TEXT: Proverbs 6:16-19

SUBJECT: Seven Deadly Sins #3: Hands that Shed Innocent Blood

Today, with the Lord's blessing, we continue our study of "The Seven Deadly Sins". Every sin is bad. But not every sin is equally bad. The seven named here are among the worst. God "hates" them; they're "an abomination" to Him.

Thus far, we've studied "the proud look and the lying tongue". Now, we turn to "hands that shed innocent blood".

THE MEANING

The meaning is pretty clear, I think. "Hands that shed innocent blood" stands for murder along with the provocative words, evil thoughts, and uncontrolled passions that lead up to it.

THE ACTS

We all know murder is wrong. But in today's culture, two forms of it find considerable support. One is abortion. Legalized in 1972, an ocean of "innocent blood" has been shed with the permission--and protection--of the courts and society at large.

The other form, illegal in most places, but growing in support, is euthanasia or "death with dignity". Having made doctors rich killing our babies, we're going to make them richer killing our grandparents.

I don't know if the damned can see into our world. But if they can, I suspect the leaders of Nazi Germany are celebrating the victory of their ideas. Apart from anti-Semitism, Hitler's program has been implemented everywhere. All in the name of freedom, human rights, and compassion.

Are we innocent of these sins? No we're not! Not as long as we let our children watch fifty murders a week on TV. We entertain ourselves--and our kids--with murder.

The man was right who dubbed ours "The Culture of Death". Though we're appalled by it, we're not surprised. For speaking of Wisdom, the Proverb says,

Love death".

Maybe no one here has stained his hands with "innocent blood" but we're all accomplices to murder. How?

By adopting the attitudes of the world; by paying for its entertainment; by cheering O.J. Simpson; by celebrating Ernest Hemingway, Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, and Kurt Cobain; by not praying for the world drunk on its own blood. And by not bringing them the Gospel, which the angel called, "All the words of this Life".

Like Pontius Pilate, we can wash our hands all day long, but they won't come clean, till our hearts are broken before the LORD, confessing, "Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God".

THE WORDS

Most of us haven't committed the act of murder. And though we have contributed to the culture of death, it has been--for the most part--passively and mostly without thinking.

But this doesn't mean we're innocent. Before God, we confess we have spoken bloody words.

David and Solomon liken bad words to deadly weapons. Here's a sample:

The cruel or reckless use of swords, spears, arrows, and knives sheds innocent blood. And so does the evil use of the tongue. Gossips murder the reputation of others; they assassinate character; they kill ministries. Be careful what you say about others.

And not only about them. Take care what you say to them. Evil words provoke violence. If it's wrong to kill or beat others, it's also wrong to incite bloodshed. Bad words do just that!

Watch what you say to others. The bloodshed you prevent might be your own!

Here's a special word to wives. Domestic violence is a two-way street. No husband should hit his wife--ever, under any circumstances. But neither should any wife nag and bait and provoke her husband to wrath. What makes your husband mad? The same things that enrage you: Stubbornness, defiance, contempt, self-righteousness, and so on. If you want peace in the family, pray for your husband, of course. But don't stop there. Do everything you can to "pursue peace with all men"--especially your husband.

Be careful what you say. "Life and death are in the power of the tongue"

THE THOUGHTS

It is not only words that lead to bloodshed. So do evil thoughts.

Our Lord Jesus said so. Matthew 5:21-22:

He identifies three causes of murder: anger, contempt, and malice. "Raca" means "a worthless person" (or something to that effect) and implies a superior attitude. "You fool" means something like: "Drop dead" or "Go to hell". It suggests malice or the desire to see others suffer.

These ugly attitudes are "murder in the heart". Unseen by men, they are fully known to God. He "hates" them and calls them "an abomination".

Another vicious sin is envy. Cain was the first murderer. He killed his brother. Why did he do that? I John 3:12 explains:

Jealousy can also lead to murder. Jealous men are dangerous. Fooling with their wives isn't too healthy either, Proverbs 6:34:

Needless to say, hate is a kind of murder. I John 3:15:

I have no strong opinion on gun control, but I know this much for sure: Murder doesn't begin at the barrel of a gun, but in the heart of man. Our Savior said so:

THE CURE

What do we do about murder? Will more laws prevent it? Heavier penalties? Gun control? Curfews? The banning of violent movies? The labeling of Rap CDs? These things might help--I don't know.

But they're not the answer. For murder is not primarily a crime or a social problem; it's a sin. And the power of sin is only broken by God's grace.

If you want to stop hating others or feeling envious or holding others in contempt or being mad all the time, you've got to get a new heart. Self-help won't do! Neither will a recovery group. Only God can take away a heart of stone and replace it with a heart of flesh. He does this through faith alone in Christ alone.

Admit your sin to God. Believe that His Son, Jesus Christ, died for sinners--in their place, bearing their sin. Ask Him to give you a new heart--for Christ's sake. He'll do it. He loves to do that. He throws a party for every sinner who repents! That's where the new life in Christ begins--in repentance and faith.

Have you repented? Have you believed? If not, you "abide in death". But the Gospel offers life to sinners. It "Abolishes death and brings life and immortality to light". In the Gospel, God sets before you life and death. And He urges you to

THE HELPS

When we do, our lives don't become perfect. Traces of envy and anger and hate and jealousy remain. Does God now love them-- because they're in us, His loved ones?

No. He "hates" them even more in us. "Hands that shed innocent blood" are twice the "abomination" in God's People. That's because they're more willful in us--and ungrateful too. Also, our sins bring more disgrace on God than the sins of unbelievers. Our hateful words and actions "Give occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme".

How do we better govern our evil thoughts and emotions?

Firstly, don't justify your sins. Envy, malice, contempt, hatred, and rage are always wrong. They're as wrong in you as they are in anybody else. Don't ever justify them; don't ever excuse them; don't ever lessen their seriousness. You mustn't justify what God hates. And make no mistake about it: He hates "Hands that shed innocent blood" and the evil thoughts and attitudes that lie behind them.

Secondly, learn to wait out evil passions. Rage, when controlled for even one minute, often peters out to nothing. The Bible teaches this, "He who is slow to wrath has great understanding, but he who is impulsive exalts folly" (Proverbs 14:29). Even the wise pagans knew it. When angry, Caesar counted to 100 before he spoke. When mad, do nothing.

Thirdly, don't hold a grudge. If possible make things right that day. If that's not possible, forgive and forget. That what Paul means when he says, "Let not the sun go down on your wrath, neither give place to the devil".

Fourthly, meditate on your duty. Sometimes you're not overflowing with love. When you're not, just obey God, regardless of how you feel. What does He say? He says, "Be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath". He also says, "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice".

Fifthly pray for and cultivate the graces that oppose murder, anger, contempt, and so on. What are they? I Corinthians 13 gives a pretty good list: Love, longsuffering, kindness, humility, patience, contentment, and courtesy.

But most of all, meditate on the love of God in Christ, Ephesians 4:32.

CLOSE

What a sin murder is! It takes the life God gave; it destroys the image of God; it shatters society and damns men forever. "Hands that shed innocent blood". No wonder God hates them so much.

But remember, "murder" isn't in the hands; it's in the heart. Let us pray for clean hearts and do nothing to spoil them, For Christ's sake. Amen.