How Then Shall We Die? Alaskans Making Effort to Legalize Assisted Suicide
John Piper, a noted pastor, author, chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary among other accomplishments, has noted that “Death, by God’s design, is the physical mirror of the moral outrage of human rebellion against God.”
Predictably, an effort is underway across the country and again here in Alaska to legalize assisted suicide. As Alaska Family Council has noted previously, regardless of intentions, this is a dangerous and wrong path to take.
This coming Monday, January 11th at 5:30pm, Alaskans will have an opportunity to hear both sides of this issue at the second “Arguing Alaska” Debate Series. As was the case last time when I served on the debate panel regarding another issue, the event takes place at the Beartooth Theatre Pub and is being put on as a fundraiser for the nationally ranked University of Alaska Anchorage Seawolf Debate Team. I can personally attest to the quality of the program. It’s not something you want to miss.
Tickets are $15 and can be purchased HERE at the Arguing Alaska website.
The resolution being debated is “Alaska should allow terminally ill patients to end their lives with the assistance of a physician”
Again, if you are in a position to attend, I’d highly recommend it.
In the end, quite literally, as Christians, it boils down to the following question that Piper notes in his piece.
How Then Shall We Die?
“How then should we think about our rights with regard to death? Should life be in our control? Does it belong to us, to create or eliminate?
The apostle Paul did not leave us without help on this question. Whose are we? To whom do we belong? Who owns our body? He answers: “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, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19–20).
These words were spoken to guide us in relation to our sexuality. But the principle holds for death. The more serious the consequences in regard to body and soul, the more firmly the principle holds. And death brings the greatest consequences to soul and body. It is the moment that sets the final destiny of both (Luke 16:26; Hebrews 9:27). Therefore, the principle holds at death: We are not our own.
Our bodies — their life, their death — belong to Christ. He bought them. They are not ours to dispose of as we will. They are his. And they exist for his will, and his glory.”
This life brings tremendous hardships at every stage of the journey but “The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” (Romans 8:18)
For those of us who have loved ones who have departed, there is no greater truth.
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