What comes to your mind when you hear the word sacred?
What about when you hear people say that life is sacred?
For some, treating life as sacred is just about religion and spiritual inclination. It seems like mentioning the word alone puts the ball in the religious court.
This usually leads to century-old discourses: Are all human lives sacred, or is it only for those who believe in God? Does the sanctity of life or the right to life ends when free will begins? Is it just an issue of spirituality, or morality?
And if life is sacred, how should people protect it?
To help you decide where to stand, here are some eternal, Bible-based truths that paint a clear picture about the sanctity of life:
Imago Dei and the sanctity of life
Regardless of what the world believes, every human life is priceless in the eyes of the Heavenly Father. It is so valuable that unlike any other creation, man was intricately formed in the Imago Dei, the Latin translation of “image of God.”
“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27 ESV)
The beautiful story of creation shows that a man’s life is worth more than just a single cell. But as the debates go, when does life begin?
In a 2018 study titled, Biologists’ Consensus on ‘When Life Begins,‘ 95% of all biologists affirmed the biological view that a human’s life begins at fertilization.
The Bible reveals much more than that. It says that the fruit of the womb is a reward (Psalm 127:3 ESV) and that God knows and consecrates human beings before they were born (Jeremiah 1:5 ESV). These verses mirror that even before conception, God values human life and treats it as sacred – deserving of utmost respect.
Is the sacredness of life universal?
Here is a seemingly tiny yet very important detail in creation: all lives are sacred.
Genesis 1:26 NET confirms, “Then God said, ‘Let us make humankind in our image, after our likeness, so they may rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move on the earth.’”
It’s good to point out that the Bible did not say man alone or people who are good, wealthy, strong. It says humankind and that speaks volumes!
Some beliefs try to define a human being by various characteristics, capabilities, or functions, but the Creator Himself says otherwise.
So, whenever you are caught up in a discussion about abortion, euthanasia, suicide, wars, human trafficking, or any dialog about the sanctity of human life – whenever you struggle and question the value or sanctity of your own life – you can rely on the truth that God created each and every person in His sacred image, and that all lives are worthy of respect and protection.
God calls His children to protect life
Because God is the Creator of all life, He does not want anyone to destroy it.
This Day of Sanctity and Protection of Human Life, may you be reminded that you are called to protect the sanctity of the breath that you are breathing, the life that you are living. As a child of God and as one of His creations, you are called to restore not just the respect but ultimately, the love for life.
All human life is sacred. All human life, including yours, is priceless and precious. Not one exists without a purpose!
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” (Psalm 139:13-16 NIV)
Do you want to experience a new life with God?
Visit this page to begin your journey with God today.
If you need someone to pray for you, do not hesitate to call the CBN Asia Prayer Center at 8-737-0-700 or send in your prayer requests to our Facebook page.
