The Sixth Commandment

The Sixth Commandment
Exodus 20.13

A. WHAT IS GOD SAYING?
kill? murder?

B. WHY DO WE NEED THIS COMMANDMENT?

1.  Life belongs to God:  OT

    Genesis 1.3, 20ff
    Genesis 2.17
    Genesis 3.4
    Genesis 4.8
    Genesis 4.23
    Genesis 9.6

2.  Life belongs to God:  NT

    Matthew 19.16-18a
    Romans 13.8-10
    James 2.8-11

C. WHAT DOES THIS COMMANDMENT MEAN?

1.  Do not take your own life

2.  Do not take the life of another unjustly

    a.  Self defense
                 Exodus 22.2
    b.  Just war
                 Genesis 14
    c.  Capital punishment
                 Genesis 9.6
    d.  Abortion, euthanasia

3.  Do not do anything that leads to suicide or murder	I am not to belittle, insult, hate, or kill my neighbor--not by my thoughts, my words, my look or gesture, and certainly not by actual deeds--and I am not to be party to this in others; rather, I am to put away all desire for revenge. I am not to harm or recklessly 				endanger myself either.  [HC Q105]

    a.  Matthew 5.21-22
    b.  James 4.1-2
    c.  James 5.1-6
    d.  1 John 3.15

4.  Make every effort to preserve your own life and the lives of others

    By condemning envy, hatred, and anger God tells us to love our neighbors as ourselves, to be patient, peace-loving, gentle, merciful, and friendly to them, to protect them from harm as much as we can, and to do good even to our enemies.  [HC Q107]