The doctrine of murder

����������� 1. The devil was said to be a murderer from the beginning � John 8:44.

����������� 2. The devil motivated reversionistic Cain to commit the first human race murder � 1 John 3:12.

����������� 3. Mental attitude sins as reactor factors motivated the first murder � Genesis 4:5. Cain was jealous.

����������� 4. Murder is definitely prohibited by the Word of God � Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17; Matthew 5:21. The problem with the one in Exodus 20:13 is that it is mistranslated � �Thou shalt not kill.� The word for �kill� is qatal, and it is not found in this verse which does not mean �Thou shalt not kill.� What we have is the qal imperfect of ratsach which means to murder. It should be translated, �You will not murder.� There is a difference between qatal and ratsach. Qatal is what you do as a representative of your country in time of war; ratsach is what you do not do, which is to murder.

����������� 5. Capital punishment or the death penalty is the administration of justice for murder � Genesis 9:6; Numbers 35:30,31; Romans 13:4. Capital punishment is the basis for controlling crime.

����������� 6. Murder is listed as one of the seven worst sin in Proverbs 6:16-19. Furthermore, murder is the only overt sin in that list.

����������� 7. Anger as a mental sin is a cluster which leads to mental murder � Matthew 5:21,22.

����������� 8. Murder always involves certain mental attitude sins. There are two passages where jealousy precedes murder and becomes the motivator � Romans 1:29; Galatians 5:21.

����������� 9. Murder is a part of crime and should be punished by death � Matthew 26:52, gar o(i labontej maxairan e)n maxairh a)polountai: �For the one taking the sword [the criminal] by the sword shall be destroyed.� This has nothing to do with military service.

����������� 10. While murder is the worst of all overt sins it still can be committed by a believer out of fellowship or in reversionism. David is an illustration. Cf 1 Peter 4:15. 1 John 3:15 � �Every murderer does not have eternal life abiding in him.� The startling thing about that statement is that those who have eternal life do commit murder.