1. The Conscientious Objector is a 2004 documentary film about the life of Desmond Doss, a conscientious objector who received a Medal of Honor for his service in World War II. Because of his religious convictions as a Seventh-day Adventist, he refused to carry a weapon (based on Exodus 20:13).
2. Exodus 20:13 “You shall not murder.” (ESV)
a. KJV – “Kill”
b. Hebrew = “Murder”
c. Two words for taking life – Kill and Murder
3. The differences
a. Kill = taking life of a person, deliberately or accidentally
b. Murder – the illegal or immoral taking of human life
c. In 1611 KILL was synonymous with MURDER
d. If it is only kill – all pacifists and vegetarians
4. The Torah:
a. Commands the death penalty for murder – in each of the 5 books
b. Commands death for kidnapping (Exodus 21:16)
c. Allows killing in war and self-defense against an oppressor
d. Prescribes animal sacrifice and allows eating of meat
5. We might hold the position of no capital punishment or pacifism – ok to do, but is not biblically based
I. Literal Murder
A. There are different forms of murder. The Old Testament Law, like our laws, talks about 1st and 2nd degree murders. Also talks about manslaughter.
1. 1st degree- Premeditated, thought out murder.
2. 2nd degree- In a moment of passion or hostility one murders another. Not premeditated.
3. Manslaughter- The unlawful killing of one human being by another without express or implied intent to do injury.
B. Implications:
1. Life is Sacred [Declaration of Independence – Life, liberty, pursuit of happiness; Genesis 9:6 “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.
2. Life is Special – “If you save a life, you save a world.” The opposite, too – Genesis 4:9-10 9 Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?” 10 And the LORD said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground.
3. Life is Protected an unalienable right –
a. The lives of the innocent (Exodus 1:16; Matthew 2:18)
b. Modern Abolitionist Movement – abolish abortion
4. Murder in heart – Matthew 5.21-22 21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.
There was a little boy with a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, to hammer a nail in the back fence. The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Then, it gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence. Finally, the day came when the boy didn’t lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, “You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won’t matter how many times you say, ‘I’m sorry,’ the wound is still there. A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one.”
II. Character Murder – Romans 1:28- 32
28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.
Proverbs 6:16-19 There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.
III. God Can Forgive Murder
• Saul of Tarsus – Acts 8:1 And Saul approved of his execution.; Acts 22:16
• Abortionists
• Anger – Matthew 5:23-24 23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
• Gossip/Slander
1. It takes repentance for forgiveness from God
2. Some years ago a murderer was sentenced to death. The murderer’s brother, to whom the State was deeply indebted for former services, besought the governor of the State for his brother’s pardon. The pardon was granted, and the man visited his brother with the pardon in his pocket. “What would you do,” he said to him, “if you received a pardon?” “The first thing I would do,” he answered, “is to track down the judge who sentenced me, and murder him; and the next thing I would do is to track down the chief witness, and murder him.” The brother rose, and left the prison with the pardon in his pocket. Because of what this man had done, death penalty was waiting on him. The opportunity was granted to him, but it called for repentance. Since there could be no repentance, there also could be no pardon.
