Blog

Hey All,

More and more these days we see people enraged over various things such as: parking spots, bad driving, and the list goes on and on. Yet when I think back to the days after hurricane IKE hit the Houston area, you could really see people living out God’s plan by helping one another, not letting petty things bother them as much and really trying to see everyone get back on their feet. As the weeks went on this faded and society went back to the way it is pretty much every other day. This week we look at the Fifth (5) Commandment which on the surface looks pretty simple …..don’t hurt my neighbor but as we will see it is more than that, as we must also protect and defend our neighbor as well. So let’s dive a little deeper into the commandment.

The Fifth Commandment

Thou shalt not kill

What Does this mean: We should fear and love God that we may not hurt nor harm our neighbor in his body, but help and befriend him in every bodily need.

What does God Want or NOT want us to do?

Only God can take a human life but He entrusts this to civil government to punish and execute criminals or wage in a just war. Romans 13:4 for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil. The “minister of God” in this verse is out governmental authorities. Because we believe that God is in control of all things, we pray that he will provide a just government that will administer the laws in a fair and consistent manner. So there are some exceptions for a man taking another man’s life but as we see here it is only as a result of war or corporal punishment. Jesus modeled this in the garden of Gethsemane when the guards were about to take him into custody in Matthew 26:52 Then Jesus said to him, Put your sword back in its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword. Following the Fifth commandment is more that just restraining from physical harm to your neighbor or another human being, it is also about not being angry or wishing anything bad to happen to that same person. Jesus said in Matthew 5:22 but I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court. So what we are required to do, is let God fight our battles and show love to our neighbors as we see in Romans 12:19-20 Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay say the Lord. But if if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him drink, for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head. I am not sure I always remember the second part of this verse where I am to make sure that I am taking care of the neighbor I am disagreeing with while God is fighting my battles. Why ? Mainly because I have allowed anger and emotion to enter into the thought process which is where I started this Blog. Anger solves nothing! Its not healthy, it blinds us from thinking things clearly through and it allows our enemy to win. Think about those times when you were in a tense situation but for the Grace of God you kept your cool and found the middle ground that both agree. It’s hard I know but it is what we are called to do. Jesus took this even further calling is to pray for those enemies in Matthew 5:44-46 But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those you love you, what reward do you have? Do not even tax collectors do the same?

So to wrap up

As we heard this weekend in PJ’s sermon that God’s word is sharper than any two edged sword Hebrews 4:12 but our words especially in anger can have just as deadly effects on our neighbor when in difficult situations. James 1:19 says that we should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger. 

Father I pray this week for anyone who is in conflict with their neighbor and Lord that you would first intercede on both sides and bring a peace to the situation. Father open hearts and minds to see what each has done because we can only control our actions in a conflict and Lord bring peace and resolution to the situation for all that are in need. Lord you know we need this daily! Sometimes multiple times a day but when we feel anger creeping in remind us that Anger is not from you but from the devil and he seeks to destroy. So help us to focus on you so that we may have the peace that passes all understanding! Amen? AMEN!

image sourced from google images