The Right to Life

Why does everyone have the right to life?

• Life is given by God.
  Life is not something we create or control; it is a gift from God. The Bible declares:
  "For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself" (John 5:26, ESV).
  In the very beginning, God brought life into existence:
  "The Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters" (Genesis 1:2, ESV).
  And He personally formed man:
  "Then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature" (Genesis 2:7, ESV).
• Life begins at conception.
  From the very start, human life is intentional and known by God:
  "For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psalm 139:13–14, ESV).
  "Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them" (Psalm 139:16, ESV).
  Even in the law, God values life from its earliest stages:
  "When men strive together and hit a pregnant woman, so that her children come out, but there is no harm, the one who hit her shall surely be fined... But if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life" (Exodus 21:22-23, ESV).
  "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you" (Jeremiah 1:5, ESV).
• Humans are image bearers.
  Every person is made in the image of God, giving inherent dignity and worth:
  "Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness… So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them'" (Genesis 1:26-27, ESV).
  "I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psalm 139:14, ESV).
  As the philosopher Immanuel Kant once said:
  "Act in such a way that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of any other, never merely as a means to an end, but always at the same time as an end."
• The innocent should be protected.
  The Bible consistently calls for the protection of those who are defenseless:
  "Keep yourself far from a false charge, and do not kill the innocent and righteous" (Exodus 23:7, ESV).
  "There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him…hands that shed innocent blood"(Proverbs 6:16-17, ESV).
  "Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause" (Isaiah 1:17, ESV).
  "Do justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor him who has been robbed. And do no wrong or violence to the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow" (Jeremiah 22:3, ESV).

EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT TO LIFE.

Why should you care?

Even if you don’t believe in God yet, the value of life cannot be dismissed. Each person is unique, irreplaceable, and created for a purpose. The Bible reminds us:
"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:10, ESV).

Philosophers have long recognized the sacredness of life. Aristotle said:
"The life of money-making is one undertaken by compulsion, and wealth is evidently not the good we are seeking; for it is merely useful and for the sake of something else."
Life itself is the ultimate good, worthy of protection, respect, and care.

You were not created by accident. Your life has purpose. Your existence matters. And because of this, the right to life is not just a principle, it is a moral imperative.

Protecting Life: A Moral Imperative

In our world today, the right to life is more than a theological concept- it is a universal moral responsibility. Every day, decisions are made that affect the most vulnerable among us: the unborn, the oppressed, the defenseless. To ignore the sanctity of life is to ignore our shared humanity.

John Locke, the father of modern political philosophy, wrote:
"Every man has a property in his own person. This nobody has any right to but himself."
This principle reminds us that life is not negotiable; it is the foundation of all other rights. Without life, liberty, or pursuit of happiness is meaningless.

The Bible calls us not only to recognize life but to defend it:
"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute" (Proverbs 31:8-9, ESV).
Every individual, regardless of age, ability, or circumstance, deserves protection, dignity, and love.

Caring about life means acting. It means standing for the vulnerable, advocating for justice, and making choices that honor the sacred gift of existence. Life is a miracle, a work of art uniquely crafted by God. To cherish it is to honor our Creator, our fellow humans, and ourselves.

Remember, your life and the lives of others are not mere accidents. They are intentional, purposeful, and infinitely valuable. Protecting life is not just an ethical choice, it is a reflection of who we are called to be.