Lesson Thirteen

THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT (2)

YOU SHALL NOT MURDER

Burden to Impart:

We should love all men and should not murder because God loves all men (Matt. 22: 39-40). Since murder results from anger and hatred we must allow neither one to fill our heart, for God considers both the same as murder (Matt. 5:21; 1 John. 3:15). We must confess such feelings to the Lord so that we can be not only forgiven but washed by Him. In this way we can pray for our enemies and those who mistreat us. Then His love will fill our heart.

Memory Verse: "But I say to you that every one who is angry with his brother shall be liable to the judgment" (Matthew 5:22).

Facts to Teach:

  1. The sixth commandment reveals to us that to murder is against God's nature and law, for God is the giver and source of man's life. Only God has the authority to take a man's life.
  2. Also, man should not murder because God is love. All of the commandments concerning our behavior towards others is summed up in the Lord's word: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself' (Matt. 22:39).
  3. Murder results from anger and hatred. For this reason the Lord considers them both to be the same as murder (Matt. 5:21; 1 John 3:15). God will not tolerate murder either in action or in heart, for God is love. A heart that is filled with anger or hatred cannot be filled with love or with God.
  4. When anger is allowed to remain in our heart it becomes hatred, and hatred gives place to the Devil (the murderer, John 8:44). For this reason we are told to not allow the "sun to go down on our wrath" for this will "give place to the Devil" (Eph. 4:26-27). This means that we are never to allow anger to be in our heart more than one day. In this way it will not become hatred.
  5. Two things help us to have a change of feeling in our heart from anger, bitterness, and hatred (Eph. 4:31) to love:
    1. To remember how much kindness and forgiveness God has shown to us (Eph. 4:32). In the same way we should forgive others.
    2. To pray for those who spitefully use us (Matt. 5:43-44).
  6. Love is the greatest virtue God desires to see expressed in us. Love is able to swallow up anger, hatred, bitterness, and murder. Love comes from God, for God is love (1 Jn. 4:16). As we confess our natural feelings of anger, etc. to the Lord and are cleansed and forgiven by Him, we will find grace to pray for our "enemies" and those who spitefully use us. Soon we will love them and want them to also know the Lord and His forgiveness and love.