Pathway to Freedom, Lesson #6
Good Questions Have Small Groups Talking
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Don’t murder

OPEN

Let’s each share your name and one thing you have on your mind these days.

DIG

1.       Review. How many of the Ten Commandments can you name?

Invariably, a new year prompts us to make our own list of things deserving our diligent attention and pursuit. Let me suggest that we work off the lists of two men who have gone before us. The lists are attainable, 100% wholesome, and a constant encouragement.

Moses’ List (Exodus 20:3–17)

   Don’t ever place substitute gods before the Lord your God.

   Don’t make an idol out of anyone or anything.

   Don’t take the Lord’s name in vain. It is holy.

   Remember to observe a Sabbath rest every week.

   Honor and respect your dad and mom.

   Don’t murder anyone for any reason.

   Never, ever commit adultery.

   Don’t take things that aren’t yours.

   Never lie or give a false impression.

   Don’t covet another person’s mate, benefits, or belongings.

—Charles R. Swindoll, Day by Day (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2005).

2.       State the sixth command positively—without using the word, “not.”

Life is a gift from God, and only He has the authority to take life. Because we’re made in God’s image, murder is an attack against God (Gen. 1:26-27; 9:6). Protecting life is the responsibility of every member of society, not just the public officials (Rom. 13). The issue here is premeditated murder, which Jesus said could have its beginning in anger (Matt. 5:21-26). The Jews were allowed to defend themselves (Ex. 22:2), and the Law made concessions for accidental death; but murder was a capital offense (21:12-14). — (BE Series) - Old Testament - The Bible Exposition Commentary – Pentateuch.

3.       The old King James says, “Thou shalt not kill.” Most modern translations have “murder.” What is the difference? Which one is right?

The sixth commandment (Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17) is, “you shall not kill” (RSV) or “murder” (ESV, NEB). The word signifies malicious and unlawful killing; so “murder” is more accurate. Judicial execution (e.g., for murder) and killing in war are not in view; God actually calls for both in the very books from which the commandment comes (see Exodus 21:12–17; Deuteronomy 20:10–18). However strongly we may think the death penalty inadvisable and even hateful (views vary), we may not invoke this commandment to prove our point; in its context, it has no bearing on either question but deals with private morality. — J. I. Packer, Keeping the Ten Commandments (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2007).

4.       In what situations is killing permissible?

War and self-defense are two examples.

5.       How does this command speak to the issue of abortion?

Third, the commandment rules out abortion because, as genetic science shows, the fetus is from the moment of conception a human being in process (we might say) of arriving. The fact that for several months it cannot survive outside the womb does not affect its right to the same protection that other human beings merit, and that it will itself merit after birth. Abortion can only ever be justified (and then only as a necessary evil) when the pregnancy genuinely endangers the mother’s life—and as doctors know, there are few such cases today. Legalizing abortion on other grounds is a social evil, whatever arguments of convenience are invoked. — J. I. Packer, Keeping the Ten Commandments (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2007).

6.       How does this command inform our understanding of suicide?

Fourth, the commandment rules out suicide and euthanasia. Suicide (self-murder) is the act of a mind unhinged; though such acts do not of themselves forfeit God’s grace, as was once thought, yet suicide is a direct breach of God’s command. So is euthanasia, which is either suicide by remote control or murder based on the idea that we may lawfully “put people out of their misery” just as we law-fully shoot horses or get vets to put pets to sleep. But we may not bracket a human being with horses or pets, even if he himself in a pain-maddened moment asks us to. It is good that the law treats both suicide and euthanasia as illegal acts.

(Letting the body die when no hope of recovering consciousness remains is not, of course, euthanasia; in that case, the person must be regarded as in the most important sense dead already. The difficulty in these cases is to judge when the point at which consciousness cannot return has been reached.)

We have in us capacities for fury, fear, envy, greed, conceit, callousness, and hate that, given the right provocation, could make killers out of us all.

The killing of millions of Jews and cripples by the Nazis, and of millions of Russians by Russian Communists in the twentieth century shows whither denial of the sanctity of human life leads. The sixth commandment points out the truer and better way. — J. I. Packer, Keeping the Ten Commandments (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2007).

7.       Let me read a quote from Begg’s book. Is this true? “Children used to be able to play peacefully and safely in their own neighborhoods. Now we must have neighborhood watches to protect them—and sometimes even that is not enough. Many children are not even safe in their own homes.”

Crime is lower today than when most parents were growing up.

Crime is back to the level it was when gas cost 29 cents a gallon, says the Christian Science Monitor.

Crime is back to the level it was before color TV, says The Week magazine.

2013 gun crime rate back to level of early 1960s, says Pew Study.

2014 violent crime rate down another4.4%, says USA Today.

Pedestrian, bicyclist and car deaths ALSO at lowest rate in decades, says The Council on Foreign Relations. http://www.freerangekids.com/crime-statistics/

8.       What does this command teach about capital punishment?

Capital punishment is also authorized in the Bible, seen explicitly in the Old Testament where there are over a dozen offenses that the Lord declares to be worthy of death. Capital punishment is ordered under those circumstances in order to make the severity of the crime clear and understood. There is significant protection built in for the people of Israel, lest a false accusation would lead to a false execution and a wrongful death. As a matter of fact, the protections provided for those in Israel who are charged with murder or capital offense exceeded those provided in Western legal tradition.

But capital punishment is not an abstract issue in the Bible. In Romans 13:4 we are told that the governing authority “does not bear the sword in vain.” There is no way around what that text is telling us; capital punishment is part of God’s plan. The Noahic covenant of Genesis 9:6 reads, “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.” Murder is an insult to God. Murder deprives God of one who was made in His image and for His glory. Murder is the arrogant, willful subtraction of God’s glory, and the capacity for the display of God’s glory in the midst of His creation. Although that would be true of ravaging a forest, burning a garden, or desecrating nature, far more when the one who is killed bears the image of God. It is a personal attack upon the dignity of the Creator. — R. Albert Mohler Jr, Words from the Fire: Hearing the Voice of God in the 10 Commandments (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2009).

9.       Matthew 7.21. How did Jesus reinterpret this command?

Capital punishment is also authorized in the Bible, seen explicitly in the Old Testament where there are over a dozen offenses that the Lord declares to be worthy of death. Capital punishment is ordered under those circumstances in order to make the severity of the crime clear and understood. There is significant protection built in for the people of Israel, lest a false accusation would lead to a false execution and a wrongful death. As a matter of fact, the protections provided for those in Israel who are charged with murder or capital offense exceeded those provided in Western legal tradition.

But capital punishment is not an abstract issue in the Bible. In Romans 13:4 we are told that the governing authority “does not bear the sword in vain.” There is no way around what that text is telling us; capital punishment is part of God’s plan. The Noahic covenant of Genesis 9:6 reads, “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.” Murder is an insult to God. Murder deprives God of one who was made in His image and for His glory. Murder is the arrogant, willful subtraction of God’s glory, and the capacity for the display of God’s glory in the midst of His creation. Although that would be true of ravaging a forest, burning a garden, or desecrating nature, far more when the one who is killed bears the image of God. It is a personal attack upon the dignity of the Creator. — R. Albert Mohler Jr, Words from the Fire: Hearing the Voice of God in the 10 Commandments (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2009).

10.   Matthew 7.21, 22. Is all anger bad?

All right, let’s wade into that statement. Clearly, Jesus is describing an anger that goes beyond proper bounds. Let me clarify this, because some will think Jesus is teaching that we should never express anger at all. But if that were the case, God would have been guilty of breaking His own command (remember reading about “the wrath of God”?). In fact, later on in the New Testament Paul teaches in Ephesians 4:26, “BE ANGRY AND YET DO NOT SIN.” So there is a place for appropriate anger.

There is justified anger. But Jesus is not referring to that here in His sermon.

Go back and read verse 22 again. Occasionally in a musical score you will find a crescendo symbol. This verse is like that . . . the anger is seen as a crescendo that builds through three stages to the point of murderous statements and thoughts. To begin with there is anger at its basic level, “everyone who is angry with his brother.”

Then comes the second stage: “whoever shall say to his brother, ‘Raca.’” Raca is an Aramaic term that means “empty,” most often used with reference to mental emptiness. Our colloquialism today might be “airhead,” “nitwit,” “bonehead,” “numbskull,” or “blockhead,” any one of those slang expressions. It is an insulting term used in anger against a person. In other words, if someone gets so angry with another that he looks at him and either thinks, says, or shouts, “You mentally worthless idiot!” he or she has gone too far.

Finally Jesus moves to stage three: “and whoever shall say, ‘You fool.’” In the original Greek the word is moros. Can you guess which term we get from that? Yes, of course: moron. It was used most often with reference to people who lived morally wasted lives. In other words, by calling someone this you take the position of a judge because you have determined that that person is morally wasted. And what happens? You “shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.” Be careful here. Do not put words into Jesus’ mouth. He does not say you go to hell; He says it brings enough guilt to send one to hell. This third stage is verbal murder . . . long-lived, nursed anger that is sustained to a vicious point. It bursts out of the mouth in a rage. Remember, the tongue speaks from the heart. And in this case the heart has entertained degrading and insulting thoughts of contempt.

Anger can be difficult to control, and sometimes we fail. But when we get to stage three, we’ve gone too far. It is nothing less than a verbal stabbing from the heart. It murders the other person with a sharp, knifelike insult. Yet we will allow ourselves to get so completely out of control that we don’t even think twice. In fact, we rationalize that, “she had it coming,” or “he deserved to hear that.” Whoa! If you and I are kingdom people, we don’t let that happen. — Charles R. Swindoll, Simple Faith (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2003).

11.   Can you think of other verses that speak to the issue of anger?

Jesus cut to the heart of the matter in the very same Sermon on the Mount in which He addressed worrying—the comparison He draws, as recorded in Matthew, strikingly emphasizes the danger of human anger. “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment” (5:21–22). Likewise, James (Jesus’ brother) cautioned believers to be “slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires” (1:19–20). The book of Proverbs repeatedly characterizes the person who is quick to anger in even more blunt terms: “A fool gives full vent to his anger” (29:11). — Earle L. Wilson, Holy and Human: Overcoming Spiritual Struggles to Live a Holy Life (Indianapolis, IN: Wesleyan Publishing House, 2008), 54.

12.   What bad things have you seen come from anger?

The comic book character Dr. Bruce Banner appears to be a mild-mannered gentleman until he is stressed or angry, which causes him to become the Incredible Hulk, a monster who destroys property and hurts people. Many people who struggle with anger are similar to Dr. Banner. They can sometimes seem quite normal and calm, but when provoked they become enraged and do great harm, especially to those who love them. While many people want to minimize the seriousness of their anger, especially if they have not become physically violent, Jesus teaches that sinful anger is murderous by nature. “You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not commit murder’, and that ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell” (Matthew 5:21-22). John writes, “everyone who hates his brother is a murderer” (1 John 3:15).  Anger in the heart can lead to actual acts of physical assault or murder, as was the case when Cain murdered Abel (Genesis 4:5-8) and when the Jews stoned Stephen (Acts 7:54-60).  James warns that sinful heart desires often lead to deadly acts of sin (James 1:14-15).  Those who give in to anger are at risk of losing control. “Like a city that is broken into and without walls is a man who has no control over his spirit” (Proverbs 25:28). Psychologists also recognize this reality, “when it (anger) gets out of control and turns destructive it can lead to problems at work, in your personal relationships and in the overall quality of your life. And it can make you feel as though you’re at the mercy of an unpredictable and powerful emotion.” In counseling I have been grieved to witness spouses saying hateful things to one another including, “I hate you. I wish I had never married you. You repulse me. I wish you would divorce me. I could kill you.” Such hateful words can never be taken back and create wounds which are very difficult to heal. “With his mouth the godless man destroys his neighbor” (Proverbs 11:9). “There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword” (Proverbs 12:18). 

Paul warns that anger gives the devil an opportunity to wreak his murderous havoc in your relationships. “Do not let the sun go down on your anger and do not give the devil an opportunity” (Ephesians 4:26-27). I once asked a husband whose besetting sin was verbally blowing up at his wife and child what he would do if a criminal was at the door of his house trying to break in to do harm to his family. He replied that he would fight with all of his might to keep his family safe. I then said that his anger is an equally serious threat to the well-being of his family and that when he gives in to his rage, he is inviting the devil into his home. He needs to resist his anger as vigorously as he would fight an intruder. — Jim Newheiser, Help! My Anger Is out of Control (Wapwallopen, PA: Shepherd Press, 2014).

13.   What sins come from anger?

“An angry man stirs up strife, and a hot tempered man abounds in transgressions” (Proverbs 29:22). Sinful anger can lead to the violation of every one of God’s commandments. In anger, people have stolen property, committed immorality, lied, murderously destroyed relationships, dishonored parents, and have put themselves in the place of God as lord and judge. Anger is often related to other harmful emotions including bitterness, depression, anxiety and fear. — Jim Newheiser, Help! My Anger Is out of Control (Wapwallopen, PA: Shepherd Press, 2014).

14.   Is anger always sinful?

God Himself gets angry and justly expresses His holy anger. “The anger of the LORD burned against Moses” (Exodus 4:14)... “He will speak to them in His anger and terrify them in His fury... do homage to the Son, that He not become angry and you perish in the way” (Psalm 2:4-5,12). “The anger of the LORD burned against that land to bring upon it every curse which is written in this book” (Deuteronomy 29:27). Jesus expressed righteous anger when he drove the money changers out of the temple (John 2:12-17). On another occasion Jesus, “looking around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart” (Mark 3:5).   — Jim Newheiser, Help! My Anger Is out of Control (Wapwallopen, PA: Shepherd Press, 2014).

15.   When is anger righteous?

Righteous anger is rare among sinners like us. Robert D. Jones has identified three characteristics of righteous anger. 

1. Righteous anger reacts against actual sin.  

Those against whom Jesus was angry were guilty of sinfully using God’s holy temple for unholy purposes.  Spurgeon writes, We do well when we are angry with sin because of the wrong which it commits against our good and gracious God.  If no sin has taken place, we have no right to be angry. For example, if we were to be angry at someone who is late because they got caught in unpredictable traffic then our anger would be unrighteous because they didn’t commit any sin.

2. Righteous anger focuses upon God and His kingdom, rights and concerns, not on me and my kingdom, rights and concerns. 

Because we are sinners we are inclined to make ourselves the center of the universe and to judge those who don’t submit to our will.  The intensity of our anger is usually not in proportion to the sin against God’s kingdom, but rather according to the damage we perceive to our own personal interests.  In contrast, Jesus’ anger against the temple merchants was motivated by a zeal for His Father’s house.  In other words, is your anger because God didn’t get what He wants, or because you didn’t get what you want?

3. Righteous anger is righteously expressed.  

Even when a real sin has taken place and one thinks he is concerned for God’s kingdom interests, anger is not righteous if it is expressed sinfully.  For example, one may have righteous anger against an abortion clinic in the community because the unlawful taking of human life is a sin against God Who has made humankind in His image.  But if this anger is expressed through hateful speech and violence against people and property, the anger is not righteous and does not serve the interests of God’s kingdom.  My experience in counseling is that many counselees can identify actual sins committed against them and they may claim that their anger is due to their zeal for God’s kingdom, but it is rare that such anger is expressed in a God-honoring way.  Instead, many resort to destructive speech, bitterness and rage, often feeling fully justified because they have been sinned against.  — Jim Newheiser, Help! My Anger Is out of Control (Wapwallopen, PA: Shepherd Press, 2014).

16.   What practical steps can we take to insure that our anger does not become destructive and sinful?

I encourage people to develop a certain habit when they feel anger rising up inside them. If you start seeing red, choose to visualize it in the shape of a stop sign. Imagine yourself at an intersection, and come to a full stop. Carefully consider all the directions your anger can go, then respond slowly and deliberately. Psalm 103:8 says that God is “slow to anger.” James 1:19 encourages everyone to be “quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger.” Make sure your response will be a godly one. Rule your tongue. Don’t speak too quickly. — Surviving in an Angry World: Finding Your Way to Personal Peace by Charles F. Stanley

17.   What are some excuses people give for not dealing with their anger?

People give a number of excuses to justify their anger. The top five excuses I hear are

1. Everyone gets angry. I’m no different from anybody else.

2. I’ve always had a short temper.

3. I have a very good reason for being angry.

4. I’ve been hurt so deeply that I can’t help but feel anger.

5. If I don’t stay angry, I’ll be hurt even more than I already have been.

These excuses aren’t good enough to justify hanging on to anger that can destroy your life. Give up your excuses and get on with releasing your anger. — Surviving in an Angry World: Finding Your Way to Personal Peace by Charles F. Stanley

18.   Is venting anger helpful? Is repressing anger harmful?

There is very little value in venting anger just for the sake of venting it. Behavioral scientists have discovered that even after an individual screams into a pillow, most of the feelings of anger that have taken up residence in that person are still there. Expressing anger does not produce healing. There is value in venting one’s emotions in conversation with a trusted friend or counselor who can provide valuable insight and help you find rational solutions. It is not always possible, however, to have the right person available at the exact time a listening and caring heart is needed. But there is Someone to whom you always can voice your deepest emotions. Go to God with your anger. Get by yourself, on your knees, with your Bible open. Ask the Lord to show you why you’re angry and what you can do to redirect your negative feelings into positive behavior. He knows why you’re angry. He knows your situation and your circumstances. Trust Him to reveal the best way to identify, deal with, and let go of your anger. As you read your Bible, focus on the words of Jesus in the four Gospels. Or turn to the book of Psalms for encouragement and peace. Practical, how-to advice is found in the book of Proverbs. And for guidance on victorious Christian living, open your Bible to any of Paul’s writings, including Romans, Ephesians, and Philippians. — Surviving in an Angry World: Finding Your Way to Personal Peace by Charles F. Stanley

19.   Does exercise help you to deal with anger?

Anger produces energy that can be redirected to countless good behaviors. Use your anger to do something useful and productive.

•        Wash and wax your car. If you’re still angry after that, clean the interior.

•        Clean out a closet, the attic, the cupboards, or any other area of your home or office.

•        Weed your flower beds, or till the soil in your vegetable garden.

•        Go to the driving range and hit a large bucket of golf balls.

There is something therapeutic and beneficial about engaging in physical activity. It helps you blow off steam. And when you rechannel that negative energy in the right direction, it can prove to be profitable. Just think of all you can accomplish. So get rid of it. Replace your anger with physical activity. I do not, however, recommend operating heavy machinery or power tools as a way to redirect anger. Careless mistakes occur far more often when a person is angry. The same goes for driving any kind of vehicle. Don’t let your car or motorcycle serve as an outlet for your anger. What about walking, running, swimming, or riding a bicycle? These activities are good for the body, but they do not require your complete attention. You can still stew in anger as you engage in exercises such as these. What about doing a puzzle or reading a book? These are good for focusing the mind, but they are not activities that release pent-up physical energy. Choose an activity that engages both the mind and body in a healthful, productive way. Intense anger has an element of confusion to it. In most cases, it is a free-floating emotion looking for a place to land. As a result, people who are angry often want to pound something with their fist or find an object to pick up and throw. Give anger a positive focus. Expend that negative energy in a way that is productive, not destructive. — Surviving in an Angry World: Finding Your Way to Personal Peace by Charles F. Stanley

20.   Let’s decide now: how will you deal with it next time you are angry?

After any angry encounter, it’s wise to decide how you will respond the next time you see that person. You may want to rehearse in your mind what you will say and how you will behave. Envision yourself in a similar situation or circumstance and ask, What would I do differently? How should I behave the next time something like this comes up? You might say, “But I don’t know what kind of mood the other person will be in.” His or her mood or behavior doesn’t matter. What does matter is that you determine in your heart that you are going to greet that person with peace in your heart, a cheerful attitude, and a positive word. Do not let the mood or behavior of other people dictate your responses to life. Choose how you will act. Always keep in mind that you cannot predict or control what other people will do or how they’ll respond in a particular situation. You can only control how you will respond. And to a great extent, you can choose in advance how you will respond. Don’t let another person affect the spring in your step or twinkle in your eye. Don’t let anyone rob you of your smile. Don’t let someone else cause you to be discouraged or unhappy. For decades, sports psychologists and trainers have taught athletes the benefits of visualization. Men and women in solo sports such as diving or ice skating see themselves completing a difficult maneuver in their minds. In team sports like baseball and basketball, players visualize themselves hitting a home run or scoring the winning basket. There is a direct correlation between good rehearsal—mental or physical—and excellent performance in everything from music to public speaking, acting to athletics. The more you mentally prepare yourself for difficult experiences, the more peaceful you will be in times of anger or frustration. — Surviving in an Angry World: Finding Your Way to Personal Peace by Charles F. Stanley

21.   Is dealing successfully with anger just about trying really hard to control our anger?

The apostle Paul challenged the Ephesians to “put away” their anger (Ephesians 4:31). In the Greek, this phrase literally means to strip away or to lift up and toss away. In other words, the Bible commands that we remove anger completely from our hearts. And if you’re a believer, you have the power of the Holy Spirit within you to lay it down. All you need to say is “God, I don’t want this anger in my life, and I choose to lay it down by Your grace, love, and goodness.” Now, there are some other things you still have to deal with. That’s not the end of the issue. But that’s a major part of letting go of anger. You put it down. Get rid of it. Get rid of “bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander … along with all malice” (Ephesians 4:31). And if Paul didn’t mean that you actually could “put it away,” he would never have encouraged the church to do that. You can do it by the power of the Holy Spirit of God. As a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, you have the power to lay it down. In an interesting contrast, what Paul told the church in Ephesus was the exact opposite of what he said to believers in Colossae. To them, the apostle wrote, “Put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience” (Colossians 3:12). The phrase put on literally means to clothe yourself. He’s also telling us to wear these qualities and to cover ourselves with them. Paul makes a very strong and very clear distinction between which emotions we need to “put on” and which we need to “put away.” — Surviving in an Angry World: Finding Your Way to Personal Peace by Charles F. Stanley

22.   What do you want to recall from today’s study?

23.   How can we support one another in prayer this week?