The Sixth Commandment - Life and Death

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Exodus 20:13 KJV - "Thou shall not kill."

Correcting A Misconception About Killing

The world is under the impression that the Bible condemns any kind of killing. According to them - and even to some Christians - ending someone's life for any reason breaks the sixth commandment. But God didn't say that here, and the King James translation to "kill" is unfortunate.

The Hebrew word that is translated "kill" is ratsach. It's literal meaning is premeditated murder or manslaughter. In other words, it's the intentional killing of any innocent person. The New King James Version nails the traslation when it says "You shall not murder."

This command does not include:
- soldiers killing in combat
- civilians killing in self-defense or defense of others
- capital punishment
As a matter of fact, there are conditions when someone's actions require an authorized killing.

You see we were created in the image of God. As the crown of His creation, humanity is the only creature that has a spirit attached to the soul and body. Every human being is a beautiful thing - and every life is precious. Human life is so precious, in fact, that God demands justice when that life is cut short wrongfully. Pay close attention to this point: Any time an innocent life is intentionally cut short by someone else, it is murder.

What is the price God demands from a murderer? Genesis 9:5-6 tells us: "Surely for your lifeblood I will demand a reckoning; from the hand of every beast I will require it, and from the hand of man. From the hand of every man's brother I will require the life of man. Whoever sheds man's blood, by man his blood shall be shed..."
God made it clear, anyone who purposefully cuts an innocent life short will have their own life cut short.

The death penalty isn't barbaric. It's not stooping down to the murderer's level. It's not "cruel and unusual."
The death penalty is the definition of justice. When a society ends the life of a murderer, it is recognizing the value to the life that he took. It's declaring as a culture, "We value life so highly that we're going to demand it back from the hand of anyone who steals it."

Now, let me clarify: This kind of justice does not belong to the individual. We as individuals have no right to take justice into our own hands. This is what Paul told us in Romans 13:4 - "For [the governing authority] is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil."

When God set up earthly governments, He gave them the responsibility of carrying out justice for any wrongdoing - including murder. He has entrusted them with the protection of all innocent human life under their authority...and He will demand an account from them one day!

Murder Without The Death

Did you know that there are a lot of believers out there that break this commandment regularly - actually commiting murder of the same person daily? How can this be? Because God is just as concerned with the heart as He is with the action. Look at what 1 John 3:14-16 says: (DO NOT SKIP THIS)
"We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren."

Did you read that? God called hatred "murder"! When a Christian begins to hate their brother or sister, God will hold that Christian just as guilty as a muderer. Why? Because hatred is murder - in the heart.

As you read through the first chapter of John - and then through the five chapters of his first letter - you'll see a strong connection between love and life. This same connection exists between the lack of love (hatred) and the lack of life (death). When we step out of love toward anyone, we've stepped out of life. If we do this - if we start to hate anyone - then we've become guilty of murder. 

If only more churches realized this! If only this was common knowledge among believers! How sad is it when believers gather together to worship God, only to be raising bloody hands in His face? We have no excuse for taking hatred and unforgiveness lightly, God has made Himself perfectly clear.

A Sin That Will Not Be Forgiven

Christians step into hatred for the same reason that most murders are commited - anger. 
That person did something wrong, they hurt us somehow, and we decide to harbor bitterness and unforgiveness toward them in our heart. We may not have pulled a gun and shot them (Hopefully!), but that kind of retained, sustained anger is hatred...and that's murder.

It doesn't matter if you're "justified" in hating them. It doesn't matter if you don't think they should be forgiven. God gave you a clear command, and it is permanently bound to this sixth commandment - You must love them!

We all know that God is a merciful and forgiving God. His mercy covers all our sins. His forgiveness is infinite, and yet it still renews every morning! But did you know that God gives us one condition to be forgiven? Read these verses very carefully.

Matthew 6:12 - "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors."

Matthew 6:14-15 - "For if you forgive men their tresspasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their tresspasses, neither will your Father forgive your tresspasses."

Matthew 18:35 - "So My heavenly Father will also do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his tresspasses."

I don't know about you, but I need God's forgiveness. But He just said that He won't forgive me unless I forgive others! Now I know that God will hold me accountable for my wrongdoing as long as I hold others accountable for theirs. Knowing this, I can only respond to people one way - by loving them, and by elimitating any trace of hatred. I don't have a choice...I need mercy.

James 2:13 - "For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgement."
Do you need mercy? If so, then you must show others mercy! 

Let's settle this now: We will not hate anyone! No more going to God with innocent blood on our hearts!

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