The Reading

3. The Reading Galatians 6:7-10

6. Is it Biblical or Sinful?

7. Question: • I went to register my car, and I was confronted with the question: • “would you like to be put on the organ donor list? • I would like to say yes, but, I am unsure as my body is not my own - 1 Cor 6:15 • 1. Donating organ (s) after death. • 2. Donating an organ to a loved one while alive • 3. Donating your body to science. • Is any of it allowed? • Thank you brother Eric for addressing my question.

8. Is it Biblical to Donate Human Organs

9. The Bible does not specifically address the issue of organ transplantation. • Obviously, organ transplants would have been unknown in Bible times. • However, there are verses that illustrate broad principles that may apply. • One of the most compelling arguments for organ donation is the love and compassion such an act demonstrates toward others. • The mandate to "love your neighbor" was stated by: • Jesus, Mathew 5:43 • Paul, Romans 13:9 • James, James 2:8

10. Is it sinful to donate organs after death, and if necessary, even before death? What can we learn from the Bible, whether a Christian should or should not donate organs?

11. The Bible does not specifically address the issue of organ transplantation. • Obviously, organ transplants would have been unknown in Bible times. • However, there are verses that illustrate broad principles that may apply. • One of the most compelling arguments for organ donation is the love and compassion such an act demonstrates toward others.

12. The Author of Life • We know from Scripture Who the Author of Life is, as Peter said: • “you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. . To this we are witnesses” (Acts 3:14-15)

13. The Author of Life • So God alone has determined who is born and who will die, and at what time they will die and be judged (Heb 9:27). So, we should be able to know from Scripture whether it is biblical to donate an organ, or blood, or for that matter, invest their life in a worthy cause.

14. The Author of Life We can’t base our decisions upon human reasoning or logic, but we must look at the Bible to objectively see whether it is permissible or even commendableto donate, if it means saving someone’s life or not.

15. The Life is in the Blood How many of us has ever donated blood? Is it for a good cause? Is it to save someone's life? So, let me ask, what is the difference between donating organs and donating blood?

16. The Life is in the Blood Early in Scripture we can see that the life of human beings and creatures is in the blood, as we read in Genesis 9:4 about the restriction against eating blood, as it says: “you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood” .

17. The Life is in the Blood Again, in Leviticus 17:11, which testifies that “the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life.”

18. The Life is in the Blood The reason we are not supposed to drink or eat blood, is because: “the life of every creature is its blood: its blood is its life. Therefore I have said to the people of Israel, You shall not eat the blood of any creature, for the life of every creature is its blood. Whoever eats it shall be cut off” (Lev 17:14).

19. The Life is in the Blood Why then, would Jesus say: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you” (John 6:53) and “Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:54)?

20. The Life is in the Blood Jesus was revealing the coming new covenant where we are to partake in the Lord’s Supper, or Communion, as a way to proclaim His death until His coming. The bread represents His broken body, and the fruit of the vine symbolizes the shed blood of Christ for the remission of sins (Matt 26:26-29).

22. The Power to do Good If you know what the right thing to do is and don’t do it, to you and to me, it is sin. James wrote “whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin” (James 4:17).

23. The Power to do Good Many people donate blood on a regular basis, because we know this saves lives and it does no harm to the person donating it. It is a lifesaver for many people who depend on blood to survive; both accident victims and those fighting serious health issues like cancer.

24. The Power to do Good Jesus said: “The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows” (Luke 12:47). Although this doesn’t mean we can sin by not donating, we can do much good to save lives, as far as it is within our power to do so.

25. The Power to do Good Solomon wisely wrote: “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it” (Prov 3:27). So, if it is within your power to save lives, then by all means we should do it. What if you were the one needing an organ, or blood? Wouldn’t you be grateful to those who donated, and by this, saved your life?

26. In the end: It is Your Choice I believe that we should feel compelled to donate blood, and if necessary, even donate an organ for someone if it means that they would die without it.

27. In the end: It is Your Choice • What need do I have of these, when I have trusted in Christ and already have eternal life? • This is a completely personal choice, and we have the freedom to choose to donate. There is nothing in Scripture that would seem to forbid doing such a thing.

28. In the end: It is Your Choice • On the contrary, Jesus said that • “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13), • Although this was talking about a self-sacrificing love, as Jesus displayed on the cross, the concept is within the range of this lesson. • We know that “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom 5:8). So, “we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters” (1st John 3:16).

29. Whatever you decide to do is strictly up to you. If you donate, you do not sin. If you do not donate, you do not sin. Sister, you hit me very hard with this question, and kept me worried for the whole week trying to find the best answer!

30. In your Christian life, always remember something! Romans 14:23- But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin

31. Let me say something that is way more important than donating an organ: • If you are not a Christian, you should repent today, forsake and turn away from your sins, then put your trust in Christ, and you will receive eternal life if you haven’t done so already. • Where you’re going, if you obey, by being baptized and by repenting of your sins, you won’t be needing your kidneys, your liver, your lungs, your eyes and even your blood, because Jesus said: “Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live” (John 11:25).