The Westminster Shorter Catechism

Q69. What is forbidden in the Sixth Commandment?

A. The Sixth Commandment forbiddeth the taking away of our own life, or the life of
our neighbour unjustly, or whatsoever tendeth thereunto.[1]

Proofs

[1] Acts 16:28; Genesis 9:6.

Comments

In a word, the Sixth Commandment forbids suicide and murder.

In some cultures, such as the Japanese, suicide is sometimes counted as a virtue, and the part of a brave heroic spirit to maintain honour. But the law of God does not allow any such thing. Instead, it accounts such persons as self-murderers. Although some who are genuinely the children of God may, in a moment of weakness, kill themselves, yet suicide must never be regarded as a lawful course of action, because premeditated suicide would be a blatant disregard of the Sixth Commandment, for which there is no opportunity for repentance. The Apostle John tells us: “no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him” (1 Jn 3:15) and that there are no murderers in heaven (Rev 21:8). Thus, Saul’s suicide must be regarded as sinful. If we are in a similar situation, “we ought rather to submit ourselves to any abuses and tortures of others, which is their sin, than to lay violent hands on ourselves, and so die in a sin which there is no time nor place for repenting of afterwards” (Thomas Vincent).

In the case of the lives of others, it is lawful to kill: (1) In the execution of the just sentence of the public laws, especially on such as have been murderers (Num 35:30); (2) In lawful war (Jer 48:10); and (3) In necessary self-defence (Ex 22:2). In all other circumstances, killing another human life (unless by accident) is murder and forbidden by this commandment.

The Sixth Commandment also forbids anything that may tend towards murder including: (1) Hatred and unjustified anger. Thus our Lord teaches: “Whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment” (Mt 5:22a); and the Apostle John says: “Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer” (1 Jn 3:15). (2) By neglecting or withholding the lawful and necessary means for the preservation of life; such as food, drink, sleep, clothes, needful recreations, medicine and the like.