“Thou shalt not kill”, Exodus 20:13.

This word ‘kill’ is translated in other places as ‘murderer’. For instance: “And if he smite him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death,” Numbers 35:16.

1. Therefore we can say that this commandment does not condemn all killings. There are killings which are ACCIDENTAL. “Then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you; that the slayer may flee thither, which killeth any person at unawares,” Numbers 35:11.

There are killings which are JUDICIAL or legal. “Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man,” Gen 9:6.

Men have overturned that command off God. The Government is commanded of God to act so against murderers but it has rejected God’s command.

There are are killings which are JUSTIFIABLE. When David killed Goliath he did not break this commandment but he acted in defence of God’s honour and of his nation.

2. This commandment condemns the taking of the life of others out of hatred, anger or revenge. It goes further and forbids ‘hatred’. “Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him,” 1 John 3:15. That is how murder begins. “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies,” Matthew 15:19.

3. Yet such is the greatness of God’s mercy, even murderers may find forgiveness. Those murderers who die unrepentant undoubtedly go to eternal damnation. “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death,” Revelation 21:8. But there have been those who have found pardon. Paul the apostle confessed that “when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him,” Acts 22:20. This is a repeat of Acts 8:1. “And Saul was consenting unto his death.” But Paul was able to say: “but I obtained mercy,” 1 Tim 1:12. God had mercy on him when he was in his sin, and stopped him; and of his abundant mercy begat him again to a lively hope of forgiveness and eternal life.