*****

New Testament Reading: James 1:19-26 

“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless.” (James 1:19–26, ESV)

Old Testament  Reading: Psalm 19

“TO THE CHOIRMASTER. A PSALM OF DAVID. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun, which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy. Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them, and there is nothing hidden from its heat. The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults. Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.” (Psalm 19, ESV)

*****

Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.

Introduction

God has spoken.

Let us think about that statement for a moment, for it is in fact the starting point of our faith and our religion. We believe that God has spoken.

By “God” we mean the one true God, the Triune God, the Creator of heaven and earth.   

And when we say that he “has spoken”, we mean that he has revealed himself to us. He has told us something about who he is, who we are, and what he requires of us. 

God has spoken. He has revealed himself to us. And he has made us in such a way that we are able to hear his voice. This too is a marvelous truth to consider. God has spoken and we have the ability to perceive and receive his revelation. This is a part of what it means to be made in the image of God. God has spoken, and we can hear his voice.

It should be clear to all that if God had not spoken — that is, if he had withheld all forms of revelation, then we could not know him, for he is above us and beyond us. We would be left to wander in the dark concerning our knowledge of God and our knowledge of self.  But because God has spoken, then he may be truly known. 

And how has God spoken to us? Well, in two ways. One, he has revealed something of himself to us in the world that he has made. God created the world in such a way that the creation testifies concerning him. And two, he has revealed himself to us by giving us his word — he has spoken through the prophets, through Christ who was and is the eternal Word of God come in the flesh, and through the scriptures. So God has provided us with two books, then. We have the world-book, and we have the word-book. These two books — the book of creation, and the book of scripture — are not at war with one another. No, both proclaim the truth concerning our Maker.  And the Christian is to happily read both books — the world-book, and the word-book.

Psalm 19 is about this. It is a celebration of, and response to, God’s revelation in nature and in scripture. In this Psalm David rightly handles both the book of nature, and the book of scripture, and then he rightly responds, saying, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14, ESV)

Perhaps you noticed that Psalm 19 feels like two Psalms squished together into one. Verse 1-6 are about the creation. In particular, they are about the sky. “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork”, says verse 1.  And then all of a sudden in verse 7 the focus shifts to the scriptures, saying, “The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple, etc.” (Psalm 19:7, ESV). 

The transition from the sky to the scriptures is very abrupt. So what is the theme that holds Psalm 19 together? The theme is revelation. The Psalmist is contemplating God’s revelation, first in creation, and secondly in the scriptures. And then he responds to God’s revelation in verses 12-14. 

*****

God Speaks To Us Through The Sky

First of all, let us consider verses 1-6 that God speaks to us through the sky. He reveals something of himself to us through the world that he has made. The sun, moon, and stars — indeed, all of creation — speak continuously to us concerning our Maker. 

The physical creation may be divided into three worlds. We may speak of the world of the oceans, the world of the land, and the world of the heavens. And the heavens themselves are varied. There is the heaven where the birds fly and the clouds reside. And there is the heaven of the sun, moon, and stars. When the scriptures speak of the third heaven they speak of God’s heavenly temple, that realm where the glory of God is particularly manifest, where the angels of God worship and serve him night and day. That heaven — the third heaven — is invisible to us. And we can only imagine what the glory of that realm is like. But the glory of the second heaven — the heaven of the sun, moon, and stars — may be of some help to us. Of all of God’s visible creation, the heaven of the sun, moon, and stars is most glorious. And it is the heaven of the sun, moon, and stars that provides us with the light by which we may contemplate the rest of God’s visible creation — the oceans, the land, and the first heaven. This, I think, is why the Psalmist gives particular attention to the starry sky. The heavens — the second heaven where the sun, moon, and stars reside — are most glorious. And they do illuminate the eye of man so that we might consider the glory of God in all of creation.  

God speaks to us through the sky. And what does the sky have to say?

Verse 1 tells us. “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” (Psalm 19:1, ESV) 

There are two statements here. They mirror one another, but they are not exactly the same.

First, “the heavens declare the glory of God.” “The heavens” — and soon it will become clear that David has the sun, moon and stars in mind — “declare” — this word means to recount or to communicate — “the glory of God”. 

God is glorious. He is infinite in being and perfection. He is a most pure spirit. He is invisible, immortal, immutable, immense, eternal, incomprehensible, and almighty. His wisdom and power are infinite. He is most holy, most pure. Though we may try, human language cannot describe the glory of the infinite One. Our words strain under the weight of the pressure. And so it is with the heavens of the visible creation. They “declare the glory of God”, but they do not tell the whole story. Even the sun, moon, and stars, as glorious as they are, only “declare” God’s glory. They do not display it for what it really is. 

“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” “Handiwork” — what an interesting word that is. God does not have hands. And yet the creation is called his handiwork. This illustrates what I have just said about the inadequacy of our language. When it comes to God and the works of God we must use language that we are familiar with. Sometimes this involves attributing human characteristics to the Divine. We have hands. God does not have hands. And yet his creation is called his “handiwork”, for he made this world. He spoke it into existence out of nothing, and then he, like a skilled craftsman, formed and fashioned it into this orderly world in which we now live. 

And here the Psalmist says that the “sky above  proclaims [that is, reports or makes known] his handiwork.” The heavens are themselves God’s handiwork. But the heavens — the sun, moon, and stars — do also illuminate the rest of God’s creation so that we might perceive it. We do not dwell in utter darkness, do we? Even on the darkest of nights, the stars are still there to illuminate the created world. And each day the sun rises in the east to illuminate the earth so that we might clearly perceive the world that God has made. “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” (Psalm 19:1, ESV) 

We should remember that David, who is the author of this Psalm, was a shepherd before he was a king. He was very familiar with the sun, moon, and stars, therefore. He spent many nights out in the field gazing up at the stars. He observed the same constellations that you and I observe. And though he lacked the scientific insights into the expansiveness of the cosmos, he could perceive that space was very deep and full. He noticed the orderliness of the stars in the heavens and the consistency of the planets as they moved across the sky night after night and from season to season. Undoubtedly David felt the same sense of awe as we feel when we look up at the stars on a clear and dark night. And he felt the same sense of relief that we feel when the warmth and light of the sun rose upon him in the morning.  

You and I have a better sense of what these heavenly bodies are than David did, physically speaking. Thanks to technological advancements we know what these heavenly bodies are made of. We know that they are very, very far away. We know that they are very large. But I would guess that David understood the spiritual significance of the heavenly bodies more than most modern men do. I’m afraid that the advancements made in science have caused us to look upon the heavenly hosts in a merely scientific and natural way. We may marvel at the expanse. We may marvel at the size and the power. But many in our modern age have forgotten that these heavenly bodies are preachers. They are messengers or angels who constantly proclaim the glory of the God who made the heavens and the earth and everything within. The heavenly bodies are not divine. No, they are created things. But they were created to testify to the glory of God. It is very good for us to scientifically consider the natural world. But the natural world must also be considered theologically, for it was created for this purpose: to declare the glory of our Maker.    

So what do the preachers in the heavenly realm have to say? Day and night they say, there is a God, and he is glorious. He is the creator. He is powerful and mighty. He is a God of order. He is faithful. He is to be worshipped. 

And what language do these heavenly preachers speak?

Verses 2 and 3 tell us: “Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard.

“Day to day pours out speech”. When the sun rises it illuminates the earth so that we may hear what all of creation has to say concerning the glory of the Creator God.

But the creation does not only speak to us during the day. No, “night to night reveals knowledge” too. The stars of the second heaven are always there. But during the day they are hidden from our sight, being concealed from our eyes by the light of day. When the darkness of night descends, they appear. And we are able to hear once again the declaration of the glory of God through the stars of heaven. “Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.” So, the glory of God is revealed in the light of day, and the glory of God is also revealed in the darkness of night. I suppose there is a profound metaphor built into creation here concerning the glory of God revealed in darkness and light, good and evil, judgment and grace. 

But to answer the question, what language do these heavenly preachers speak?, the Psalmist says, “There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard.” In other words, these heavenly preachers do not preach to the ear of man, but to the eye. They do not preach with words. Their message is not heard, therefore. No, their testimony is seen. They engage the mind and the heart of man, not with words, but with images. Their language is universal, therefore. The confusion of the languages at Babel is no problem for the preachers of heaven, for they do not speak to the soul of man through the ear, but the eye. And though the peoples of this earth speak and understand different languages, all perceive the same world with their eyes. 

Who hears these preachers of heaven, then? Everyone does.  

Verse 4: “Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.” Everyone hears this preaching. Everyone has access to the book of creation. Everyone is exposed to this general and natural revelation concerning the glory of God, for all live in God’s world.  

Everything that is said here concerning God’s natural and general revelation is brought to a grand conclusion from the end of verse 4 through verse 6, with all attention being given to the sun. From our perspective, the sun is the most magnificent of the heavenly bodies. The sun is radiant. Its light is so glorious that the eye of man cannot gaze upon it, and yet its heat is a comfort, and its light gives life.

In verse 4c we read, “In them [that is, in the heavens] he [that is, God] has set a tent for the sun, which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy. Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them, and there is nothing hidden from its heat.”

Many idolaters have worshipped the sun, moon, and stars. But the scriptures tell us that they are not gods. They are created things. They are not to be confused with the Creator of all things. And here David portrays the sun as an obedient creature. Day after day the sun runs the course that God has established for it as a minister of God. The sun is here compared to a groom who rises with joy to go and take his bride. The sun is like a strong man who “ runs its course with joy”. Day after day the sun is faithful to run the course that God has established for it to give light and life to the world that God has made. “There is nothing hidden from its heat.” All may see and feel the testimony of the sun regarding the glory of God. 

All have access to God’s revelation in creation. All hear the voice of the sun, moon, and stars. All may perceive that God is glorious and that God is to be worshipped. In fact, Paul draws upon this truth in Romans 1 where he teaches that all will stand guilty before God for rejecting the testimony of creation, saying, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse” (Romans 1:18–20, ESV). All have access to God’s world-book. All hear the voice of God’s preachers as they proclaim the glory of God from the second heaven. But all suppress this truth in unrighteousness. All will stand guilty before God on the last day, therefore.  

The message of general revelation cannot save, friends. The sun, moon, and stars declare the glory of God, but they do not declare the gospel of salvation. Yes, God may use his world-book to drive men and women to his word-book where salvation through faith in the Messiah is revealed. Yes, God’s world-book does agree with God’s word-book so that the faith of those in Christ may be strengthened as they see that the testimony of scripture does agree with the testimony of creation. But salvation through faith in the Messiah is not revealed in the stars, friends. No, the “heavens declare the glory of God.” And while it is true that those who are right with God rejoice in and seek the glory of God, for the one who stands guilty and in their sins, the glory of God is a terror. And this is why men and women suppress the truth of creation in unrighteousness. Some very smart people come to some very foolish conclusions after considering the creation, and this due to the sin in their hearts. “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God’” (Psalm 14:1, ESV).

*****

God Speaks To Us Through The Scriptures

In verse 7 the focus shifts from the revelation we receive through creation to the revelation we receive through scripture. Yes, it is true, God speaks to us through the sky — “The heavens declare the glory of the Lord.” But God speaks to us ever more thoroughly and clearly through the Holy Scriptures. The scriptures reveal God most fully. The scriptures teach us the way we should go. The scriptures show us our sin and misery. And the scriptures reveal that the LORD is our rock and redeemer. 

You will notice that in verses 7 through 9 many terms are piled up all of which refer to the Holy Scriptures — “law”, “testimony”, “precepts”, “commandment”, “fear”, and “rules”. Each of these six nouns refer to the scriptures in all of their variety. The scriptures are even called the “fear of the LORD”, for this is what the scriptures are to produce within the heart of man — reverential fear. And each of these nouns are said to be “of the LORD”. They come from God. The law that David is rejoicing in is not just any law, but “the law of the LORD”. He is celebrating “the testimony of the LORD”, etc.

Each of the six nouns are paired with an adjective. “The law of the LORD is perfect”, or blameless.  “The testimony of the LORD is sure”, or verified. “The precepts of the LORD are right”, that is, morally upright or just.  “The commandment of the LORD is pure”, or radiant. “The fear of the LORD is clean”, or genuine. And “the rules of the LORD are true” — they are true and dependable. 

And you will also notice that each of the six nouns are paired with a verb, which describe what the word of God does for man, or is within itself. The scriptures revive the soul, make wise the simple, rejoice the heart, enlighten the eyes, endure forever, and are altogether righteous.

It should be clear to all that David has placed a much higher value on the scriptures than on the sky as it pertains to the benefit they bring to man’s soul. The book of creation is to be read. The book of creation is to be appreciated. Indeed, the people of God must learn to see the glory of God in creation. But the scriptures are of surpassing worth. The scriptures are perfect, sure, right, pure, clean, and true. And the scriptures are able to revive the soul, make wise the simple, rejoice the heart, enlighten the eyes. Indeed, they will endure forever as altogether righteous. And this is why David says, “More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.” (Psalm 19:10, ESV)

Should the Christian read God’s world-book? Yes! But not without his word-book. For while the heavens declare the glory of the LORD, the scriptures reveal him much more thoroughly and clearly. It is through the scriptures, and not the stars, that we learn that God is Triune. It is through the scriptures, and not the stars, that we learn he is the one and only. It is the scriptures that tell us of all his perfections. And it is the scriptures that reveal how it is that we are to relate to him, worship, and serve him. And that is what David says in verse 11: “Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.” (Psalm 19:11, ESV)

The word of God is to be believed, and it is to be kept, friends. To quote James again, “be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” And “the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.” And “if anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless.” The word of God is to be believed, and it is to be kept. Listen again to verse 11: “Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.” (Psalm 19:11, ESV)

*****

Those Who Are Faithful Will Contemplate The Scriptures And Seek To Obey Them From The Heart

Friends, those who are faithful will contemplate the scriptures and seek to obey them from the heart.

David knew this. And he also knew his sin and how prone he was to go in the wrong way. And so he concludes this Psalm with a prayer to the LORD. He prays to the LORD, his rock and his redeemer, to forgive him of his sins and to lead him in the right way. 

His prayer to LORD begins in verse 12 with the question, “Who can discern his errors?” In other words, who among us can perceive all of the ways in which we have gone wrong? Sometimes we sin and we know it. But often we sin and know it not. 

If God’s law requires us to love the LORD our God with all the heart, soul, mind, and strength, and our neighbor as ourself. And if sin is any lack of conformity unto or violation of the law of God, then it should not surprise us to learn that we sometimes sin and do not even know it. We are often blind to our own sin. And so David prays that the LORD would “declare [him] innocent from hidden faults.” David is not here dismissing the seriousness of hidden or unperceived sin. Instead, he is simply acknowledging that they. We often sin unwittingly, or unknowingly. And David cries out for mercy and grace. “Declare me innocent from hidden faults”, he says.

As David considered God’s law, what was the first thing he was moved to do? He confessed his sin and fled to the LORD for refuge. 

And in verse 13 he says, “Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Presumptuous sins are arrogant sins. They are not sins committed mistakenly, unwittingly, or unknowingly. No, they are sins committed with a high hand. They are sins committed ni willful defiance against the LORD. 

All sin is sin. And all sin is serious. Indeed the wages of sin — all sin — is death. But there is a great difference between sins committed by accident due to some ignorance weakness, and sins committed purposefully and willfully. The law of Moses distinguishes between the two in Numbers 15:27ff. which says, “If one person sins unintentionally, he shall offer a female goat a year old for a sin offering. And the priest shall make atonement before the LORD for the person who makes a mistake, when he sins unintentionally, to make atonement for him, and he shall be forgiven. You shall have one law for him who does anything unintentionally, for him who is native among the people of Israel and for the stranger who sojourns among them. But the person who does anything with a high hand, whether he is native or a sojourner, reviles the LORD, and that person shall be cut off from among his people” (Numbers 15:27–30, ESV).

David’s prayer is that sin — presumptuous sin — would not have dominion over him. And this should remind us of what Paul the apostles says in Romans 6:12ff.: “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace” (Romans 6:12–14, ESV).

Those in Christ will continue to struggle with sin. We all come short of God’s holy law in thought, word, and deed. But sin shall not have dominion over God’s people. In other words, the Christian ought not to go on committing sins of presumption — high-handed, arrogant, and intentional sins. 

By the way, this is how we are to distinguish between sins deserving of church discipline, and those that are to be simply covered in love. We all sin. We come short of God’s law in many ways. And when we sin we are to turn from it and to Christ. But when one who professes faith in Christ walks in sin knowingly and willingly, they are to be cut off from the people of God. They are to be put out of the congregation, barred from the LORD’s table, and considered a sinner. 

All sin is sin. And all sin is serious. But sins of presumption are particularly heinous. “Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression” (Psalm 19:13, ESV). I take the words, “then I shall be blameless” to correspond to David’s request in verse 12: “Declare me innocent from hidden faults”, and the words, “then I shall be…  innocent of great transgression”, to correspond to his request in verse 13: “Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me!”

Verse 14 concludes this Psalm, not with a prayer for forgiveness, but with a prayer for strength. David wants to have the strength to offer up to God a fitting sacrifice of obedience. “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.” 

Notice just a few things about this concluding prayer. 

One, David’s prayer was offered up to the LORD as his rock and redeemer. Though David desired to keep God’s law, he knew that he had not — he needed a redeemer. The LORD was his redeemer. The LORD was his savior. And he called the LORD his rock. This echos back to the gospel of Psalm 2, which said, “Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him” (Psalm 2:12, ESV). The LORD and the LORD’s anointed Son were David’s refuge and rock. Though David loved God’s law, he was no legalist. No, his hope was in the gospel. 

Two, David understood that God’s law was to be applied even to the heart. “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD.” The Christian is to keep God’s law from the heart. We are to honor the LORD even in the inner man, in the heart and mind. “For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” (Mark 7:21–23, ESV)

Three, though David loved God’s law, and though he desired to keep it from the heart, he dared not move forward in his own strength. No, he prayed to the LORD, “Declare me innocent from hidden faults. Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me!” And “let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer” (Psalm 19:12–14, ESV).

This should be our prayer each and every day. In fact, it will be our prayer if we pray that prayer that Christ taught his disciples: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” (Matthew 6:9–13, ESV)

*****

Conclusion

Brothers and sisters, let us read the books that God has given to us. Let us read the book of creation which declares so wonderfully the glory of God. And let us be all the more eager to devour the scriptures, for God is revealed to us there, and so too is his will for us, along with the way of salvation. And having read the book of scripture let us rise up with the intent to obey, trusting always in Christ the Lord, our rock and redeemer. 

Baptist Catechism 74

Q. 74. What is forbidden in the sixth commandment?

A. The sixth commandment absolutely forbideth the taking away of our own life, or the life of our neighbor unjustly, or whatsoever tendeth thereunto. (Gen. 4:10,11; 9:6; Matt. 5:21-26)

Scripture Reading: Matthew 5:21-26

“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; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.” (Matthew 5:21–26, ESV)

*****

Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.

*****

The reason I have read from Matthew 5:21-26 is to remind you that these commandments we are considering are to be kept, not only externally, but in the heart. Jesus did not make this up when he said, “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; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.” No, this was not a new and novel interpretation of God’s law. This was not a stricter application of God’s law. No, Jesus was simply presenting the true interpretation and full application of God’s law. God’s law was always to be obeyed, not only in deed, but also in thought and in word. Remember, the commandments of God are summed up with these two: “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might” (Deuteronomy 6:5, ESV), and “you shall love your neighbor as yourself…” (Leviticus 19:18, ESV).

So have we kept the sixth commandment when we refrain from murder? Well, not necessarily. The commandment is to be applied more broadly. We are also to seek to “preserve our own life and the life of others.” And the commandment is to be applied to the heart. We must not hate our neighbor. Neither are we to hold a grudge against our neighbor, insult them, or curse them.

All of God’s commandments are to be kept from the heart, friends.  I’m sure Jesus said what he said as recorded in Matthew 5 to combat legalism. Legalism takes many forms, but the most common form is the thought that men and women may stand before God righteous through obedience to God’s law. And you can see how some might think that they are able to keep God’s law perfectly if they apply God’s law only to external behavior. 

“Thou shalt not murder.” Check.

“Thou shall not commit adultery.” Check. 

“Thou shall not bear false witness.” Check.

But wait a minute. Is God only concerned with the act of murder, the act of adultery, and the act of bearing false witness in the court of law? No. If we think so, we have badly misunderstood God’s law. God requires us to love him with all that we are, and our neighbor as we love our own selves. Once we understand this we will be able to see that all have violated God’s law in thought, word, and deed. And then we will also clearly see our guilt and our need for a Savior.  

We have learned what the sixth commandment requires. “The sixth commandment requires all lawful endeavors to preserve our own life and the life of others” (BC 73). And now we learn about what it forbids. “The sixth commandment absolutely forbideth the taking away of our own life, or the life of our neighbor unjustly, or whatsoever tendeth thereunto.”

Baptist Catechism 74

First of all, “the sixth commandment absolutely forbideth the taking away of our own life…”

Suicide and assisted suicide is a violation of God’s law. Some might reason in this way: My life is so miserable that it would be better if I died. But that is not your decision to make, friends. God has numbered our days. It is his right to give us life, and to take it away. It is a great evil to take that decision into our own hands. 

I’m afraid that those who think this way have forgotten that God is able to use our suffering for good. I run the risk of sounding insensitive here. I do understand that people do sometimes suffer greatly. And I am aware that I myself am not currently suffering, nor can I claim to have endured any great suffering in my life. So I acknowledge that I do not speak from experience here. But if I am only allowed to speak from experience, then there will be many things that I will never be able to say a word about, for my experiences are limited. So I do not speak on the authority of experience, but on the authority of God’s word. And God’s word is clear — he works through suffering. He refines his people through suffering. He is able to bring good out of suffering. 

Do you want proof of this? Then look to Christ. See the good that came out of his suffering. More examples can be given — indeed, I could pile up scriptures texts. But the sufferings of Christ provide sufficient proof that God accomplishes his purposes through suffering. 

If we lose sight of this, then we will struggle to suffer well. In fact, we may even despair of life in the midst of suffering.  Brothers and sisters, do not despair. Persevere through suffering, knowing that God will keep you. He will use the suffering to refine you, to bring about good, and to accomplish his purposes.

And some may be tempted to take their life into their own hand’s reasoning that they do not wish to be a burden to others who must care for them in their suffering. But this too is a great error. You must remember that God may use your suffering to refine those who have the privilege to care for you in the mists of it. 

Whatever the reason, the sixth commandment is a great help to those who are despairing of life, for it strictly forbids us from taking our own life. It simply is not an option. We must leave the matter to God. God determined the moment of our birth, and we are to leave it to him to determine the moment and circumstances of our death. 

Some have wondered if those who commit suicide can be saved? Two things should be considered. First, Christ atoned for all kinds of sins when he died on the cross for his people, including violations of the sixth commandment. So no sin, with the exception of the sin of unbelief, is beyond the atoning power of Christ’s blood. But secondly, the scriptures do teach that we will know Christ’s disciples by their fruits. Those who belong to Christ will keep his commandments. It is no wonder, then, that the sin of suicide leaves everyone wondering what they are to think about the salvation of that soul. For that one’s life comes to an end in an act of sin. I have heard many describe suicide as a selfish act. Why is it described in that way? Because it leaves so many behind wondering and morning the loss.

With that said, by heart does break for those who have come to such a dark place of despair. They need the gospel of Jesus Christ. They need to know that hope and peace is found in him. They need to know that there is a purpose to life, and even to the suffering. And they need to know that life does not end when we pass from this world. No, every human is in fact immortal. All will live forever either in heaven or hell. We must be found in Christ if we are to spend eternity with him in heaven, for he is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through him. And of all people, the Christian ought never to take their own life.

Secondly, “the sixth commandment absolutely forbideth the taking away of… the life of our neighbor unjustly, or whatsoever tendeth thereunto.”

The words “whatsoever tendeth thereunto” remind us that we are not to participate in anything that leads to the unjust taking of human life.

And the word “unjustly” is also crucial. It indicates that while it is true that it is not our place to take away life — our own life, or the life of another — there are exceptions. And the exceptions are when the taking away of the life of another is “just”, or “right”. 

Three instances come to mind: One, in self defense. Two, when the state rightly uses its power to punish a murderer. And three, in just war. 

As Christians, we must learn to think carefully and biblically about these things. 

If someone commits a crime against you, is it your place to punish them? No. That is the job of the state. 

And should the state punish every sin? No. There are many sins that are not criminal. Lying is a sin, but is not a crime, unless the lie is uttered while under oath, or leads to the damage of another’s person or property. 

And should the state use the death penalty to punish every crime? No. The murderer is to be put to death (Genesis 9), and the murder had better be proven. But other crimes may be punished through restitution. 

Also, the Christain should think very carefully about what constitutes “self defense”, and what is to be considered “just war”. We are walking in the realm of ethics again, and ethical questions can be complicated. 

I would be remiss if I failed to address the great sin of abortion. Abortion is the taking away of life. And these lives of the unborn are taken away unjustly. These little ones did not do anything to deserve being put to death by their own mothers and fathers. No, in the vast majority of cases they are put to death on the basis of the preference of the parents. It is often about convenience. This is not right.

If you have had an abortion I must say, it was a sin to do so. You violated the sixth commandment. But their forgiveness in Christ Jesus. Acknowledge your sin, trust in Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins, and serve him as Lord from this day forward. You will not be shunned by him, for he is gracious and kind. And neither will you be shunned by us, for we are all sinners saved by the marvelous grace of God.   

Lord, help us to know your word and give us the wisdom to apply it in every circumstance, should be our prayer.  

Conclusion 

But here is where we must begin: with God’s law. And what does God’s law say? “You shall not murder” What does this commandment forbid?

A. The sixth commandment absolutely forbideth the taking away of our own life, or the life of our neighbor unjustly, or whatsoever tendeth thereunto. (Gen. 4:10,11; 9:6; Matt. 5:21-26)

Baptist Catechism 72 & 73

Q. 72. What is the sixth commandment?

A. The sixth commandment is, “Thou shalt not kill.” (Exodus 20:13)

Q. 73. What is required in the sixth commandment?

A. The sixth commandment requires all lawful endeavors to preserve our own life and the life of others. (Eph. 5:29,30; Ps. 82:3,4; Prov. 24:11,12; Act 16:28)

Scripture Reading: Acts 16:25–34

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened. When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ And they said, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.’ And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.” (Acts 16:25–34, ESV)

*****

Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.

*****

Baptist Catechism 72

Our catechism says that the sixth commandment is “thou shalt not kill.” And that is indeed the way that the King James Version translates the sixth commandment as found in Exodus 20:13: “Thou shalt not kill.” But more modern Bible translations have preferred the word “murder” instead of “kill”. “You shall not murder” is what the ESV says. Really, either term will do. In fact, both are prone to misunderstanding and must be explained.

“Thou shalt not kill”, may be taken to mean that humans should never kill anything. Animals should not be killed for food, therefore. But we know this is not the meaning, for animals were rightly killed for food and sacrifice in the days of Moses and long before that. And “thou shalt not kill” may also be taken to mean that a human must never take the life of another human. And that is not true either. The rest of the law of Moses which was written to explain and apply these ten commandments to the nation of Israel teaches that men may kill in self defense, in righteous war, and as agents of the state to promote justice. Take Genesis 9:6 for example: “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.” (Genesis 9:6, ESV). This principle of retributive justice runs through the law of Moses and is even found in the New Testament (see Romans 13). So, if you memorize the sixth commandment as, “Thou shalt not kill”, you must keep in mind that it does not mean thou shalt not kill anything or under any and all circumstances. No, you do not break the sixth commandment if a violent intruder breaks into your home and threatens your family, and you take his life. 

The translation, “You shall not murder”, can be misunderstood in other ways. It is a better translation, I think, for it does clarify that it is the unjust taking of a human life that is forbidden here. But the word “murder” may be interpreted too narrowly. Not only does the sixth commandment forbid murder — or perhaps we might say, murder in the first or second degree. It also forbids carelessness which leads to the death of another human being. We might refer to this as murder in the third degree or manslaughter.  

  So take your pick. When reciting the sixth commandment you may say “Thou shalt not kill”, following the KJV, or “You shall not murder”, following the ESV. Whichever translation you choose, the important thing is that you understand what the commandment means — what does it forbid, and what does it require. 

Baptist Catechism 73

Our catechism is most helpful. Today we will ask, what is required in the sixth commandment?

And the answer given by our catechism is, “The sixth commandment requires all lawful endeavors to preserve our own life and the life of others.” This is what is required. Next week will ask, what is forbidden in the sixth commandment? And then we will learn that “The sixth commandment absolutely forbideth the taking away of our own life, or the life of our neighbor unjustly, or whatsoever tendeth thereunto.” And so the pattern continues: what does this commandment require, and what does this commandment forbid?

Before we consider the answer to question 73 piece by piece, I should say a word about the basis for the sixth commandment. I will do this by asking, why are humans permitted to kill animals for food, but forbidden from taking the life of another human without just cause? 

I should say, I do not believe that humans are permitted to kill animals indiscriminately — that is to say, randomly, recklessly, and carelessly. No, humans are to be good stewards of the created world, and they are not to be brutal, not even with animals. 

But with that said, the question remains. Why do the scriptures forbid the taking of human life without just cause? And the answer is that man is made in God’s image. There is something particularly dignified about human life. Human life is to be highly respected because the human being is the pinnacle of God’s creation. The human is made in God’s image, and this cannot be said of anything else in all of God’s creation, not even the angels. I have already quoted from Genesis 9:6, but hear it again. “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image” (Genesis 9:6, ESV). It is because man is an image-bearer of God that murder is to punished with death. 

Think of how perverse our society is. In our society murders are often permitted to die of old age whereas the lives of millions of unborn children are snuffed out in the wombs of their mothers each and every year. This perversion is rooted in the fact that our society has forgotten that man is made in God’s image. If we were to remember this, then human life would be treated with dignity at every stage. Murders would get their just reward, and the lives of the innocent would be protected.

 So what is the basis for the sixth commandment? Man is made in the image of God. And what does this commandment require? “All lawful endeavors to preserve our own life and the life of others.” 

What does the word lawful mean? It means that we are to preserve life so long as it does not require us to violate God’s moral law. This can get a little tricky. Is it ever right to tell a lie to preserve life? In general, no. But what about those who hid the Jews from Hitler’s troops during WWII? Did they do wrong when they deceived Natzi’s? I pray that we will never be faced with such difficult choices. But in general, the principle stands. The sixth commandment requires “all lawful endeavors to preserve our own life and the life of others.”

I do appreciate that our catechism draws attention to the obligation we have to preserve our own life. Human beings are made in God’s image. And this means that you are made in God’s image. Not only do you have the responsibility, therefore, to preserve the life of other image-bearers. You also have the responsibility to preserve your own life! 

Christians should not live recklessly, therefore. This too can get a little tricky when it comes to application. Just how cautious should we be? You will notice that our catechism does not provide us with a detailed application, but only with the principle. And I am glad about that! The Christian should not be reckless. G.I. Williamson in his commentary of the Westminster Larger Catechism (by the way, both of these resources — the Westminster Larger Catechism, and Williamson’s commentary on it — are very useful tools for the study of the Baptist Catechism, which very similar to the Westminster Shorter Catechism)… back to my point: G.I. Williamson in his commentary of the Westminster Larger Catechism lists “dueling, bullfighting [and] shooting the rapids of the Niagara River in a barrel” as a clear violation of the sixth commandment, but he admits that attempting to cross the Atlantic in a small sailboat may not be a violation. I think it is right that we are confronted with the principle that sixth commandment requires “all lawful endeavors to preserve our own life”, and then, in general, to leave it to each person to work out the specifics. 

Does this mean that we should watch what we eat? Probably. But I’m not all that interested in helping you craft a meal plan if you know what I mean. Does this mean that you should exercise? Probably. But again, I’ll leave that to you to work out (pun). But I heard that you were drag racing your car on Domenigoni Parkway, I’d surely rebuke you. I’d rebuke you for a number of reasons. You’d be breaking a civil law — a civil law rooted in the sixth commandment, by the way. And you would therefore be in clear violation of God’s moral law. You would be recklessly endangering your own life and the lives of others. 

Some live recklessly and deserve to be rebuked. But some do also live fearfully. And perhaps this is more of an issue in our day. There is a delicate balance that we all must strike, therefore. We must not be reckless with our lives, but neither can we be driven by fear. No, we must live our lives to the fullest. This means that we must live courageously and with wisdom to the glory of God. We cannot allow fear of sickness or death to hinder us from loving, serving, and worshipping God, nor can we allow fear to hinder us from loving one another. We must live courageously and with wisdom to the glory of God.

I suppose this will always require us to assess risk and reward. And do not be surprised, brothers and sisters, when the world assesses risk and reward differently than we who are in Christ do. For us the sting of death has been removed. But for the one who is dead in their sin, death is an all-consuming enemy. And for us, the greatest reward is to see God glorified and in his glory. But for the world, the greatest reward is health, wealth, and prosperity. Lord, grant us wisdom so that we might know how to walk in this world. Brothers and sisters, do not be reckless with your own life, but neither should you be driven by fear.

Not only does the sixth commandment require us to endeavor “to preserve our own life” it also requires us to endeavor to preserve the lives of others. 

You know about a year ago we were told that there was an epidemic sweeping across our land, and a pandemic sweeping across our world. Our leaders warned us that if we did not quarantine our hospitals would be overrun and thousands upon thousands would perish. I remember hearing our President say, we will see casualties like we haven’t seen since WWII if we don’t act. The call was to lockdown for a brief time in order to flatten the curve, and we complied. We refrained from assembling for corporate worship for five weeks. 

You know, taking into consideration what we knew at the time, I would do the same thing again. I do believe that the sixth commandment should lead us in that direction. And I do believe that the preservation of life does trump the ceremonial observance of the Sabbath day. We should remember what Christ said about Sabbath observance. “Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?” (Luke 14:5, ESV). And so the preservation of life — even the life of an ox — does take precedence over the ceremonial.  

I will not rehearse everything that has transpired over the last year with so-called pandemic, nor will I do a play-by-play for you as it pertains to our decision-making process. The point that I am making here is that the command, “you shall not murder” does not only forbid unjust killing, it does also require us to think about the preservation of life. Again, this can get tricky. Again, this requires wisdom. Again, the question of risk and reward does come into play. 

I suppose if we were to push this principle of the preservation of life too far, we would never leave our homes. Certainly, we would never assemble. When we leave our homes, we take a risk. We might get into a car accident and be killed, or kill another. And when we assemble — when we shake hands, look into one anothers eyes, sing together, and greet one another with a holy kiss (metaphorically speaking) —  germs are spread. And there is always the risk that someone will get really, really sick, and even perish. Not to mention the fact that when we commute to church our automobiles emit gasses that warm the earth and lead to natural disasters, famine, death, and destruction (or so some people say).  

Brothers and sisters, this principle that we have a moral obligation to preserve our own life and the lives of others can be misused and abused. In fact, it can be used as a weapon against God’s people to keep them from doing what God has called them to do. 

What an interesting year this past year has been.

Conclusion 

Q. 73. What is required in the sixth commandment?

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

Clearly, this is true!

Lord, give us the wisdom to keep this commandment as we live in this world, in our families, and as a church, all to the glory of the Triune God.