Life and Love
You shall not murder
Luther's Explanation for the
Fifth Commandment in his Small Catechism: We should fear and love
God so that we do not harm our neighbor. . . but help and support him
in every physical need.
God commands us in the fifth commandment that we should respect and promote life.
Just what is God getting at in this commandment? Jesus interpreted this commandment for His disciples and showed us that that the beginning of understanding this commandment is not in our outward action but in our inward thinking.
Jesus said, " " You have heard that the ancients were told, 'YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER' and 'Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court. ‘But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, 'You good-for-nothing,' shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, 'You fool,' shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell." -- Matthew 5:21-22
Almost everyone agrees that murder is evil. But are we on safe ground to say that hatred is as serious in God’s eyes as is murder? Let’s ask the Apostle John.
NAB 1 John 3:15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
Jesus did not minimize the evil of taking a life. But what He did do was show us that we need to look inside ourselves. For our outward actions begin in our hearts.
NAB Matthew 15:19 "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders.
The Bible is full of stories of how hatred has wrecked the lives of people. Perhaps one of the best known stories is that of Cain and Abel. Cain was a great blessing to his parents, Adam and Eve. Eve named her firstborn Cain because it means to bring forth. She said with the Lord’s help I have brought forth a man. It is quite possible that she was hoping that in Cain was the seed promised that would crush the serpent who had so wickedly tricked her. What a terrible disappointment Cain would be. For Cain was selfish before the Lord and wanted to serve himself. And when the Lord looked with favor upon his brother Abel, Cain’s heart was filled with jealousy. And out of his heart rose the first murder. We can imagine the pain Adam and Eve must have felt. And even Cain had to live with the knowledge that in the heat of anger he had taken the life of his own brother.
In your anger do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, --- Ephesians 4:26
Anger in and of itself is not a sin. It is an emotional reaction when something or someone that is important to us is threatened. But God knows that because of the corruption of sin in our hearts it gives us a weakness. Our first gut reaction when we get angry is often to strike back or even to strike first before we get hurt. But God warns us not to strike in our anger. No good comes of it. Only harm and damage to ourselves, to others, and to relationships. God warned Cain about his anger. {Gen 4:6-7} telling him his anger would destroy him if he did not subdue it. Cain did not listen? Will we allow Satan to use our anger to lead us into destructive sin?
God has a different vision for our lives. He desires us to be a community of love. A group of His children who love and care for one another at every opportunity, even those we do not like. for in so doing we grow and prosper.
NAB Romans 12:20 "but if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head."
God’s vision for our lives
includes His people being merciful, kind, and forgiving toward one another.
NAB Ephesians 4:32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.
This vision is ultimately what lead Jesus to sacrifice His life for us. God knew the terrible damage that we were inflicting upon ourselves and others because of our anger and hatred. Jesus chose to come to earth as flesh that He might make His vision a reality for us. He knew that He would be hated. He knew that He would be despised. He knew people would get angry at Him and murder Him. But He came willingly to offer His life, a sacrifice for our own. He gave His own life to free us from the power of our own dislike, anger, jealousy, and even hatred so that we would not strike out and harm one another nor be struck at by others. Christ came that we might know love. His love for us so great that He would give His life to forgive our sins. He came that through His mercy and the new life it brings, we might know brotherly and sisterly love.
NAB John 13:34 "A new
commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I
have loved you, that you also love one another.
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Rev. David D. Reedy 2002
Prince
of Peace Lutheran Church
Dayton Tennessee
423.775.4253
Prince of Peace is a LCMS congregation located in Rhea County Tennessee, serving the entire county of some 32,000 people.