The Bible Column - Taking Another's Life

“And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man’s brother will I require the life of man.
Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.” Genesis 9:5-6
The book of Genesis in the Bible is the book of beginnings. It records not only the beginning of the heavens and the earth, and of plant, animal, and human life in the genders of male and female, (Genesis 1:27) but also of all human institutions and relationships. It is the only record known to mankind of these beginnings told us by Almighty God, as the only one who was there at that time! As God is faithful to His promise of preserving His Word for every generation, we who live today are able to hold in our hands a copy of the divine record for our personal reading! Matthew 24:35
The subject of the Scripture above follows the sad beginning of murder, wherein Cain became angry and slew his brother Abel. The Bible tells us that Cain’s reason for killing Abel was “…Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.” I John 3:12 This activity of murder is prevalent in our day and continues to be motivated by sin and wrath, manifesting itself so intently that one person decides, in a variety of thought processes, sometimes premediated, to take the life of another!
This violation and intrusion of another person’s personal life not only violates in a human way but also violates the will of God who alone creates each soul! Any time a life, either born or unborn is taken at the hand of another, both human and divine standards are permanently broken!
May each of us be reminded today that it is never our place, either by mankind’s cruel personal hand or by legislative dictate, to so judge against another, whereby their physical life is taken!