Can a Christian support euthanasia (assisted suicide)? Well, one British MP thinks so and has offered her “Christian” reasons for supporting a bill that, if it passes, will allow those suffering from a terminal illness to end their own lives. But are her “Christian” reasons really Christian?
Consider Liberal Democrat MP Zöe Franklin’s defense of her support of this assisted dying bill:
I am very aware that I am elected as MP to vote for the benefit of my constituents and the interests of the UK as a whole. . . not solely on my own opinion. . . .
In the end, I decided to vote for the Bill – a Bill I believe to be a safe, compassionate, and carefully regulated voluntary assisted dying law. . . .
I know that many struggle to understand how, as a Christian, I can support assisted dying, but I do not see a conflict.
God is the God of compassion, and I do not believe that He is content with the current situation where people suffer in pain, unable to choose to end that pain if they wish to. Nor do I believe He is content with the inequality currently that someone may choose assisted death as a resident of the UK only if they can afford to travel to Dignitas [an assisted dying facility in Switzerland].
Now, perhaps this news outlet didn’t print her full statement, but what I immediately noticed was the complete lack of Scripture. Franklin did not appeal to the authority of God’s Word or the application of a biblical worldview. Instead she mentioned her “own opinion” and “I do not believe.” Yes, it’s her opinion, not God’s Word or an application of Scripture, that informs her position on this life-and-death issue. We need to make sure we all have a biblical worldview that is founded in God’s Word and do not force our opinions on Scripture.
Yes, she is correct that God is a God of compassion. When Jesus walked this earth, he healed the sick and even raised the dead, weeping at the tomb of Lazarus (John 11:35). He’s the “God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction” (2 Corinthians 1:3–4). He’s the Good Shepherd who walks beside us in the darkest valleys (Psalm 23:4). He has been tempted in every way, just as we are, but without sin, and therefore he can sympathize with us in our weakness and suffering (Hebrews 4:15). God is a God of great compassion (Psalm 103:8, 116:5; Joel 2:13; Lamentations 3:22).
But you’ll notice in Scripture that God, despite his compassion, doesn’t always immediately deliver his people from suffering. The Israelites suffered in slavery in Egypt for centuries before he raised up Moses to save them. Job suffered the loss of everything he had and was never given God’s reasons. Over and over, the Israelites were oppressed (often due to their own sin) by foreign armies or their own evil kings, and God did not always immediately deliver them. Why? Often we’re not told; God’s ways are not our ways, and his thoughts are not our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8–9), but he always has a purpose that is for his glory and the good of his people (Romans 8:28).
And when his people are suffering and crying out to him, God’s response isn’t “I see your suffering. Here’s a syringe full of poison. Find someone who will inject you.” His ultimate response to suffering is to acknowledge the depths of our pain (Scripture even acknowledges the very human desire to just die so suffering will be over) and point us to the hope of the cross, but also to call us to patient endurance, bearing with one another, turning to him in hope and faith, and bringing glory to him no matter what—knowing “this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” (2 Corinthians 4:17).
In this sin-cursed and broken world, there is pain, suffering, sorrow, and eventually death. It’s inevitable until Jesus returns and creates a new heavens and new earth and those things will be dealt with forever. But the answer to that suffering is not to become our own gods and decide when we live and when we die. Rather it’s to trust in the sovereignty and care of our God, honor his image in those he’s made (euthanasia has always proved to be a very slippery slope—just look at Canada!), and preserve life—fighting the effects of the curse as best we can until he returns. We should always be pro-life. The world is pro-death!
No, a Christian can’t support assisted dying and remain faithful to God’s Word, which clearly tells us, “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13).
