The Right to Live or Die

Introduction

A profound lesson learned throughout life is to anticipate the unexpected. Life, in its fullness, presents countless opportunities to embrace nature and personal experiences, offering beautiful moments to cherish and landscapes to delight the senses. God’s creation is perfect and majestic. While each person’s life experiences are unique, all share moments of bliss and periods of grief. The human experience can be likened to a blend of sunny and rainy days, marked by laughter and tears. A single moment in time possesses the power to impact an individual’s life irrevocably, creating a lasting memory, a “wrinkle in time,” that is never forgotten. This essay will explore one such unexpected moment that illuminated how to live the remainder of life with God, free from the fear of death, echoing the sentiment of Hebrews 2:15 (NIV): “…and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.”

The Surprise of Time

The tranquility of a post-Christmas evening, anticipated with a cup of coffee, was shattered by a phone call. The voice of “Jack” delivering the news of “Kevin’s” hospitalization caused my heart to seize. What began as a peaceful evening swiftly devolved into crisis, irrevocably altering my life in a split second.

Just two months prior, I had celebrated Thanksgiving with Kevin, a dear brother in Christ, at a local church. I observed a rejuvenated Kevin, healthy with clear, bright eyes, full of life since turning over a new leaf. Little did I know, this would be our last encounter. The news of his sudden illness and hospitalization was profoundly surprising.

This unforeseen event transported me back to a painful memory: my uncle’s bedside. I recall repeatedly asking, “Why is he not getting up? When will he be healed?” I prayed earnestly for his speedy recovery, convinced of God’s limitless power. God had mercifully spared my father, mother, and myself from a fatal car crash, and I believed Kevin would also be spared.

The images of that accident—the pervasive sight of blood, my parents’ disfigured faces, my father’s lost teeth, and the sensation of gushing, warm blood before losing consciousness—remain vivid and difficult to forget. Kevin’s news reawakened these painful memories, stirring a familiar ache in my heart. Throughout my life, God had been merciful, and I had hoped for the same outcome for Kevin.

My uncle suffered from an unknown and rare disease that progressively limited his bodily movements. He became entirely dependent, requiring assistance with feeding, changing, and mobility, and he eventually lost the ability to speak, communicating only through blinks and occasional unrecognizable sounds. Witnessing his slow decline, I never lost hope for a miraculous recovery and a return to normal life. My cousin, Dan, devoted himself to full-time care for his father, and I observed the immense toll this daily stress took on him. Upon the return of my other cousins to the States, they unanimously decided to initiate morphine injections. My uncle passed away within six days of these injections. During brief conversations, the nurse explained that once morphine injections begin, they assist in the transition to death.

This situation presents a doctrine of double effect: “How long do you keep your loved ones alive?” versus “When do you allow medical intervention to accelerate the dying process?” How much faith does one exercise through prayer, waiting for God’s decision? Is it merciful to prolong suffering and an immobile, catatonic state by continuing to provide nourishment?

Time, in its linear progression, affects individuals differently based on their value systems. In my worldview, the question of life’s duration remains consistent regardless of age. My uncle enjoyed perfect health before his strange illness robbed him of his quality of life, and my friend subsequently fell into a coma. In both instances, the quality of life was severely altered, but who determines who lives and who dies according to current medical practices? The timing of these unfortunate events was tragic, and my heart still carries the pain of loss.

The Right to Live or Die

The Almighty God is the sole giver and terminator of life, the originator of all living organisms. Since the inception of death in the Garden of Eden, humanity has suffered and continues to suffer the process of dying. From a Christian perspective, it is appropriate to assert that God alone knows when and how a person will live or die. This raises a critical ethical question: At what point is it ethical to assist in the dying process or to cease intervention that prolongs life in a state of extreme suffering? Who bears the responsibility for withdrawing life support, such as ventilators, hydration, or intravenous feeding, in these situations? A closer examination of this highly debated topic is warranted.

Historical evidence indicates the ancient practice of euthanasia. The Greeks coined the term “euthanasia,” meaning “a good death,” and city magistrates provided the poison. Despite its commonality, there was opposition. Aristotle reportedly considered it “a cowardly death and an offense against the state.” Moreover, Hippocrates, a prominent physician, opposed the practice, famously stating in the Hippocratic Oath, still used by physicians today, “I will give no deadly medicine to any one if asked, nor suggest any such counsel.”

The Romans also widely accepted and practiced euthanasia. However, equal rights were not afforded to all. The educated and politically prominent received greater respect, merit, and privileges, which were absent among the poor and uneducated. Consequently, the weak and sick were often eliminated through this avenue, demonstrating an unequal right to life within that civilization.

The spread of Christianity led to a profound shift in perspective, viewing life as a gift from God. Christian influence helped change the societal acceptance of euthanasia, rendering it no longer morally acceptable. Over time, while methods of euthanasia evolved due to medical and technological advances, the underlying beliefs, sentiments, and viewpoints regarding its morality largely remained consistent within Christian thought.

Consider the following scenario: My brother in Christ, Dennis, was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer. During a hospital visit, he trembled with fear, expressing his desire not to die. I responded, “Brother, you have nothing to be concerned about. If you are born again, you are going to heaven and getting out of this terrible place. However, if you aren’t sure, we can do this right here, right now!” Dennis prayed the sinner’s prayer with me on his hospital bed. Another brother in Christ then entered the room and baptized Dennis in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Dennis was later discharged from the hospital but confined to a wheelchair.

Dennis subsequently attended Thanksgiving dinner with several brothers and sisters in Christ at a church. Several people noticed a radical transformation in Dennis’s appearance, demeanor, speech, and posture. This was not the Dennis we had known; this was a repentant Dennis. As 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV) states, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come; the old has gone, the new is here!”

Dennis became terribly ill in the days following Thanksgiving and was hospitalized again. On my four-year clean and sober anniversary from drug and alcohol addiction, I was sharing my testimony at a Christian halfway house. The Holy Spirit moved upon me, and I believe I heard Him say, “Go to the hospital and tell your brother to get his affairs in order because I’m taking him home.” I was reluctant to deliver a message of impending doom. I believe the Holy Spirit then conveyed, “Tell your brother the Lord has already been merciful to him, because he was so sick that he would have died much sooner in his sins. But I extended his life because I foreknew that when Dennis was faced with death, he would repent of his sins. I kept Dennis alive for this sole purpose; now I’m taking him home.”

Despite my reluctance, grappling with fear of rejection and the apprehension of delivering a message of death to my recently converted brother, I obeyed the Holy Spirit. After I shared what I believed the Lord had told me, Dennis reluctantly began to get his affairs in order. On Christmas Day, Dennis was on an oxygen mask. Shortly after midnight, he began struggling with one of his mentors, ripping off his oxygen mask and desperately gasping for air, also tearing off his heart monitor. Dennis’s mentor attempted to reapply the equipment to Dennis’s face and body. I quickly left the room in search of the head nurse, explaining that “the flesh is weak but the spirit is strong” and pleading for medication to comfort Dennis’s flesh. Shortly after many of us prayed for the Lord to be merciful and take our brother home, the nurse entered and administered intravenous pain medication to Dennis. He became calm. A few minutes later, Dennis opened his eyes and, in a surprised voice, exclaimed, “Mom!” Then, Dennis flatlined and died.

This experience raises a crucial question: Did the merciful injection of a powerful narcotic, reportedly ten times stronger than morphine, kill Dennis, or did it comfort him until the Lord took him home? Was it an act of mercy or an act of euthanasia? In my opinion, it was a compassionate act of mercy. The drug may not have been an overdose; rather, it kept his flesh calm until the Lord was ready to take him home. Even if the powerful narcotic did contribute to Dennis’s death, was it not preferable to witnessing him endure extreme anxiety or a panic attack? Are we to leave someone in such a tormented state until death provides release? In the end, Dennis died in peace.

For many families, the simple solution to this dilemma is to follow scripture and trust in the Lord. “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12 ESV). The Bible even alludes to the allocated time for humanity: “The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away” (Psalm 90:10 ESV). In addition to biblical verses, the respected evangelist Billy Graham stated:

“God wasn’t promising that every person would live to be seventy or eighty, however; the psalmist was simply describing our normal human experience. Our times are in God’s hands, and for some their journey on earth is much shorter. Jesus was crucified when He was still in His 30s; the first martyr, Stephen, likewise was probably still a young man when he was put to death for his faith (see Acts 7). The real point the psalmist was making is that no matter who we are, our time on earth is limited, and someday death will overtake us. Death is a reality, and no one evades it—no matter how strong they are or how many years they live: ‘You sweep men away in the sleep of death’ (Psalm 90:5). But this leads us to two very important questions. First, how should we prepare for death? People may spend years preparing for a career or advancing in their job—and yet never take five minutes to think about eternity and what will happen to them when they die. But when we know Christ, we know this life is not all, and ahead of us is heaven. Have you put your faith in Him? The other question is this: How should we spend the days God does give us? Will we live for ourselves—or will we live for God? Put Christ first, and make your days count for Him.”

The Word of God provides much-needed comfort and hope when addressing the difficult issue of a loved one’s death. Although the loss of our loved ones is a painful experience, Jesus teaches humanity to have faith and security in His word of truth. The core of Christianity is belief in the resurrection and coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Biblical Citations

The pro-life position is consistently supported throughout the Bible. The following biblical texts affirm God as the giver of life:

• “The LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature” (Genesis 2:7 ESV).
• “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own” (1 Corinthians 6:19 ESV).

The practice of loving one another would naturally facilitate allowing death to occur when it is God’s timing. As mandated repeatedly in the Bible, we are to love one another:

• “For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself'” (Galatians 5:14 ESV).
• “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35 ESV).

Another important component of believing in God is having faith in God’s decision to heal the sick. There are numerous biblical examples of Jesus healing:

• “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases” (Psalm 103:2-3 ESV).
• “That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick” (Matthew 8:16 ESV).
• “The Lord sustains him on his sickbed; in his illness you restore him to full health” (Psalm 41:3 ESV).

Our modern society has often come to rely solely on human wisdom, veering away from the promise of God’s words: “Behold, I will bring to it health and healing, and I will heal them and reveal to them abundance of prosperity and security” (Jeremiah 33:6 ESV).

Conclusion

In summary, the ethical choice regarding life and death is grounded in God’s Word found in the Bible. Our sovereign God possesses the power to dictate the appropriate course for any person in a life-or-death situation. The right to live or die is perhaps best expressed by Mrs. Victoria Reggie Kennedy:

“When my husband was first diagnosed with cancer, he was told he had only two to four months to live, that he’d never get back to the United States Senate, that he should get his affairs in order, kiss his wife, love his family and get ready to die,” she wrote in the Cape Cod Times. “But that prognosis was wrong, Teddy lived 15 more productive months.” She added: “When the end finally did come – natural death with dignity – my husband was home, attended by his doctor, surrounded by family and our priest.” Vicky Kennedy argues that the alternative to physician-assisted suicide is to “expand palliative care, pain management, nursing care and hospice.” This, in my view, is the righteous choice.

Society is too often motivated by economic conditions that overlook the grand design of our Creator, the living God. The right to live or die belongs in God’s hands, and therefore should not be given to humanity. There are no biblical examples that demonstrate a person taking the life of another or their own with God’s approval in an act of euthanasia or suicide. There is also no mention of administering drugs or utilizing machines to force a loved one, against nature, to live as long as possible. Life has been given to us by God, and it is not ours to take. God alone knows the time of death for each person.

Bibliography

• Dyck, Arthur J. Life’s Worth: The Case against Assisted Suicide. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2002.
• Graham, Billy. Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. billygraham.org.
• Haerens, Margaret. Euthanasia: Opposing Viewpoints Series. Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven Press, 2015.
• ESV Study Bible: English Standard Version. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2007.