Does Human Life Begin At First Breath?

Life is not a random occurrence. It is intentional, with its creation stemming from God's supernatural act. This intentional nature of life invites us to contemplate its origins, encouraging introspection and a deeper understanding of our existence.

"...then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature." (Genesis 2:7 ESV)

According to the Bible, human life begins before a person takes their first breath. This perspective, a source of comfort and guidance for many, states that a human person is already alive in the womb, providing a sense of security and reassurance.

Adam was the only human created from "the dust from the ground." Eve was the only human created from Adam's rib. This does not mean all males are made from "dust" and females are made from a man's rib. That has never happened since the creation of Adam and Eve, whi ch was a distinctly unique creation process, underscores the significance and specialness of human life. It highlights the value and importance of each individual, as we are all part of this unique and significant creation. This is how the first human life began, not how all human lives begin. Nothing in this passage says that humans are formed from dust from the ground and born in lifeless bodies that only God can breathe life into after birth. The Bible does not speak about the beginning of every individual human life but rather the beginning of humanity as a whole race. This truth is seen elsewhere in Scripture.

"The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life. Answer me, if you can; set your words in order before me; take your stand. Behold, I am toward God as you are; I too was pinched off from a piece of clay." (Job 33:4-6 ESV)

Elihu, who made the statement, was not formed out of clay. His point concerned the nature of humankind, not the process by which each person becomes a human life. The verses "the breath of the Almighty gives me life" and "I too was pinched off from a piece of clay" imply that God's breathing of life into a human being was a one-time act for Adam only and not all humankind. At that point, the breath of God continues forward in every human being, sustaining our lives and guiding us through our journey.

Although there is not 100% consensus among scientists, 97 percent believe it is an empirical and irrefutable fact that individual human life begins at conception when the 23 chromosomes of the father's sperm fuse with the 23 chromosomes of the mother's egg to create a single-cell embryo or zygote containing 46 chromosomes with 30,000 genes combined to determine its unique DNA code containing all of a person's physical characteristics: sex, facial features, body type, the color of hair, eyes, and skin.

The fertilized egg immediately travels down the fallopian tube into the uterus, where the lining prepares for implantation. At first, the cells will divide into two groups: two into three for a millisecond, verifying a unique life has begun, then into four, four into eight, and so on, just moments after conception. The zygote then divides again and again in a process called differentiation. Some cells develop into the temporary placenta and are essential for implantation. Other cells develop into the various parts of the baby and increase by dividing rapidly into a ball continuously changing in size. The shape is called a blastocyst and implants itself in the uterine wall about six days after fertilization until day nine. It is implantation that makes the baby more likely to survive. Cells continue to multiply exponentially and develop into specific body parts during the embryonic and fetal development of the child. The term fetus is used beginning at the eighth week of development.

The Bible tells us that an unborn child is a complete human person at the moment of conception when the sperm fertilizes the egg. The child is not independent of their mother when the umbilical cord is cut. Without care from someone, it would die soon.

Life in the Blood

The Bible says that life is in the blood, which the Old Testament frequently affirms (Genesis 9:3-6). A human person has lifeblood flowing through them long before they have breath. They are not property or things to be discarded. They have the attributes of self-consciousness in the womb. Esau and Jacob "struggled together within" their mother's womb (Genesis 21:22; 25:22). The Bible clarifies that a human being is regarded as a separate and distinct life from the moment of conception and deserves to be protected.

The New Testament also refers to the consciousness of a baby.