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Dear Church,

This week, MPs have voted in favour of an evil and sacreligious bill that, if passed into law, will legalise so-called ‘assisted dying.’ As Christians, we do not bear false witness, and call this what it is. It is not assisted dying, but assisted suicide. It is assisted self-murder. It will lead not just to people who desire to take their own lives being legally permitted to do so, but also to those who feel like a burden on others being pressured to do so. It will also have the consequence of requiring medical professionals to actively end a life, which is murder. 

In a godless world, we should not be surprised. Those who have rejected God have also rejected hope after suffering and purpose in suffering. But we do not live in a godless world. We live in a world that owes its very existence, design, and purpose to God. Christ is Lord of the actual world, not just in the minds and hearts of Christians. And what He has said about the sanctity of all human life matters. It matters in an ultimate sense. God’s voice is not just one more opinion to consider. His voice is the voice of all authority, and He has not been silent on the matter. There are many things to consider as a Christian who wants to think like a Christian in matters such as these. Here are just a few, very briefly stated.

First, to actively and intentionally take a human life for unlawful purposes (as opposed to lawful purposes, such as in the case of fighting in a just war), is murder. Murder is prohibited by the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:13). Blood unjustly shed cries out to God (Genesis 4:10) and God will not allow this to go unpunished (Proverbs 11:21). 

Second, God is the author of life. He alone gives life (Genesis 1:27) and the duration of life is down to Him (Job 14:5). God alone can say ‘There is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand’ (Deuteronomy 32:39). We may not attempt to usurp His authority over life and death. 

Third, to actively end the life of (read: to murder) someone who is suffering, is not an act of mercy. In the case of the non-Christian, to bring about an end to their life prematurely is to hasten their judgement before God. It is emphatically not an act of mercy to shorten someone’s life and thereby prevent them from having further opportunity to hear the gospel, repent, and be forgiven by God. There is one death, and then judgement (Hebrews 9:27). Furthermore, we are not wise enough to know if the ends will justify the means. Our task is obedience, even in the midst of suffering, after the example of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Fourth, there is great purpose to our suffering. God alone knows His reasons for our suffering, but He is also the only One who can make sense of it, and indeed who can use it for ultimate good (Romans 8:28). Moreover, James teaches us that some of the deepest joy possible can be found in the midst of suffering (James 1:2-4), and suffering, as Paul says, has a hugely significant role in sanctifying and maturing us (Romans 5:3-4). This sanctification into the image of Christ is the goal of our lives (Romans 8:29).

Fifth, this is a most precipitous slippery slope. To give one example, in other countries such as the Netherlands and Belgium, we are seeing examples of depressed teenagers taking their own lives through assisted suicide. Many people have suffered with, and subsequently overcome depression. These individuals never get that chance. They are desperate. If this wasn’t an option, perhaps they would endure long enough, and receive help through their time of difficulty. 

For these reasons and more, it is vital that Christians take a clear stance against assisted suicide (no matter the label it’s given). God is the author of life. We are not. He is sovereign. We are not. He has judged and will judge nations who consistently and unrepentantly shed innocent blood. 

We must also realise that it is not too late. There will be further debate. It’s not too late to write to your MP and urge them to stand against assisted suicide. Please do so.

We in the Church must pray that God grants our nation repentance, that we would turn from our wicked ways, that He might heal our land.

Yours, in Christ,

Dave Scholes
Minister
Veritas Church

30th November 2024