THE TRUTH ABOUT TRUTH #6
Murder? Who Me?
Exodus 20:13
* Finally, we get to a command that “I” don’t have to worry about or do I? Would I murder someone?
* Let us study this one sentence and discover what inquiring minds want to know. What does this really mean? Does it mean no hunting? Does it prohibit the killing in wars? What about accidents? What did & does it take to break this command? What does Jesus have to say about this?
* Turn to Exodus 20:13 as we look at the 6th commandment and learn what God is teaching.
* (READ) Let me divide our thinking into 4 thoughts;
1) CLARIFICATION – Does this mean do not kill or do not murder and is there a difference?
* There is little doubt that God that God is talking about fellow human beings. The Hebrew word is the one which means to slay, assassinate, to do it premeditatedly, unauthorized (rasah).
* To be clear, there are some times when “killing” is not considered murder in the Bible.
* Capital Punishment – Gen 9:6 / Exo 21:12
* War Deut 13:15 / I Sam / 2 Sam
* Self-defense - Exo 22:2
* Manslaughter- Exo:21:13
* Animals (food) Gen 9:3
* Adultery Lev 20:10
* Suicide Exo 20:13 / Rom 13- “self”
* However, it doesn’t take an intellectual to recognize that the killing of the unborn is murder. I call on you to remember that we are created in “His image” and that He knows us “In the Womb.”
* Every day we hear more and more about the breaking of this command every day. Why is this? Because society is permeated with it. The acts of violence in video today are alarming and its impact has made our streets “a killing zone.”
* This command speaks to the disregard & disrespect for human life and it’s all around us.
* Having already mentioned abortion, let’s come to grips with this truth; “When a culture becomes insensitive to killing one helpless segment of society and kills them for convenience, it won’t stop there. The next step will be to remove the disabled, the helpless, the seniors, and the list goes on.
* We can easily see what is happening in our culture and KNOW that it runs counter to this command. However, leave it to Jesus to “tighten the noose” around our necks. Jesus stated this command meant MORE than the taking of life. As with everything, it is a matter of the Heart. Upon reading His words in Matt 5:21-22, we discover the implication that all three of these are on the same level as physical murder.
* Let’s be clear; Jesus states that to hate your fellow believer (your neighbor) is the same as murder. When we gossip, show contempt, and tear down, Jesus says, we commit “murder.”
* Satan is behind every murder. John 8:44
* One old message is entitled, “The Meanest member of the church.”
2) CAUSES – Matt 5:21 teaches us much. 1 John 3:15
* It teaches that anger, resentment, bitterness, and rage which is born deep inside overflows, if not unchecked, in sin. Over the past 20 years we have seen this rage spew out on the innocent. Remember the shootings (I.E Post Office, schools, even churches) were born out of anger.
* There is an Anger that “broods” – This is a selfish anger which is all about me. When I focus on myself, my church, my class, my rights, my wants, my heartaches, I find myself both miserable & alone.
* There is also an Anger holding “contempt” – This type of anger is filled with ego or arrogance, it holds a malice which looks for a way to make “self” look better than others, even to the point of lying, cheating, and stealing.
* There is also an Anger that “Curses “ – Some will remember those old tales which we “used to” tell. The story would be that a “witch” would cast an evil spell to bring about harm to someone they didn’t like. So by their words, actions, inferences, and the like, the effort is to destroy another.
* Ephesians 4 tells us to be angry and “sin not” so how exactly do we do this? We can answer this question with another question. It is a question which is easily asked but difficult for us to answer. Is my attitude a selfish or selfless one? Righteous Indignation is a purely & totally selfless reaction.
* The question might be, “am I truly angry because of my personal feelings or because a principle of scripture is being violated?”
* Please accept this warning; Unrighteous Anger, if left alone, will, in due time, lead me to murder of some sort. God condemns this.
3) COSTS – Matt 5
* The sad truth about modern day believers is this; because we are such an immediate (microwave) generation, we have difficulty seeing the cost for our actions. But listen, do not kill is a command-ment of God which mean to break it is to receive judgment. Rom 1 teaches us about the wrath of God being revealed against all ungodliness. Can you think of an act which demonstrates more ungodliness than murder, which is the pre-mediatated destruction of one of God’s crown creation? God will not wink at this action.
* In the OT days, murderers were called before the Council of the Sanhedrin.
* The punishment for sin was capital punishment (and that was not considered murder). Let’s think about this: suppose every time we spoke any word which destroyed the reputation of someone else, there would be a divine proclamation about our sins and weaknesses.
* To commit murder is to be in danger of, in Jesus’ words, “Hell Fire.” This Greek word Gehenna speaks of a garbage dump outside of Jerusalem which burned all the time. It was nasty, stinky, and the fires were ablaze all the time. This is Jesus’ promise to the murderer.
4) CURE – What is the cure for murder? We’ve all murdered someone at sometimes. So how do we get right and make it right before Go? Actually, God has a plan for us. Think of God’s mercy, that is, Him not giving us what we deserve. Conversely, think of God’s Grace, that is, Him giving to us what we don’t deserve. Herein lays the cure. To make it easy to remember, “grace”
* God – study, know, and meditate on His laws, His commands, and His promises. Commit your ways to Him.
* Repent – Jesus Himself says this, “except you repent, you will all likewise perish.” To repent is not to simply feel sorry for what you’ve done; it is that you feel sorry enough to do something about it. And that is, to turn away from it.
* Accept- We must accept God’s payment of Jesus for our sins. Jesus came and became our sin. He then voluntarily nailed our sins to the cross so that we can be redeemed.
* Cross – Again, it is our Lord who says, “Take up your cross & follow me.” Jesus expects us, and has a right to, to follow His leadership & lifestyle.
* Enjoy – One of the fruits of the spirit is “the joy of the Lord.” Even in the battle, we can have joy.
