In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind. Job 12:10
Every human life is sacred and should be treated with the sanctity it deserves. The sacredness of life is one of the most fundamental theological principles of the Christian Bible. Human life is sacred because we were created in the image of a holy God who breathed Himself into us.
The sacredness of human life is not based on accomplishments, titles, backgrounds, race, ethnicity, or social standing. It is not up for litigation or discussion. It does not need to be validated by the supreme court of the US. Almighty God will hold everyone accountable on the day of judgment for the way we treat every human life.
In today’s text, the writer of Job reminds us that God holds the breath of all mankind in his hand. That includes the breath of unborn babies and those who are already born. Therefore, the real focus of the abortion debate should not be pro-life or pro-choice. After all, God told Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you before you were born, I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations” (Jeremiah 1:5). This verse clearly establishes that life begins before conception. In fact, according to Genesis, every human life was created by God at the very beginning of time. The fact that a person is born during a specific period does not mean that’s when their life began. This is a biblical truth that must be taught with love and grace.
Pro-life supporters must stop demonizing people who support pro-choice and create a space for respectful dialogue and understanding. We are all sinful people trying to make godly and ethical decisions. Oftentimes, the good we want to do we do not do. It is the evil we do not want to do that we are often pressured to do (Romans 7:19). I’m convinced most pro-choice supporters value life as much as pro-life supporters.
Yet it should be emphasized that the sacredness of life is not just for the unborn. It should also inform our attitude toward the homeless and the poor. It should compel us to take a stand against racism and segregation while striving to create a just and equitable society for all to live and prosper. In as much as we advocate for the sacredness of the life of unborn children, we should advocate for the sacredness of the life of illegal immigrants.
How can we support the sacredness of the life of unborn babies, yet refuse to pressure legislators to pass sensible gun laws to reduce the number of mass shootings in this country? Too many people are dying senselessly through gun violence. We need to be consistent in advocating for the sacredness of every life.
Because all life is sacred, it matters the way we treat one another. Christians should be at the forefront of the struggle to honor the sacredness of every life. Every stand we take against injustice is an affirmation of the sanctity of life. Every plate of food we give, every hour we volunteer at Habitat for humanity, or a reading program for children is an affirmation of the sacredness of life.
The sacredness of life is not just for this physical realm, but also for the eternal existence we anticipate by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. The point is that life is so sacred to God that He extended our lease on life by giving us eternal life through Christ Jesus. Almighty God has placed a premium on the value of life through the death and resurrection of Jesus. Therefore, we need to treat all human life as sacred to the Lord.
Questions for Personal Reflection
Why should we treat all life as sacred?
What are the spiritual benefits of treating all life as sacred?
Prayer- Blessed Lord, thank you for creating me in your image. Please give me the wisdom and grace to treat all human life as sacred. Open my eyes to the plight of the marginalized and oppressed so I can advocate for their well-being and promote the sanctity of their lives as Christ has called me to do.