Thou Shalt Not Kill
Exodus 20:13

Let's review the lessons that we learned about the 10 Commandments in the prologue:

• God's Moral Law deals with external obedience and internal attitude
• Lesser Sins of the same type are equally forbidden
• Negative commands have a positive principle
• Divine imperatives demand a divine mind set!
• "Biblical imperatives apart from biblical thinking causes short term obedience and long term frustration."
• If we don't think God's way, we will not act God's way.

Lesson 1: In the big scope of this commandment God is making a statement about the sanctity of life--Respect Life!

Lesson 2: Murder usurps the sovereign right of God in life!

Lesson 3: Murder prohibits God's purpose in Life!

What then is respecting life? The word here 'rasah' in the Hebrew text indicates that this is an unlawful killing, a killing that violates justice.

What it is not:

Self Defense or the defense against wickedness -

Exodus 22:2 If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him.

Psalm 82:4 Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.

Capital Punishment -

Jewish law list 18 crimes liable for the death penalty: murder, child sacrifice, kidnaping, incest, adultery, witchcraft, etc. Genesis 9:6 Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.

Government is the executor of God's wrath (Romans 13:4). Maintaining law and order is not murder.

War -

War that is purely about greed and covetousness is not a just war. The "just war" is a war that is defensive. Defending biblical and national interests or defending from invading governments is not murder. The laws of War are interesting and outlined in Deuteronomy 20.

What it is:

Unlawful Killing -

If someone takes the life of another person and it is not self defense, capital punishment or war, it is unlawful killing.

• Murder- 1^st degree, premeditated
• Voluntary Manslaughter- (without premeditation)
• Manslaughter- anything that brings death prematurely (Exodus 21:29) Ox goring; Ox is stoned and owner - taking the life by carelessness; God's building code (Deut 22:8) railings to keep people from falling off roof - seat belts; we cannot be careless in these concerns.
• Abortion - It is very clear in Scripture that life begins at conception. Jeremiah 1:5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

The word 'knew' indicates an intimate knowledge. He wasn't just tissue, but was someone that God had plans for and was formed that God knew intimately. We cannot be accomplices to abortion either. Animal rights activists who hold signs "Thou shalt not kill!" and then carry a sign the next weekend in front of the abortion clinic that says, "Freedom of choice!" This is not about rights, its about life!

• Euthanasia - There are two forms of this:

1. Intentional life-ending act without the consent of the person affected. Somebody ends the life of another because that is thought to be in the best interests of the person affected or of others involved.

2. Intentional life-ending act with the consent of person affected. Here another person is not making that determination, but the person himself. Many who have a hard time with the first yet, often don't look at this one as a difficult issue. The implication in both of these instances is that we have the right to do with life as we please. Wrong answer.

• Suicide - 75% of all suicides happen in USA; 80% of all Americans thought about suicide at one time or another. They claim that life is theirs, I can do as I please. No! It is a gift from God to be used for His purposes.
• Life Styles and Habits that prematurely take life -
• Improper care of body - limiting our passions in eating and exercising.
• Work-a-holic - not getting proper rest and keeping stress levels high causing improper blood pressure, headaches, etc.
• Substance abuse - alcohol, tobacco products, drugs
• Putting our selves needlessly in danger - Christ's temptation to throw yourself down - do not tempt the Lord; dares, playing chicken, etc.

Part 2

Now, as it applies to commandment six, last time we saw:

Killing of animals is not prohibited - commanded to sacrifice

Capitol punishment is not prohibited - Ex 21:12

Taking the life of another in protection and defending loved ones, life, and limb is not prohibited. Ex 22:2; Psa 82:4; Deut 20.

Genesis 9:6; John 8:1-11;

Romans 13:1-7

This command is a statement on God's view of life--He is for it. We discussed two kinds of murder that God does prohibit:

1. Intentional Murder - Homicide; Suicide; Infanticide; genocide - including all kinds of Euthanasia -

2. Indirect Murder - This is what we finished with last time - When we involve ourselves in life-styles that prematurely take life.

Habakkuk 2:12 Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, and stablisheth a city by iniquity!

What is the iniquity that men try to build cities and empires on? Notice Habakkuk 2:15 Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!

3. Invisible Murder - This is murder that no one else sees. This is murder in the heart, in the inner man that will never probably get prosecuted and yet is prevalent in so many churches and homes in America today. These are attitudes--inner thoughts and feelings about people that are in God's eyes murder!

Matthew 15:19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:

What are these things?

• Anger - Matthew 5:21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:

When we look on someone with anger, with contempt, and abhorrence--God writes down in His ledger with our name on it: MURDER!

Matthew 5:22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

• Envy - Proverbs 14:30 A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.

Envy means wanting to steal a piece of fortune that we don't have, but they do. It is not only a way of attacking another person, but it is a way of destroying ourselves.

• Hatred - Someone who hates another person is really wishing that person to be dead--separated from our life and theirs.

1 John 3:15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

• Vindictive Spirit - This is a spirit of wanting to punish a person without the God-given right to do so. It is a desire for 'vindication.' Let God vindicate--leave room for God's chariot 'wrath' to park in His parking place called "Vengeance!" (Rom 12:19).

This is where we understand for us to love God and love people, we must deny self, do so sacrificially, and do so serving! We must become servants--diakonis, and doulos. We must become masters of love and find fulfillment in the law of God.

Psalm 19:7 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.

Let's look at how it is that we are to serve God and others. It is through love that we find the antidote to murder.

1. Love in the face of evil! Matthew 5:39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

This is just the opposite of what is natural. We naturally want to retaliate--to strike back! But God says that we are to love back!

2. Love in a sacrificial way! Matthew 5:41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

Go the extra mile. Don't see how little you can get buy with, but how much you can do!

3. Love even when it hurts! Matthew 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

A servant is one who realizes he has no rights, and even though there is times of great hurt, he continues to serve by loving. We can become shielded from the hurts when God's grace is working through these situations.

4. Demonstrate the love through service! Romans 12:20-21 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.