For You formed my inward parts; you wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and
skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.

                                                                                                               Psalm 139:13-16 

The sixth commandment reads, “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13). It is a declaration demonstrating God as the Giver of life, the value that He places on life, and defines what our attitude towards life should be, namely that of respect. God is the Creator of life and it is He and He alone who has the right in deciding the duration of such life.

Before moving any further, we need to understand what is the Hebrew concept of murder. We need to comprehend the weight that this word linguistically carries. Often people can get quite silly with scripture. For example, the sixth commandment might be quoted as a means of standing up for animal rights and speaking out against hunting. The scripture doesn’t allow for such an interpretation. Murder is held strictly as an act committed by one human against another. The killing of animals is not included in such a definition.

Someone might use the sixth commandment as a means of speaking out against war. While no one likes to see war break out, the actions of soldiers defending a nation against a destructive enemy is also not a part of this definition. Soldiers do not go out to war hoping that they can take human life but it is a tragic and real consequence of war that individuals will lose their lives. Again, defense of one’s country in war is not a violation of the sixth commandment.

Someone might point out that law enforcement officers might have to use lethal force against someone in the community who is threatening not only their lives, but the lives of others as well. This is not an example of murder either. It is a negative consequence of living in a fallen world that there will be individuals who will threaten the safety and security of community members. Law enforcement is there for the purpose of making sure that the actions of these individuals do not violate the rights of others and that the behavior of the community as a whole remains peaceful and respectful.

Hunting, defending one’s country, and the rightful actions of law enforcement officers do not equate to a violation of murder. To what then, is this commandment referring? When there is no provocation and someone makes a decision to take another’s life as a matter of his/her own decision-making, we call this murder. God created life and He declared it “good” (Genesis 1). We should all be respecters of this sacred gift of life. As believers in Jesus Christ, we understand that God’s purpose is for us to enjoy life on this earth and life eternally with Him. The Gospel itself is a preserver of life in that it reverses the curse of all that was lost in the Garden (Genesis 3). Jesus has conquered death and all who trust in the finished work of Christ on the cross will have abundant life and life eternal (John 10:10, John 3:16).

Unfortunately, we have come to a place in our culture in which the value of life is often devalued. Mothers are now given the legal authority to end the life of their unborn children. I find it difficult to believe that this issue is even up for discussion. An unborn child can be murdered and it is all in the name of “health care.” How can anyone defend that position unless they are spiritually bankrupt?

However, I do not believe that our anger over such a travesty should be targeted at these mothers. The spiritual, psychological, emotional, and mental consequences of such an action is undeniable. Mothers who have violated this commandment should be surrounded with love, kindness, and compassion. Those who understand that we are all guilty of breaking all of God’s commandments will be equipped with the ability to render such spiritual aid (James 2:10). There is forgiveness for those who have violated the sixth commandment.

But while we continue to love others and to proclaim reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:18-19), I believe that we should never cease in our efforts to oppose any attempt at normalizing or accepting such behavior. Legislators have a God-given responsibility to make laws respecting life, recognizing the sanctity of life, and preserving life for all. The church needs to continue to pray that God will raise up such individuals so that the law of land does not and will not include the murdering of innocent life.

Spend some time today meditating on today’s passage and consider the awesome, magnificent truths held in that Psalm!