Life Library — Sanctity of Life

Life Ministry   •   The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod

• 40 Prayers for Life — Our Lord has given us the privilege of approaching Him in prayer. Peaceful times of prayer, abiding by ordinances and laws and using public rights-of-way, occurs near abortion clinics in local communities throughout the U.S. This prayer booklet has been prepared for use by individuals or groups — laypeople, pastors and church workers — during pro-life prayer vigils.

• A Small Catechism on Human Life — Examine abortion, bioethics, end-of-life, and sexuality issues through the Biblical eyeglasses of Luther’s Small Catechism. Each chapter is followed by thoughtful discussion questions and Bible references. (By John T. Pless)
  
  
• Do You Have Eyes of Life? — In Christ, God gives us eyes of life — eyes that see life from His perspective. And what we see causes us to speak for life.
  
  
• Hope for Life — This Bible study focuses on how God values human life and gives it purpose. The Apostles’ Creed declares that our triune God has redeemed all human life from sin, death, and the grave. He provides certain hope for eternal life, even in the face of death. Jesus is life for you.
  
  
• Of Noble Birth — In 1 Cor. 1:26, St. Paul seeks to remind the Corinthians that they are not a church of intellectuals or people of great influence.
  
  
• Overpopulation: A Deadly Disease? — The overall growth rate of the world’s population is decreasing, yet many believe that overpopulation is a problem. The Lord God gave man and wife the gift of fertility and charged them with the duty to multiply, reaffirming His blessing and command after the flood.
  
  
• That They May Have Life — Human life is not an achievement. It is an endowment. It has measureless value, because every individual, at every stage of development and every state of consciousness, is known and loved by God. This is the source of human dignity and the basis for human equality.
  
  
• The Amazing Human Body — Our Lord created our bodies to work in ways beyond our comprehension, and He gave us a magnificent world containing resources that enable us to lead healthy lives. Even in a world full of setback, illnesses, and toxins, “We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose” (Rom 8:28).
  
  
• The Child As a Gift of God — Commended by the 2019 LCMS convention, this paper examines the many subtle ways that American culture rejects life as a fundamental gift of God and instead sees “having a baby” as a human accomplishment.
  
  
• The God of Creation — God created us as physical beings, not as spirits or minds who happen to be in a body as if the body was some sort of optional shell or covering. The Lord saves us using His creation in a material way through the blood of the cross and the resurrection. And He continues to come to us in the created ways of voice and water and wine and bread.
  
  
• Valuing Life — Our value comes entirely from God and not at all from us. It does not depend on whether we can be “productive” members of society. Our Lord shows us the value He continues to place on us and the importance of caring for one another.
  
  
• When Gorillas Make Bigger News Than People — If we can’t agree that human beings have more value than animals, why should we agree that our society would protect our most vulnerable persons – the elderly and the unborn – from abuse and destruction? As Lutherans, we believe the image of God in man is what makes human beings uniquely precious at all stages of their lives.
  
  
• Who’s on First – What’s on Second? — God makes us human. Not only has God made us human, He also makes us holy. His Son’s incarnation and His Spirit’s forgiveness are what makes us holy.