Hello, readers. Today we will pick up our series on 'things that the Lord forbids'. Our command may sound short and simple, but I would bid you to consider carefully...."You shall not murder." -Exodus 20:13
That sounds really simple, doesn't it? 'Don't kill anyone.' That sounds easy enough. That sounds plain. All right. Case closed. Go to some other website now, right? Wrong! Murdering is not always physically killing someone. Don't take it from me, take it from the apostle John: "Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him." (1 John 3:15)
Wow! So, anyone who hates somebody is committing murder? Uh-oh. That's a problem that I would bet everyone, even Christians, struggle with.How about that boss that curses and puts you down every chance he/she gets?
How about those bullies that cause your gut to clench every time you think of facing them?
How about those who torture and imprison Christians because of their faith?
We need to love and witness to our enemies even when it's hard (Matt. 5:44). So, no killing (or hating) sprees today. Because "...you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him." If we hate and therefore "murder" we are not really abiding in God.