Is there anything I can do to guarantee myself a long life?
“‘Honor your father and mother’—which is the first commandment with a promise—‘that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth’” (Ephesians 6:2–3). In this passage, the apostle Paul is quoting from the Ten Commandments, Exodus 20:12 specifically: “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may…
Why do people die?
People die because of what is called the “original sin”—the disobedience of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. God had warned the first couple that transgressing His law would result in their death (Genesis 2:17), and that is what happened. “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23a). Adam and Eve were meant…
When does a life in the womb become a human being?
Where does the Bible define the beginning of human life? A look at some of the passages on this issue offers clear evidence that God defines a person as “human” from the point of conception, not merely when a child draws its first breath. A key example of this view is found in Psalm 139:13–16…
What is a mercy killing?
“Mercy killing” is “the act of putting a person or animal to death painlessly or allowing them to die by withholding medical services, usually because of a painful and incurable disease.” Mercy killing is also referred to as “euthanasia.” The Greek word euthanasia translates to “good death,” making it and mercy killing terms that can…
Does the Bible support eugenics?
Eugenics is a social movement that supports the supposed improvement of the human population via selective breeding and other means. It was originally developed by Francis Galton, a cousin of Charles Darwin, and based upon Darwin’s theory of evolution. The word eugenics literally means “good birth” and comes from a Greek word meaning “well-born, of…
What does the Bible say about cremation?
The Bible does not give any specific teaching about cremation. There are occurrences in the Old Testament of people being burned to death (1 Kings 16:18; 2 Kings 21:6) and of human bones being burned (2 Kings 23:16-20), but these are not examples of cremation. It is interesting to note that in 2 Kings 23:16-20,…
What was the average life expectancy in the Bible?
The average life expectancy in the Bible is a fascinating topic. Right away, we see that people of ancient times lived much longer—by hundreds of years—than people do today. According to the CDC, the average lifespan today in the US for both sexes is 77.5 years (www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/life-expectancy.htm, accessed 7/25/24). This is markedly different from what’s…
Should a Christian donate his/her body to science?
Christians are never given any instructions or commands on the proper way to dispose of a body after death. We might assume that whatever is done should be dignified and respectful, but the specifics may differ from culture to culture and time to time. There is nothing in the Bible that addresses donating one’s body…
What does it mean to believe in the sanctity of life?
The phrase “sanctity of life” reflects the belief that, because people are made in God’s image (Genesis 1:26–27), human life has an inherently sacred attribute that should be protected and respected at all times. While God gave humanity the authority to kill and eat other forms of life (Genesis 9:3), the murdering of other human…
What is the breath of life?
The climax of God’s creative work was His extraordinary creation of man. “The LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being” (Genesis 2:7). The supreme Creator of heaven and earth did two things in creating man.…