How can we offer hope in the face of death?
(Photo: Getty/iStock)The following is a speech made by Christian Concern's Benjamin John to General Synod on assisted suicide. It has been edited for clarity.
The Oregon 2021 statistics paint a picture of the concerns of those choosing assisted suicide: 93.3% losing autonomy; 92% less able to engage in activities making life enjoyable; 68% loss of dignity; 54% burden on family, friends/caregivers.
What does it mean to have dignity? What does it mean to have autonomy?
We hear often that value of life is tied to quality of life, to having autonomy. When those abilities are taken away we are worth less, life is not worth living.
But the reality is that we are not autonomous. God is. And in some sense our bodies are not ours.
"Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price" (1 Corinthians 6v19-20b - NIV).
What we do with our bodies matters.
And we have heard awful, horrible stories of suffering and pain. But whatever euphemism we use, however it gets described, suicide is still suicide, and murder is still murder.
But how can we offer hope in the face of death?
The Bible is realistic about suffering, but in the face of suffering there is an opportunity to show Christ's love to others, by serving those who are most vulnerable.
Dignity means showing people who are dying that they are still valued, not like dogs to be put down. It means stepping into those messy, hard situations and showing compassion - suffering with.
Whoever you are, whatever you are going through, whatever your bodily functions, you are not a burden. And Jesus invites you, weary and heavy laden, to himself to give you rest.
So we call them to Christ, to the hope that we have of the eternal kingdom, when we will receive new bodies, where there will be no more death, and pain, and suffering, and where we will rejoice in the presence of our Saviour.
Let us join with Job in crying out: "The Lord gives and the Lord takes away – blessed be the name of the Lord."
Benjamin John works for Christian Concern coordinating the Wilberforce Academy, which trains and equips 18-30s to engage the culture for Jesus Christ. He is a St Albans representative of General Synod and recently elected member of the Mission and Public Affair Council.
