Death to Murder!
Ten Commandments
August 11, 2024
Rev. Dr. Gabe Sylvia
The sermon explains that the Sixth Commandment ('You shall not murder') affirms God's ownership of life, condemns unlawful killing and the heart sins (anger, envy) that lead to it, and calls Christians to mercy, prayer, and faithful witness so lives may praise God.
Summary
Using Cain's murder of Abel and Jesus' teaching in Matthew 5:22, the sermon teaches that murder is always connected to God because life is His gift given to praise Him; unlawful taking of life (including abortion, assisted suicide, and suicide) is therefore sinful and bears the penalty of death in biblical justice, while accidental killing or self-defense are manslaughter. The commandment not only prohibits killing but requires active obedience: pray for enemies, do them good, show mercy and patience, and seek Gospel opportunities. Distinguishing murder from manslaughter clarifies pastoral responses, and our obedience preserves lives and opens the way for redemption. The message closes by linking right living to participation in the Lord's Supper and calling believers to come worthily in dependence on Christ's grace.
Key Points
- Cain's murder of Abel shows how anger, jealousy, and rejection of God lead to unlawful killing
- Exodus 20:13 (the Sixth Commandment) declares that God, who gives life so it may praise Him, determines when life ends
- 'Murder' in Scripture means unlawfully taking human life, distinct from killing animals or wartime death
- The biblical penalty for unlawful killing is death, reflecting God's prerogative over life and universal justice
- Jesus (Matthew 5:22) links anger, insults, and reviling to the roots of murder and condemns those attitudes
- Accidental killing and self-defense fit biblical categories of manslaughter, not murder
- Physician-assisted suicide, suicide, and abortion are presented as unlawful and sinful takings of human life
- Obedience to the commandment requires active mercy: pray for enemies, do them good, endure patiently, and seek their good
- Showing Christlike love preserves opportunities for Gospel conversations and redemption
- The sermon ties this obedience to participation in the Lord's Supper and calls believers to come worthily, relying on grace and prayer
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