Romans 1:28–32 (NKJV)
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.
Paul reminds us in Romans 1 that God is just, delivering those who stubbornly rebel against Him to a debased mind. And this debased mind bears numerous bitter fruits. Today we consider the seventh of these fruits: murder. Paul writes that unbelieving societies are “full of murder.”
Webster defines murder as, “The act of unlawfully killing a human being with premeditated malice, by a person of sound mind.” To murder, therefore, is not simply to kill; to murder is to kill unlawfully; it is to shed innocent blood. Because murder assaults those made in God’s image, God commands that murderers be executed for their crime. “Whoever shed’s man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed; for in the image of God He made man” (Gen 9:6). Just societies utilize the death penalty to punish those guilty of murder. Thus God warned, “Your eye shall not pity [a murderer], but you shall put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, that it may go well with you” (Dt 19:13). Societies that descend into injustice and show pity to murderers defile the land. “…you shall take no ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death, but he shall surely be put to death… for blood defiles the land, and no atonement can be made for the land, for the blood that is shed on it, except by the blood of him who shed it” (Num 35:31, 33).
Over the course of her history, Israel did defile the land with blood. “They even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons, and shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan; and the land was polluted with blood” (Ps 106:37-38). Hence, God judged the people of Israel and cast them out of their land, granting the land rest from their wickedness.
Our land likewise has become defiled with blood. Our eyes have pitied murderers. We have failed to utilize the death penalty, sustaining murderers for life rather than showing our honor for the image of God in their victims. Further, we have legalized abortion, the murder of the most innocent and vulnerable members of our society. We too have sacrificed our sons and daughters to demons. God has handed us over to a debased mind; we are full of murder.
Murder, like other sins, emerges from the heart. “From within, out of the heart of men, proceed… murders” (Mk 7:21). Actual murder is but the fruit of murderous intentions – and both the intention and the action make us guilty in God’s sight. Thus Jesus reminds us: “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment” (Mt 5:21). God’s law addresses our heart. “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life” (Prov 4:23).
Thus we must not only confess the widespread murder in our culture but the murderous intentions that dwell in our own hearts. We need God’s grace to transform and renew us that we be a people who love and protect life, uphold justice, and show pity to the victims of murderers. And so reminded that God treasures those who are made in His image and that we have failed to honor God’s image by failing to execute those convicted of murder, let us confess our sin to the Lord and pray that He would free us from our murderous thoughts and actions. And, as you are able, let us kneel together as we confess to the Lord. We will have a time of silent confession followed by the corporate confession found in your bulletin.