“The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.” (Acts 17:24–25, ESV)

I am saddened by the pro-suicide discussions that I have been hearing lately. As a Christian, I do not agree with the “death with dignity” advocates. There is nothing dignified about dying. It is an undignified situation brought on by mankind’s sin against a Holy God. It is never good, right, happy or dignified. It is loss, sadness, pain, and ugly.

It was not the way God intended things to be. He is about life and living. “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10, ESV). The enemy or our soul is the one who kills and destroys.

It seems to me that it should go without saying that Christians would oppose the ideology of the assisted suicide activists. But I have discovered that many do not. I know because I have been hearing their views on this travesty. “To each his own” and “Well, I wouldn’t do it but it might be right for them” are popular platitudes that are going around.

The Scripture is clear, God places great value on life. There are reasons that we as Christians should choose life. Here are just a few of those reasons.

• God created mankind in His own image. Only people have the stamp of God on them. They are not just another animal that we can put down to save them from suffering. He breathed into them the breath of life. They are unique and special, unlike any other created thing. God placed such a great value on humankind that Jesus came to die an undignified death to provide life everlasting for all who would come.

• People face an eternal destiny after death. We should not hasten death for the unbeliever. As Christians, we desire that all people would find Jesus as their Savior. The unbeliever has no hope after death. “And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27, ESV). Our desire for all is that they have time in this life to find Jesus, and who knows if the limited suffering in this life might be the catalyst to bring them to Christ.

• Christian’s are called to pick up their crosses daily and follow him. We bear the burdens and exult in the joys of life. “Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; break forth, O mountains, into singing! For the LORD has comforted his people and will have compassion on his afflicted.” (Isaiah 49:13, ESV) We do not avoid suffering, we praise God who comforts us and shows compassion to us as we go through the difficulties of life. We live until God chooses to call us home.

• “In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind” (Job 12:10, ESV). Life and death are in God’s hands. When people presume to defy God and supersede his authority, it is sin and sin is never right, healthy, or dignified.

“Not only is suicide a sin, it is the sin. It is the ultimate and absolute evil, the refusal to take an interest in existence; the refusal to take the oath of loyalty to life. The man who kills a man, kills a man. The man who kills himself, kills all men. As far as he is concerned he wipes out the world.” G. K. CHESTERTON, Orthodoxy