To kill

[SH89]

Is it a sin to kill in combat? I know the bible says "thou shalt not murder"(In the kjv it says kill, but the meaning of the word has changed.)When is killing justified?(self-defense, battle,etc...)

Also, what about this scenario. Lets say you are a soldier of a blood hungry country. Your country decides to invade another for land and power. If you are a solider of this invading army, and you kill others, is that a sin?

One thing that i have been thinking about to answer this question is the centurion in matthew 8 and Cornileous(sp?) in acts. The centurion was a commander of 100 men in the Roman army. Obviously, the Romans were blood thirsty.The centurions mentioned in the New Testament are uniformly spoken of in terms of praise.
Any ideas?

 

[representative]

well a friend of mine and I have talked about this alot, we turned to the scriptures and (if you want them i'll have to spend some more time looking)

to summerize the hours of disscussion we've had...

I think that its hard to share the Gospel with a dead person, let alone with a person who is fearing the gun in your hand and not thinking about the Lord...

He thinks its right to surve justice....

we have both come to the conclusion that to submit to the authorities is what it comes down to... e.i. a draft

we both would rather be in ministry than in the army

(now understand that I can't accuratly tell you how he feels)

also a big thing is what should we look to for it, the old or the new testement

 

[DrBubbaLove]

My 2~, Wrong to kill as in murder. True self-defense or personal defense of another that results in loss of life I do not think these acts break this command. David volunteered and then slew Goliath, also the only man that it was ever said to be “a man after” God’s own heart. A soldier by choice or draft is essentially either putting himself or being put in a position to defend him or others. Not that atrocity is then justified, however a moral choice to defend is not equal to murder. Even the innocent lives lost in the following of commands (bomb here) given or mistakes made that result in unjust death couldn’t be attributed to the soldier. The choices being made that create the situation the soldier may find him/herself in to take another life are not usually of doing their own doing.

 

[Apollo Rhetor]

There are two things here.
1. Taking a life out of greed, unjustified vengeance, etc. This is murder
2. Taking a life justified - eg, in putting to death a murderer as God commanded, or fighting in a war that God commanded. This is killing
These are two separate acts.

We do not ask whether sex is evil. We say that adultery is sinful, but sex within marriage is not. The same is true of the taking of life. Under some circumstances it is sinful, under others it is not. Do a word study, look at the words murder and kill in the original Hebrew, and use a Hebrew concordance.

 

[Dad Ernie]

Greetings,

The Lord is the one who gave Pilate the authority to put Christ on the Cross (John 19:11), just as He gives all goverments their authority for "killing". The governments do not "bear the sword in vain" (Romans 13:4), and thus those in its conscript, in obedience to the Commander-in-Chief, will use the sword when it is deemed necessary, perhaps not to the liking of those who deny God's sovereignty, but necessary in order to facilitate peace and make retribution on the individual's behalf upon those who would commit capitol crimes.

Blessings,

Dad Ernie

 

[Entertaining_Angels]

First of all, if you're not a Christian, does it really matter? Non-Christians aren't concerned with sin anyway so the question is, is it a sin for Christians to kill or murder? Yes, I believe murder is a sin and killing is not. If somebody breaks into your house during the middle of the night intent on raping and killing your daughter and you do nothing, I believe you are sinning. If you kill the person in self defense this is not murder. I believe the same to be true in war.

 

[McDLT]

I'm interested in seeing some scripture to these points. Anyone have any? Thanks

 

[Entertaining_Angels]

I have to leave but the first that comes to mind is:

Exodus 20:13
"You shall not murder.

 

[Entertaining_Angels]

Oh and a good article on Christians and the military:

http://www.equip.org/free/DE233.htm

okay, gotta run...

 

[ScottBot]

I'm interested in seeing some scripture to these points. Anyone have any? Thanks

Joshua 6:21 "Then they utterly destroyed all in the city, both men and women, young and old, oxen, sheep, and asses, with the edge of the sword."
Judges 21:10 "So the congregation sent thither twelve thousand of their bravest men, and commanded them, "Go and smite the inhabitants of Ja'besh-gil'ead with the edge of the sword; also the women and the little ones."
1 Samuel 15:33 "And Samuel said, 'As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women.' And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the LORD in Gilgal."
1 Samuel 17:50 " So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine, and killed him."


Just a few examples of were warfare and killing are actually done at God's command.

 

[billwald]

"Non-Christians aren't concerned with sin anyway"

Non sequitur. Assumes facts not in evidence.

Second, there is a difference between killing to save your own life and killing to protect a third party.

Third, not wishing to kill is not a valid excuse to avoid service. There is the Medic Corps.

Fourth, seems to me that there is a connection between intentionally going into harm's way for the purpose of killing other people and the suicide bombers. Not sure exactly how.

 

[ScottBot]

"Non-Christians aren't concerned with sin anyway"

Non sequitur. Assumes facts not in evidence.

Second, there is a difference between killing to save your own life and killing to protect a third party.

Third, not wishing to kill is not a valid excuse to avoid service. There is the Medic Corps.

Fourth, seems to me that there is a connection between intentionally going into harm's way for the purpose of killing other people and the suicide bombers. Not sure exactly how.

As I was a Medic (Navy Hospital Corpsman Chief Petty Officer) for 15 years, being a medic doesn't always take you out of harms way. That's the reason we are issued sidearms, and lately, battle rifles, to protect our patients.

 

[Entertaining_Angels]

"Non-Christians aren't concerned with sin anyway"

Non sequitur. Assumes facts not in evidence.

Second, there is a difference between killing to save your own life and killing to protect a third party.

Third, not wishing to kill is not a valid excuse to avoid service. There is the Medic Corps.

Fourth, seems to me that there is a connection between intentionally going into harm's way for the purpose of killing other people and the suicide bombers. Not sure exactly how.

Well, my understanding of sin (and I'm still learning so this is basic) is doing anything apart from God's will. The unsaved, just by their very lives are awash with sin. When we become saved, we are cleansed of sin and, with God's grace and help remove sin from our lives. Sin is still an issue because we still sin however.

So, I'm a Christian who served in the military and have a hubby who still serves. We also know Christians serving overseas in various hot spots. Do I judge them and believe them to be less of a Christian or a non-Christian? No, in fact, I know some who volunteered after serious prayer about it. And, not a one of them volunteered with the intent of 'intentionally going into harm's way for the purpose of killing others.' Not sure where you'd get that idea.

Oh, and don't be too sure about the Medics. There was one time I was deployed and living right next to the field hospital. We had a riot in the middle of the night and EVERYBODY took up arms.

 

[DrBubbaLove]

God bless and thankyou for you service to our country!

 

[Santo]

Is it a sin to kill in combat? I know the bible says "thou shalt not murder"(In the kjv it says kill, but the meaning of the word has changed.)When is killing justified?(self-defense, battle,etc...)

Also, what about this scenario. Lets say you are a soldier of a blood hungry country. Your country decides to invade another for land and power. If you are a solider of this invading army, and you kill others, is that a sin?



One thing that i have been thinking about to answer this question is the centurion in matthew 8 and Cornileous(sp?) in acts. The centurion was a commander of 100 men in the Roman army. Obviously, the Romans were blood thirsty.The centurions mentioned in the New Testament are uniformly spoken of in terms of praise.

Any ideas?

Sin is to disobey god.

If a man knows the right he ought to do and does it not he sins. Sin is between you and god. David in the OT while running from king Saul went out several times to the surrounding cities and in some of them he killed everybody including babies, little girls etc. and David was a man after god’s own heart. David in one of his prayers after committing adultery and murder said to god; “ Against you and you alone have I sinned…”

A man has to live with his conscious and he has to answer to god, if you can meet those two requirements and your spirit does not condemns you, them you can live at peace.

 

[wromemp]

Is it a sin to kill in combat? I know the bible says "thou shalt not murder"(In the kjv it says kill, but the meaning of the word has changed.)When is killing justified?(self-defense, battle,etc...)

Also, what about this scenario. Lets say you are a soldier of a blood hungry country. Your country decides to invade another for land and power. If you are a solider of this invading army, and you kill others, is that a sin?

One thing that i have been thinking about to answer this question is the centurion in matthew 8 and Cornileous(sp?) in acts. The centurion was a commander of 100 men in the Roman army. Obviously, the Romans were blood thirsty.The centurions mentioned in the New Testament are uniformly spoken of in terms of praise.
Any ideas?

It's a sin.......
If an american christian murders a russian christian then it's a sin.
I think we need a christian alleance because of not to sin..........
The Pope......can be our union.......

 

[SH89]

It's a sin.......
If an american christian murders a russian christian then it's a sin.

Well, is killing somebody in combat considered MURDER?

I am asking this, because I plan to have a career in the Military.

 

[Entertaining_Angels]

Well, is killing somebody in combat considered MURDER?

I asking this because I plan to have a career in the Military.

If you read the OT, you may be inclined to believe it is not murder.

I do not believe it is murder and I see a big, no make that huge difference between killing and murder.

 

[dignitized]

Bless God and thank him for ever man and woman who is willing to put their lives on the line for our freedom and safety.