Lesson 7 - 6th Commandment Flashcards
Discuss the distinction between lawful and unlawful killing.
The 6th Commandment forbids all unlawful taking of human life, whether intentional or unintentional
God’s law allows the taking of life in certain cases:
- ) War
- ) Capital Punishment – Gen. 9, Exodus 21
- ) Self-Defense – Exodus 22:2-3, Esther 8
God is the one who gives life and God alone determines the conditions to authorizing the taking of life
Discuss the distinction between lawful and unlawful killing.
The 6th Commandment forbids all unlawful taking of human life, whether intentional or unintentional
God’s law allows the taking of life in certain cases:
- ) War
- ) Capital Punishment – Gen. 9, Exodus 21
- ) Self-Defense – Exodus 22:2-3, Esther 8
God is the one who gives life and God alone determines the conditions to authorizing the taking of life
What are the objections to the modern use of capital punishment? How can you respond to those objections from the Bible?
- ) Capital punishment was only legitimated under the Old Covenant by direct divine sanction.
- - Capital punishment is sanctioned by God because of the seriousness of murder which is fundamentally a crime against the image of God (Genesis 9:5-6)
- - Capital punishment is never condemned in the New Testament but is implicitly endorsed (Acts 25:11; Romans 13:4) - ) If we implement capital punishment for murder based on the Old Testament, we must also implement it for adultery, homosexuality, insulting parents, etc.
- - Capital punishment fulfills basic principles of justice (Genesis 9:5-6; Ezekiel 13:19) - ) Two wrongs do not make a right; taking one life does not justify taking another life
- - Capital punishment fulfils basic principles of justice (Genesis 9:5-6; Ezekiel 13:19) - ) Capital punishment is not an effective deterrent and does not allow opportunity for reform
- - Capital punishment reinforces in society the seriousness of murder - ) Human judicial systems are fallible and the price of mistakes is too high
- - We need to be very serious about properly implementing capital punishment
- - Criminals who have forfeited their right to life, haven’t forfeited the right to be treated with dignity, and haven’t forfeited the right to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Biblical Reason for Capital punishment
- ) Retribution - core biblical reason for punishment
- ) Punishment is meant to satisfy a moral debt; satisfy the demands of justice.
- ) Hell is based on retributive justice.
- ) Makes it clearer why capital punishment is required in Scripture.
Discuss just-war theory. Be sure to support your answer from Scripture.
Since the bible doesn’t rule out war, what conditions/situations is war justified?
- ) Entering a war
- - Just cause – out of defense
- - Right intention – restore peace and justice
- - Limited objectives
- - Legitimate authority – state, not personal
- - Last resort
- - Proportionally – overall good>overall harm
- - Likelihood of success - ) While at War
- - Proportionally – no greater force than what is needed
- - Noncombatant immunity – only armies, not civilians should be struck
- - Likelihood of success
What biblical texts directly or indirectly speak to the issue of abortion? How are they relevant?
The 6th Commandment forbids abortion since it involves unlawfully taking innocent human life
- ) Doesn’t speak to abortion specifically, but speaks implicitly about the value of unborn children.
- ) Human life can only be taken in divine sanctioned circumstances and abortion isn’t one of them.
- ) Scripture teaching that fetus are human persons and they have no less right to life than anyone else.
- - Gen. 1:26-28
- - Exodus 21:22-25
- - Psalm 51:5 – conceived in sin
- - Psalm 139:13-16
- - Judges 13:3-5
- - Psalm 119 – knit together
- - Luke 1:35 - - Exodus 21
What is euthanasia? What is the difference between voluntary and involuntary euthanasia? Can either be supported biblically?
Literally means “good death” and is defined as the taking of life in order to avoid or curtail suffering
- Voluntary – take their own life
- Involuntary – someone else does (in the case of coma, unconscious,etc.)
The 6th Commandment forbids euthanasia insofar as the Bible nowhere sanctions it as an exception
- The Bible gives some cases were taking life is permitted, but this isn’t one of them (the same as suicide and abortion)
- It’s never a biblical conclusion to say God has allowed this suffering for me to take my life.
What are the objections to the modern use of capital punishment? How can you respond to those objections from the Bible?
- ) Capital punishment was only legitimated under the Old Covenant by direct divine sanction.
- - Capital punishment is sanctioned by God because of the seriousness of murder which is fundamentally a crime against the image of God (Genesis 9:5-6)
- - Capital punishment is never condemned in the New Testament but is implicitly endorsed (Acts 25:11; Romans 13:4) - ) If we implement capital punishment for murder based on the Old Testament, we must also implement it for adultery, homosexuality, insulting parents, etc.
- - Capital punishment fulfills basic principles of justice (Genesis 9:5-6; Ezekiel 13:19) - ) Two wrongs do not make a right; taking one life does not justify taking another life
- - Capital punishment fulfils basic principles of justice (Genesis 9:5-6; Ezekiel 13:19) - ) Capital punishment is not an effective deterrent and does not allow opportunity for reform
- - Capital punishment reinforces in society the seriousness of murder - ) Human judicial systems are fallible and the price of mistakes is too high
- - We need to be very serious about properly implementing capital punishment
- - Criminals who have forfeited their right to life, haven’t forfeited the right to be treated with dignity, and haven’t forfeited the right to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Biblical Reason for Capital punishment
- ) Retribution - core biblical reason for punishment
- ) Punishment is meant to satisfy a moral debt; satisfy the demands of justice.
- ) Hell is based on retributive justice.
- ) Makes it clearer why capital punishment is required in Scripture.
Discuss just-war theory. Be sure to support your answer from Scripture.
Since the bible doesn’t rule out war, what conditions/situations is war justified?
- ) Entering a war
- - Just cause – out of defense
- - Right intention – restore peace and justice
- - Limited objectives
- - Legitimate authority – state, not personal
- - Last resort
- - Proportionally – overall good>overall harm
- - Likelihood of success - ) While at War
- - Proportionally – no greater force than what is needed
- - Noncombatant immunity – only armies, not civilians should be struck
- - Likelihood of success
What biblical texts directly or indirectly speak to the issue of abortion? How are they relevant?
The 6th Commandment forbids abortion since it involves unlawfully taking innocent human life
- ) Doesn’t speak to abortion specifically, but speaks implicitly about the value of unborn children.
- ) Human life can only be taken in divine sanctioned circumstances and abortion isn’t one of them.
- ) Scripture teaching that fetus are human persons and they have no less right to life than anyone else.
- - Gen. 1:26-28
- - Exodus 21:22-25
- - Psalm 51:5 – conceived in sin
- - Psalm 139:13-16
- - Judges 13:3-5
- - Psalm 119 – knit together
- - Luke 1:35 - - Exodus 21
What is euthanasia? What is the difference between voluntary and involuntary euthanasia? Can either be supported biblically?
Literally means “good death” and is defined as the taking of life in order to avoid or curtail suffering
- Voluntary – take their own life
- Involuntary – someone else does (in the case of coma, unconscious,etc.)
The 6th Commandment forbids euthanasia insofar as the Bible nowhere sanctions it as an exception
- The Bible gives some cases were taking life is permitted, but this isn’t one of them (the same as suicide and abortion)
- It’s never a biblical conclusion to say God has allowed this suffering for me to take my life.
