Central CC of Fresno

Sanctity of Life; the Violence of Sin

Exodus 20:13

June 3, 2012

“You shall Not Murder.”

The Ten Commandments have a structure:

1— 4   Responsibilities toward God

            (thoughts, words, deeds.)

6— 10 Responsibilities toward people

            (deeds, words, thoughts.)

It all belongs together in a balanced whole that can't be divided.  It is the law of God.  God expects us to take the spiritual instruction of the first 4 seriously.  The way we live out the second half reflects how serious we are about our relationship with God.

John declares, ²⁰ If anyone boasts, "I love God," and goes right on hating his brother or sister, thinking nothing of it, he is a liar. If he won't love the person he can see, how can he love the God he can't see? ²¹ The command we have from Christ is blunt: Loving God includes loving people. You've got to love both.   1 John 4:20-21 (MSG)

This commandment is not about judicial execution (for murder) and not about killing in war.  Whatever you think about the capital punishment (death penalty) can't be used to argue that.  This is about God’s view that human life is holy, because it is God’s gift, and because we bear God’s image.  To end it is God’s choice alone.

It also rules out cruelty to another person—the kind that weakens or shortens a person’s life. 

Any crime against a person is included here, including abortion, suicide, and euthanasia

Jesus said it this way, “Matthew 5:21-22 (MSG)     ²¹ "You're familiar with the command to the ancients, 'Do not murder.' ²² I'm telling you that anyone who is so much as angry with a brother or sister is guilty of murder. Carelessly call a brother 'idiot!' and you just might find yourself hauled into court. Thoughtlessly yell 'stupid!' at a sister and you are on the brink of hellfire. The simple moral fact is that words kill.”