By Steve A. Hamilton

Job 1:20-21

Introduction: George, age 26, was paralyzed from the neck down due to a motorcycle accident.  He no longer wanted to live so he begged his brother to kill him.  Lester complied with a shotgun at short range.

          A doctor’s 78 year old mother was dying from a slow and painful condition.  She asked to be put out of her misery.  The doctor granted her request.

          An elderly couple decides they no longer want to live due to their uncomfortable declining physical health.  They overdosed on sleeping pills together.

          A loved one is in a coma with little hope of regaining consciousness.   The spouse requests all life support be terminated.  The courts grant the request.

          Ron, age 61, needs open heart surgery but he hates hospitals.  So he goes to woods to drop some trees only to drop himself after a little exertion.   

          Euthanasia is a transliterated Greek word meaning an easy death.  It is used to describe mercy killing. It is the act of killing someone who is sick or injured for reasons of mercy.  We are told to be merciful (Luke 6:36), so is it wrong to kill those who desires death due to their misery?

I. For most people, death is not the easy way out.

          A. Death is the enemy (1 Cor. 15:25-26).

          B. Death should be feared by all sinners (Heb. 2:14-15).

          C. The only exception is for those who have been released from the bondage of death (2 Tim. 1:10).

                    1. Paul preferred death (Phil. 1:21-23).

                   2. If we are prepared to die, death is a blessing (2 Cor. 5:1-8).  

II. Murder is sin (Jas. 2:11).

          A. We cannot take another person’s life.

                   1. Except, in service to civil government (Rom. 13:1-5).

                   2. That would include police, soldiers, executioners, etc.

          B. We cannot take our own life.

          C. Judgments whether life is meaningful, useless or worthless are irrelevant.

                   1. Such arguments are used to justify abortion and suicide.

                   2. Who knows if a life taken could have had a greater purpose than we can see with our finite knowledge?

III. What about situations where there is no hope of survival?

          A. Presented with terminal cancer, would it be wrong to forego chemotherapy and radiation if it were able to prolong our life?  Could we withhold medical treatment in order to facilitate a quicker death?  Could we starve a person to death who is in a coma?  Could we sign a DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) order?

          B. The answer to these questions is whether we are causing death (murder). 

                   1. If I refuse to feed a debilitated person even if that person was in a coma, would I be causing death?  I think so.

                   2. If I suffer from stokes and I sign a DNR, am I or the doctor causing death?  I think not.

                   3. If I’m brain dead (debatable) and the doctors unplug the machines that are keeping my body alive, did they cause my death? I think not.

          C. If I’m causing death then I’m committing murder. 

                   1. If God is taking my life through an illness or accident, I’m not causing my death.  My death may come quicker depending on my decisions but I didn’t cause my death.

                   2. My uncle facilitated his death by accepting chemotherapy when he reasonably expected 6 months to live but died 2 weeks after treatment began.  Did he cause his death? 

          D. Unfortunately, it means we may have to watch a loved one die a slow and painful death. We all hate to see loved ones suffer.  But it might be for the best (Rom. 8:26-28).   

Conclusion: There was a good man long ago who was suffering a terrible death.  No one there seemed to care.  A few were inclined to relieve his misery (Matt. 27:48-49).  Yet, our Lord and Savior died a slow and painful death.  Sad to say, it was the best thing that ever happened for any of us. 

          Just as soon as we try to determine who should live or who should die because we want relief, we will likely end up frustrating God’s purposes and may jeopardize our own soul (Matt. 16:21-23).

          If you need God’s forgiveness of you sins, please don’t let His death mean nothing to you by forsaking the only way to save you soul…

Last modified: 05/02/08