There are several legitimate reasons for Christians to kill another human being. I should
clarify up front that the two passages that most pacifists and liberals cite as God's
prohibition of killing in any form are both verses that apply to criminality.
The commandment, "thou shalt not kill", is a poor translation. The actual concept in the
Hebrew of this passage is homicide, or murder. The other passage, where Peter attacked a
Centurion with a sword to defend Jesus Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane, also pertains
to a criminal act. Peter, in that situation, was attacking what amounted to a police officer,
a representative of God's establishment of law enforcement. The Roman military was assigned
the duty of law enforcement under martial law, thus the statement that "those who live by
the sword shall die by the sword" is a warning to those who use a deadly weapon against a
police officer or innocent civilian.
We are also expected to defend ourselves from violence, and if it becomes necessary to kill
an attacker to save our own lives, or the lives of family or loves ones, then so be it. Police
officers are justified in killing a criminal as well.
Killing the enemies of our nation, in a military conflict, is not only justified, but commanded
by God. Much of the Old Testament deals with God's role in the military of Israel. David asked
Him to "train my fingers for war". God commanded Saul to invade Ammon and kill every man, woman
and child....even animals. His failure to obey this command led to his untimely death at Mt. Gilboa.
The pre-incarnate Christ killed thousands of Egyptians as they pursued the Jews across the exposed
Red Sea bed, and again when Sennacharib was attacking Jerusalem. In the latter incident Christ slaughtered
65,000 men while they slept.
At the Second Advent the glorified Jesus Christ will intercede in behalf of a beleaguered Israel
and kill millions of men that are assembled in the Valley of Megeddio (Armageddon). Their number
will be so great that their blood will fill a basin 100 miles square to a depth of 4-5 feet.
Choosing to end one's life in a situation where a medical condition will result in comma or permanent
mental impairment is a matter that should be left to the individual's volition. The propriety of this
decision, if it is to refuse artificial life support, is based upon the fact that when the soul departs
the body (there is no brain activity) only the body is alive, and this amounts to keeping a vegetable
breathing. The essence of the person has departed. This is not an argument in favor of suicide, which
is superimposing one's will over God's, but rather deals exclusively with the issue of artificial life
support.