Tag Archives: Taking of human life

by | 2015/10/27 · 4:09 pm

29. Laws that Value People

In our series on abortion we have let you hear pro’s and con’s and tried to show how we have to cope with such situations when something terrible happened or when people are confronted with the question of going to a Family Planning Office or counsellor or an abortion clinic.

Lots of people think there are only the 10 commandments, forgetting that those better would be called 10 Words. In the Torah are many many more rules given and to often people overlook the “You may not’s” to see them as commandments as well. Once is said a person may not do something him or her is given a rule or regulation to keep at.

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Those who call themselves Christian should better also look at those “You may not” remarks in the Holy Scriptures.
Most of the instructions given in the Holy Scriptures concern relationships; the relationship to the Divine Creator and His creation, the creatures (man, animal and plant). They concern our attitude to ourself, to others around us, and to our ‘wants‘ and involve the things we should want to share with others around us, guiding us to a good behaviour and to a good way of life.

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In case many more people would live according to those Divine instructions there would be less trouble and less pain in this world.

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To remember:

Much of our Western world rejects God and many would say our only meaning is found in evolution, and humanists and atheists (who tend to be one and the same) say that evolution is about survival and we have arrived at a point where we are sophisticated human beings who now act on more than just instinct. We have developed reason and rationality and so we see that it is sensible, if nothing else, to think well of one another if we are to survive and not enter another world war which would undoubtedly be even worse than the previous two. To survive we need to think well of one another. {28. Valuing People}

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Simply writing a list of human rights does not mean everyone will keep them. They will not make a child obey its parent or the parent not abuse the child. They will not stop an employer abusing an employee or vice-versa. They will not stop politicians, or any other national leaders for that matter, acting corruptly. Laws may be good in general but a strong adherence to the values underpinning those laws (remember, we considered this a couple of meditations back) will be the only thing that guarantees we treat one other well across the globe and, as we suggested in a previous meditation, we will only hold those values when we see and accept the primary cause behind those values – God. Any and every other foundation gives way. It will only be those who hold fast to God, the loving God of the Bible who reveals His design for us, who will genuinely hold these values – and live by them! {28. Valuing People}

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Gal 9:5,6“I will demand an accounting for the life of his fellow man. Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for in the image of God has God made man.”

= You Will be held accountable to God for the wrongful killing of another person.

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God’s values are expressed in the Law He gave to Moses

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at the heart of valuing a human being = honour or respect or value the victim’s life > in the image of God has God made man

  • evolution is the method God used in Creation, it was with purpose {28. Valuing People}
  • God’s first ‘laying down the law’ in respect of the sanctity of human life
  • God warned about being held accountable for taking a human life – + by implication forbade the taking of human life
  • God warned of what the repercussions would be for taking a human life
  • Ten Commandments = first half = about relationship with God + second half about relationships with other human beings
  • instructions go to the heart of community + civilisation, relationships within families
  • Parents = building block for next generation + to be honoured
  • if parents are dishonoured or disrespected => following generation will be at odds with God’s design for a harmonious world

following commands in the negative form – “you shall not” = so sharp + clear => consequences for ignoring them not spelled out by God

=  in respect  of a) basic human life,  b) marriage relationships, c) personal property, d) human reputation and e) human peace and security.

main covenant laws = guidance laws about dealing with servants (slaves) i.e. respect within employment (Ex 21:2-11), the penalty for murder (v.12,14), manslaughter (v.13), a child attacking or cursing its parents (v.15,17), the death penalty for kidnapping (v16), ….

= steady catalogue of instructions about dealing with people + dealing with circumstances where life is threatened

first 15 verses of chapter 22 about dealing with property problems + protecting people, e.g. virgins 22:16,17,  aliens (22:21), widows and orphans (22:22-24), i.e. protecting the vulnerable.

Into chapter 23 we find laws about justice in general, about not helping the wicked (v.1), not perverting justice (v.2), not showing favouritism (v.3), not denying justice (v.6), not making false charges (v.7), not using bribes (v.8), not oppressing foreigners (v.9) + about their relationship with the Lord when they enter the Promised Land

first nine verses of chapter 23 = about making sure that people are dealt with fairly (justly).

=> underlying value of importance of each individual human being covered by a law to protect them

laws show how to deal with miscreants, how to deal with situations that go wrong

in Leviticus a whole series of lengthy requirements about offering sacrifices and those laws are all about how a guilty sinner can get right again with God.

God does bring destructive judgment on human beings > a remarkably restrained hand > constantly looking for the good for humanity

We are to value human life.

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Additional reading

  1. No prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation
  2. Incomplete without the mind of God
  4. No prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation
  6. Bible, helmet of health, salvation and sword of the spirit
  8. Bric-a-brac of the Bible
  9. Feed Your Faith Daily
  10. We should use the Bible every day
  11. Fools despise wisdom and instruction
  13. Every creature is a divine word because it proclaims God.
  14. Observing the commandments and becoming doers of the Word

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Further reading

  1. God’s Healing Power – Ask and You Shall Receive?
  2. Moses, the Exodus and the 10 Commandments
  3. The 10 Commandments
  4. 10 Commandments- Keeping the Name of God
  5. 10 Commandments: the idolatry commandments
  6. 10 Commandment Pt. 2
  7. God’s Law in the Life of the Baptized: The Fourth Commandment
  8. God’s Law in the Life of the Baptized: The Fifth Commandment
  9. God’s Law in the Life of the Baptized: The Sixth Commandment
  10. God’s Law in the Life of the Baptized: The Seventh Commandment
  11. “Are We Really Keeping the 10 Commandments?”
  12. Following the Rules
  13. What do you mean, the 10 Commandments don’t apply to me???
  14. Sermon on 11 October 2015 about a whole lot of Law….and just a little bit of Gospel. (Because you have to put it in there)
  15. The Law Fulfilled In You, Making It Obsolete
  16. Kosmic Laws Of Nature
  17. 20 Extremely Stupid Quotes By Famous People That Is Sure To Steal Your Ribs
  18. The Ten Commandments Still Apply
  19. Hear the Instruction of Thy Father, and Forsake Not the Law of Your Mother
  20. Trick for Memorizng the 10 Commandments
  21. These ought ye to have done…
  22. Beware Spiritual Lust
  23. Ten Words
  24. The Ten Commandments Movie trailer
  25. For the Narrative Lectionary Preacher: Deuteronomy & Talking about Law
  26. Ten Commandments Removal Discussion – Eavesdropping
  27. #7: This Rule Is So Underrated
  28. Do Romans 14 and Colossians 2 Provide Cover For Modern Sabbath Deniers?
  29. The Significance of the Shabbath & The Laws for Keeping the Shabbath
  30. Understanding Bible Truth
  31. Surpassing Glory.
  32. Don’t Just Let the Rocks Cry Out
  33. Humanity in the Toddler Stage
  34. Is Removing The 10 Commandments A Big Deal?
  35. Texas Riders Deliver 10 Commandments To Oklahoma Governor
  36. An Overview of the Ten Commandments Enforced by the Civil Magistrate
  37. Late Night Removal of 10 Commandments Monument in Oklahoma Reignites Controversy
  38. “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
  39. A Doubter’s Guide to the Bible Review: Is the Old Testament Law really good?
  40. The little boy on the beach….
  41. Truth 13. God’s laws guide you in the best way to live and lead you to Jesus.
  42. Living with the understanding that His commandments are not burdensome.
  43. In Need of Perfection – Part 11: You Shall Not Covet
  44. The Unity of Body, Soul and the Tablets
  45. Justifiable Acts Against Wrong
  46. Devarim Five: Shamor v’Zakhor
  47. Devarim Ten: Circumcise the Foreskin of Your Heart
  48. Deuteronomy Chapters 10, 11, and 12
  49. The basis of the 10 commandments

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Bible Meditation Shop

Meditations in Meaning & Values  29. Laws that Value People

Ex 20:12-15   “Honour your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you. “You shall not murder. “You shall not commit adultery.

“You shall not steal. You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. You shall not covet your neighbour’s house.

We considered in the previous meditation God’s first ‘laying down the law’ in respect of the sanctity of human life. When He said, ““I will demand an accounting for the life of his fellow man. Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for in the image of God has God made man,” He not only warned about being held accountable for taking a human life – and by implication forbade the taking of human life, but He also warned…

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