Sound The Trumpet : The Sixth Commandment

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“The Sixth Commandment”
by Ian C. Kurylyk
March 2nd, 2013

“Thou shalt not kill” (Exodus 20:13).

It is important to understand that the commandments are only brief statements of very broad principles of righteousness. Jesus expounded this sixth commandment in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5). He showed that there are many kinds of self-centered hateful actions that violate that command. He was correcting the deficient view of righteousness that would clear a man of breaking the sixth commandment as long as he never actually plunged the murder’s knife into his victim.

Solomon recognized the tongue as an instrument of murder. “The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly” (Proverbs 26:22). Malicious gossip breaks the command, thou shalt not kill. He goes on to show that the root crime is “hatred” (Proverbs 26:24-28).

Hate of course is in conflict with the fundamental requirement of God’s law for us to love our neighbour as ourselves. The Apostle Paul said, “Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law” (Romans 13:10). Killing stands at the head of a long list of evildoing toward others which are all rooted in hatred.

Hatred is characterized by malice that desires evil upon others. Love seeks for true good, even if it is misunderstood or unappreciated. The Bible teaches us that love must be without dissimulation (hypocrisy). Love must work for the real good of another or it is a fake. “Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good” (Romans 12:9). Love even necessarily involves a measure of hate in that it abhors evil. It is not a “hate crime” to stand against the things that lead to the ruination of lives.

In light of the Bible’s teaching of what is comprehended in the command not to kill, we all stand convicted of countless violations. In contrast, we have the Bible truth, “God is love” (I John 4:8b). In fact, even when man was killing God’s only begotten Son by crucifixion, God was working for man’s greatest good. Man’s part in that death revealed the sinful hate that plagues the human heart. In the same event God’s love was being made known by the price He was willing to pay for our salvation. His sacrifice even paid the penalty for the sins of the very ones who nailed Him there. God offers this love to every guilty sinner today who will receive the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour.

We should note in closing that there are some aspects of killing that are not unlawful. The key to the commandment is hatred so that it has the sense that man shall do no murder. Killing animals for human consumption is clearly not unlawful for many reasons. The Bible shows God’s approval in many places of killing animals and eating meat. He could not be forbidding in one part of His Word what He approves in another. There is no element of malice in animal slaughter. There is often a measure of sadness. Animals are not made in the image of God like mankind was, so butchering beef or chickens does not touch on the issue of the sanctity of human life.

Even human lives may be taken in certain situations according to the Bible. In war our soldiers are not guilty of murder when they take the life of the enemy. God also gave lawful government the right to uphold justice by the death penalty when murder is committed. No hate is involved, simply the maintenance of justice by lawfully appointed representatives of the state. The maintenance of law and order by rulers is authorized by God. “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 13:4b).

Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13