The Sixth Commandment
There are certain theological positions taken within the Reformed tradition which include such issues as abortion, capital punishment, euthanasia, and participation in war which rest on the same basic premise. It is essential that this premise be fully understood.
God has an infinite value and unequivocal love for human life. After the fall of mankind as indicated in Genesis 3, the remainder of the biblical story is the story of God's loving pursuit to reestablish at-one-ment. That atonement is finally and fully established in the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
God's unequivocal love is manifested in the ministry of Christ where we see revealed the ultimate ground for the valuing of human life. The persons most rejected by human society, most despised by men, are the very ones to whom Jesus reached out with tender love and concern. Above all, His sacrifice on the cross affirms God's love and concern for us human beings as being of great value, precious in His sight.
In many respects, God's love and concern is made explicit in the Sixth Commandment,"You shall not murder." (Exodus 20:13 NIV). This commandment is expanded and enlarged by supporting scriptural references. As God deeply values human life, so he commands us to reflect that value in our relationship to one another.
Historically in the Reformed theological tradition, the extent of God's command has been expressed in both the Shorter and the Larger Catechism.
In the Shorter Catechism we
have the following statements:
Q.68 What is required in the Sixth Commandment?
A.The Sixth Commandment requireth all lawful endeavors to
preserve our own life, and the life of others.
Q.69 What is forbidden in the Sixth Commandment?
A.The Sixth Commandment forbiddeth the taking away of our own
life, or the life of our neighbor unjustly, or whatsoever tendeth
thereunto.
In the Larger Catechism we find these obligations considerably expanded, for there we read as follows:
Q.135 What are the duties
required in the Sixth Commandment?
A. The duties required in the Sixth Commandment are: all
careful studies and lawful endeavors, to preserve the life of
ourselves and others, by resisting all thoughts and purposes,
subduing all passions, and avoiding all occasions, temptations
and practices, which tend to the unjust taking away the life of
any, by just defense thereof against violence; patient bearing of
the hand of God, quietness of mind, cheerfulness of spirit, a
sober use of meat, drink, physic, sleep, labor and recreation; by
charitable thoughts, love, compassion, meekness, gentleness,
kindness, peaceable, mild, and courteous speeches and behavior,
forbearance, readiness to be reconciled, patient bearing and
forgiving of injuries, and requiting good for evil, comforting
and succoring the distressed, and protecting and defending the
innocent.
Q.136 What are the sins forbidden in the Sixth Commandment?
A.The sins forbidden in the Sixth Commandment are: all taking
away the life of ourselves, or of others, except in case of
public justice, lawful war, or necessary defense; the neglecting
or withdrawing the lawful or necessary means of preservation of
life, sinful anger, hatred, envy, desire of revenge, all
excessive passions; distracting cares; immoderate use of meat,
drink, labor, and recreation; provoking words, oppression,
quarreling, striking, wounding and whatsoever else tends to the
destruction of the life of any.
From these obligations, we may discern three basic prohibitions. First, we are, in a passive sense, to do no willful harm. Second, in a positive sense, we are to promote the well-being of others and therefore, to protect from harm. Third, we are not unjustifiably or unlawfully to take a life.
It is immediately apparent that these three responsibilities may come in conflict with one another. For example, the duty to do no harm to someone who might be attacking another person with malicious intent may come in conflict with the duty to protect from harm the one being attacked. Within the Reformed tradition, historically there has been weight towards the obligation to protect from harm when that duty is in conflict with the obligation to do no harm. This has been based on the judgment that protecting from harm is ordinarily more in keeping with respect for life.
It is on that judgment, for example, that when an attacker is threatening the life of another who is innocent or does not seek to do harm, we are not permitted the luxury of non-action or of pacificism, for that is not consistent with respect for life that is in keeping with God's ordering.
Again, there may be some irreducible conflict between the duty to do no harm and the duty to protect from harm in case of defending one's self, or in the case of war. Thus, where both duties cannot be followed, and where God's command requires action, the duty to protect from harm seems to be favored and is most in keeping with respect and reverence for life.
Above all, the overriding obligation and the paramount duty, is to seek to determine and then fulfill that which is most consistent with respect for human life. Since such a decision may, in fact, result in the taking of a life in a manner considered justifiable, such an action would not be a violation of the Sixth Commandment. Indeed, such an action may be more consistent with the obligation to respect life.
In considering our obligation to show respect for human life even as God shows infinite and unequivocal love for human life, we must at the same time recognize that human life has certain limitations. In seeking to show respect for human life, it must be done in the context of those limitations. These include such things as the reality of death and the limitation of life because of death, the limitation we have in our ability to endure pain and suffering, the limitation on our knowledge and our ability to know, and the limitation we have to bear emotional pressure and stress.
These are considerations that we must understand when we consider important decisions of life and death. For example, in consideration of our death limitation, doing no harm may mean permitting a terminally ill person to die. Or again, the death of pain may be such that protecting from harm might mean refusing to intervene in the prolongation of life. However, it is to be clear that our human limitations never permit us to be in violation of a clear command of God.
We see, then, that our duty to
do no harm and to protect from harm may be modified by those
limitations that are a part of our humanness. Thus, in
considering specific issues, these duties and these limitations
will play an important part in the decision-making process. This
position paper on the value and respect of human life will serve
as background material for consideration of important issues
previously mentioned and which include, among others, such
matters as abortion, suicide, euthanasia, war, and capital
punishment.
Evangelical Presbyterian Church-Adopted, 7th General Assembly, June 1987