Who possesses the authority to take human life? Who has the right to make that decision? The emphasis in the Sixth Commandment is on the word you. You shall not murder! You are not to deliberately kill-premeditatedly or in the anger of the moment.
What makes human life precious? Consider it from God's point of view.
He made us in His own image for the purpose of creating in us His own
character. For that reason He is "not willing that any should perish
but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9; compare 1 Timothy 2:4). As Jesus Christ explained, "God did not send His Son into the
world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be
saved" (John 3:17).
In our world, however, human life is so often treated with indifference.
We settle our differences with war, killing hundreds of thousands of
other people in the process. Criminals steal not only possessions but
their victims' lives. So many people view an unwanted pregnancy as simply
an inconvenience or an unexpected consequence of their sexual activity
that millions of unborn babies are aborted every year.
What a sad contrast to our Creator, who promises us the greatest gift
possible-the opportunity to share eternal life with Him.
The murder of the day is commonly the first topic featured on television
news program, especially in larger cities. Many such slayings are committed
by family members or formerly close associates or friends.
