And as you would that men should do to you, do you also to them likewise.  Luke 6:31

Although God never changes, He expects each and every one of us to be led and guided along His path of righteous change.  That is why we were excited to embark on this fresh look at the Ten Commandments, specifically in light of Romans 13:8-10 (which says we are to owe no man anything but to love them and love is the fulfilling of the law).  We believe the Spirit of God is purposefully involved.  If He indeed is the Master Teacher, then we have a wonderful opportunity to grasp what God wants us to understand relative to His operating system.  Admittedly, it is all too clear that we have no idea on our own what God’s operating system truly is.  As the singer is more important than the song, the builder more important than the building, the test here is to review our writing and give credit to the Author behind it. With that in mind, let’s take a look at Commandment # 6:  Thou shalt not kill.

In order for us to receive this command in the right context, one must research the Hebrew word for “kill.” According to Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, this word is “ratasch,” which means “to dash in pieces, i.e. kill (a human being), especially to murder–put to death, kill, slay.” A premeditated taking of another’s life, for the sole purpose of destroying such life, in the light that God created it with a potential to live in the fullness of His image and likeness, is tantamount to killing God Himself. Killing or murdering another person is the exact opposite of God’s admonition to “love thy neighbor as thyself.”

John 10:10 is the dividing line on this issue. Jesus said, “The enemy comes not but to steal, kill, and destroy, but I have come to bring life and bring it more abundantly.” Therefore, if someone murders another person by reason of dark intent, the spiritual result is not of God, but of Satan. If someone comes alongside another person for the purpose of nurturing, enhancing, and infusing hope, then the assurance is that the spiritual influence is of God alone. Essentially, this four word command dictates the parameters of how we are to conduct ourselves with others; regarding life and God in a synonymous way and consistently behaving as if it were our top priority.

It is critical to note that God’s Word is totally reflective of Himself. He is the definite Spirit of that which is good or holy. He is “The Divine Definer.” Therefore, the intent of His Spiritual principles must be interpreted and understood through the filter of His Holy Spirit deposited within us. His grace is what allows us to awaken to His essence: The Ten Commandments are not rules and regulations, written in stone for us to argue about, be condemned by, or discover through archeological pursuit. They are God’s perfect moral guidance for the right time, the right place, for the right people, and for the right reason. Moses knew God’s ways and the people of Israel knew God’s actions. (Ps 103:7). In Hosea 4:6, God said, “My people are destroyed by lack of knowledge, because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me; seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.” To His credit, God is not a respecter of persons. Each of us is created in a perfectly just equality. By our willingness and the power of His Spirit, we are given the means to know Him, His ways, His principles and patterns, represent Him, and effectively destroy the cursing influence of previous generations.

Let’s ask God for a pure heart, because that’s the place from which the issues of life stem. What the world calls our “subconscious,” God calls our “heart.” And “as a man thinketh in his heart, so he is” (Prov 23:7). Keep going family and friends; we are on the most fulfilling journey–one commandment at a time! This  milestone is Commandment # 6: Thou shalt not kill.

Ex 20:13