“You shall not murder.”
--Exodus 20:13
The Sixth Commandment isn’t one that a lot of people think they need to pay much attention to these days. But when we dig a little deeper into what those four words really mean and imply, we see that they do apply to each and every one of us!
Because the word murder doesn’t just mean homicide. The Scripture teaches that you can murder someone by gossiping about them or by harboring hateful thoughts about them. Jesus made it very clear that these are murderous actions just as much as the actual taking of an innocent life is.
But here’s the great news about the grace of the Lord Jesus. It covers every sin, including the physical or mental act of murder. And it doesn’t just cover the sin, it redeems the sinner.
Think about Moses. Or David. Or the apostle Paul. In the world’s eyes, each of these men was a murderer.
Yet because of God’s forgiveness, Moses wasn’t a murderer… he was a liberator. Because of God’s forgiveness, David wasn’t a killer… he was a man after God’s own heart. And because of God’s forgiveness, Paul wasn’t a persecutor… he was a missionary.
And the same is true for you! If you’re a follower of Christ, God’s grace and forgiveness cover your sin—past, present, and future. And his grace and forgiveness not only cover your sin, they redeem your life as a sinner! As David himself proclaimed, “He redeems your life from the pit”!
So let me ask you today. Are you in need of the redeeming power of Christ in your life? Perhaps your past is marked by an abortion, and you haven’t been able to let go of the guilt. Maybe today you’d admit that when it comes to the words you speak, you’re a taker of life instead of a giver of life.
Wherever it is that you’ve taken a life or are taking life, I urge you to confess it before God today. Then repent, or turn from it, knowing that God can redeem your life for your good… and his glory.
GOD’S GRACE AND FORGIVENESS NOT ONLY COVERS YOUR SIN, IT REDEEMS YOUR LIFE AS A SINNER.
Tuesday, July 23, 2019
by Dr. Paul Chappell
“This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”
1 John 1:5-7
We went to some Oakland A’s baseball games when I was young, in part because Alvin Dark, who managed the team, was a member of our church and generously gave us tickets. Imagine that when I went to one of those games I was seated next to a man wearing a New York Yankees jersey. “You like the Yankees?” I might ask. “No, I’m a big A’s fan,” he would say. A little confused, I would watch his actions during the game. Each time the Yankees made a good play or scored, he would cheer. Each time Oakland did, he sat silently. What would I conclude at the end of the game? Which team would I believe he really supported?
There are many people who claim to be Christians, but whose lives reflect a very different allegiance. It is possible to say the right things, but to still be far from God. Jesus said, “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matthew 7:22-23). God does not measure our lives according to what shows on the outside or what we may claim with our words. He sees the heart, and no matter how successful we are at deceiving others, He knows the truth.
Today's Growth Principle:
Make sure that what you do reflects the love and devotion to Christ that you profess.
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