ROOTED - Saturday, August 9, 2025

Exodus 20:13
13 You shall not murder

Reflection: Question #62
Written By: Pastor Jesse Caro

Question: What is the Sixth Commandment?

Answer: You shall not murder.

We finally get to a commandment that, as far as I know, no one struggles with. I have never murdered anyone… and I doubt anyone reading this Rooted ever has. It is a hard, fast rule: don’t murder. Many people struggle with lying, taking the Lord’s name in vain, stealing, even adultery. However, I doubt many people struggle with murder… even people in the Old Testament. It seems in a different category from the other commands, which seems in comparison very basic. But this commandment is here. Don’t murder. Ever. Obviously.

Lest we too quickly let ourselves off the hook on this one, we must remind ourselves of Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5). Here Jesus reframes the commandment to include the heart condition required to murder: hate. It is this centrally core condition that is the ultimate problem. For without hate no one would ever murder. And, yes, many of us are capable of hate without murdering, but God abhors the condition of the heart called “hate.” Matthew 5 makes this clear. I have never met a murderer, but I have seen people that seem to hate. I have come across people who act hatefully and this is to be avoided, at all costs, if we are to honor God with this commandment. Murder is abominable and hate equally so.

Prayer
Lord, may we maintain a heart posture that loves others and may we avoid becoming resentful and hateful lest we violate the heart of the Sixth Commandment.