Is it ethical to use technology to extend human life indefinitely?
Introduction
The desire to live forever is as old as humanity, reflected in the biblical story of the Tree of Life in Eden. Today, advances in genetic engineering, artificial intelligence, and biotechnology are making the dream of indefinite life extension—living for thousands of years, or essentially forever—seem like a possible reality.
For the Christian, this ethical question is not just about what can be done, but what should be done, according to God's created order and promises.
Main: Three Ethical Pitfalls of Seeking Earthly Immortality
While Christians support medical research aimed at curing diseases and extending healthy life (prolonging life), seeking indefinite life extension (defeating death itself) raises three profound theological and ethical challenges.
1. Theological Conflict: Rejecting God’s Design for Eternity
The Bible teaches that death is a necessary boundary marking the end of our earthly life and the beginning of eternity.
The Appointment with Death: Scripture is clear: “it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). The earthly life, with its natural limit, is the time for all people to seek and find God.
Devaluing the True Promise: By focusing all energy and resources on defeating biological death, humanity risks idolizing the temporary physical body and rejecting the eternal life offered by God through Jesus Christ (John 3:16). The Christian hope is not life extension, but resurrection—a perfected body in a perfected place. Seeking unending life on a fallen Earth fundamentally misunderstands God's plan for a new heaven and a new earth (Revelation 21:1).
2. Social Injustice: Immortality for the Few
The technology required to achieve indefinite life extension will undoubtedly be astronomically expensive, creating a tragic divide.
Exacerbating Inequality: If such technology existed, it would be reserved for the hyper-wealthy, leading to a world divided into the "immortal rich" and the "mortal poor." This gross inequality fundamentally contradicts the biblical call for justice and caring for the poor and vulnerable.
Resource Depletion: A suddenly immortal or near-immortal population would place an unsustainable burden on Earth's finite resources, creating disastrous scarcity of food, water, housing, and energy for all future generations. Christian stewardship requires us to consider the good of the planet and all its inhabitants, not just the self-preservation of the few.
3. The Unsolved Problem: A Sinful, Immortal Existence
Technology may be able to repair cells, but it cannot repair the human soul.
Immortality of Sin: The biblical problem with humanity is not merely physical death; it is sin (Romans 3:23). Living indefinitely would simply mean that sinful, broken human beings would persist in their corruption for millennia. As the adage goes, "An immortal devil is still a devil."
The Need for Spiritual Transformation: The technology focuses on physical survival, but Jesus offered spiritual survival and transformation, which is far more profound. His salvation is not merely a ticket to heaven, but a renewal of the inner person (2 Corinthians 5:17). The indefinite extension of a corrupted life is not liberation; it is merely an unending imprisonment to self.
Conclusion
The ethical question is ultimately one of perspective. While research to extend healthspan (the years of healthy life) is a good expression of God-given stewardship and compassion, seeking to bypass the finality of death through technology usurps a role reserved for God alone.
The Christian's goal is to live well for the glory of God in the time appointed, using the mind and resources given to alleviate suffering, and to fix our hope not on unending earthly years, but on the certainty of eternal life through Christ, where true immortality—free from sin and decay—awaits.
