Breaking the Sixth Commandment

One of the most difficult things for a pastor is the old adage "Practice what you preach". I struggle with temptation just like the next guy. The difference is that, on a weekly basis, I have to get up in front of the congregation and lead them through various passages from scripture. 


At first, I avoided the texts that I struggled with. I would deliberately choose light passages about the victory of the cross or the blessing of salvation or something equally encouraging. Since I have become a lead pastor, I feel compelled to teach the difficult passages as well as the easy ones. This has been a very challenging task. Not only that, but I am finding that as I study the weekly (or series) passage, I am being challenged in the previously-believed-to-be "easy" scriptures.


This has never been more true than the past month. I've been leading the congregation through the Ten Commandments. There are certain commandments that I get to and think, "No problem. I have never struggled with this. Easy to preach on." Last week was the sixth commandment...do not murder. No problem right? I don't think anyone in my congregation is in danger of being charged with murder.


So then the challenge becomes, what is the message for us today? Through study and prayer I (unsurprisingly) realised that what God intended was the spirit of the Law be obeyed, as well as the letter of the law. How many times do I get angry with someone and let it fester? 


We're told today that we can't control our feelings, only what we do with them. However, God is saying differently, and in the New Testament Jesus goes one step further. You see, in Genesis we are told that God created us in His image. That doesn't necessarily mean His physical image, but His spiritual image. We have a spirit, emotions, and a will, just like God does. Think of the love that is lavished upon us by God. His love never waxes or wanes, it is steady. There is no room for anything but unconditional love for His people. 


While we've been talking about the Ten Commandments, we've been imagining what they would look like if you took the positive point of view instead of the negative - if they were considered the "Thou shalts" instead of the "Thou shalt nots". What would this one say, instead of 'Thou shalt not kill." 


1 John 3.15 says, "Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in them."


"Thou shalt love."


So, how do we do this? How do we train our spirits to abandon anger and hate?


"...God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." - Romans 5.5


We can't do it on our own. Only through the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we can love those who annoy us.