Topical Bible: Natural Life: The Value of

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The concept of natural life and its inherent value is a recurring theme throughout the Bible, reflecting the belief that life is a sacred gift from God. This entry explores the biblical perspective on the value of natural life, drawing from various scriptures to illuminate its significance.

Creation and the Sanctity of Life

The Bible begins with the account of creation, where God is depicted as the author of life. In Genesis 1:27 , it is written, "So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." This passage underscores the intrinsic value of human life, as being made in the image of God confers a unique dignity and worth upon every individual.

Furthermore, Genesis 2:7 states, "Then the LORD God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and the man became a living being." This act of divine breath instilling life into man highlights the sacredness of life as a direct gift from God.

The Commandment to Preserve Life

The value of natural life is further emphasized in the Ten Commandments, particularly in the commandment, "You shall not murder" (Exodus 20:13). This directive underscores the importance of preserving life and respecting its sanctity. The prohibition against murder reflects the belief that life is to be protected and cherished, as it is God-given.

Life as a Blessing

Throughout the Scriptures, life is portrayed as a blessing from God. In Psalm 127:3 , children are described as "a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward." This verse highlights the view that life, in all its forms, is a blessing and a reward from God, deserving of gratitude and reverence.

Additionally, in Deuteronomy 30:19 , Moses exhorts the Israelites, saying, "I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, so that you and your descendants may live." This call to choose life reinforces the idea that life is a divine gift, and choosing to honor and preserve it aligns with God's will.

The Value of Life in Wisdom Literature

The wisdom literature of the Bible also reflects on the value of life. In Proverbs 3:13-18 , wisdom is associated with life: "Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who acquires understanding, for she is more profitable than silver, and her gain is better than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire compares with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor." Here, the pursuit of wisdom is linked to the enrichment and prolongation of life, suggesting that living wisely is integral to valuing life.

Jesus Christ and the Fulfillment of Life

In the New Testament, Jesus Christ embodies the ultimate expression of life. In John 10:10 , Jesus declares, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it in all its fullness." This statement reveals that through Christ, believers are offered not only natural life but also abundant and eternal life. The value of life is thus elevated through the redemptive work of Christ, who restores and fulfills the purpose of life.

Respect for Life in the Early Church

The early Christian community upheld the value of life, as seen in their teachings and practices. In Acts 17:25 , Paul speaks of God as the one "who gives all men life and breath and everything else." This acknowledgment of God as the sustainer of life reinforces the belief that life is to be respected and honored.

Moreover, the early church's care for the vulnerable, including widows and orphans, as instructed in James 1:27 , "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and undefiled is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world," reflects a commitment to valuing and preserving life in all its forms.

In summary, the Bible presents natural life as a precious gift from God, imbued with dignity and purpose. From creation to the teachings of Jesus and the early church, the Scriptures consistently affirm the value of life, calling believers to honor, preserve, and cherish it as a reflection of God's divine image and intent.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Job 2:4
And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yes, all that a man has will he give for his life.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Matthew 6:25
Therefore I say to you, Take no thought for your life, what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor yet for your body, what you shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Greek

4102. pistis -- faith, faithfulness
... The Lord offers to inbirth faith in each scene of life – so that each ... and evidential
value substantiating the thing we hope for . ... faith is not natural . . ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4102.htm - 18k

Library

On the Educational Value of the Natural History Sciences.
... The practical value of Physiological knowledge ... There is yet another way in which
natural history may, I am ... take a profound hold upon practical life,"and that ...
/.../huxley/lay sermons addresses and reviews/v on the educational value.htm

Sanctions of Moral Law, Natural and Governmental.
... to be measured by the perceived value of the ... of endless suffering which is the natural
and governmental ... that endless punishment is unjust, because life is so ...
/.../finney/systematic theology/lecture xix sanctions of moral.htm

On Religion; the Natural and Divine Life; and the Exemplification ...
... nothing proper to make a man's life pleasant, or ... conspicuous in the world, but this
natural principle, assisted ... that we may learn never to value ourselves on ...
/.../scougal/the life of god in the soul of man/part i on religion the.htm

The Value of Life
... of scientific study may combine with our plentiful natural egotism to ... it is, indeed,
the one faith that keeps meaning and value for life" (President Henry C ...
/.../rauschenbusch/the social principles of jesus/chapter i the value of.htm

On the Covenant into which God Entered with Our First Parents
... performs to him, by presenting him annually with a gift of small value. ... that, at
certain periods, men would have been translated from this natural life, by the ...
/.../arminius/the works of james arminius vol 2/disputation xxix on the covenant.htm

Ephesus
... Their example presents to Christians a lesson of great value. ... The natural life is
preserved moment by moment by divine power; yet it is not sustained by a ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 27 ephesus.htm

The New Life after Death
... is of no value and your faith also is of no value. ... The seed you sow does not come
to life again unless it ... it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/sherman/the childrens bible/the new life after death.htm

Food for the Lambs.
... It is the natural food for the new life ... the word of God than you can live a physical
life independently of ... in the sweet fields of heaven of any value, keep this ...
/.../orr/food for the lambs or helps for young christians/food for the lambs.htm

Sin and the Divine Reaction against It
... law in them, on the maintenance of which their whole ethical value depends ... consciousness
does stand in relief against the background of natural life; but though ...
/.../denney/the atonement and the modern mind/chapter ii sin and the.htm

Two views of Life
... The true value of life, and the meaning of all ... the eyes of the Preacher is the natural
inference for ... thought of moral discipline as the great purpose of life. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/two views of life.htm