Sabbath Study: Thou shalt not Kill

 Sabbath Study: Thou shalt not Kill

07/11/20

Blessed Sabbath family and friends, the subject today touches on the serious matter of our relationships with each other. "Thou shalt not Kill" Exodus 20:13. The sixth commandment although brief, it is broad and encompasses both the mental element (mens rea) and the actions (actus reus). The western legal framework for determining guilt works on the principle that "an act does not make a person guilty unless (their) mind is also guilty"; hence, the general test of guilt is one that requires proof of fault, culpability or blameworthiness both in thought and action. The Scriptures however does not work on the definition of guilt which the world uses as stated above which is the legal philosophy framed by Sir Edward Coke (1552-1634), the Scriptures teach that God who is the rightful Judge reads the mind and will convict the transgressor for crimes committed in their mind though missing the actus reus (For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:... Proverbs 23:7). Today as we will discuss that the heinous crime of murder which is manifested in various forms,we will see that hatred towards another, backbiting, stinginess,intemperance, revenge and unforgiveness is  equally the sin of Cain which we should not trivialise. Rightly defined, murder is any act (in the mind or in actuality) that takes away the Life of another. Today is fifth day since the US 2020 elections and we see that tribalism, racism and hate is the current state of affairs, shall Christians imbibe in this spirit from the bottomless pit? "Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him" 1 John 3:15.

Christ in making the Law of God honourable, expanded the narrow view of the sixth commandment."The law itself would have no glory were it not that Christ is embodied in it. The revelation of Jesus Christ cast its glory back into the Jewish age. The law had no power to save. It was lustreless, only as Christ was represented in the law as the One full of righteousness and truth" BEcho August 4, 1902. Through the righteousness of Christ in the Law, our narrow view of the Law would make our orthodoxy a curse to the world, the murderer would remain without rebuke and forms of righteousness would be used as clocks to deceive. "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift" Matthew 5:21-24.

"All acts of injustice that tend to shorten life; the spirit of hatred and revenge, or the indulgence of any passion that leads to injurious acts toward others, or causes us even to wish them harm (for “whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer”); a selfish neglect of caring for the needy or suffering; all self-indulgence or unnecessary deprivation or excessive labor that tends to injure health—all these are, to a greater or less degree, violations of the sixth commandment. PP 308.5

The looking glass (The Law) helps us understand the broad view of the sixth commandment which has it's origins in the heart. " A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh" Luke 6:45. "Christ treats anger as murder... Passionate words are a savor of death unto death. He who utters them is not cooperating with God to save his fellowman. In heaven this wicked railing is placed in the same list as common swearing. While hatred is cherished in the soul there is not one iota of the love of God there" Lt 102, 1901.

In prophetic view, Jesus revealed to John the Revelator the workings of the spirit of hate which crucified and is working in darkness to persecute God's children. "And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth" Revelation 6:8. It was Popery that killed Christians and this spirit is raising again to repeat it's tyranny to seat herself as queen above kings of the earth. "Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols" Revelation 2:20. This Jezebel and Herodias will not rest until the head of John is on a plate, these enemies of God's servants hate the constant rebuke that comes from the sincere messengers of the Decalogue. The spirit of mystery Babylon the great, the mother of harlots begins with the nursing of poisonous wrath which often comes from wounded pride."Many look at things on their darkest side; they magnify their supposed grievances, nurse their wrath, and are filled with revengeful, hateful feelings, when in truth they had no real cause for these feelings.... Resist these wrong feelings, and you will experience a great change in your association with your fellowmen" The Youth’s Instructor, November 10, 1886.  

Impatience which we see in the USA and around the world will produce a baleful harves. "What harm is wrought in the family circle by the utterance of impatient words, for the impatient utterance of one leads another to retort in the same spirit and manner. Then come words of retaliation, words of self-justification, and it is by such words that a heavy, galling yoke is manufactured for your neck; for all these bitter words will come back in a baleful harvest to your soul.—The Review and Herald, February 27, 1913.

Hard words beat upon the heart through the ear, awakening to life the worst passions of the soul and tempting men and women to break God’s commandments Words are as seeds which are planted.—Lt 105, 1893. - 2MCP 518.2

Gossip and backbiting is  murder, many have been let down to the grave by the malicious use of the tongue to burn others for self serving purposes."The north wind driveth away rain: so doth an angry countenance a backbiting tongue" Proverbs 25:23. Without the life giving rain, the souls of many have been left in bitter drought which withers its life support. Gossip and talebearing is like cannibalism, "We think with horror of the cannibal who feasts on the still warm and trembling flesh of his victim; but are the results of even this practice more terrible than are the agony and ruin caused by misrepresenting motive, blackening reputation, dissecting character? Let the children, and the youth as well, learn what God says about these things: “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” AH 440.5.

"The spirit of gossip and talebearing is one of Satan’s special agencies to sow discord and strife, to separate friends, and to undermine the faith of many in the truthfulness of our positions" Testimonies For The Church 4, 195. 

God calls upon believers to cease finding fault, to cease making hasty, unkind speeches. Parents, let the words that you speak to your children be kind and pleasant, that angels may have your help in drawing them to Christ. A thorough reformation is needed in the home church. Let it begin at once. Let all grumbling and fretting and scolding cease. Those who fret and scold shut out the angels of heaven and open the door to evil angels. AH 441.3

He that is slow to anger,” says the wise man, “is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit, than he that taketh a city.” The man or woman who preserves the balance of the mind when tempted to indulge passion stands higher in the sight of God and heavenly angels than the most renowned general that ever led an army to battle and to victory. Said a celebrated emperor when on his dying bed, “Among all my conquests there is but one which affords me any consolation now, and that is the conquest I have gained over my own turbulent temper.” Alexander and Caesar found it easier to subdue a world than to subdue themselves. After conquering nation after nation, they fell—one of them “the victim of intemperance, the other of mad ambition.” CG 95.3.

It is wisdom therefore to meet anger Met with silence, silence is eloquent "There is a wonderful power in silence. When impatient words are spoken to you, do not retaliate. Words spoken in reply to one who is angry usually act as a whip, lashing the temper into greater fury. But anger met by silence quickly dies away. Let the Christian bridle his tongue, firmly resolving not to speak harsh, impatient words. With the tongue bridled, he may be victorious in every trial of patience through which he is called to pass" The Review and Herald, October 31, 1907. 

Finally brothers and sisters, we should purpose in our hearts not to defile others and ourselves with the spirit from the bottomless pit which takes life away. "Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law" Romans 13:8-10.

To be continued... Sabbath blessings once again