SIXTH COMMANDMENT
“You must not murder” (Ex. 20:13, LB).
A. WHY DID GOD CREATE US?
God created us to worship and praise Him. “They that worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).
1. With an intellect to meaningfully worship.
2. With emotions to passionately worship.
3. With a will to freely worship.
B. GOD SETS A MORAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YOU AND HIM.
1. You put nothing before God. “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.”
2. You put nothing between God. “Thou shalt not make any carved idols.”
3. You reverence God. “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.”
4. You plan to worship God. “Remember to keep the Sabbath Day holy.”
C. WHAT IF SOMEONE BREAKS THAT RELATIONSHIP?
1. They trespass on holy ground.
2. Worship is internal; you can do it anytime, anywhere, under any circumstance.
3. If they kill you, you can no longer worship God or do His will. The murder is between God and them.
D. WHY THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT?
1. Murder cuts off worship.
2. God gives life, how can anyone presume to make God’s moral decision?
3. Murder destroys God’s image in people. “Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed, for in the image of God, made He man” (Gen. 9:6).
4. Murder is a crime against society. Government makes a law, i.e., a social contract to protect life.
5. God no longer receives praise, nor can God use the person who is murdered.
E. WHAT ELSE DOES THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT PROHIBIT?
1. Any thing that shortens or snuffs out life.
2. Some acts are certainly murder. Euthanasia, genocide, terrorist acts, suicide.
3. Are self-destructive acts considered murder by God? Alcohol, cigarettes, addictive drugs, anything that shortens life.
4. What about unintentional acts that shorten life? Withhold food, clothing, shelter, dangerous driving, dangerous habits, overeating, dangerous prescription drugs.
F. THE STANDARD FOR LIFE.
“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first
and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Matt. 22:37-39).
1. Spiritual and physical life are both precious treasures from God. If you do not have the physical, you cannot exercise the spiritual.
2. No second chance. Joyfully receive it and tenaciously protect life.
3. The ultimate expression of the Sixth Commandment is love. If you love them, you could not ever think of killing them.
4. What did Jesus include when He said, “Love others as we love ourselves?”
a. Self-love, i.e., love me.
b. Self-protecting, i.e., protect me
c. Self-exaltation, i.e., exalt me.
d. Self-protection, i.e., protect me.
e. Jesus meant we were to respect others and their obligation to love God, as you respect yourself.
5. Our ultimate love is God. We should love others with the love we have for God.
G. REVIEW: WHY IS MURDER WRONG?
1. Because of a person’s relationship to God.
2. Murder is more about God than it is about a law or a legal social contract with others.
3. When a nation forgets about God, all forms of murder become more prevalent.
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God. Please contact me at eltowns@liberty.edu and tell us about your salvation experience so that we can rejoice with you.
