Do you have a moral obligation to kill people as it says to do in the Bible?

Answer 1

A:As a non-Christian I have no obligation to follow any biblical commands contrary to my conscience.

Luke 19:27 tells us that Jesus says, "But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me." I think even most Christians in modern times would be embarrassed by this passage and pretend it has some other meaning, certainly never considering they have a moral obligation to follow the command.

A:

I don't know what "bible" you are referring to, but here is what the Bible says about it in the Old and then the New Testament.

Exodus 20:13 Thou shalt not kill.

Matthew 5:21-22 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

Answer:

The "moral obligation" the Bible sets forth [to ALL of mankind] is to "obey the voice[Commandments] of God"... not to kill people. It was to NOT kill people, to NOT steal, NOT lie, NOT covet, etc.

"...Fear God, and keep His Commandments: for this is the whole duty OF MAN. For God shall bring every work into Judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil." (Eccle.12:13-14)

The Bible records the account of the liberation of the Israelites from Egyptian slavery in which God, through His promise to Abraham, stepped in to the affairs of man and for a time was the "Ruler and Judge of that nation."

"...He said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them for four hundred years; and also that nation, whom they shall serve, WILL I JUDGE: and afterward shall they come out with great substance." (Gen.15:13-14)

Once God had "His people" free of "that nation that He Judged"... His laws were written down for them to know and obey, after four-hundred-plus years in a heathen society and among hundreds of gods and pagan practices.

Man's selfish nature tends to "judge God"... when it's God who is man's Judge, not the other way around.

The Israelites didn't, then... and man in general doesn't , today, believe in God or understand that "God is serious about His laws." They are His COMMANDMENTS, not "suggestions." And God is deadly serious that mankind learns to humble himself before Him... learn to Fear and Respect Him... and learn to "Love and Respect one another."

He's offering mankind the opportunity to "live forever" -- but only His Obedient, Meek, Loving, Respectful, Peaceful, Merciful Children will receive that Gift.

That's the "moral obligation" the Bible is telling rebellious, selfish, hateful, lying, thieving, sexually deviant mankind. A subtle teaching which he is learning -- the hard way -- through the proscribed penalty of KILLING the law-breaker.

God did it to "purge His nation of any evil element in it."

The Judgments to "kill" that went on in the biblical account in the nation of Israel while it was under the Rulership of God, was God's decree for infractions against His laws. A society without laws [or that has laws that aren't enforced, or that are unenforceable] is a "lawless" one. It's anarchy... not a nation!

The message of the Bible isn't to "kill people." The message is for all men to "repent" of their sins [from breaking God's Commandments] and to humbly and obediently turn to Him... and showing it by LOVING ONE ANOTHER!

We don't respect Him, we don't respect ourselves and we don't respect others.

THAT's the "moral obligation" we need to learn in this life... and to Live by in the "Eternal Life" he's offering us in the future. Because any man who doesn't or can't fathom and learn that obligation; to God and to himself -- will never receive that future Gift.

Jesus Christ is the Creator God of the Old Testament [John 1:3] who entered into a covenant relationship with the nation of Israel. He "married her"... she was His wife... and He was her "Husband" [see Jer.31:32].

Within the marriage structure that God created, He says: "WIVES, SUBMIT TO YOUR HUSBANDS, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, EVEN AS CHRIST IS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH: and He is the Saviour of the Body." (Eph.5:22-23)

Mankind's obligation and goal is to "unite as one with his Creator," to become HIS FAMILY. His obligation is to LOVE ONE ANOTHER... not to kill people.

That's what the "soon-returning Groom" and Husband of the obedient "says to do":

"Ye are My friends, if ye DO WHATSOEVER I COMMAND YOU... These things I command you, THAT YE LOVE ONE ANOTHER." (John 15:14 & 17)

The "killing of people" is the prerogative of man's Creator [Jesus Christ]... as when He made Himself the Sovereign King and Ruler over the nation of Israel.

He was just as "no-nonsense" about obedience with "His nation," then... as He is going to be when He returns to "RULE THE WHOLE WORLD AND ALL OF THE NATIONS!"

"...the seventh angel sounded [the last trump of God]; and... The kingdoms [nations] of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever." (Rev.11:15)

According to the Bible... Jesus tells us that when He finally sit's on His throne on earth and rules over all mankind; He's going to separate the obedient to His "right" from the disobedient to His "left":

"Then shall the King say unto them on His right hand, Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world..." (Matt.25:34).

And this same Jesus, who some men think they know, is going to make Judgments to KILL PEOPLE when He returns as King, just as He commanded done when He ruled ancient Israel.

"Then shall He say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil and his angels..." (verse 41).

God doesn't rule the world, yet. Satan does -- the originator of the "spirit of disobedience" in the "children of disobedience" [Eph.2:2].

"...for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience." (Eph.5:6)

The Truth is... the moral compass of man in the hands of Godless leaders doesn't read True. It doesn't point to the Bible and what it says. It points in every direction but the Bible.

The Bible says to "Love one another"... not "kill people."

It's best to leave the Justice of God and "moral obligation" to God and His elect [His Children]. He says He's coming back, anyway. So, when the time comes, He'll straighten everything out.

Killing people in the Bible was never intended to be a blood-bath sporting event in the Bible. But the morally aberrant would like to make it so. God intended that the public killing of the wicked [in which all the people were involved] to be such an unpleasant, repulsive, sickening experience that, afterward, very few people would even entertain any thought of sinning.

When the King returns... all the nations will witness Him ordering His servants to "kill people":

"...those Mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and SLAY THEM BEFORE ME." (Luke 19:27)

Then... everyone in the world will FEAR THE LORD. And there will be a huge drop in sin and wickedness and law-breaking around the world.

Because there will be no advantage or profit to it. God, His servants and His angels will be able to see the hearts and minds of people... see the evil thought before any sin can manifest itself and be committed. And they will advise people to repent and overcome it before it's too late.

That's man's "moral obligation." To edify and help one another... learn to Love instead of kill.

Answer

As the Question does not refer to any particular part of the Bible, or hint why it was asked, and I am not a mindreader, there are 4 possible answers to it.

1. The word "kill" doesn't mean "murder"

0ne of the best-remembered of 10 Commandments is "Thou shalt not kill." from Exodus 20 v.13 in the King James Version of the Bible. Words can change their meaning over time.

However, the King James version was translated over 400 years ago in 1611 , and the word translated then as "kill" has since changed its meaning and now really means "murder" .

Modern translations render this word as "murder" instead and not "kill". For example, the NET Bible released in 2001 translated this as:-

Exodus 20 v.13 "You shall not murder35." [NET]

The NET Footnote explains that:

35tn The verb רָצַח (ratsakh) refers to the premeditated or accidental taking of the life of another human being; it includes any unauthorized killing (it is used for the punishment of a murderer, but that would not be included in the prohibition). This commandment teaches the sanctity of all human life. See J. H. Yoder, "Exodus 20,13: 'Thou Shalt Not Kill'," Int 34 (1980): 394-99; and A. Phillips, "Another Look at Murder," JJS 28 (1977): 105-26.

Other modern translations render same verse this as:

"No murder" [MSG (The Message) ]

"Do not murder." [CEV (Contemporary English Version) ]

"Do not commit murder" [GNB (Good News Bible) ] .

"Never murder." [GW [God's Word]

"You shall not murder." [ESV (English Standard Version) ,

"You shall not murder" [NASB (New American Standard Bible) ]

"You shall not murder." [NKJV (New King James Version) ]

The word translated as "kill" ireally means "murder".

2. Obedience to God

If the Question is referring to something in the Old Testament, it means full obedience to the Creator God of the Old Testament . If the God of the Old Testament said to do something, you did it.

If the Question is referring to something in the New Testament, it means full obedience to Jesus Christ. If Jesus Christ in the New Testament said to do something, you did it.

However, since Jesus Christ is the Creator God of the Old Testament [John 1:3], and since everything was created by Jesus Christ [Colossians 1:16], all through the Bible this actually means utter and complete obedience to Jesus Christ.

3. Killing of Caananites in the Old Testament

Google something like "Nephilim Genesis 6" and it will give far more detail than can be answered here. Suffice to say the Caanites were a race of human and demon hybrids whom God wanted wiped out.

4. Killing of people in the New Testament by Christians

Jesus Christ ordered Christians not to:-

"Ye are My friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you .. These things I command you, that ye love one another." (John 15:14 & 17)

Obviously, non-christians were not bound by what Jesus ordered and could murder whoever they wanted..

5. Killing of criminals

In the OldTestament there was no police force or jails. The law was "an eye for an eye". If you killed someone the victim's family hunted you down and killed you. The perpetrator fled for his life to one of the "cities of refuge" where his case was heard.. If it was manslaughter and not premeditated murder, the perpetrator had to stay in that city until the then High Priest died.: he was effectively jailed. The death penalty also applied to anyone who caused a pregnant woman's unborn baby to die.

In the New Testament Christians were not to kill criminals: that was up to God:-

Rom 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rathergive place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance ismine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

In the New Testament government were not to kill criminals: that was up to temporal rulers and powers and government bodies:-

Rom 13:1-4 KJV Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. ... (v.2) Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God:... (v.3) For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? ... (v.4) For [temporal rulers and powers are] the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain:for he is the minister of God, a revenger toexecutewrath upon him that doeth evil.

The above categories should cover all morality of murder questions.