Amen. You may be seated. Nobody in here has ever felt that their faith would fail, right? We all go through times of struggle, but He caches them in for our growth if we know Him. I'm going to read a little bit from Matthew 5. I do mean a little bit. As in, not much. But Matthew 5, 21 and 22. You have heard that it was said to those of old, you shall not murder. And whoever murders will be liable to judgment. But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment. And whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council. And whoever says you fool will be liable to the hell of fire. Let's pray. Lord, we thank you for your commandments. We thank you for our studies so far. going through this catechism and the shorter catechism and other places that we have reviewed your commandments and just help us once again to see a little bit more of the depth of your commandments, of the all-encompassing nature of your commandments. Be reminded of our Savior fulfilling all righteousness for us. Reminded of our Failure to keep them in thought, word and deed so that we will hold to Christ and know that Christ will hold to us. So bless us as we look into the sixth commandment. Grow us in grace. We give you all the praise and pray for your blessing. In Jesus name. Amen. Everybody have a handout that needs one. Okay, good. We're gonna look at questions 55 and 56 in Spurgeon's Puritan Catechism, and then we're gonna bring in Shorter Catechism number 68. So, the Spurgeon's Catechism doesn't bring in the more positive duty there. So, looking back up at question 55, which is the sixth commandment? The sixth commandment is, you shall not murder. Found in Exodus 20, found in Deuteronomy 5. If you wanna look in those two places there, you don't have to do that tonight. But it said in the original Spurgeon's commandment, it says you shall not kill, old wording. I changed that to murder with the asterisks simply to, because that's what the word means in the, in the context and in the commandment. That word means there to kill intentionally with premeditation. That's the sense of it. But let me ask you a question, and it's not hard, even the answer's on your sheet. But why is human life uniquely sacred? This is a time when we talk, not mumble. Say it. Yeah, there you go. Created in the image of God. We are, unlike the animals, unlike anything else in all creation, we are created, male and female, in the image of God. Genesis 127. So God created man in His own image. In the image of God, He created him. Male and female, He created them. So life is precious. Life is a gift of God. We are created in the image of God. So life is to be cherished. No stage of human life makes a human less valuable. A child in the womb is not less valuable than a child outside the womb, or than a 5-year-old, or a 10-year-old, or a 15-year-old, or you can go on down the list. Just as valuable. Why? The Word talks about us being knit together by the Lord in the womb, having that dignity from the get-go, from conception. How about a very frail elderly person? Surely they're not valuable. Created in the image of God with the same dignity and value and are treated that way. So that's why we would be against abortion. We would be against euthanasia because they're violating God's Word. Euthanasia is a growing thing around the world. We need to think about that. Why would it be wrong? This is why. Created in the image of God. Dignity. Value. No human distinction. or no characteristic makes a person less valuable. Sex, skin color, national origin, political opinions, none of that changes a person's value, saved or lost, nice or mean, created in the image of God. with equal value or dignity. I know I've seen this week, and I've seen it on the other side as well, but I've seen this week people saying things like, you know, if you voted for Trump, you don't deserve to live. You should be killed. Why don't you jump off a building? All kind of madness going on out there as a result of the election. That's wrong. That's sin. We should be able in this country to disagree without hating one another. And to some of those people, I would tell them, just because you hate the people that disagree with you, doesn't necessarily mean the people that disagree with you hate you. Life has dignity, not because starting with us, but starting with God. So what is the penalty for the violation of this commandment? For murder, the penalty is, there it is for Genesis 9, 6. This is from the Lord. Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in His own image. In other words, murder is an attack on the very image of God. It's an attack on our Creator. It is a just thing. Capital punishment is a just thing. If you are guilty of murder, I'm using that word intentionally, the strictly just thing would be capital punishment. Because it's an attack on the very image of God. Thoughts or comments? Love your neighbor. Amped up by Jesus, love your enemy. Humans have value. Disability doesn't take away that value. We have to be careful thinking less than of people in certain situations, don't we? We have to try to see them as God sees them. created in the image of God with value and dignity. Those to whom we are supposed, with whom we're supposed to share the gospel. So we are forbidden here of some things and there's some things commanded. Remember when we were looking at the larger catechism when we first started we were talking about whenever a sin is forbidden the opposite duty is required and wherever a duty is prescribed the opposite sin is forbidden. So that's how it kind of how I wanted. That's how we've been addressing all of these commandments and just wanted to remind you of that. So unless there's comments or thoughts I'll move on from question 55. Didn't take it seriously in that moment, did he? Very good. Anything else? All right, look at 56. Here's what's forbidden, and that was in Spurgeon's Puritan Catechism. You'll find it as well in the shorter. What is forbidden in the sixth commandment? I'm going to confess something to you, though. On some of these questions, when I look up the references they have in parentheses, I'm like, what the heck does that have to do with it? I didn't bring some of them forward. I'll let you look them up. What is forbidden in the sixth commandment? The sixth commandment forbids the taking away of our own life, or the life of our neighbor, important word, unjustly, or whatever tends to it. So what would be the sins forbidden there? Okay, suicide? Murder? Yeah? Suicide is a serious sin. It's one that we need to speak of tenderly. It's one that we also need to be careful that we don't present as the unpardonable sin. Right? It is a serious sin. It is an offense. It is an assault on the image of God. But it does not mean that Christians can't get to a place in their lives where they lose hope. Doesn't justify it. Still a sin. But it is not the unpardonable sin. You hear that sometimes in certain places. That's why I wanted to say that out loud. And I've said it out loud before. It is not encouraged. It is not the thing to do. It is not the way out. It is certainly not loving your neighbor. But it is not the unpardonable sin. And I'm glad to see here it's in shorter too. The taking away of your own life or the life of our neighbor. Taking another life unjustly is what is forbidden. And whatever leads to it, what might lead to it? I had one friend one time said, if they steal my collards, I'll shoot them. I would hope you don't take your collards that seriously. Sam. Read it out really loud. Yeah. Remind everybody what number that is in case they want to look it up. 136 in the larger catechism. And Jesus highlights unjust anger, hatred, murderous thoughts in the text that I read. You can also go to Matthew, well, that is Matthew 5, 21 and 22, and 1 John 3, 15, murderous thoughts. John Calvin said this, the hand indeed gives birth to murder, but the mind, when infected with anger and hatred, conceives it. One of the things Sam mentioned there was desire for vengeance or revenge. What does the Lord say about vengeance? Vengeance is mine, I will repay. We are wrong sometimes. We are terribly wrong sometimes. We will be terribly wrong sometimes. Jesus promises it. They hated me, they'll hate you. But what's our responsibility to that? To return a blessing for a curse, love to enemy, prayer for those who persecute. See, that is not a fleshly response. That takes the Holy Spirit to work that kind of reaction in us. But what the opportunity to shine the light. We're afraid that'll be interpreted as weakness. If you're following the Lord and they misinterpret it, that's not on you. That is not on you. Yeah. And we'll get there. We'll get to that. We're going to get to that next. But in line with this, when these things, when people come against us and all the things that create this anger in us and desire for revenge and vengeance and justifying it in our hearts and all of those kind of things, We really need to remember a lot of things. We need to remember His commandment that this is forbidden by Him. We need to remember His gospel and how He's redeemed us. But we need to trust God in those moments to work out justice through government or other providences or maybe not until the final judgment. We want the hammer to fall quick, especially when it comes against us a lot of times. But sometimes it's slow. But maybe that'll give time for that person to repent. But remember, vengeance is the Lord's. We have an obligation in Christ to love our enemies. That is one of the things that really tests us, right? Will we return a blessing for a curse? Will we rejoice? When we're persecuted for Christ. Because he told us to. He said leap for joy. When they persecute me. You on account of me. Now that would freak them out wouldn't it? Have a hallelujah fit right there in front of them. They'd think you crazy and you probably are into the world. but not returning an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth and a fist for a fist. And there's times for defense and we'll get there. Heard the story of an old boxer who was converted, and some of y'all have heard me tell this story, but he was a boxer, he was converted, he became an evangelist, right? And so he's in this town, and he's setting up his tent for the tent revival. And these young punks come in and start mouthing and abusing him, and one of them slaps him on his cheek. And so he turns his face the other way, and they slapped him on the other cheek. And he said, I have no further instructions from the Lord. That is not the way to respond. That is hyper-literalism. But sometimes we do want people to get it, don't we? That's how I was raised. So, forbidden. The sixth commandment forbids the taking away of our own life or the life of our neighbor unjustly. We'll come back to that. or whatever tends to it. Any other thoughts or comments on that question? Yeah. See them in bondage to sin. See it against the Lord. It is hard. Had that word in our hearts. Yeah. You got. I mean just like a lot of the rest of the Christian life we got no shot if it's not living in here. If it needs to jump to the fore when stuff happens in the way that's going to happen is that we're in the word and we're hiding the word in our hearts. Was it Mark Twain that said it's not the parts of the Bible I don't understand that cause me trouble, it's the ones that I do? Something like that. But stuff like return a blessing for a curse, love your enemy, that kind of thing. But see, that's nothing other than what we saw, see Jesus and doing in the Gospels. Never had an unjust thought. Never had an unjust anger. lived out love for enemy. We were his enemy. That's why he came. But even from the cross, Father, forgive them. They know not what they do. Peter was cutting ears off and he had to rebuke him right quick. All right, look at 68. Y'all gonna get us out of here quick if you don't talk. Now, this is the flip side of it. We've seen what is forbidden, what is required in the sixth commandment. The sixth commandment requires all lawful efforts to preserve our own life and others. Let me ask you a question. What forms of killing are not forbidden in the sixth commandment? Just war? Self-defense. Yeah. Just war, death penalty. We're not to fight against the death penalty. That is a just killing. It's not always executed. Even the Lord didn't. I mean, David. David had Uriah killed. It was just other people's hands. It was his heart. But he was, God showed him mercy. We must fight against all unlawful taking of life, and we talked about that, abortion, euthanasia, various things like that. But just war is not wrong. Sometimes that's cloudy, isn't it? But you're under authority, you're in the Marine Corps, you've got a job to do. It's not murder. Defending family. Now look back at it. All lawful efforts to preserve our own life and others. Do I have a lawful duty, and I'm speaking of God's law, to defend my wife? Yes, I do. Don't test it. There's still enough Southern left in me, I promise you. But it doesn't have to be Southern. I have a lawful duty. You have a lawful duty to protect your family. I've heard very famous preachers say that somebody broke in their home, that they wouldn't shoot them because they would think they were lost and they would let them do whatever they came in the house to do. That's not right. Because you have a lawful duty to protect your family, to protect your children, to protect your neighbor, should it come to that. I mean, Miss Mary Ellen calls me from right across the street, elderly lady that lives across the street from me. I'm going. Now, Cindy will be calling 9-1-1 and everything else, but, you know, we do have a responsibility to protect and that is lawful and given to us by God. You know, one of the, why did, why did a shepherd have two sticks? They were not sticks, but a staff and a club. One's for the wolf, the other's for the sheep. We have a duty to protect. Sometimes it's protecting the country, right? Sometimes it's protecting your family. Sometimes it's protecting your neighbor. Sometimes it's protecting your church. They're on down the list. You might die executing that duty. Is there greater love than a man dying for his friends or his family? You see what I'm saying? It may be in warfare. You're doing the right thing. Cost you your life. That's not a violation of the sixth commandment. How do I know that? What's the primary example I know that from? Dying to protect others. That's the gospel, isn't it? Jesus came and sacrificed himself to save us. So I do appreciate that they say in the answer in question 56 that taking away your own life or the life of your neighbor unjustly. There are just times to take the life, big picture speaking, of your neighbor. Self-defense. Defense of those under your charge. Listen, not all of y'all know this. I'm glad you don't know it. And it's not patently obvious. But we have a security team here in the church. And if somebody comes through that door to harm you, I promise you we will take action to defend you. If you're not on that security team, you go down. Right, you get low. But we got people here to take care of that, if need be. And that is part of a shepherd's responsibility, is to protect the flock. But we sometimes can sacrifice our lives to defend others and that would be a right thing to do. Thoughts or comments? I'm going to drink water. Y'all are making me talk. I didn't want to talk. So you're talking about if you were to respond to that with violence or... Yeah, I mean unjust anger and all those things. Even as Mike said this morning in the Sunday school lesson, you're not under obligation to live under that kind of threat. You need to engage the authorities and you need to, if you're in the church, you need to engage your elders and let us help you with that. No, I know. I'm just speaking generally, right? Other thoughts? Yes, ma'am. I just want to see if anybody else has any thoughts and talk about how, so it says it requires all lawful efforts to preserve our own life and others, but there's also a lot of lawful things we can do to preserve life in the medical sense that with holding those would not necessarily be required. So talking about palliative care, end-of-life care, things like that. I agree with that. No. To refuse. Confuse that. Correct. Anybody else in the medical field want to say anything about that? Right. like abortion versus, similar to the abortion argument of versus removing the fetus from the womb if there's risk to the life of the mother. So just like with that, end of life care and pulling the plug, as it were, versus euthanasia, there's a difference between removing a technology and letting God's will commence whatever it may be. Maybe they make a miraculous recovery, maybe they don't. Good. Correct, correct, correct. Now they abuse that and make use of that for all sorts of stretching of the health of the mother, but in true physical danger. Leslie, you got any thoughts? I took you by surprise, didn't I? to end of life care as well that has to be thoughtfully and prayerfully come about with the help of other believers because there are times when, you know, someone may not want antibiotics for this infection and it seems like, well, that's a reasonable preservation, but they have other risks of the antibiotics in the sense of There are limits to say we're going to allow the will of God to proceed. But I think it can be different in every situation as to the measures that you go along. And you have to really rely on those around you. And sometimes it's hard if you're the closest one to them to see what the right answer is. And that's where your fellow Christians around you can be helpful in helping you discern what is Hmm. Thank you. Very good. Anybody else? Sarah? Yeah. Yeah, that's mislabeled. Yeah. Yeah, to be used politically, I think sometimes, but yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Good. when it won't. Sarah. Yeah. I think it would be very sad for a young person to decide they're not going to do it. Yeah. Yeah. Be terrible, yeah. And that was not an unlawful taking of your own life or anybody taking their life. Sam. Right, correct. Right. According to God's law. Make sure your family knows your wishes, yeah. Yes, sir? There you go. Okay. Is that helpful? Is that kind of teasing it out? Yes, sir. Jonathan. As I think about this commandment, and you read from Matthew at the start, right, and Jesus is, I think what has potency here is that Jesus is honing in on the heart. Just like Calvin says. I'm convicted by the larger catechisms, question 135, the answer to the duties required compassion, meekness, gentleness, kindness, peaceable, mild, and courteous speech and behavior, forbearance, readiness to be reconciled, patient bearing and forgiving of injuries, and requiting good for evil. Those are the things that I'm Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Like, yes, we're all capable of sinning to great degrees. But if I'm more prone to wander, it's gonna be in a lack of charitable thoughts. of courteousness, kindness, and gentleness toward others. I think that's the thing that really gets me thinking about my own violations of the duties required and the sins forbidden in Jesus name. Thank you. As far as getting back to your thoughts and questions, y'all tell me if I'm wrong, but we can basically keep a body alive for a long, long, long time, right? That wouldn't be right. That would not be right. I worked in the ICU as a nurse for a long time, 13 years, not really that long, but you see a lot of family members who, when faced with the option of withdrawing care in a terminal family member and keeping life going to an extent that is futile, they feel like they're killing a family member when they usually don't care. And so I think that's what I wanted to emphasize, just because sometimes, in certain circumstances, when we can preserve life, Doesn't mean we should, right? Yeah. Yes, sir? I'm counting on you. What do you mean as far as the protection element? It is challenging. Not instruction for governmental, for the magistrate, it's instruction for the individual. And they're in our hearts. We know that in the Old Testament you see God commanding warfare at times. So it cannot be unjust. Right? Self-defense is justified sometimes in the old covenant in certain various ways. So it cannot be unjust shepherds protecting the flock and that analogy coming around to being shepherds of God's people. You lead, feed, guide, and protect. So then you're a shepherd of your family. I mean, various things is getting on, but I think we can see example in anything that God has commanded his people to do that could not have been unjust. at any point, right? So again, I think passivism's wrong. I think dealing with what she said, honoring the treatment of the body, right? I love the heart focus. I love that question. Love the heart focus. Us plowing into our hearts to make our hearts compassionate, gentle, and meek. avoiding a lot of these things, but being ready to defend when necessary, especially those around us. Not so much, you know, I think we can take a blow for ourselves. We don't have to let somebody kill us. I don't believe, I believe that would violate probably the commandment there, if we're doing that. Persecution, I think I would backstroke on that, but I mean, just coming in my house and, you know, Yeah, I think those kind of things, I mean, you see Romans 13 in other places. The magistrate bears the sword, he doesn't bear it for nothing. He's to punish evil and reward the good. There's a sphere of authority there given to what we would call the government, right? So just keeping our spheres straight in how we are to act in these levels. Yeah, there's justified protection in other words. I'm not going looking for it, but if they come, you know. I think there's a difference, too, between repaying evil for evil and stopping the commission of evil. So if someone breaks into my house and is trying to harm my family, me killing them is not repaying evil for evil, it's stopping them from committing evil. Now, if they break into my house and run away, and a week later I find out where they live, and then I go into their house two weeks later and kill them, that would be repaying evil for evil. So there almost is like a temporal sense to it. And even the government's not returning evil for evil. That is their job. Right? between doctrinally sound Christians and then people who are wrongly using the word of God to try to guilt-trip people and try to, like, lead people astray. It has to be a place where people who are wrongly using the word of God... Sure. Sure. So, like, we can't, we can't... That doesn't mean you have to be, like, that doesn't mean you have to be permanently violent, but, like, it's right to, like, use scripture to tell someone Yeah. No. I don't think so. I mean, sometimes you have to be forceful. You can be forceful without being sinful. Matthew 23. Jesus against the Jewish leaders was forceful. But he wasn't sinful. Right? Yeah, review. Take these home. Review these questions. Think about it. Pray about it. As far as the end of life stuff goes, I would encourage you to make sure your family knows your wishes. Do not let them put me on a machine and leave me there. I'll say that to all of you. She knows this. But if something happened to her and then something happened to me, no. No. Reasonable attempt? All right. But if you're going to do that so that I can then kind of be a vegetable and all that stuff for however long, just let me go. Let me be absent from the body and present with the Lord. But just make sure your family knows your wishes. That will take great pressure off of them in those moments of decision. Young people, go ahead and say it. Because something can happen to you at a very young age, okay? Just make good plans for end of life. I saw a hand but I don't know where it went. There you go. Yeah. Yeah. That's true. That's true. That's true. Good. We ended better than we started. Let's wrap it up. I did have Leviticus 19, 18 down there. You shall not take vengeance or bear grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love the Lord. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord. And then the last thing I had here was don't forget Christ perfectly fulfilled the sixth commandment for us, both in his life and in his death, dying to save us and to protect us from eternal death. So let's pray. Lord, thank you for your blessing, your being with us, your helping us, you showing us and opening up just more about your commandments. And there's more to open up and just working us from the heart out to love you, to love our neighbor, to love one another the way Christ has loved us. to be light and salt in this dark world. We give you praise for your love and grace. Just apply these things to our hearts. We look to you and ask it in Christ's name. Amen.