilege. We are only talking about normal life though
of average length and opportunity. Auto injured children get big cash settlements.
Senile adults get lethal doses of morphine to help them move on.

 

[juvenissun]

Today I want to ask about another part of Christianity that leaves me confused - and, much like with my last question, I'm sure I have plenty of mistaken assumptions about the little I feel I do understand!

Christian's largely seem to embrace a policy that life is sacred - I hear it especially often during abortion debates. This post will not be about abortion and I hope it doesn't turn into that sort of conversation, but it's a reasonable starting point into the issue I actually want to know about.

In a religion that believes in an immortal soul and the power of resurrection to a life after death, why is life in this world seen as sacred? Why are there rules against murder, for example, if, in the end, no real harm is done? I am assuming that being murdered does not in and of itself hurt your chances of getting into heaven - but perhaps I am wrong here!

Human life is sacred. Other lives are not sacred.

You murdered him. He is OK, but you are not OK.

Does the above fully answer your question?

 

[Kenny'sID]

In a religion that believes in an immortal soul and the power of resurrection to a life after death, why is life in this world seen as sacred? Why are there rules against murder, for example, if, in the end, no real harm is done? I am assuming that being murdered does not in and of itself hurt your chances of getting into heaven - but perhaps I am wrong here!

It's an involuntary response in many if not most cases to avoid death, to protect ourselves, and it's not something that's learned, it's automatic. Our life is sacred because it has been placed in our being to hold it as that. Someone elses life? We certainly have no right to rob them their time here, and if one tries to they might find their own time ending very quickly. It's natural instinct for humans and animals to live, and not cop out and do away with ourselves or let others do it.

We are meant to live, and go through a process here, and fail safes were implemented so we stay and do our time so to speak. Just like fail safes were implemented to be certain life come into being, very fun fail safes.

God knows how to make happen, what he intends to happen, and he wants life to happen, and happen until the appointed time comes, and for the most part, it works just as it should.

 

[aiki]

In a religion that believes in an immortal soul and the power of resurrection to a life after death, why is life in this world seen as sacred? Why are there rules against murder, for example, if, in the end, no real harm is done? I am assuming that being murdered does not in and of itself hurt your chances of getting into heaven - but perhaps I am wrong here!

What do you mean by "sacred"? What do you mean by "no real harm"? Do you think all who die are saved and enjoy eternal life with God? That isn't what the Bible teaches. Also, God placed each of us here on Earth for a purpose. What right do any of us have to interfere with that purpose by cutting short another person's temporal existence?

Selah.

 

[ViaCrucis]

Today I want to ask about another part of Christianity that leaves me confused - and, much like with my last question, I'm sure I have plenty of mistaken assumptions about the little I feel I do understand!

Christian's largely seem to embrace a policy that life is sacred - I hear it especially often during abortion debates. This post will not be about abortion and I hope it doesn't turn into that sort of conversation, but it's a reasonable starting point into the issue I actually want to know about.

In a religion that believes in an immortal soul and the power of resurrection to a life after death, why is life in this world seen as sacred? Why are there rules against murder, for example, if, in the end, no real harm is done? I am assuming that being murdered does not in and of itself hurt your chances of getting into heaven - but perhaps I am wrong here!

The whole point of resurrection is that this material existence matters. If there were no resurrection, but instead we were simply beings of spirit that inhabit temporary flesh houses and we go off to a great ethereal sky mansion forever, then sure, what happens here doesn't really matter and life here doesn't matter.

But if there is a resurrection of the body, and the restoration of all things, then what happens here matters, and life here matters immensely. Because this is real life, while broken by the reality of sin and death, this existence of life, as being here, in the midst of God's good creation is fundamentally good and is what God wants for us, and indeed for all creation--to be. Our hope in the resurrection is our protest against entropy.

-CryptoLutheran