What does the Bible say about ORGAN DONATION?
Organ Donation is a medical procedure where one person donates an organ or tissue to another person who needs a transplant. People who need an organ or tissue transplant are usually very sick or dying, because one or more of their organs are failing. One organ donor can save up to 7 lives and transform over 50 lives. As an organ donor, you can save the life of someone who is suffering from a life-threatening disease or someone who was in a serious accident. Approximately 4300 people are waiting for a life-saving organ or cornea transplant in South Africa, but only 0,2% of our population are registered organ donors.
Donating an organ from our own bodies is an extreme example of selfless sacrifice for another.
What does the Bible say?
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 was stated by Jesus (Matt 5:43), Paul (Rom 13:9), and James (Jam 2:8), but it can actually be traced all the way back to Leviticus 19:18. From the earliest days in the Old Testament, God’s people were commanded to demonstrate a love for God as well as for their neighbours. Being willing to donate an organ from our own bodies would seem to be an extreme example of selfless sacrifice for another.
