What does God require
in the Sixth Command?
That I am not to abuse,
hate, injure, or kill my neighbor, either with thought, or by word or gesture,
much less by deed, whether by myself or through another, but to lay aside all
desire for revenge; and that I do not harm myself or will fully exposed myself
to danger. This is why the
authorities are armed with the means to prevent murder.
But does this commandment
speak only of killing?
In forbidding murder, God
means to teach us that He abhors the root of murder, which is envy, hatred,
and desire for revenge, and that He regards all these as hidden murder.
Is it enough, then, if
we do not kill our neighbor in any of these ways?
No; for when God condemns
envy, hatred, and anger, He requires us to love our neighbor as ourselves, to
show patience, peace, gentleness, mercy, and friendliness toward him, to
prevent injury to him as much as we can, also to do good to our enemies.
I. God Forbids Murder
A.
Jesus not only affirmed the prohibition against murder but expanded it to
cover all the conditions and practices which encourage it. 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: 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. (Matthew
5:21-22) [More below]
B.
Christians must actively defuse situations which lead to conflict and by Jesus= implication to murder.
Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in
the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the
judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast
into prison. (Matthew
5:25)
C.
Being right in a conflict is not enough B
God will handle settlement of accounts.
Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place
unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith
the Lord. (Romans
12:19)
D.
Settle accounts with yourself before they fester.
Be ye angry, and sin not: let
not the sun go down upon your wrath:
(Ephesians 4:26)
E.
Christians do not excuse evil or suggest murder should go un punished B that
would make them co-conspirators in murder.
Whoso sheddeth man's blood,
by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.
(Genesis 9:6)
F.
Civil authority exists so people will not have to take justice into their own
hands. For
he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that
which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain:
for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that
doeth evil. (Romans 13:4)
G.
Private settling of accounts produces terrible consequences.
Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all
they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.
(Matthew 26:52)
Scotland
/ Ulster / Serbia / Israel / Rwanda / Columbia
II.
The Climate of Murder Is Prohibited
A.
The Bible places murder in a web of corrupt thinking which produces sinful
behavior and opens the door to hell. Now
the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery,
fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred,
variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders,
drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I
have also told you in time past, that they which do such things
shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
(Galatians 5:19-21)
B.
Self-centeredness rather than submission to God brings on a natural judgment
of destructive thinking.
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge,
God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to
Do Those Things Which Are Not Convenient; Being filled with all
unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness;
full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil
things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenant
breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing
the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death,
not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
(Romans 1:28-32)
C.
Saying the right things cannot substitute for a changed heart. He that saith
he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in
darkness even until now. (1
John 2:9) Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and
ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
(1 John 3:15)
D.
Apart from the God of the Bible, moral analysis is perverted. A righteous man
regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked
are cruel. (Proverbs 12:10)
III.
Avoiding Murder Is Not Enough
A.
Half of God=s law is impossible for those who are prepared to
murder or tolerate conditions which promote murder.
And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy
neighbour as thyself. (Matthew
22:39) Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men
should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the
prophets. (Matthew 7:12)
B.
By removing the context believers preempt murder.
Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love;
in honour preferring one another; (Romans 12:10) With
all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
(Ephesians 4:2)
