The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1946-08-16
JESUS AND THE SACREDNESS
OF HUMAN LIFE

LESSON TEXT-Exodus 20:13: Matthew
5:21-24; l0:29-3l; 10:1O-l4.
MEMORY SELECTION-But I say unto
you, That whosoever is angry with his
brother without cause shall be In danger
of the Observation-Disclosures 5:22.
Human life is sacred, and that Is
not primarily because OF any law
Of man, but because God created
man in his own likeness and image.
Since that is true, no man has
any right to take the life of another
for any cause except at the direct
command of God. Only by the
orderly process of law for the pro-
lection of society and in accordance
with the Word of God may there
be any such action by man toward
man.
Both of these truths are declared
in Scripture in Gods covenant with
Noah (Gen. 9:5, 81, which was made
possibly thousand years before the
Ten Commandments were given to
Moses.
1. The Prohibition of Murder
(Exod. 20:13).
The word "kill'' in this command
ment is one which means a violent
and unauthorized taking of life, and
is therefore more properly translat-
ed murder"
Not all killing is murder. A man
may kill another entirely accidental
ly, or he may be the duly con-
stituted' legal officer carrying out
the law of the land in taking the life
of one who has forfeited his right
to live because he has slain another.
There is also the right of self-de-
tense, be it individual or collective
as in war. But these are the only
exceptions; let us not attempt to
| justify any other.
Murder is more prevalent than
most of us suppose. In 1914 there
was a murder every fifty minutes
! in our land.
Do not forget the deaths, the de-
struction of life, by avoidable auto
mobile accidents. Some of these
were really murder because the
one responsible drove with defec-
tive brakes, dangerous tires, or
while he was intoxicated. Add to
these the deaths in industry caused
by failure to provide proper safe
| guards or healthy working condi-
| tons, and by the exploitation Of
| child labor, and we say that we
should cry aloud, "Thou shalt do no
| murder"
III. The Pr0vocation to Murder
| (Matt. 5:21, 22).
Murder finds it's provoking cause
in the heart of man. Our Lord was
concerned about correcting the de-
sires rather than to apprehend the
| offender after the act had been
committed. It is the better way,
and the more effective one.
In this matter of murder, Jesus
cut right through the outward as
poets of the matter and pointed out
that an angry hatred in the heart
is the root of all murder. II we
hate, we have murder in our hearts.
Circumstances may hinder its full
fillment, but the danger is always
there until we remove the cause.
May God help those of us who
have strong feelings that we may
| not yield them to the devil in such
anger against our brotherl
III. The Prevention Of Murder
(Matt. 5:23, "a; 10:29-31; 18:10-14).
Prevention with God means more
than putting up barrier to try to
keep men from killing one another.
He deals with the heart of man,
and when that is right the whole
life will be right. There must be
I. A Right View of Self (Matt. S:
%, 24). We must learn by prayer
and humility of heart to suffer at
the hands of others, to keep peace,
to seek our brothers welfare.
Note that it is not even question
of how we may feel against our
brother. If he has aught against us
we are to do all we can to win him.
We who believe in Christ are to
be in deed as well as word the
children of our heavenly Father
(Matt. 5:45), loving not only those
who are kind to us but also our enc
mics.
2. A Right View of God Matt.
10:29-3I. He who knows when a
sparrow falls to the ground is con-
cerned about the smallest detail Of
our lives. No man can lay hands
Of violence on another man with
out having to reckon with God about
his misdeeds.
Our God is not afar off and too
concerned with eternal affairs to be
interested in the sufferings of the
individual. He is here now, and we
should count him into every rela-
tionship of life.
8. A Right View of Man Matt.
18:10-14). Even the little ones, APP
parently defenseless and at the
mercy Of cruel world, have guard
ian angels who have access to the
throne Of God. He has special
interest in the lost and rejoices
In the rescue of the one who has
strayed, so we see that even those
whom the world regards as weak