What Did Jesus Say? About Killing?

 
Thought For Today - August 25
 What did Jesus say? About killing?
By: Robert A. Searles 

Only God can create life, therefore only God has the right to place a value on a life and to terminate a life.

 One of the ten commandments says: "Thou shalt not kill". Jesus reminded the multitude of this commandment, but went beyond the commandment to show that there are many ways to disobey this commandment and to kill. He pointed out that if we harbor anger in our hearts against another without cause, we are effectively disobeying this commandment not to kill, for we are destroying him in our own thoughts. If we through gossip or false witness say evil things to demean another we are killing his reputation and esteem.

  God will not accept our worship of him so long as we have hatred, resentments, and bitter envying against our fellowmen. Before we can effectively worship God and be pleasing to him, we must be in right relationship with others.

  Jesus said: "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: but I say unto you that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say , thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. Therefore if thou bring thy gift before the altar and there rememberest that thy brother have ought against thee, leave there thy thy gift before the altar, and go thy way. First be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
  Let us take heed to what Jesus has taught us about obeying the commandment not to kill: not to bring physical harm to another and not to be guilty of destroying him or causing him harm in any other way.

Telehelp Publications Christian Literature Ministry