#8 Life is Precious

The 6th commandment - Thou shalt not kill declares to us the value that God puts on life. Life is precious hence in God's judgment against murder we see His justice. But since murder is at root a heart issue it also includes hatred (1 John 3:15), unrighteous anger (Matt. 5:21-22) bitterness, unwillingness to forgive (Eph. 4:31) and even indifference to the needs of others (1John 3:17). God is not only expressing the way He expects us to live, He is also explaining Himself to us. He is not the god of death but of the life. Therefore, God not only expresses the value of life in His justice by judgment but also in His mercy and grace. For we ourselves were once foolish...hating one another, but when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, He save us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit whom He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior (Titus 3:3-6).