Focus: Many Ways To Kill

Text: Ex.20:13

"Thou shalt not kill."

God is the source of life, and we receive it as a gift from Him. Life is sacred, and no man has the right to terminate it. Knowing that man has the tendency to kill as a result of the Fall in Genesis 3, God commands him not to kill. The real word for it is murder - "You shall not commit murder." Instead of taking a life, we are to save it. Life is precious and delicate, and has to be guarded. Every man's life matters to God, and it should matter to us as well. Jesus Christ came into this world to give us life and make us experience it in abundance. He is the Giver of life.

Now let me direct your attention to something. The Scripture says concerning Samson, "And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand…" (Judg.14:6). The point I want you to see about Samson is that he killed a lion with his bare hands. In other words, he killed without a weapon in his hands. He killed without a gun. Here is the point: while in the case of Samson he killed an animal, in our own case, we are killing our fellow human beings, and we are doing so without weapons or guns in our hands. 

O how many people die daily in the hands of other people without guns or other weapons in their hands! Samson was possessed by God's Spirit when he killed the lion with his bare hands, and that tells us that those who kill their fellow human beings are equally possessed by an evil spirit. It means that no one ordinarily kills. Killing has a spirit behind it.

Satan is the spirit behind stealing of properties, and the killing and destroying of lives. Let's watch it!

We read of Nimrod that "he was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD" (Gen.10:9). The word "before" the Lord implies that Nimrod killed in utter disregard of God's presence. He hunted not only animals but also human beings. He took delight in hunting down the lives of his fellow human beings.

Let me ask, In what ways are we killing each other without any weapons in our hands? Even among God's people, James was well aware of killings going on, for he said, "Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not" (Jam.4:2).

What ways do we kill one another without swords or guns? Jesus Christ says Judas, "Betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?" (Lk.22:48). Judas' gun was a kiss. By a kiss he handed Jesus Christ over to be killed. In fact, he killed his own master with a friendly kiss. It is the kiss of betrayal and of death. Judas killed his master without a weapon in his hand.

Another way people kill others is by drunk driving. It's alarming the number of people that get killed in vehicle accidents, and many of them are due to careless, reckless or drunk driving.

People are also killing their fellow human beings through all manner of frauds - stealing by fraud or obtaining by trickery. People are being sent to early graves by the ugly behavior of others.

Another way people are killed without the use of a gun or sword is by a word of mouth. Solomon declares, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue…" (Prov.18:21). Bad words kill faster than bullets. Let's listen to the words of the psalmist. He says, "His mouth is full of CURSING and DECEIT and FRAUD: under his tongue is MISCHIEF and VANITY" (Ps.10:7). 

It is said that words don't break bones, but they certainly break hearts. Hearts are shattered in pieces through words. The psalmist continues, "Thy tongue deviseth MISCHIEFS; like a SHARP RAZOR, working deceitfully" (Ps.52:2). Some people have sharp razor-mouths. Again, the psalmist says, "My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are SPEARS and ARROWS, and their tongue a SHARP SWORD" (Ps.57:4). 

There are many ways to kill without a knife or gun in one's hand. People kill through poisonous substances, chemicals, materials, or through poisonous words. People are killed daily by drugs and alcohol. Words become sharp objects that kill instantly, slowly or steadily. Again, the psalmist says, "Who whet their tongue like a SWORD, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even BITTER WORDS" (Ps.64:3). Bitter words kill slowly and steadily. Solomon adds, "There is that speaketh like the PIERCINGS of a SWORD…" (Prov.12:18).

Mind the words that come out of your mouth! Check your actions and watch your behavior! It is possible you are killing others without being aware of it. Careless words. Insensitive words. Vain words. Bitter words. Poisonous thoughts and words. Rash words. Hurtful words. Ugly attitudes. Bad habits. Bad character. These and more kill on daily basis. Tame your tongue and avoid toxic thoughts, words and attitudes! Let's stop killing each other and start saving lives! Life is sacred and precious.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter