“Respect Human Life.”
#6 Today, God says, “Respect Human Life.”
“And God spoke all these words: “You shall not murder. Exodus 20.1, 13
What does it mean to be ‘pro-life”? IS it simply a stance on issues around pregnancy? Not according to the Bible. To be pro-life, to reject murder has far-reaching implications that Jesus himself shares with us. But like the rest of these commandments, how is ‘you shall not murder’ to be acted on positively in a world still marked by brokenness, racism, prejudice, fear and violence?
Focus
– The commandment calls for love between people so that life will be honoured.
Function
– The challenge will be for the hearer to recognize how love transforms and how participating in murderous ways, everything from attitudes to violent action, deforms the human person.
Message
Drama – A Nice Guy
“And God spoke all these words: “You shall not murder. Exodus 20.1, 13
Murder. A harsh word. We hear it and read about it. We watch it almost daily if we view television or movies. And generally the reaction is – that’s wrong. Murder is awful. Murder is violence unleashed often in pathetically self-centered ways. People brutalized for what? Money, jealousy, hate.
And then we watch a drama that uses the word murder, yes murder for bullying. And is it just possible that our indignation now moves to a different thought. Bullying? Seriously! Let the kids figure it out, boys will be boys. Girls are just like that. Who was bullied in school? Statistics say that many of us were. And who knows in their heart that they were the bully?
And somewhere between outright killing and bullying lay a whole number of other ways that humans degrade – kill – each other. How about racism, gender inequality and gay bashing? How about verbal abuse and emotional abuse? The list is too long. There are just too many ways we hurt each other and it costs all of us something.
Murder robs a person of life. Murder robs a community of dignity. And murder, you shall not murder is a far more comprehensive commandment than we may think or care to admit. And it is a commandment that wants to answer the violence with a solution. In the movie Iron Man, one of the characters says to the effect that the only way to preserve peace is to have a bigger stick than the enemy. Sound familiar? That seems to be our way. Violence to control violence. The commandment points to another way. A better way.
In the sixth commandment, God is intrusting us to cherish, preserve and protect life.
Let’s see how that works. We’re going to look closely at the text and the surrounding context to see why God gave the command. Then we’ll take a hard look at what God is asking us in the commandment and finally we’ll look at how we can keep the commandment and discover the promise God has for us.
1. Why Did God Give The Commandment?
Simply put, God gave the commandment to impress on humanity the value of human life. Back in the day, back when Israel received these words, life was cheap. Slavery was their lot and life any other animal breeding program, the weak and injured were useless so they were left to beg or die. The strong were valued as long as they were strong and let’s not forget the high value placed on women by the oppressor: breeding stock. Just like a cow or sheep.
God says no. Let my people go. They are more valuable than that. All people are. Are they? Has much changed in our world? Thousands left to die in Myanmar, sex slaves in Thailand and imported into Canada? They needed this command then and we still need it today.
In giving the command God says that human life is precious. Incredibly valuable. Looking back to Genesis 9 we hear his words to Noah and the rest of us:
Genesis 9.5-6 “And from each human being, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of another human being
6“Whoever sheds human blood,
by human beings shall their blood be shed
for in the image of God
has God made humankind“ (Genesis 1.27)
Human life is so precious that only human life is as precious. There is no other way to compensate for loss of life. And rather than being a brutal retaliation, God is saying respect life! It costs too much to deface.
And notice too, the general nature of these words. There is no distinction made between those who are worth and those who are not. All life is precious. Criminals and law abiding citizens alike. No crime is so heinous that the person quits bearing God’s image. No person is ever beyond God’s power to redeem. How big is our God?
2 Peter 3.10 “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
God loves life. Only God has the ability to make life and only God has the authority to take life. God gave the commandment so that humanity would remember that life is precious, to be cherished.
2 What is God Commanding us to do?
Again, very clearly, God expects us to cherish human life. Let’s take a closer look at the text. It’s only two words long and with grammar taken into account, literally means ‘you must not kill.’ Kill or murder? Strictly translated the best choice is murder. The word means slay, assassinate, murder. So it includes what we call first degree murder, second degree murder and man slaughter. And it would also include suicide, physician assisted suicide, abortion, active euthanasia but not war.
Moreover, the ban on murder has no modifying conditions: taking one’s own life or ending someone else’s for purposes of “mercy” do not qualify as allowable exceptions. (Douglas Stuart)
I can’t go further with some of those contemporary concerns but I do have some reading for those who are interested.
The text of Exodus 21 expands and illustrates these nuances of the commandment.
1. Exodus 21
14 But if anyone schemes and kills someone deliberately that person is to be taken from my altar and put to death.
15“Anyone who attacks1 their father or mother is to be put to death.
16“Anyone who kidnaps someone is to be put to death, whether the victim has been sold or is still in the kidnapper’s possession.
20“Anyone who beats their male or female slave with a rod must be punished if the slave dies as a direct result, 21but they are not to be punished if the slave recovers after a day or two, since the slave is their property.
22“If people are fighting and a pregnant woman is hit and gives birth prematurely3 but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman’s husband demands and the court allows. 23But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, 24eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.
26“An owner who hits a male or female slave in the eye and destroys it must let the slave go free to compensate for the eye. 27And an owner who knocks out the tooth of a male or female slave must let the slave go free to compensate for the tooth.
28“If a bull gores a man or a woman to death, the bull is to be stoned to death, and its meat must not be eaten. But the owner of the bull will not be held responsible. 29If, however, the bull has had the habit of goring and the owner has been warned but has not kept it penned up and it kills a man or woman, the bull is to be stoned and its owner also is to be put to death.
These laws may seem brutal but remember that laws come to address what isn’t right in culture. These laws are very progressive for their time and we still see direct ties to them in our own legal system.
There is one thing buried in the text that I want to highlight. Note verse 23, the ‘eye for an eye’ passage. That was probably the most revolutionary text of all. Thinking of our present legal system helps. Imagine a crime like the bull goring someone. Isn’t it true that a wealthy man can easily pay a fine than a poor man? Isn’t it true that financial power often leads to the appearance of injustice? In this command God is saying over and over that not only life is precious but equally precious. When a famous person is convicted, don’t we expect them to receive the same penalty as a nameless person? And when that doesn’t happen, how do we feel?
This law says two things: the punishment must fir the crime and that God considers us all equal. And that is the first thing we ought to consider: all are equal and deserving of life.
The second thing God wants us to consider is that the law also includes non-violent acts. We return to the drama, racism and gay bashing.
For this understanding we fast-forward five hundred years within the Bible to matthew 5. Jesus the perfect interpreter of scripture sheds a little more light on the 6th commandment. As with all the rest, Jesus desire s that we see a trajectory in scripture. There is a start point, the basics but they are all going somewhere fuller, more complete.
Matthew 5 21“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca’ is answerable to the Sanhedrin. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.
The trajectory is that the deep attitudes about human life and it’s value are just that deep. The original word curbed behavior these words cut to the heart to transform life itself. Note well: anger, an emotion whether justified or not has a tendency to slander or insult. The word raca is term of contempt or off-color insult. Which in turn, if left festering long enough becomes outright disrespect or distain for another child of the Father.
What Jesus is saying is that though we may never physically harm another, we may well have murder in our hearts and it’s just as deadly. To ourselves and to that person. An old adult Sunday school curriculum states it all very well:
Q. What is God's will for you
in the sixth commandment?
A. 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;^1
rather, I am to put away all desire for revenge.^2
I am not to harm or recklessly endanger myself either.^3
Prevention of murder is also why
government is armed with the sword.^4
^1 Gen. 9:6; Lev. 19:17-18; Matt. 5:21-22; 26:52
^2 Prov. 25:21-22; Matt. 18:35; Rom. 12:19; Eph. 4:26
^3 Matt. 4:7; 26:52; Rom. 13:11-14
^4 Gen. 9:6; Ex. 21:14; Rom. 13:4
What God is commanding is that we change our attitude toward human life and begin cherishing life by how we think and respond to others. Moving on.
3. How can we keep the commandment?
There really is only one way. The commandment requires more than we can do alone. Humanity can keep the commandment by grace, love and intention. And it all begins with grace, with Jesus of Nazareth.
Humanity is called by Christ by grace into grace. All the death and destruction he took to the cross. That blood requirement we read about in Genesis is paid in his sacrifice. That is a part of grace. And because the debt is paid we are called to live as graced beings.
John 13. 34“A new command. I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
We are called into the new life of cherishing life. And we can do it because of Jesus life changing love in us. Never forget that the one in us is enough. We can do it.
And in this new life, the first change we often experience is grief, remorse. For what - for sin - for the pain of brokenness. And get this it’s not for the pain we’ve received but for what we’ve caused! Jesus died for our sin, only by my neighbour’s good fortune did Jesus also die for her. Grief and remorse over sin. Grief and remorse over our lack of love, must follow. Is it not true that we have a terrible disposition to think less of others to become angry or defensive? To treat those who are other just as the boy was treated who ended up at the end of a rope?
We ought to feel grief over our inability to love and open wide our mouths that God may grant his Spirit to fill us with love to overflowing. That’s the change Jesus brings to us. Repentance and filling so that love may flow through us.
That’s the first way we keep this commandment: dependence on Christ.
Second, we keep the commandment by cherishing the training ground we’ve been given. Love is possible because Jesus gave us his love and because we learn what this love is in his accompanying gift. His community, his body, our fellowship of believers. The relationships we have here can be at the same time exhilarating and confusing, painful and delightful. But the bond of the Spirit, gives us grace to be together and learn how begin the way of seeing all life as sacred. And the challenge of doing it here will do so much to prepare us for the challenge of doing it wherever we find ourselves tomorrow or late Thursday afternoon.
Romans 13 8Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. 9The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Lev 19.18) 10Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
Fulfilled in love, the commandment wants more than an end to violence. The commandment tells us that we have a debt a sacred responsibility to be the body. We are all indebted to one another: to love, to speak truthfully, to care for, to encourage and to cherish. And what joy we have when we do this even just a little.
People of Jesus, Love calls us to always to care, never to kill.
And last, the way we live the commandment is in our action.
Because fulfilled love is on the move. Love happens when we help our neighbor to live and live well. Back to Matthew 5. Where Jesus powerfully applies the word for our life.
Matthew 5 23“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to that person; then come and offer your gift.
The text is direct, calling for reconciliation within the community. Note the text does not say if you have an issue with someone. Rather it says that if someone has an issue with you, go. That is, in practical terms, the offended person is the one who seeks out reconciliation. Wacky right? That’s not how it usually goes, is it. That’s Jesus he always does that. Turns things on their heads. Anyone can go and apologize but a Christ lover actually has the power to forgive without the other person’s prior apology. Do we see just how radical the word is? How world changing this stuff is? How much God really wants for us and has given us!
Are we living it truly? Is there an issue, a person that has something against you? Do you know it or suspect it? Are you willing to walk the Jesus way to reconciliation, or at least the attempt? And will you be received with grace? If we start having conversations and someone says I think . . . will you receive that person and see what God can do? Be reconciled, Jesus is seldom ambiguous. Love one another isn’t a suggestion. HE died so that we can do it. And we can.
And this passion to experience reconciliation gets taken out of our fellowship into our world. Once we know the joy of it, we want to share it, right. So then when we see the plight of Myanmar or China, when we open our eyes to the reality of bullying and intervene with love. There are so many ways that we can live the commandment. So many opportunities to address the needs of our world. So many millions with AIDS rejected as dangerous, worthless? So many new migrants into Canada bringing vitality and the constant reminder of God’s creative diversity! So many so much and the limitless love of God flowing through his people. Through us?
There must be a million ways to help our neighbor live well. Can we all slow down this week and add just one more? Help one more neighbor to live well, to know they are cherished, even just for a moment? A card, a hello, let someone into the line of traffic. We have the light of life. So many live in darkness, in a cruel world. Be light! Always to care, never to kill.
C. In the sixth commandment, God is promising to end all hostility.
The commandment is an endorsement for every person to have life.
John 10.10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full”
Life in relationship with Christ and with others. Life in a diverse world where difference is cherished along with similarity. Life in spite of the fact that there will always be those who reject it, the author of it and the reconciliation He offers.
But that should never discourage us because the command is a promise there is a time coming when war will cease and murder will end and God will make good on all he has promised on all that we see glimpses of now but long for more.
It’s the kingdom life of reconciling love that we’ve been given. Let’s pray together for more of it:
The Lord’s Prayer . . . . .
----
1 Or kills
3 Or and has a miscarriage