Where Murder Comes From

Let's remember where we are.

When we first started in Matthew 5, we saw the beginning of The Sermon on The Mount. We talked about how this Sermon can be seen on its surface as a universal code of ethics for humanity. How should people act in their day to day life? How should they treat one another? Look to The Sermon on The Mount.

More than that though, if you remember, is that Jesus is describing how His children live and act and work and love. What is it that sets apart the Christian from the non-Christian? Yes the blood-bought righteousness of Jesus Christ atoning for their sins, and a heart replaced by Him. And from the outside this is seen by our desire to live out what we read in the Sermon on The Mount.

To open the Sermon, He gives us The Beatitudes. Eight different, complimentary, and interwoven blessings that; individually and as a whole; describe what a Christian looks like. We are the pure in heart peacemakers, who are eager to forgive instead of retaliate; that show mercy while being persecuted. On and on The Beatitudes spread out, describing how we live. So…I must ask: If you don’t see The Beatitudes in yourself; if other people don't see them…what are you going to do about it?  

Moving forward; we see that we are the salt and light of the World, preserving and enhancing it. We have an effect on the people, as well as the culture around us. It is the children of God that preserve the good and shine a light on the darkness; everywhere and every -when we live.

Then, He gives us the “why” everything He has said so far hangs upon. Why can we be described with The Beatitudes? Why do we enlighten and preserve? Because Jesus Christ fulfilled The Law. He stood in our place under the wrath of His Father, thereby purifying our hearts, and empowering us to go out and live like salt and light. His fulfillment of The Law, brothers and sisters, is the hinge that our salvation, and our very day to day life, hangs upon.

And now, starting with the verses we have today, He gives us the “how”. How can we be meek and make peace? How can we mourn over our sin while preserving the good and exposing the bad…is precisely what the rest of The Sermon on the Mount explains. It is the “boots on the ground” behaviors and thoughts and beliefs that we are to carry out. And with divine wisdom, Jesus goes right to the root of every problem that prevents us from doing so…our hearts.

Read → Matthew 5:21-26 & Opening Prayer

Keep this at the very foundation of your thoughts my friends. Not simply as we look at verses 21-26; and not even simply through the rest of The Sermon on The Mount either. We should be continually reminding ourselves; and even teaching others; that sin always starts in the heart. How many times has an unbeliever asked you; “is this a sin? What about that situation?” Now, while there might be a touch of honesty within their words; it takes an overwhelming, life-consumming amount of comfort and convenience; with every need being met at all times; to deceive an entire population away from words that haven't changed in 4,000 years. 

What I mean, is that we have had the same words written down for centuries…but because life has gotten easier to live, we relegate the Bible to the back of our minds. An illustration will help here; the well fed person ignores the bounty in her pantry, but the starving person knows where the food is. Are you hungry for righteousness? (Matt. 5:6) Do you see yourself as starving and emaciated, having no energy to face down a culture in love with death, sex, and division? Then go where the food is. It's in the same place it's always been for the past 4,000 years; and you will be filled (Matt. 5:6).

Now; to add some grace to this. We can fill our heart and mind with the words of God; make intentional time in our day to be in prayer; and read books and listen to Sermons from the men of God who now enjoy face to face communion with Him…and still have these kinds of questions ourselves. We forget; get distracted by the new and flashy; or overwhelmed by some repackaged sin delivered up for our generation, and the things of God we spent time putting in our hearts, leaks out. 

Now, it's not always bad to “need more”, by no means. Do you need to refill on the things of God because you have been actually putting them into practice, thereby using them? Have you been pouring into the lives of those around you? Pointing them to this verse or that Sermon or teaching? Good! But the more you do so; with word and deed; the more you need to fill up, or you’ll crash and burn, questioning yourself and God every step of the way. 

Furthermore; do you actually do this? Do you pour out the truths of God within you, into the lives of those around you? Or are you a leach? A bloodsucker who takes life, and gives disease.

Which is it, man of God? 

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Now, when questions like this come up (Is this or that a sin?); there are some that are straightforward, no matter the circumstances, sinful. Yes. You can find a list in Exodus 20. But because humans are fallen and born evil, we will do everything we can to find just enough “wiggle room” in Scripture to excuse our sin.

This is exactly what we see in Matthew 19:16-22, with the ‘rich young ruler’ when he calls Jesus good; asks Him what is needed for eternal life, thereby believing that Jesus knew the answer; and even says that he has lived the way the Bible teaches since he was child. On the surface, the ‘rich young ruler’ would have been a model Christian.

Jesus, however, looks below the surface…at the contents of the heart. And when He looks at the contents of the rich young ruler’s heart; he sees greed. Inward greed turns into an outward hoarding of wealth, refusing to spend your money in the ways that God tells you too. In fact, Jesus Himself says that the person who does such a thing is not only wicked and lazy (Matt. 25:26), but is headed straight to Hell.

It's like this, because sin always starts in the heart.

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It is an age old truth that must be taught again and again; that sin always starts in the heart of the individual. Our eyes can not move of their accord to take in the sight of someone you're not married to; you put your eyes on her on purpose. Your hands can’t move all on their own towards your phone instead of your Bible; you did that. In fact…it is the only thing you…yourself, have absolute complete sovereign authority over.

Everytime you sin…it's your fault and no one else's. No one can make you sin, and it's impossible to make someone else else…because sin always starts in the heart. No matter the level of peer pressure, influence, temptation, or violence being directed at you; every time you have sinned, no one can take the blame but you.

Now, as we begin to talk about the sin in question; murder; remember what Jesus has just said. He did not abolish the Law, but fulfilled it. He is the final authority over “what God was really saying in The Old Testament.” So when we read “You have heard it said to those of old…” in v.21; and then He immediately quotes Exodus 20:13 (“You shall not murder”); we know that He is providing a perfect interpretation of it…without abolishing it. And what is His perfect interpretation of the Sixth Commandment? Does He say “just don't take a life and you will be fine?” Of course not.

Jesus shows that the scope of the Moral Law is far beyond what The Pharisees and experts of the law were teaching everyone; displaying the binding strictness that was first given to Moses.

The Pharisee at this point were playing with the Moral Law of God, molding it and shaping it according to their own desires. Adding law after law in an attempt to make themselves righteous. But, they also were taking away from it as well. They were blunting the hard and sharp edges of The Law, trying to soften its blow…because they knew they were guilty of it. “God only meant physical actions, I didn't take those physical actions, so I am innocent. Now let me into Heaven.” But in our verses today, Jesus is rebuking them as He shows how sharp the Sixth Commandment actually is.

He is saying that when we stand before the perfect Judge who looks at a man’s heart (1st Sam. 16:7); that Judge is going to use thoughts, intentions, motivations, feelings, and desires in His determination. And if someone is “angry without a cause” that person is guilty of murder. With this, we can see the truth we already discussed. Murder starts in the heart, because that is where all sin starts.

In the heart is where bitterness spreads and grows, taking root inside of every feeling. In the heart is where unrighteous jealousy spawns and breeds. James 4:2 says it this way → “You desire (something that happens on the inside) and do not have, so you murder (something that happens on the outside). You covet (something that happens on the inside) and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel (something that happens on the outside).”

It is the desires of our fallen yet redeemed heart that provoke us towards violence against others for no reason apart from selfishness and self-justification. Brothers and sisters…this is a warning.

You have heard me say; from this very pulpit; that sin left in your heart will do nothing but grow. Deeper and deeper into your soul it will sink, spreading its rotten roots throughout every thought, feeling, and desire; staining and corrupting everything it touches. And the longer you let any sin remain in your life and in your heart; the more and more it will spread; and the more and more it will hurt when God brings His Fatherly discipline against you for it.

So when the sin in your heart is anger without cause, and it remains unrepented of… it will, without question, change everything about you. Your personality will grow caustic. Your emotions will be motivated not by a desire to see God glorified, but by the anger you have let become your identity. Everything becomes a fight; everything becomes an offensive against you, personally. The longer your anger stays inside of you; at the least; it will change the way you view and interact with yourself, others, and God. At the most…it will provoke you to kill all three; and because you can’t kill God, it will be directed towards those who represent Him.

Your anger has to go somewhere.

By showing us the true scope of the Sixth Commandment, Jesus is showing that anger is an incredibly powerful, and incredibly dangerous emotion. So dangerous, it can lead someone to Hell, and its volatility is seen all throughout Scripture. “Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.” (Prov. 14:29) “A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.” (Prov. 15:18) “Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the heart of fools.” (Ecc. 7:9)

Anger is dangerous, my friends. Powerful and consuming; it is an emotion that feeds the very root of our sin nature, helping it to grow stronger and stronger. Unredeemed man wants nothing more than to be God (Gen. 3:6); so when anger takes root, we try our hardest to be the only one justified in the giving or taking away of life (Job 1:21), because your anger has to go somewhere. 

True, it may not result in outright murder…but it still comes out. I'm going to repeat myself here; the longer your anger stays inside of you; at the least; it will change the way you view and interact with yourself, others, and God. At the most…it will provoke you to kill all three; and because you can’t kill God, it will be directed towards those who represent Him.

Unrepented anger will bring about self loathing or self harm. Viewing yourself as less than others, to the point of drawing your own blood. And the anger will grow all the worse the more someone tells you how valuable and loved you are.

Unrepented anger will bring about betraying, abandoning, or abusing others. Letting filthy language fall from your disgusting lips as you degrade them in an attempt to elevate yourself. And if that doesn't itch your sin in all the right ways, the next step is physical abuse; making you feel all the more powerful, until the only thing left is murder.

Unrepented anger will bring about a hatred of God that you can’t hide; and it will always be directed towards those who call you to repent of it, because they are God’s ambassador. And the more like Christ they are to you while you refuse to repent; the more they call out your sin and refuse to go beyond the borders of The Bible; the more angry you will be toward God, giving way to murder.

Your anger has to go somewhere.

It will refuse to stay put within the confines of your heart; and will always show up in your actions. It will lead you to self-harm; an empty dinner table; a court room; and then Hell. And depending on how good you are at justifying or hiding or controlling it…you might just skip over the first three. 

Now; you might be thinking that’s not you this morning. You know that you are innocent in the eyes of God because of the blood of Christ, and Hell will never see you. If that is you; praise God! However…you still cannot escape the scope of the Sixth Commandment.

Look at v. 24 & 25 → “So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, [24] leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”

Is there anger between you and anyone? Is it their fault? Is it your fault? Did someone hurt you in ways you will be dealing with for the entirety of your life on Earth, and that anger is something that you will always carry with you? Or have you hurt someone else in such a way that all-consuming anger washes over them? Whatever the case may be; Jesus says that if you are carrying unrepentant anger… then you are unfit to worship Him.

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And that verse points out where our anger needs to go when it shows up.

But first…there is a question I am sure has been scratching at your mind.

You can hear everything so far, and ask “What if I do have a cause for my anger? Is it a good enough cause to justify my anger? How do I tell the difference? I mean…Jesus was angry when He overturned the tables of the money changers, and whipped them in Matt. 21. And even called people “fools” in Lk 24:25. How do I know if the cause of my anger is justified, and therefore not sinful?”

Before I answer, another warning. Just because the cause of your anger is justified, and therefore not a sin- yes; that does not make it safe to hold on to. Anger is a fire, only safe when used for the right reasons, in the right contexts, for the right amount of time; and as soon as you go beyond those borders, the inherent danger within breaks free, as it consumes and destroys. Well then…what stops righteous anger from changing into sin? Without going too far off track this morning; one way (there are many more!) is trusting God.

I can, and ought be angry at every abortionist; but if I don't trust that God is going to bathe them in far more fire than my molotov cocktail; my righteous anger will burst out of the furnace in my heart, and become sinful.

Well then…how do I know if my cause is justified? The answer depends on?…what? What is in your heart, because that is where sin starts. Is it something that God would be angry about? If not, then you have no right to be angry to begin with, and your feelings about it don't matter.

If it is something God would be angry about, then the anger is righteous.

In fact, if you aren't angry over the same things God is; thinking you are more loving, more forgiving, more tolerant, friendlier and nicer than He is, you’ll get to experience His anger first hand. 

Remember that anger is dangerous…regardless of if it is justified or not. No matter the righteousness of the cause that brought it about in the first place, its volatility is still there, and will explode if it isn't dealt with. In fact, righteous anger is more dangerous to your life, precisely because it isn't a sin, and makes us feel safe holding on to it as the timer ticks down.

So…what do I do with my anger, Pastor?

Well…are you angry because a Christian told you to stop sinning? Are you angry because someone you rebuked your laziness; lust; and waste of time or money? Are you angry because your Pastor said that refusing to put money in the basket Sunday morning; skipping Church whenever you want; or devoting your heart and mind to anything but the glory of God…is sinful? If that's the case, what do you do with your anger? You direct it towards the cause of your anger…yourself. You and you alone, are the reason you acted in ways the Bible tells you not to. You are the one spending all your time and money; or refusing to spend either; in ways that the Bible condemns. It's you, not the friend or Pastor. It’s your fault for being lazy. It's your fault for skipping Church, lusting, over eating, or refusing to get angry at evil. So get angry at your sin, and kill it by repenting.

Well…are you the guilty party? Is someone angry at you because of your sin against them? Can you admit, with no excuse, when you sinned against someone? If so, you go and “...be reconciled to your brother” (v.24) when you hurt them, humbling yourself every step of the way as you “agree with your adversary quickly (v.25)”. Scripture is clear, the onus for reconciliation is on the person who sinned. Humble yourself man of God, admit your wrongs, make no excuses, and do everything you can to be reconciled with the people you hurt, even if they won't receive it; that's on them, not you.

As if that weren't hard enough, it gets worse.

If we are angry over things that God gets angry over, and is therefore not a sin; what do we do with that fire before it burns us? “I have boiling righteous anger in my heart, brought about by the very things that God gets angry about, what do I do with it?” And I have two answers.

First.

Is the justified cause of your anger…the sin you see out in the world, washing over the innocent in ways that have earned other cultures torrential rain or warfare? If that's the case, I’m going to ask you what you're going to do about it…without sinning? Are you going to preach and teach the unfiltered truths of God, to everyone in your life? Or is the Gospel too weak to soften hearts? Are you going to funnel that righteous indignation into works that glorify Him, and make works of artistic beauty that generations after you will study? Are you going to sit with your family during Family Worship? Will you be in Church every week, no matter how you feel, and thereby empower you to go out and wage war against the darkness? Will you sing loud from those old wooden pews, no matter if you hit a wrong note? Will you spend time in your Bible in direct proportion to the amount of anger you have towards the evil you see in the World?

Plainly stated; will your righteous anger push you closer to God and works that glorify Him, thereby venting that pressure in ways that work against the evil you see? Or do you want to just bask in the radioactive glow of your righteous anger without doing anything about it because it keeps you warm?

Second.

Is the justified cause of your anger a sin that was committed against you, personally? Are you the innocent party? Did someone sin against you, and you have a right to be angry? Good, now the cause of your anger actually is righteous. You were the one sinned against, you were the hurt one, the abandoned one, and are fully innocent of any sin they would accuse you of committing. You did nothing wrong, and furthermore, you deserve to pursue justice against them! To cut them out of your life entirely, or even go so far as to bring the law of the land against them. “That's where my righteous anger will go! I'm going to ignore them completely, never speak to them, and maybe I'll even take them to court!”

Well…what did God do to you? Did He pursue the justice against you that your sins deserved? Or did He forgive you? Did He hold on to volatile righteous anger He had toward you, because of your sins, until the point He was consumed by it; letting it distort and destroy His relationships? Or did He forgive you? Or maybe you think that the sins against you…are less than your sins against God?

Do you view your own sin as “not that bad”? I pray you don’t; because you, all on your own, with complete control of your heart, mind, and body, intentionally carried out cosmic treason against the King of the Universe. He would be well within His rights; and committing no wrong against you; if He crushed you forever in the black caverns of Hell; or stripped you here and now of everything and everyone you love. Your sins are that bad, because the one you committed them against is the source of moral innocence and purity…and you were forgiven nonetheless.

Yes, the onus for reconciliation is on the guilty party; and not seeking reconciliation between you and the God you sinned against is your fault; which is precisely why God would be “in the right” to never save you.

But…He did.

He saw you fully unable to make things right, and took the righteous anger He had toward you, and instead of pursuing the justice you were due, forgave you by putting those sins upon His Son, crushing Him in your place, and fulfilled the justice that was due. But now…you want to hold a grudge against someone because you were in the right? Are you kidding? Who do you think you are?

Is there someone in your life that hurt you, and therefore the obligation is on them to make things right? What are you going to do about it? Are you going to sit back and sing sweet lullabies to your righteous indignation simply because you are innocent? Or are you going to do what God did, and forgive them? 

Forgiveness, my friends, is the only thing powerful

enough to satisfy the fire of righteous anger.

Matt. 18:21-35 → “Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” [22] Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. [23] Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. [24] And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. [25] But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. [26] The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ [27] Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. [28] “But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ [29] So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ [30] And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. [31] So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. [32] Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. [33] Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ [34] And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. [35] “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”

Refusing to forgive someone, especially when you are in the right, is to believe that you are more righteous than a God who has forgiven far worse. 

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If you are angry because your sin was exposed for all to see…or if you refuse to forgive and hold on to your righteous anger…it doesn't matter, you're still guilty of murder; because you are pridefully assuming that you are the final and highest being in your life, and the lives of others are yours to do with as you please. 

In closing, I would like to read a section of Scripture that will help us to see how this kind of teaching plays out in our day to day life.

Ephesians 4:25 & 32 → “Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. [26] Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, [27] and give no opportunity to the devil. [28] Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. [29] Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. [30] And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. [32] And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

Brothers and sisters, are you living out the commands of Ephesians 4? Do you speak the truth to your neighbors? Do you get angry without sinning? Do you take actual, literal action towards those you have sinned against? Is your language edifying or disgusting? 

Kill your bitterness, wrath, anger, and evil tongue…by being kind to one another. Tenderhearted. Forgive one another, even as Christ in God forgave you, because it is a foolproof outlet for all of your anger.

Rev. Jacob Marchitell

April 12th 2026

Extra Notes:

The level of offense inherent within an action, is in relation to the innocence of the party offended. That is why we automatically react when someone abuses an animal, or a child. And because God is the source of moral innocence, our sins against Him are exponentially worse than those against anything or anyone created. Plainly stated: Sins against an infinite Being are infinitely offensive.

We can understand the “aggravations” of sin (the level of seriousness) when we take into account:

• Who commits them?

  • A child who “doesn't know better” or a more mature Christian?

  • A Pastor, or a layperson?

  • Someone who was “forgiven much”?

• Who are they against?

  • A fellow Christian that you know is weaker than you?

  • Your parents or elders?

  • Your children?

  • God…Himself?

• The nature of the offense

  • Was it a deliberate choice, or was it an accident?

  • Was it public or private?

  • Is it a repeated pattern, showing continued unrepentant?

  • Is it a repeated pattern the person is aware of and is working against?

Yes, all sin is cosmic treason against God, and liable to eternal Hell, but we still have to live and interact with people, and this kind of teaching will help us determine the amount of grace that ought to be shown in our relationships with them. Do we automatically jump to extreme anger or extreme grace? How do you know, and then what do you do?