The following "Question" was asked by a member of the congregation at Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, and "Answered" by their pastor, John MacArthur Jr. It was transcribed by David Lee of Malaysia, from the tape GC 1301-N, titled "Bible Questions and Answers Part 16." A copy of the tape can be obtained by writing, Word of Grace, P.O. Box 4000, Panorama City, CA 91412 or by dialing toll free 1-800-55-GRACE. ©1981. All Rights Reserved.
Questioner
A medical ethics question. As a nurse working in an Intensive Care Unit,
what would my responsibility be as a Christian if I disagreed with the decision,
say to not resuscitate the patient that I thought was viable because there were
brain damaged or whatever. I've had to deal with that a couple of time and I’m
real torn?
John MacArthur's Answer
I think that the best thing to do is to ask that someone else be put on that
case and be responsible for that.
Questioner
Do you think there comes a time when you just totally have to get out of
that situation?
John MacArthur's Answer
Yes, sure. Sure, there are some things that you may feel you cannot do. And
so at that point...you don’t want to be insubordinate and start a riot in there,
so what you want to do is say, "I have an ethical question here, a moral
judgment to make, I cannot do this, I would ask that someone else replace me.
Questioner
Do you think it's ever right to, if the decision is made to not agree with
it, but continue to support the family or the physician in their decision they
made, because they had the right to make it?
John MacArthur's Answer
Now that depends on what your conscience permits you to do. Because in Romans
14 and 15 it says don’t violate your conscience or you’ll sear your conscience
and then when you want it, it won’t be any good. So make sure it stays alerted
to that. I guess it’s a judgment you have to make at that time, if you feel it
is something you could live with but you can’t personally do it. And it’s their
choice and that’s the way it has to be then that's OK. But if you feel it's
violently in defiance of what you believe is right and you can’t be a part of
it, then you have to make that judgment.
Added to Bible Bulletin Board's "MacArthur's Questions and
Answers" by:
Tony Capoccia
Bible Bulletin Board
Box 119
Columbus, New Jersey, USA, 08022
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Email: tony@biblebb.com
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