Don't Get Drunk, Don't Imprison People

Some Touchy Thoughts on the Sixth Commandment

Howdy!

One week. One Commandment. Three Questions.

For reasons unknown to me the Divines who wrote our catechism decided that the Sixth Commandment only needed three, instead of four Q/A’s as we’ve seen elsewhere. Likely the reasoning behind that decision is the fact that there really isn’t any big words or hard to comprehend arguments in the Biblical law here. Don’t kill people. Jesus helps us to understand as well that it’s not just the unlawful physical ending of human life that is at issue, but the mental sin of desiring the death of someone else (or yourself). (Matt. 5:21-26). All the Commandments have that in common of course, we’re not to worship anyone other than the LORD, make images of Jesus in our brain, or use the Lord’s name in vain up there, etc… Yet our Redeemer in His wisdom reminds us of that part of the law in His Sermon on the Mount. All that to say that the straight-forward nature of the commandment here belies any need to beat around the bush, so we are doing the whole thing in one week.

I hope that’s not too much, and here they are:

Q. 67. Which is the Sixth Commandment?

A. The sixth commandment is, Thou shalt not kill.

Q. 68. What is Required in the Sixth Commandment?

A. The sixth commandment require that all lawful endeavors to preserve our own life, and the life of others.

Q. 69. What is Forbidden in the Sixth Commandment?

A. The sixth commandment forbids the taking away of our own life, or the life of our neighbor unjustly, or whatsoever tends thereunto.

Two words appear that need further explanation. “Lawful” and “Unjustly”. There are cases where the taking of life is perfectly in line with the will of God in a fallen and sinful world. For instance, the right of self-preservation is in keeping with natural law and every nation under heaven understands the principles of self-defense. So if a man breaks into your house threatening the life of you and your family it is perfectly holy to use fatal force. Another example is in the use of the death penalty. Neither the judge/jury nor the executioner himself is in violation of the Sixth Commandment when the sword falls. Capital Punishment is not a means of warning, or anything other than the just reward of the killing of an innocent man or woman. The only punishment the Bible understands for crime is lex talionis (Jesus condemns personal retribution in Matt. 5:38, not judicial action). For the State to bear the sword is in keeping with Romans 13.

As an aside here part of the reason why our justice system is so out of whack is that there is little “justice” in locking people up for non-violent crimes. The idea for that is an invention of folks who believed in moral rehabilitation of offenders through correction, hence why we have Penitentiaries (penitence) and Corrections Officers. Mass incarceration is another way that the false teaching of works righteousness affects society, but that is another argument for another day, though it does have reference to some of the aspects of the 6th Commandment taken up in Larger Catechism Q.134-136. Human life is to be respected, and treated rightly, even people who violate the law. Locking men and women up for offenses that either shouldn’t be illegal, or are non-violent, is dehumanizing and regressive, and in fact creates more crime as the rates of recidivism show, and results in far worse societal problems.

The main idea behind the 6th Commandment is all about the protection of life, and the flourishing of humanity. See again the language of “…whatsoever tends thereunto.” There is a lot codified in those three words. As if I haven’t meddled enough let’s think about what we do to our own bodies that might be in violation of the spirit of that clause. Drunkenness and gluttony are condemned by this portion of the law. Engaging in reckless or dangerous behavior is not in keeping with the wisdom of the Lord. Unreasonably involving your nation in illegal and unnecessary wars violates the statute. Anything that is going to raise the likelihood of death and/or significant injury which would lead to harming yourself is banned by the commandment. Sloth is also covered under the purview of this portion of God’s word. If you are lazy, unwilling to work, and are a burden on others than you are in sin. The Lord made man to work, to provide for others, and to use the gifts Jehovah has blessed you with in His creation. To waste that in unlawful and profligate ways is not only breaking the 4th commandment’s call to “work six days”, but is defiling the very reasons why you have a body with two legs and two arms to begin with. There is also a sense in this statute that if you are not using the physical and mental blessings of the Lord you are also in sin because you are depriving someone else of that, hence the call in the first catechism question about that we are to do all in our power to preserve and promote the lives of those around us. If you want someone to work so that you can get what you need, you best be about providing that service to others. Selfishness is a breach here as well. One other thing to consider is something we’ve talked about in our Wednesday prayer meeting as we’ve walked through Jeremiah. You ever wonder why false prophets were put to death in the OT? Well, think about what they were doing. They were fundamentally committing soul murder by hiding the word of truth from those who are perishing. Preaching the Biblical Gospel is keeping the 6th Command.

Though at the end of the day we can’t forget the basic statement, Thou Shalt Not Kill. Of all the second table laws this one has the most permanent, and immediate consequence to its breaking. Hence why Biblical Christians are so adamantly opposed to abortion. Out of all the reprehensible types of murder we know about and can imagine none is so shameful as the ending of life before it even has a chance to begin. Think about some of the stuff in the previous paragraph and make note how it applies to this issue. Believers, especially, but all men created in the image of God (Rom. 2) should be in the business of preserving, promoting, and ensuring the blessings of life. To take it, to reduce it to mechanical functions, or to in any way cause the human being to lose the preciousness of existence for egotistical greed is just beyond the pale.

Sorry this week’s catechism was so heavy. Sometimes we need to be told how gross sin is, how destructive it is, and how horrid it is. Seeing the depravity of man gives us a reminder to think more deeply about what Christ has done at the cross for our transgressions, and what it is He has called us to do with this new life He grants by faith alone. Things are a mess because men love themselves and hate any attempt to be called out of darkness and into light. At the end of the day that’s what it is all about. Who, or what, is more important?

Those who love life, love others, those who love death, love themselves.

Besides, what greater love is there than a man who lays down His life for His friends, and gives His life as a ransom for many.

Some more thoughts here:

http://www.shortercatechism.com/resources/vincent/wsc_vi_069.html

Blessings in Christ,

Rev. Benjamin Glaser

Pastor, Bethany ARP Church