16 July 2005, Thou Shalt not Kill
16 July 2005
Now we enter firmly into the “Thou shalt nots.” “Do not murder is pretty straight forward, but can lead into exploration of other subjects.
First, the commandment read, “do not murder,” not as some would have it, “do not kill.” The Torah, as a whole demands justice, and evening up the scales so to speak. There are five crimes for which the penalty was death. They were murder, rape, working on the Sabbath, homosexual acts and adultery. Why these particular acts and not others? I believe to some extent, because each of these acts truly desecrates the image of God, of whom we are made in his image. Punishments in the Bible were not placed to keep people from committing crime. Note, prisons in the Bible are usually used for what we would call political prisoners, not for punishment. Not once in the Torah (or anywhere else in the Bible for that matter) does it suggest that people should be punished by being sent to gaol. Punishment is a matter of retribution and justice. Death penalty for the rapist or murderer. The thief had to return the stolen property (or its monetary value) and then some.
This is something in our “modern” society that we have forgotten, is that the scales must be balanced. Yes we are saved through grace and the blood of Jesus, but we must make amends for our wrong doings. We must learn to apologise, to admit our wrong doings, and when we hurt someone make amends.
Indeed, for Christians, it is even tougher. Jesus tells us that to hate someone is equivalent to murder. In fact to paraphrase what Jesus says about adultery, if anyone should kill someone in his heart, then he has already killed them. That is bad news for us. Sometimes we hate, thinking we are doing the right thing. It is popular today to say, “hate the sin, but love the sinner,” but this is not always easy to accomplish. Here we must rely on the grace of God. Love your enemy, feed him and give him drink and clothe him are instructions not only found from the New Testament, but in the Tanakh as well. We must not be guided by our feelings (as Obeywon Kanobe tells Luke Skywalker), but by faith and the word of God. Loving our neighbour is not a warm fuzzy feeling in our heart. It is seeing to his or her needs when they are in need, as did the “Good Samaritan.” God will honour our actions and give us the feelings at the appropriate time.
Worse today in our society we kill through kindness. There are many in our society who are doomed to an eternity of Hell, because we say naught. And why don’t we. Well, it might be embarrassing, or everyone has the right to believe the way they wish, or the Bible doesn’t really mean that that is sin, after all we live in modern times. We through our inaction condemn many to death. Do we tell the adulterer, the active homosexual, the drunk, the glutton, the dainty eater, the idolater, that Jesus can make them into a new creation, or do we take the political correct stance and say nothing, or even worse incorporate their sin into church. Many of us are responsible for sending many to hell, to eternal death because of our silence.
For those of us from Anglican backgrounds, especially English, this kind of murder is quite easy because religion is such a private thing, something not to be shared or discussed. As I recall the rules from West Point, a gentleman cadet and officer does not discuss religion or politics, but what more important thing to discuss than the prospect of eternal life?
My friends, I encourage you to ask God to send his Holy Spirit into your heart so that you may lead people to life, and not leave them to death.
Shalom and blessings in the Name of Yeshua
+Mar Michael Abportus
mjthan@quik.com
Now we enter firmly into the “Thou shalt nots.” “Do not murder is pretty straight forward, but can lead into exploration of other subjects.
First, the commandment read, “do not murder,” not as some would have it, “do not kill.” The Torah, as a whole demands justice, and evening up the scales so to speak. There are five crimes for which the penalty was death. They were murder, rape, working on the Sabbath, homosexual acts and adultery. Why these particular acts and not others? I believe to some extent, because each of these acts truly desecrates the image of God, of whom we are made in his image. Punishments in the Bible were not placed to keep people from committing crime. Note, prisons in the Bible are usually used for what we would call political prisoners, not for punishment. Not once in the Torah (or anywhere else in the Bible for that matter) does it suggest that people should be punished by being sent to gaol. Punishment is a matter of retribution and justice. Death penalty for the rapist or murderer. The thief had to return the stolen property (or its monetary value) and then some.
This is something in our “modern” society that we have forgotten, is that the scales must be balanced. Yes we are saved through grace and the blood of Jesus, but we must make amends for our wrong doings. We must learn to apologise, to admit our wrong doings, and when we hurt someone make amends.
Indeed, for Christians, it is even tougher. Jesus tells us that to hate someone is equivalent to murder. In fact to paraphrase what Jesus says about adultery, if anyone should kill someone in his heart, then he has already killed them. That is bad news for us. Sometimes we hate, thinking we are doing the right thing. It is popular today to say, “hate the sin, but love the sinner,” but this is not always easy to accomplish. Here we must rely on the grace of God. Love your enemy, feed him and give him drink and clothe him are instructions not only found from the New Testament, but in the Tanakh as well. We must not be guided by our feelings (as Obeywon Kanobe tells Luke Skywalker), but by faith and the word of God. Loving our neighbour is not a warm fuzzy feeling in our heart. It is seeing to his or her needs when they are in need, as did the “Good Samaritan.” God will honour our actions and give us the feelings at the appropriate time.
Worse today in our society we kill through kindness. There are many in our society who are doomed to an eternity of Hell, because we say naught. And why don’t we. Well, it might be embarrassing, or everyone has the right to believe the way they wish, or the Bible doesn’t really mean that that is sin, after all we live in modern times. We through our inaction condemn many to death. Do we tell the adulterer, the active homosexual, the drunk, the glutton, the dainty eater, the idolater, that Jesus can make them into a new creation, or do we take the political correct stance and say nothing, or even worse incorporate their sin into church. Many of us are responsible for sending many to hell, to eternal death because of our silence.
For those of us from Anglican backgrounds, especially English, this kind of murder is quite easy because religion is such a private thing, something not to be shared or discussed. As I recall the rules from West Point, a gentleman cadet and officer does not discuss religion or politics, but what more important thing to discuss than the prospect of eternal life?
My friends, I encourage you to ask God to send his Holy Spirit into your heart so that you may lead people to life, and not leave them to death.
Shalom and blessings in the Name of Yeshua
+Mar Michael Abportus
mjthan@quik.com
posted by The Synod of Saint Timothy at 14:40
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