Exodus 20:12-13
The Horizontal Commandments

1 Jn. 4:20-21 - If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he's a liar... He who loves God must love his brother also.


Alan Carr: It's fitting that this Commandment should fall here. It divides the commandments related to God from those related to our fellow man. You see, when we're out of step in the home, we'll be out of step with God and with our fellow man. It's in the parental relationship that we first learn how to submit to the Lord and then how we are to serve our fellow man.


Commandment #5 - Honor your father and mother.

4 things parents can give their children to help them obey this commandment.


1. __________

2. __________

3. __________

4. __________


Jesus' example of honoring parents.

Luke 2:51 - Then He returned to Nazareth with them and was subject to them.

John 19:26-27 - When Jesus saw His mother and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, “Woman, here is your son.” Then He said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” So from that hour, this disciple took her into his home.

When Jesus was young He obeyed His parents.
When Jesus was older He cared for His parents.

Commandment #6 - Don't murder

The word used here is ratzach, the Hebrew word for unlawful killing.

Biblical examples of "lawful" killing.

1. Self defense (Ex. 22:2)

2. A just war (1 Samuel 15)

3. Government imposed death penalty. (Ex. 21:12; Rom. 13:4)

Why does God permit some forms of killing?

The goal isn't the destruction of life but its ____________.
That's the goal of self defense
That's the goal of a just war
That should be the goal of government

Genesis 9:6 - Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man his blood shall be shed, because God made man in His own image."

Because God made man in His image--life is precious--and should be guarded.

Luke 10:30-32 - "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side."

Sometimes we break this commandment in our hearts and with our lips.

1 John 3:15 - Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer.

Mt. 5:21-22 - "You've heard that it was said, 'You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of the fire of hell."