Physician-Assisted Suicide (PAS): Acceptable? (Part 2)

“Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer; from the end of the earth

I call to you when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I,

for you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy.”

Psalm 61:1-3 ESV

by Roxanne Wolfram, DNP, FNP-BC

What are the biblical principles surrounding PAS?

1. Human life has intrinsic value because people bear God’s image. Genesis 1:27 says, “God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” This is the “imago Dei,” the Latin term meaning “image of God.” J. P. Moreland (2009) stated that “reason, self-determination, moral action, personality, and relational formation” make it wrong to shed innocent human blood. Our personhood is grounded in a personal God that bestows worth on us that we can never acquire by virtue of our own merits.

2. Murder is wrong. The Bible states in Exodus 20:13, “You shall not murder.” PAS is considered murder and allowing the taking of an innocent person’s life who is sick, elderly, disabled, or terminally ill contradicts God’s command.

3. God is sovereign and has the authority to decide when we live or die. Deuteronomy 32:39 says, “See now that I myself am He! There is no god besides me. I put to death and I bring to life, I have wounded and I will heal, and no one can deliver out of my hand.” The Lord is in control of when we live and die. Our lives have purpose until the moment of death. Proponents of PAS want to take the power from God and put it in the hands of men.

4. Suffering is a normal part of life and of God’s plan. God can use it for His good and to draw us closer to him. (Butler, 2018). Romans 5:3 says, “We also rejoice in our sufferings because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance character, and character hope.” Jesus was the ultimate example of suffering and hope. God experienced suffering through Jesus Christ’s death on the cross, but Jesus rose from the dead and is sitting at the right hand of God. When we put our faith in Jesus, we will live in eternity with him, and that is the greatest hope.

Must a person live with pain when terminally ill?

Pain relief is important in end-of-life care and aligns with biblical principles (CMDA, 2026). Proverbs 31:6 says, “Give strong drink to the one who is perishing, and wine to those in bitter distress.” Palliative care aims to comfort the whole person by treating symptoms and distress.

Should a person prolong their life or that of a loved one?

The Bible does not require extending the dying process. A person who respects life would seek medical care. However, this does not mean a person must choose procedures that prolong the dying process (CMDA, 2026). “Sometimes life-sustaining treatments may need to be withheld or withdrawn because they are no longer effective in promoting the patient’s good” (CMDA, 2026).

What can the church do?

The church can do a lot to help those suffering from illness, whether temporary, terminal, painful, or burdensome. It can love others well through prayer, visitation, and presence. It can equip others with the biblical resources to face suffering and death. Psalm 71:9 states, “Do not cast me aside in my old age; as my strength fails, do not forsake me.” The church needs to ensure that people never feel like a burden and support them in any way needed. 

What can we do individually?

Volunteer to help at your church with meals, cleaning, transportation, laundry, as well as hospital, home, or nursing home visits. Let others know and feel loved. It is also important to stay up to date on developments in the country regarding this issue. Contact your legislators. You can do this through Congress.gov for federal legislators and by looking up “find my legislator [state]." You can write/send emails through these sites.

Proponents of PAS link a person’s value to autonomy and self-regard. This worth is conditional (extrinsic value). It makes those who are elderly, disabled, or with dementia vulnerable (Butler, 2024). A biblical view bases human value on God’s teaching of intrinsic worth.

References

• Butler, K. 2018. In the debate over physician-assisted suicide, words matter. https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/debate-physician-assisted-suicide/

• Butler, K. 2024. What does it mean to die with dignity? https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/death-dignity/

• Cianco, S. (2021). 25 Bible Verses and the Problem of Euthanasia.

  Human Life International.

  https://all.org/culture-of-life-studies/25-bible-verses-and-the-problem-of-euthanasia

• CMDA, (2026). Standards for Life. Physician-Assisted Suicide. A Publication of Christian Medical & Dental Associations.

  https://cmda.org/standards-4-life/

• Huette, A. (2026). Christians must resist assisted suicide. The Gospel Coalition.

  https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/christians-resist-assisted-suicide/

• Moreland, J. P. The Recalcitrant Imago Dei: Human Persons and the Failure of Naturalism (London: SCM Press, 2009), 4.

  
  

Other PPL Recommendations

• https://www.ppl.org/believers-and-advanced-directives?

  (Editor's note: A Medical Power of Attorney in the hands of a trusted loved one is preferred now.

• "Informed: A Guide for Critical Medical Decisions"

  https://halovoice.org/resources/

• “When MAID Goes to Church”

  https://ca.thegospelcoalition.org/article/when-maid-goes-to-church/

• How Should We Then Die? A Christian Response to Physician-Assisted Death

  by Ewan C. Goligher, M.D. 

  "As more people accept the practice of physician-assisted death, Christians must decide whether to embrace or oppose it. Is it ethical for physicians to assist patients in hastening their own death? Should Christians who are facing death accept the offer of an assisted death? In How Should We Then Die?, physician Ewan Goligher draws from general revelation and Scripture to persuade and equip Christians to oppose physician-assisted death” (from book back cover, Amazon.com).