“For He who said, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ also said, ‘Do not murder.’”
also said, ‘Do not murder.’
Murder is the taking of another human life illegally with premeditation. Murder is more than killing another person. The Bible justifies the killing of an individual by the government (Ro 13:9) or by an individual in war.
Protection from being killed is another principle of freedom in the 10 commandments. If we walk about in our society with a sense of safety, we enjoy society’s freedom.
Jesus reiterates the prohibition against murder (Mt 19:18). He indicated that hate for a person is deemed murder (Mt 5:21-22; 1 Jn 3:15).
The book of Exodus justifies homicide when a thief breaks in a night (22:2-3).
PRINCIPLE:
All sin first incubates in the mind.
APPLICATION:
Murder always begins with the incubation of anger and resentment in the mind. We do not arbitrarily fall into violence and murder; it always comes from a heart of hate. When we fantasize about sins we would like to commit, we set ourselves up for a fall.
Mt 15:18-19, “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.”
If we wish revenge on an enemy or wish them hurt, we condition ourselves for further sin. Sins of chronic behavior show our essential character.
David committed both sins of adultery and murder. He did not confess those sins for over a year. He did eventually repent of these sins when Nathan confronted him (2 Sa 12:1-23). David wrote both Psalms 32 and 51, indicating his repentance over committing those sins.
1 Kings 15:5, “…because David did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, and had not turned aside from anything that He commanded him all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.”
God held David morally responsible for the death of Uriah, although David’s direct role was limited to giving the orders to do it (2 Sa 11-12).
