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Oh To Be Wise Meditations
You shall not murder. Whoever strikes and kills a man must surely be put to death. If you plan in advance to murder someone, there's no escape, not even by holding on to my altar. You will be dragged off and killed. Anyone tormented by the guilt of murder will seek refuge in the grave; let no one hold them back. Don't protect him. You cannot give someone money to escape the death penalty; you must pay with your own life! If anyone takes human life, he will be punished. I will punish with death any animal that takes a human life. Have nothing to do with a false charge and do not put an innocent or honest person to death, for I will not acquit the guilty. Anyone who kills a person is to be put to death as a murderer only on the testimony of witnesses. But no one is to be put to death on the testimony of only one witness. You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment. Anyone who hates another brother or sister is really a murderer at heart. And you know that murderers don’t have eternal life within them. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out his desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, refusing to uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, because he is a liar and the father of lies. You crave what you do not have; you kill and covet, but are unable to obtain it. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask. You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not cheat others, honor your father and mother. There's one thing you still need to do. Go sell everything you own. Give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven. Then come with me. The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name! For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God’s household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God’s Good News? Out of your heart come evil thoughts, vulgar deeds, stealing, and murder. Knowing this, the law was not intended for people who do what is right. It is for people who are lawless and rebellious, who are ungodly and sinful, who consider nothing sacred and defile what is holy, who kill their father or mother or commit other murders. The law is for people who are sexually immoral, or who practice homosexuality, or are slave traders, liars, promise breakers, or who do anything else that contradicts the wholesome teaching that comes from the glorious Good News entrusted to me by our blessed God. So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.
Meditate Gen. 9:6
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