>Jesus taught: to save your life, you must be willing to give your life
That would be self sacrifice. Those that will save their lives will loose it and those that loose it will find it. Elijah knew that if they won't relent nor repent then he must be willing to let wild animals kill all that is good.
There are only two types of people in this world. Even neutral people are evil because they all the good to die and evil to flourish until there is nothing but hell on earth.