![]() When we seethe with rage that is unjust and unchecked, we have broken the sixth commandment (Matt. God's Fifth Commandment says 'Thou Shalt Not Kill.' This includes the killing of the unborn. The commandment deals with inward realities as well - in this case, those inner attitudes that, if left unchecked, will result in murder. This is also why the only hope for this most difficult issue is the 'wake up' call of God's Law and the cleansing and healing of God's Holy Gospel. John Calvin reminds us that “in the Law human life is instructed not merely in outward decency but inward spiritual righteousness” (Institutes of the Christian Religion 2.8.6). Yet to say that we have kept this commandment if we merely refrain from murder would be to miss the spirit of this particular law. Under the new covenant, the right to administer capital punishment is given to the state, not the church (Rom. Other crimes may be punished less severely, but, at least in principle, the premeditated murder of another human being must always be repaid in kind with the execution of the murderer (Num. By this statute, God tells us that respect for life, especially that of our neighbor, is to animate every ethical decision that we make. Our Creator puts such a high value on human life that those who take it unjustly forfeit their own right to live. It is the sixth of the ten commandments God gave to Moses on. Early on in His dealings with mankind, the Lord revealed that those who shed innocent blood must themselves be put to death at the hands of the rightful authorities (Gen. Certain people that promote animal rights and vegetarianism push the idea that killing animals is not allowed in the Bible according to the sixth commandment thou shall not kill (Exodus 20: 13). Thou Shalt Not Kill is probably the best known English translation of the best known commandment. Perhaps the best example of this is capital punishment. Moreover, in certain cases killing is not only allowed, it is mandated. This command must refer to unlawful killing because there are, in fact, several occasions in Scripture where God orders His people to take the lives of others. However, the term kill in English does not actually capture the full nuance of the Hebrew term, which is more akin to the specific act of unlawful killing, also known as murder. You have heard that the ancients were told, YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER and Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court. Many of us probably have heard or memorized this statute as “Thou shalt not kill,” which is an acceptable translation. It is important that we understand that this commandment refers to murder, not to all killing. The prohibition against murder is foundational not only to regulating life in the covenant community but also for ensuring a just society. You shall not kill is the sixth commandment among the Ten Commandments. Returning to our examination of how the themes of the old covenant are fulfilled in the new, we pick up our study of the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20:13 with the sixth commandment.
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