If God commands me to kill someone...

Status
Not open for further replies.

LionL

Believer in God, doubter of religion
Jan 23, 2015
914
645
51
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and N. Ireland
✟29,536.00
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
In Relationship
Politics
UK-Liberal-Democrats
If God commands you to kill someone then you should see a psychiatrist at once!

Imagine the story of Abraham and Isaac. What if that happened today? Abraham would be taken away and placed in a mental institution as a danger to society - and rightly so.
 
Upvote 0

RC1970

post tenebras lux
Jul 7, 2015
1,903
1,558
✟80,684.00
Country
United States
Faith
Protestant
Marital Status
Single
Should I do it?

Clearly, God has not (no worries), but it's a thought experiment I've been struggling with.

Is morality absolute?

God is not subject to His laws, so if He were to have someone killed it would not be wrong. In other words, there is no ethical standard to which God is required to submit except the standards that He imposes on Himself. God is the standard of ethics.

Since we are all sinners, and we all deserve death, God commanding someone to die would not be a problem.

Obviously, God commanding someone to kill is very hypothetical, and would require much proof, as this is not His normal method. When God is ready for us to die He has other means at His disposal.
 
Upvote 0

graceandpeace

Episcopalian
Sep 12, 2013
2,985
573
✟22,175.00
Faith
Anglican
Marital Status
Private
Politics
US-Democrat
For Christians, Jesus is the image of God. He is the one who shows us what God is actually like. Everything in the Bible, every question we ask, etc should be considered in light of His life & example.

And Jesus's example is a life of sacrifice & love. Love your neighbor as yourself. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Love your enemies. Greater love has no one than this, to lay down one's life for their friends. I think these commands do carry some level of subjectivity. It does seem, however, that to harm someone would not be consistent with Jesus's example or teachings, & therefore it could not be from God.
 
Upvote 0

JGG

Well-Known Member
Mar 12, 2006
12,018
2,098
✟58,445.00
Faith
Seeker
Marital Status
Private
If God commands you to kill someone then you should see a psychiatrist at once!

Imagine the story of Abraham and Isaac. What if that happened today? Abraham would be taken away and placed in a mental institution as a danger to society - and rightly so.

Are you suggesting that Abraham was mentally ill?
 
Upvote 0

JGG

Well-Known Member
Mar 12, 2006
12,018
2,098
✟58,445.00
Faith
Seeker
Marital Status
Private
God is not subject to His laws, so if He were to have someone killed it would not be wrong. In other words, there is no ethical standard to which God is required to submit except the standards that He imposes on Himself. God is the standard of ethics.

God can lie?

Since we are all sinners, and we all deserve death, God commanding someone to die would not be a problem.

Obviously, God commanding someone to kill is very hypothetical, and would require much proof, as this is not His normal method. When God is ready for us to die He has other means at His disposal.

Suppose it is not one man, but a group of men? A country?

I don't understand why we would require proof that God is commanding someone to commit homicide, but in other cases where we speak to God we take for granted that it really is God.
 
Upvote 0

JGG

Well-Known Member
Mar 12, 2006
12,018
2,098
✟58,445.00
Faith
Seeker
Marital Status
Private
For Christians, Jesus is the image of God. He is the one who shows us what God is actually like. Everything in the Bible, every question we ask, etc should be considered in light of His life & example.

And Jesus's example is a life of sacrifice & love. Love your neighbor as yourself. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Love your enemies. Greater love has no one than this, to lay down one's life for their friends. I think these commands do carry some level of subjectivity. It does seem, however, that to harm someone would not be consistent with Jesus's example or teachings, & therefore it could not be from God.

It could not be? Does that mean God is limited to His commandments?
 
Upvote 0
This site stays free and accessible to all because of donations from people like you.
Consider making a one-time or monthly donation. We appreciate your support!
- Dan Doughty and Team Christian Forums

JGG

Well-Known Member
Mar 12, 2006
12,018
2,098
✟58,445.00
Faith
Seeker
Marital Status
Private
Yes JGG, you should. Whatever God commands is what we are obligated to do.

You either trust God or you don't.

God is not lawless; He has integrity. But the ways of God are above the ways of men. We aren't qualified to question. We can only extend the benefit of the doubt or not.

Then who are we to condemn the actions of ISIS when they commit homicide or genocide because they believe that God has told them to do so, while we freely admit that in the same position we would do the same?

How can we condemn James Holmes (the movie theater shooter), or Dylann Roof (South Carolina shooter) for killing people? God could very well have commanded them to do it, and could command one of us to do it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: sahjimira
Upvote 0

graceandpeace

Episcopalian
Sep 12, 2013
2,985
573
✟22,175.00
Faith
Anglican
Marital Status
Private
Politics
US-Democrat
It could not be? Does that mean God is limited to His commandments?

I don't think it's a question of limits so much as judging the revelation we believe we have in Jesus.

Jesus for us the is the direct revelation of God in the flesh, & in both the direct example of his life & teachings, there is no room for even hating others, let alone acting in malice against them.
 
  • Like
Reactions: sahjimira
Upvote 0

aiki

Regular Member
Feb 16, 2007
10,874
4,348
Winnipeg
✟236,528.00
Country
Canada
Faith
Baptist
Marital Status
Married
Should I do it?

Clearly, God has not (no worries), but it's a thought experiment I've been struggling with.

Is morality absolute?

Yes. And yes.

God has the unique prerogative as the Giver of Life to also be its Taker. If He chooses to use you as the means by which He will take a life He gave, who are you to refuse Him?

Then who are we to condemn the actions of ISIS when they commit homicide or genocide because they believe that God has told them to do so, while we freely admit that in the same position we would do the same?

How can we condemn James Holmes (the movie theater shooter), or Dylann Roof (South Carolina shooter) for killing people? God could very well have commanded them to do it, and could command one of us to do it.

Certainly, ISIS members, in declaring their murderous activities God-ordained, are consistent with their thinking when they kill people they believe God has ordered them to kill. If God really has commanded them to kill someone, it seems to me that they must do so. But has He? I don't think so. And I am certainly not obliged to agree that the members of ISIS are divinely commanded to kill infidels just because they think they are.

That God could command any of us to kill does not mean He would command us to do so. In fact, Scripture gives me good reason to think He would not issue such a command to any of us. Therefore, I am perfectly free to condemn the murderous actions of the people you mentioned.

Selah.
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0
This site stays free and accessible to all because of donations from people like you.
Consider making a one-time or monthly donation. We appreciate your support!
- Dan Doughty and Team Christian Forums

JGG

Well-Known Member
Mar 12, 2006
12,018
2,098
✟58,445.00
Faith
Seeker
Marital Status
Private
God doesn't command us to kill others. Jesus Christ revealed that the will of God is that we love our neighbor.

I don't think it's a question of limits so much as judging the revelation we believe we have in Jesus.

Jesus for us the is the direct revelation of God in the flesh, & in both the direct example of his life & teachings, there is no room for even hating others, let alone acting in malice against them.

God commanded Abraham to kill Isaac. God commanded Moses to murder. God commanded the Israelites to commit genocide. God would not command murder or genocide again?
 
Upvote 0

JGG

Well-Known Member
Mar 12, 2006
12,018
2,098
✟58,445.00
Faith
Seeker
Marital Status
Private
Yes. And yes.

God has the unique prerogative as the Giver of Life to also be its Taker. If He chooses to use you as the means by which He will take the life He gave, who are you to refuse Him?

God also commanded me not to kill people. Who am I to refuse that command?

Certainly, ISIS members, in declaring their murderous activities God-ordained, are consistent with their thinking when they kill people they believe God has ordered them to kill. If God really has commanded them to kill someone, it seems to me that they must do so.

If they believe God has commanded them to kill, who are we to condemn that action if when we would do the same if we believed God commanded us to kill?

But has He? I don't think so.

How would you know?

And I am certainly not obliged to agree that the members of ISIS are divinely commanded to kill infidels just because they think they are.

If I believed God commanded me to kill someone, but you did not agree, would it still be a sin for me to deny God?

That God could command any of us to kill does not mean He would command us to do so. In fact, Scripture gives me good reason to think He would not issue such a command to any of us. Therefore, I am perfectly free to condemn the murderous actions of the people you mentioned.

Again, he commanded Abraham. He commanded Moses. He commanded the Israelites. How can we say He would not command you or me? How can we say He has not commanded others we have condemned?
 
Upvote 0

Soyeong

Well-Known Member
Mar 10, 2015
12,416
4,599
Hudson
✟281,635.00
Country
United States
Faith
Messianic
Marital Status
Single
God commanded Abraham to kill Isaac. God commanded Moses to murder. God commanded the Israelites to commit genocide. God would not command murder or genocide again?

Genocide involves killing people because of their ethnicity, and as such, God has never commanded genocide. Murder is unlawful killing, and such, God has never commanded murder. An executioner has been granted the authority to administer the death penalty by their government, so when they do so, they are not committing murder. God is much more just and has much greater authority than any human government.
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0

Soyeong

Well-Known Member
Mar 10, 2015
12,416
4,599
Hudson
✟281,635.00
Country
United States
Faith
Messianic
Marital Status
Single
God also commanded me not to kill people. Who am I to refuse that command?

God's command is not to murder.

If they believe God has commanded them to kill, who are we to condemn that action if when we would do the same if webelieved God commanded us to kill?

The question you asked was not about whether we should kill if we believe that God has commanded, but about how we should respond if God has commanded us to kill. If God has commanded Muslims to kill infidels, then they are in the right to do so.
 
Upvote 0
This site stays free and accessible to all because of donations from people like you.
Consider making a one-time or monthly donation. We appreciate your support!
- Dan Doughty and Team Christian Forums

JGG

Well-Known Member
Mar 12, 2006
12,018
2,098
✟58,445.00
Faith
Seeker
Marital Status
Private
Genocide involves killing people because of their ethnicity, and as such, God has never commanded genocide.

The Canaanites?

Murder is unlawful killing, and such, God has never commanded murder.

When Moses killed an Egyptian it was against the law, and Moses knew it. He fled.

An executioner has been granted the authority to administer the death penalty by their government, so when they do so, they are not committing murder. God is much more just and has much greater authority than any human government.

So if God commands to me to commit murder I should do it?
 
Upvote 0
Status
Not open for further replies.