1563 · Australia
All Lord’s Days

Loving Our Neighbour

Questions 105–107

What does God require in the sixth commandment?

That neither in thoughts, nor words, nor gestures, still less in deeds, I dishonour, hate, wound, or kill my neighbour by myself or by another, but that I lay aside all desire of revenge; also that I do not hurt myself nor wilfully expose myself to any danger. Therefore also the government is armed with the sword to prevent murder.

Does this commandment speak only about murder?

In forbidding murder God teaches us that He abhors the causes of it such as envy, hatred, anger, and desire of revenge, and that He accounts all these as murder.

Is it enough that we do not kill anyone in the ways just described?

No, for when God forbids envy, hatred, and anger, He commands us to love our neighbour as ourselves, to show patience, peace, meekness, mercy, and all kindness towards him and prevent his hurt as far as we can, and that we do good even to our enemies.

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