Human life is sacred. It is man's most precious earthly possession; for
without it he cannot enjoy any other. This commandment is meant to guard
it. We dare not shorten another person's life, nor our own. God gives
life, and He alone has the right to take it away.

This commandment _forbids_ us to kill or injure other persons or
ourselves. It _commands_ us to assist and comfort our neighbor in danger
and want.

I. WHAT is FORBIDDEN.

We must not

1. KILL OR INJURE OTHER PERSONS.

_Murder_. To destroy any human life, even if it be very young or yet
unborn, is a great crime. He who commits murder is to be punished with
death. [Gen. 9:6+] Among the motives which prompt to murder are anger,
hatred, [Gen. 4:1-8] envy, [Gen. 37] jealousy, revenge, [Matt. 14:3-11,
Rom. 12:19+] frivolity, avarice, robbery, and a desire to hide past sin.
[II Sam. 11] We must be on our guard against all that would ever tempt
us to this great crime.

_Duels_. It is foolish as well as sinful to pretend to establish the
right or wrong of a question by a duel.

_Unjust Wars_ are wholesale murder. Rulers must do all that they
honorably can to prevent war. Yet as a last resort to maintain the
right, war is justifiable.