California voted to spend 3 billion dollars on it.  Movie stars promote it.  Major news publications have covered it extensively.  We are talking about stem cell research.  What stand should a Christian take on this issue?  We can answer that question relatively easily when we understand some basics about stem cell research.   

Understanding when Life Begins
   The question of when life begins is a scientific question.  The scientists most qualified to answer are embryologists.  Embryologists concur that life begins when the genetic material of egg and sperm join at conception.  Medical schools teach this in their embryology textbooks. 
   Scripture affirms this scientific truth.  “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me” (Psalm 51:5 NIV).  Since we are sinful from the moment of conception, we must be human beings from the moment of conception.  This is precisely why Jesus was “conceived by the Holy Spirit.”  He had to pass through all stages of human development to redeem us from our sinful human nature.

Understanding the Source of Embryonic Stem Cells
   What we hear so much about is embryonic stem cell research (ESCR).  Embryonic stem cells are derived from a human embryo at about 5 days after conception.  At this stage, the human being is a hallow ball with a thin outside layer only a single cell thick. Once the embryo reaches the uterus, this layer forms the placenta.  Inside this hallow ball is a cluster of cells.  These cells will soon begin to differentiate into the various tissues—nerve, muscle, skin, etc.—that make up the human body.  Each of these cells, then, has the potential to become any tissue in the body.  These are the “stem cells” that researchers want to use in an effort to treat disease.  However, a five-day old human being must be destroyed in order to obtain these stem cells.

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