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July 16, 2020 1:00 am
Murder: it’s now so common that we often aren’t fazed by it anymore. But the taking of innocent life breaks one of the cardinal commandments of God. And since Roe versus Wade, that commandment has been broken untold millions of times.
Click here to listen (Duration 25:02)Murder is also common, but we aren't fazed by it anymore. The taking of innocent life breaks one of the cardinal commandments of God and since Roe versus Wade commandment has been broken untold billions of time from the church in Chicago. This is going to win sir whose clear teaching helps us make it across the finish line. God told Cain and Abel's blood cried out to me from the ground, surely judgment must fall all the murders committed since then. Yes, Dave.
You're absolutely right that we do offer forgiveness to those women who are listening to this broadcast today and Dave had abortions recognize God's forgiveness and his grace putting the past behind people and enabling them to live in the future, under God's banner of love and acceptance. That being said, you're absolutely right.
The judgment of God falls on a nation that kills so many innocent babies and not only that, if you live here in the city of Chicago as we do, you discover that there are so many murders that take place every single week, so let's listen to this commandment very clearly from God's heart about the importance of human life. It's a message that we need in a culture that has lost its way. 12-year-old boy was watching a western his mother was one very much was against drinking and as she came into the room that happened that the villain was just walking into a saloon and the boy knew that he was in trouble.
So in order to get out of the trouble he said mom don't worry.
He said this guy isn't coming into the saloon to take a drink.
He's just going to kill somebody, all of which reminds us that human life today is not worth very much. Considering all the things that happen television is filled with violence.
We have all kinds of murders and even here in the city of Chicago we come to accept them pretty well. Even though the Bible says with clarity, thou shalt do no murder, God says that's Exodus chapter 20 verse 13 I want you however to turn to Exodus chapter 21 which will be referring to a just a moment, as well as a couple of other passages you know that evolutionists do not value human life very much because they say that we came up through the animal world, and therefore, since we are one with the animal kingdom and we kill animals. Why can we kill human beings. That's one of the great arguments in favor of abortion is that we kill animals and that we kill baby pigs when they are deformed.
Therefore, why shouldn't we kill baby humans when they are deformed when we are really only a higher intelligence than animal, but basically on the same spectrum and so evolutionists know right well that their view Dean means humanity, and I can find writers. I have them in my library who say very strongly that man has been far overrated in terms of value and that it's time that we recognize that he really had a much lesser place than we have been giving him the other thing that evolutionists have been doing is to try to speak about animal rights to bring animals up a prestigious university here in the Chicago area that I will not mention had a seminar on animal-rights. They all got together and wondered what kind of rights animals had well, certainly we should not treat animals so cruelly, but animals can be killed by man.
They can be used in experiments and that they also can be used as animals for food.
Nine. I'm gonna get some letters this week over that, but that's all right. I've said addenda.
I don't mind having set. But the problem is that God says when it comes to man that he is a cut above the animal world. That's not the problem that is of course scriptural teaching that man is special. He is unique.
Now I can imagine somebody saying, well, you know, at last, the pastor has come to a commandment that doesn't apply to me. It's true that I may have other gods besides the true God.
It is true that there may be times when I may take the Lord's name in vain. But at least thank God I'm not a murderer. In fact, as we look at this congregation today I was and I was thinking about this yesterday. I wondered if there's a murderer here would necessarily ask you to rise if if that's the case, but to you know in a congregation of 14, 1500, is there someone who is guilty of murder. Well, I think by the time we have finished this message. We will find out that the answer may be yes, at least in some sense guilty of breaking this commandment. Now when we look at the text it's very clear about shall do no murder, but the question that we have to ask is, what are the different ways in which this commandment can be broken can even those of us who have never taken someone's life in any sense of the word. Can we also be guilty of murder.
What are the ways that this commandment can be violated. First of all, this commandment can be violated with the hand murder by the hand. What do I mean I'm talking about somebody who actually snuffs out the life of somebody else.
Physical murder and their different ways that this kind of murder can be carried out, for example, you can just go ahead and kill someone you can take a gun and you can shoot them you can put poison in their soup. There are a number of different ways that this can be done to rub somebody out somebody who's in your way. That's one way that you can murder with the hand. You can murder an enemy there's another way and that is you cannot murder a fetus a fetus you know this passage in Exodus chapter 21 that we read actually indicates that a fetus comes under the protection of what is known as the law of retaliation. It says in verse 22. If men struggle with each other and to strike a woman with child so that she has a miscarriage. Yet there is no further injury. He shall surely be fine. Verse 23.
But if there is any further injury. That is if the child dies. That's the important point. If the fetus doesn't live when she has a miscarriage, then you shall appoint as a penalty. Life for life, eye for an eye, tooth for tooth, it seems clear from the Bible that the fetus comes under the protection of the law of retaliation. In the Old Testament, and we know that in Psalm 139 it says that God is the one that for me before I was born and he was the one that embroidered me that's a good translation of the Hebrew word he embroidered me in my mother's womb.
He put me together and in the New Testament the fetus is called a baby is in the case of John the Baptist. It says that the baby leapt in her womb. The baby 4300 babies killed every day in the United States because of abortion.
There's another way that this commandment can be broken. You can kill an enemy. You can kill a fetus or you can kill yourself or people who commit suicide 25,000 Americans a year have a death wish, and they like to die and so they do, they they commit suicide, something like Jonah in the Old Testament, wanting desperately to commit suicide but not quite knowing how to pull it off.
I think it's about four times in the book of Jonah. You have Jonah complaining to God and saying it is better to me to die than to live in in the fourth chapter he pleads with God, he says, please kill me.
And he probably would've done it himself if he had only had the nerve know that suicide is is is a very selfish crime people sable when I commit suicide that I'm out of people's way and everybody's going to be happy. One of the things to ask someone who's on the verge of committing suicide is who will find you.
Who will find the body who will have to take care of the funeral arrangements. Suicide is a tremendously difficult experience for those who are left behind to face and of course we don't have to commit suicide. There is hope for believers.
Now let me simply say that some people think that a true believer can't commit suicide. The answer is yes they can, of course, their dying by committing murder there dying with unconfessed sin. But there are multitudes of Christians are going to die with unconfessed sin on their hands and God is going to take care of that. Just as he takes care of any other unconfessed sin. Legally, believers are accepted in Jesus Christ and I have met some and I have known some who have been so depressed and so harassed that eventually they did die at their own hand.
I think of a young man gloriously converted out of paganism in Canada and a wonderful testimony of the power of Christ. I remember being on a kneeling at a bed and praying with and how that young men prayed, but then he entered into the RCMP, the Royal Canadian mounted police more accurately. Today, the Royal Canadian motorcar police, but nonetheless still cold Mounties and that he because he was different government people that are different. There's nothing wrong with them, but they just don't seem to fit, and they teased him and they tormented him and he said to me one day, says it's one thing to live for Jesus when you're on the top of the pilots.
Another thing when you're on the bottom and when you're being ridiculed, I was startled one day listening to the radio to the news of all things, to discover that this young police officer had committed suicide. It can happen. But the person who commits suicide is violating this commandment that says thou shalt not kill killing yourself now you know what God thinks about murder God says that murder is so serious it is such at a violation of the fact that we are created in the image of God that the text says in chapter 21 verse 12 he who strikes a man so that he dies, shall surely be put to death. Another some people who say this you heard the arguments on television and in the newspapers. They say we sold value human life that we believe that nobody has the right to take the life of somebody else, even if he is a convicted killer who hate is a serial murderer who is killed 30 different people. We should never exercise capital punishment because human life is so sacred that's the way the argument goes, very interestingly, God would say no. Your opinion is still too low.
Human life is even more sacred than that human life is so sacred that if somebody takes the life of another to display the sacredness of human life. You have to take their own life.
That's what God says infected if you're unconvinced. Look at what he says in Genesis chapter 9 verse six. This is the whole argument for capital punishment. It's because human life is so sacred, God says that the person who takes it.
The only proper retribution is for his own life to be taken. Genesis chapter 9 verse six whoever sheds man's blood, by man his blood shall be shed, why because man is in very sacred year that is of little value know for in the image of God he made man interesting.
God says you take somebody's life the only proper way to deal with that is to have your life taken. The only argument against capital punishment that I can possibly think of is the possibility that exists that you're executing the wrong person. But in those cases where there is no reasonable doubt there is there is the responsibility of the state because the Bible says that if you don't do it. The land will be polluted with blood and I'm not blaming our judges and our criminal system. I shouldn't say just judges along with the whole criminal system on ultimately suffers in America today.
I think that what they ought to do if someone commits a murder and is let go on the street and commits another five that he should be guilty of the first one and then the criminal justice system should be guilty for the other ones, but then again I'll get some other letters I better hurry on now in the book of numbers.
The Bible says very clearly that even though there may be a ransom for some capital crimes in the Old Testament, such as adultery and others that there can be no ransom given. If you're guilty of murder if you're taking notes it's numbers chapter 35 verse 31 numbers 35, 31, we won't tear into it. But God says this he says if somebody takes another person's life. You cannot accept a ransom. There can be no exceptions unless it was unintentional, in which case it is manslaughter if it is deliberate, then you must take that person's life. Why, because goddesses human life is in. That's what is called murder by the hand and the result is the death penalty.
There's a second way that this commandment can be broken. Murder by the heart murder by the heart turn to first John chapter 3 verse 15 first John, don't confuse it with the gospel of John first John is almost just a few pages actually away from the book of Revelation is the easiest way to find it. First John chapter 3 verse 15 he makes a startling statement that Jesus actually also made on the sermon on the Mount.
He says in first John 315 everyone who hates his brother is a murderer.
Let me read that again everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
Does this mean that a Christian cannot hate another. Some people interpreted that way. But it's contrary to fact is that you've met Christians I've met Christians that hate each other but he is talking about brothers here so he must be speaking about Christians and he knows that Christians can hate one another because he says, hates his brother, so I think the phrase eternal life abiding in him doesn't mean that he doesn't have eternal life. It means that the eternal life is not being expressed in him the whole emphasis on John is on fellowship. It is on abiding in Christ and he saying that if you say that eternal life is abiding in you that it is being lived out in your life that there is fruit of eternal life, and you hate your brother. You are a liar.
The text says because no eternal life can be expressed, can be lived out in the life of someone who hates his brother, but what a strong statement. Why is it that some people hate one another. First of all because there are some people who are in the way of others, and so hatred and animosity develops.
For example, you'll recall the case of the Herod Jesus is born in Bethlehem and Herod, when he sees that a delegation is going to Bethlehem to find out about this person that's been born.
He says tell me about it when you find out the information and send me word that I may go and worship him all what a liar.
But why was it that Herod hated Jesus, it's because Jesus was a threat to him. Jesus was being born is the King of the Jews and Eric thought that he might be without a job. Jesus might make Herod look bad. And that's why Herod hated Christ, and intended to kill him and he and his heart was a murderer, even though he didn't pull it off. You know those of you who are in business know that out there in the world its doggy dog.
There are all kinds of people there who want to make you look bad and make themselves look good so that they can step on you to get a promotion and will do everything that they possibly can to duel you win, how it's easy to hate people like that resentment begins to build up and you begin to say if I could kill him. I would watch it. Everyone who hates is a murderer, even if you hate your brother you're a murderer, not to mention the people that are in the world. There's another reason not only because there are people who get in our way, but also because perhaps we met people that have hurt us. They purchase and so we want to retaliate there something within us that says we want to even the score. We want to make sure that this person will not get away Scott free. And so if you had a mother that rejected you and a father who beat you up if you have a spouse that has done, you win.
That is a lie to you that is betrayed you there. Again, the resentments and the hurts grow and that's why most murders that are take place here in the city of Chicago. They are family affairs, usually at some relative, some resent somebody who received an inheritance and that there's somebody else that wants to chisel you out of what's coming to you and the resentment and the anger, the court cases and all these things begin to develop and you just can't see how people can be so unreasonable under something within you that says I will do them in. No matter what it cost so you have a situation of some relatives that are related to someone whom I know where a man was so angry at his wife, who had taken the kids from him that he shot her and shot all the children in the car and then turned the gun on himself and committed suicide when he was saying is I am so full of resentment and hatred that I will kill you to make sure that you are rubbed out. Even if I end up doing it to myself. After but the text says again if you hate your murder my friend what Jesus said is very serious is the fact is that if we hate in our hearts.
We are guilty of murder in our hearts and God sees everything. Let me ask you question is got more tolerant than he used to be. Read the Old Testament and you discover that people were stoned to death for various reasons, false prophets were to be stoned to death. Adulterers were to be stoned to death today. Of course we don't do that we tolerate false prophets we lived with a sense of freedom and we think to ourselves that God has lowered his standards. These are the kinds of issues I deal with in my book. Why holiness matters. The 10 Commandments Jesus and you. I wrote this book because in an age in which we stress, grace and love. We forget that there's another aspect of God's character which is so often neglected.
Why holiness matters and it does matter. The 10 Commandments Jesus and you for your gift of any amount. This book can be yours. Here's what you do go to RTW offer.com RTW offer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337 I wrote this book so that all of us would be humbled in the presence of a holy God that our hearts would become quiet, that we might worship more acceptably because we realize that the God that we are approaching is a holy God and the Bible says that without holiness, we shall not see the Lord go to RTW offer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337 and thanks in advance for helping us as we get the gospel of Jesus Christ to more than 20 different countries of the world. It's time once again for you to ask Pastor lutes or a question about the Bible or the Christian life.
What causes a Christian to sin.
Sometimes we may say, the devil made me do it.
Is this correct here. So one of our listeners puts the question to Dr. lutes or does Scripture say that Satan can read our minds can he invade our thoughts, or do we sin just because of our own sinful nature.
I take those to be two separate questions.
In answer to the question of whether or not Satan can read our minds. I can say that I'm not sure it's possible that we as believers are protected and Satan is able to be there and to know what we are thinking and I assume that that protection is indeed their the Bible doesn't speak expressly to it. But that would be consistent with what I expect.
However, the other question that you are asking is can Satan inject thoughts into our minds. If we let him and the answer is yes, he does it under the guise of sin. The best example is Ananias and Sophia write and ask chapter 5.
Isn't it interesting that Peter comes to them later and you recall that they did lie about the price of the land to make themselves look good so they lied about the extent of their gift to the church. But Peter said, why has Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Spirit.
So obviously the thoughts that they had the deceptive thoughts that they had were actually injected into their minds by Satan, but because they thought that those thoughts were their own.
They weren't afraid of those thoughts. I think Satan does the very same thing today. If we are willing to give them a place in our hearts if we are willing to open ourselves up to the kinds of evils that are around us. He will tempt us. You'll even get to the point where he can put ideas in our minds and unfortunately we won't be afraid of those ideas because we think they are just hours at the end of the day. We can never blame Satan for our sin. We give him permission to carry out his deceptions, so we need to be balanced in this matter.
Some words of caution from Dr. Erwin lutes or thank you Pastor lutes or if you'd like to hear your question answered. Go to our website@rtwoffer.com and click on ask Pastor lutes or or call us at 1-888-218-9337 that's 1-888-218-9337 you can write to is learning to win 1635 N. LaSalle Boulevard Chicago, IL 60614 at the bedrock of the law of God is the prohibition against taking innocent life. Hundreds of people are killed every year in means of our major cities. Life is cheap and gets cheaper when convicted killers never paid the price. God commanded next time I'm running to win. Tune in for more on commandment number five and how seriously God use the value of life is our series on the 10 Commandments continue. Thanks for listening, Dr. Erwin lutes or this is Dave running to win is sponsored by the Buddha nature