Key Verse: “You shall not murder.”
Exodus 20:13
Well, there you have it! Just when you thought that this was
one commandment that you would probably never be found guilty of, Jesus raises
the bar and, “guilty as charged!” Wow! That’s a hard pill to swallow. Even
children have been known to yell, “I HATE YOU!” in a fit of temper. Is Jesus
serious here? As drastic as it may sound, yes, I believe that He is serious
when He equates our human fits of hatred, or passionate anger, to murder. In
fact, I believe that it is probably safe to assume that this was Jesus’ original intent when He first gave this command to Moses centuries
earlier on Mt. Sinai.
This command right here demonstrates for us just how
seriously Jesus still takes His law. It also demonstrates for us the contrast
between religion and relationship. A religious person, such as the Pharisee of Jesus’
day, could easily be proud of the fact that they hadn’t ever lifted a finger to
hurt anyone. They were keeping the letter of the law. They may order an
execution, as we will see them do eventually to Jesus, but they themselves keep
their hands clean of the actual deed.
Jesus, however, is not content with having His children follow a bunch of rules and then call it good. His desire for His children is to know His heart and do likewise. Like any parent, He enjoys it most when His children are getting along.
How many family events have been ruined, or at least tainted
by children squabbling in the back seat of the car, or making an embarrassing
scene at a restaurant? Our quarrels embarrass Him. They do not demonstrate the
unity that God wants to display to the world.
But murder? Fights are one thing, but how can hating
someone, or calling them, “a fool,” possibly be the same as taking their life?
Consider this: what are your feelings toward the other person when you are in a
disagreement? Do you want them to have their way at all, or do you want to win
and only have your way, your opinions prevail? That could truly only happen if
the other person were dead, correct? You may not be committing an actual,
physical murder, but aren’t you murdering them in your heart by not wanting
their opinion or desire to count? Can you truly wish them well? Can you treat
them with the dignity that you desire as a sinner, saved only by God’s grace?
When we are angry, our emotional tendency is to become
selfish, not otherish, as our Lord commands. Paul tells us that we should, “Do
nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider
others better than ourselves.” (Phil. 2:3) We may think, “That’s easy for him
to say. He doesn’t know…” Your right, Paul doesn’t know your challenging person,
but he doesn’t have to because he had plenty of challenging people of his own
to deal with, as did Jesus.
Instead, Paul continues, “Your attitude should be the same
as Christ Jesus: who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with
God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature
of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a
man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death even death on a cross!”
(Phil. 2:5-8) In other words, though He had the right to kill all of us because
He is Holy God, and we are not, but full of our sin, He chose to die to self
instead. Can you die to self when you are in conflict with another? Remember,
we are all sinners saved by grace. It’s more important that we learn to die to
ourselves than continue to “murder,” those with whom we disagree.
Song: “Forgiveness”
--Matthew West
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