Our name | Mission | Vision | Leaders Ministries | Schedule | Directions | Contact Home   Gateway Church gathers for worship Sundays at 10:30 a.m. Location: 6425 Jefferson Rd. (Hwy. 129) in Athens, Georgia. For directions, click here. Ministry of the Word: Recent sermons Our quarterly e-magazine Gateway Today For the Gateway family Pastor Jerry's Weekly E-Mail A GATEWAY SERMON SUMMARY AUDIO The sanctity of human life Jerry Varnado, pastor Gateway Church, Athens GA January 19, 2003 Scripture text: Psalm 139:7-16 God considers human life sacred from its beginning to its natural end. To call human life "sacred" means that its beginning and end falls within the realm of God's sovereign authority. These are intended to be off limits to humans, except as permitted and prescribed by God Himself. This biblical view is is under attack. Advocacy groups constantly push for the full acceptance of not only abortion, but also euthanasia, physician-assisted suicide, human cloning, and even infanticide. The legalization of abortion-on-demand 30 years ago has dulled our conscience regarding the sanctity of human life. Either life is sacred or it's not. Once we say it is not, or conscience is seared and we can justify most anything. Already, one state -- Oregon -- has approved physician-assisted suicide. Other states are considering approval. Christians need to be actively promoting the sanctity of human life. Without a firmly established belief that life is a sacred gift from God, each person's life is potentially subject to a "cost-benefit analysis." Already in Europe, people are being allowed to die because their lives are not considered worthwhile. In our country, there is some some good news. A window of opportunity is opened for pro-life legislation. A ban on a partial-birth abortion is in the works. We must get involved. If followers of Jesus Christ don't take a stand for life, who will? A mp3 audio file of this sermon is here. (Download to a PC by right clicking on the link and choosing "Save Target As." Mac users: click, hold, and choose "Download Link to Disk." Depending on your connection speed, the file may take several minutes to download.) An audio tape of this sermon is available free of charge (U.S. requests only). Request a tape by calling or writing the Gateway Church office. Please specify tape number 030119a: The Sancity of Human Life. © 2003 Gerald R. Varnado To the Gateway Church home page How to contact us