Human Dignity

This week marked the fiftieth year since the Supreme Court's decision Roe v Wade. That decision was overturned by the Supreme Court last year and I am thankful for that. At the core of the abortion v life debate is the issue of human dignity.

A friend was let go from his job this week. I understand and agree that businesses must make decisions that sometimes negatively impact people. I tend to side with Business over Labor. This situation was particularly marked by poor communication. Patrick Lencioni says that firings/layoffs must consider the person's dignity in the way those things happen. Poor communication revealed a lack of respect for human dignity, in this case. At least a lack of consideration of respect for human dignity.

Worshippers in Jerusalem were fired upon last night in a synagogue. Several people are dead. Just a few days ago a shooter opened fire on a celebration in Los Angeles killing several including himself. Google the word "shooting" and see the results. The frequency of such things is incredible. Crime is, at least in part, an issue of human dignity.

Human dignity is important because all humans are made in the image of God. The Christian faith and the Christian Bible are clear on this. The issue is in the first few paragraphs of the Bible. The first mention of humans in the Bible is that we are made in the image of God.

EVERYTHING about people from that point forward must be considered in light of the fact that humans are image-bearers of God.

As image-bearers, the individual has responsibility to follow God.

As image-bearers, each person has the responsibility to treat each other person with dignity.

As image-bearers, each person's sin distorts how God's image within him comes out in his attitudes and actions.

Not long after the Bible mentions the image-bearers it tells us of sin and the destruction sin brings to the relationship between God and man and between man and man. Not long after that, the Bible tells of the hope of restoration and reconciliation that God provides through Jesus Christ.

As I understand what the Bible teaches about eternity, all creation will be redeemed - or brought back to a right standing with God, a standing that was marred by sin. The only exception to that are the image-bearers. Not all image-bearers will be redeemed.

God has made the way of redemption for the image-bearers a little different from the redemption of the rest of creation. The heavens and the earth, the waters and the land, the plants and the animals will all be redeemed. Image-bearers - human beings - will be redeemed if they choose to accept the salvation promised from the very first pages of the Bible.

The entire Christian Bible is the revelation of God creating all things including humans; humans bringing sin into the picture; God purposing to redeem all creation and all humans who will believe; the Incarnation of the Savior - Jesus Christ; his death, burial, and resurrection; the life of believers within the community of the Church and in relationship to the world; and the return of Christ and consummation of the redeemed.

I believe the issue of abortion must be seen in light of the human dignity due all image-bearers.

I believe the issues of Human Resources must be conducted in light of the human dignity due all image-bearers.

I will extend that statement to include marriage and family, crime and punishment, community and government. Really, I can't think of any arena where the dignity of image-bearers is not important. Sometimes I might think that the person who isn't doing a good job of image-bearing doesn't deserve to be shown dignity and respect - but I'd be wrong.

I don't get to place value on life, a life, or a person - God already did.