You Shall Not Murder: The Sanctity of Life
In this Session, we will discuss the sixth commandment: You shall not murder.
We will see how this commandment teaches us:
God is the author of life and death
Life is to be protected and honored in the womb
Life is to be protected and preserved until natural death
Part 1
You Shall Not Murder
Key Points from Part 1
The point of the words “You shall not murder” is
That we not murder other people (the specific commandment)
That we value human life (the principle/moral category).
Review Questions
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To commit first degree murder of another person(s).
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To slander, insult, and curse others.
Key Points from Part 2
What God says about how life should be treated is the decisive truth.
Governments, cultures, and people can either acknowledge the truth of God’s Word and act according to His rules, or we can suppress that truth in favor of a lie.
To not protect people who are made in God’s image is an assault on the God in whose image they are made.
Life is to be protected and honored both at the beginning and the end: Abortion.
Under the OT law, murder of unborn life was a capital offense.
Christians have opposed abortion since the earliest days of the Church.
Obedience to God’s commands is meant to maximize human flourishing, not restrict it.
Review Questions
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God, alone, decides how we are to value human life.
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Humans are made in God’s image, and therefore human life is more sacred than any other life.
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Yes, as found in Exodus 21:23-24.
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The Church has always opposed abortion, as demonstrated by writings dating from the first and second centuries.
Key Points from Lesson 3
Killing is never a means of caring
Euthanasia is the act of intentionally ending the life of a person who is elderly, terminally ill, or suffering from some incurable injury or disease.
When people are coming to the end of their lives, we should maximize care toward them, rather than eliminating people who may be in pain.
It’s never right for us to assume the role of God and decide when life should begin, or when life should end.
Review Questions
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The act of intentionally ending the life of a person who is elderly, terminally ill, or suffering from some incurable injury or disease.
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Not necessarily. We are saved by faith alone in Jesus Christ, not faith plus not committing suicide. Suicide is a sin, but it would not kick someone out of the family of God.
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God, alone.
Part 4
The Death Penalty
Key Points from Part 4
Scripture makes clear that the death penalty is sometimes - not only justified - but the righteous course of action.
Murder does not just offend the person murdered, it is a slight against the holiness of God’s image on that person.
Therefore, God says that “first degree murder” should be met with the ultimate penality.
This does not mean that people take justice into their own hands, rather this is to be carried out through a justice system informed by God’s righteousness.
Review Questions
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No. God designed the death penalty to be used in specific circumstances and administered by the State.
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The sin of first degree murder.
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There is room for disagreement among Christians when it comes to the nature, use, and effectiveness of the death penalty.
Questions for Further Discussion
In 1-2 sentences, describe the meaning of the sixth commandment.
What are ways that you have broken this commandment? In what ways does our culture agree and disagree with God’s command here?
What does God require of governments regarding the issue of abortion? What does He expect of individual people?
Is there a difference between euthanizing someone nearing death verses pulling the plug? What could make these two scenarios different?
Read Genesis 9:5-6. What do you think this means for our society today? What makes this issue complex and divisive?