What happens when man becomes his own god? It’s exactly what is described in this article: the devaluing of human life, as certain individuals set themselves up as their own gods to decide who lives and who dies.
Reporting on a sad court decision in the Netherlands, the article I linked to above states, “In other words, we are heading towards a summary, legal, and formal execution.” What do they mean by this? Well, “doctors are now allowed to introduce a sedative without the knowledge of their patients and without their consent before euthanizing them, if there is a risk that the patient will ‘become agitated’ at the moment of carrying out the action that should end his life.” In other words, doctors are allowed to execute—murder—their patients and “it is no longer necessary for the doctor to agree with the patient when or how euthanasia will be administered” if the patient has dementia or a similar medical condition.
In our culture of death, many nations are allowing fallible, finite, human doctors to decide whether another human being has value. And the way the USA is heading, it could easily be the case here one day. But this is evil. Our value stems not from the feelings or opinions of a doctor or even a family member, but from being uniquely created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). We’re to respect and honor the elderly—not kill them because we’ve arbitrarily decided their lives have no more value.
Proverbs 23:22 KJV – “Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.”
Leviticus 19:32 KJV – “Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the Lord.”
It is God who gives life and takes it away (Job 1:21; Acts 17:25). We should not exalt ourselves as god and take the authority of life and death that belongs to God, the author of Life, our Creator, and our Judge. We do live in an “evil generation” as the Scripture describes.
