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John Ritenbaugh asserts that the immediate penalty can more quickly be seen in the violation of the Sixth Commandment than for any other commandment. The startling annual statistics of suicide, murder, and abortion reported in the United States dwarf into insignificance the cumulative military deaths in the entire Iraq War. The prohibition against killing in Exodus 21 refers to pre-meditated murder. Cities of refuge were allowed for accidental killings, serving as jails or house arrest. False witnesses in a capital murder trial would forfeit their lives. Ancient Israel had a supreme court (in the office of the High Priest) to decide murder, injury, and damage cases, with the punishment matching the gravity of the damages. Jesus magnifies the Law in Matthew 5, moving beyond the behavior into the motivating thought behind the deed, warning that we do not retaliate in kind, arrogating God"s prerogative for revenge to ourselves. In this context, there can be no such thing as a "just" war. Consequently, the Christian is not permitted to engage in mass homicide on behalf of the state. We must remember that the Bible is not written for the world at large, but for God"s called-out ones (John 6:44), the Israel of God, the Family of God, or a Holy Nation, equipped to understand the truths of scripture through the power of the Holy Spirit, opening the mind to divine knowledge, transforming the fleshly heart to a spiritual heart. Because our citizenship is in heaven, we are ambassadors forbidden to fight in the conflicts of the countries in which we have our embassies, taking our marching orders only from Jesus Christ.

Abortion Access to God Avenger of blood Boaz Choosing life Cities of Refuge Citizenship in Heaven Death by company negligence Death penalty Eye for an eye Family of God Gawel Hippie counterculture Holy nation Homicide Judgments Just shall live by faith Killing Lex Talionis Living by faith Lofty standards Mind of Christ Murder Parables Pre-meditated killing Raca Self-defense Slave owners Spirit of God Suicide Supreme Court Unconverted Understand Vengeance Vindictiveness War Witness World

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