No justification exists for intentionally killing another human being, even in self-defense or defense of family, property, or church. The sixth commandment forbids murder, and God's instructions in Numbers 35 recognize only two kinds of killing: accidental and intentional. Self-defense is not a category; it is allowed by the law of the land, not the law of God. Exodus 21:12 says whoever strikes a man so that he dies shall be put to death. Exodus 22:2-3 does not contradict this. It recognizes that in the dark, a homeowner may kill an intruder without premeditation, while killing in daylight, when judgment is unhindered, is intentional and therefore murder. Jesus shows that murder is a matter of the heart's intention. If breaking the sixth commandment were allowed under threat, breaking any other commandment would be allowed too, and that is absurd. Killing in self-defense also makes a person judge, jury, and executioner, presuming an authority God has not given, and it values one sinner's life above another's. At root the question is who governs us: the self or God. The carnal mind will not submit to God's law (Romans 8:7). Under the New Covenant, God does not promise complete protection and may remove His hedge to accomplish His purpose, yet all things work together for good for those who love Him (Romans 8:28). Refusing to kill is therefore not weakness but faith that God will shield us according to His will.

The sixth commandment gives no one permission to justify deliberate killing, and not even love of one's country overrides it. The Hebrew is terse, "No killing," and other scriptures show it forbids violent, premeditated killing of one perceived as an enemy. Exodus 21:12-14 separates premeditated murder from accidental death, and civil authorities may execute for capital crimes, though Scripture surrounds that penalty with careful safeguards such as multiple witnesses and penalties for perjury. The idea of "just war" is a conviction that one is destroying the forces of evil, and it makes killing seem justifiable. Even Martin Luther called slaying a work of love. Holy wars and "sensible" wars alike rest on this self-justifying rhetoric. Jesus goes to the root: hatred and anger are murder in God's eyes, and Christians must not retaliate, because vengeance belongs to God (Matthew 5; Romans 12; I Peter 3). Jesus Himself refused to retaliate, though He could have called legions of angels. Self-defense in a life-threatening situation is not ruled out. The Christian's calling differs from ancient Israel's. Israel was an unconverted fleshly nation that entered the politics and wars of this world. The church is called out of the world, has God's Spirit, and holds citizenship in God's Kingdom. A Christian owes loyalty to that Kingdom and follows Christ, who went to war against no human being. Because God promises to fight our battles in His time and way, a Christian has no reason to go to war. Only those who live by faith can keep these standards; the world cannot.

The issue of killing and justification for it often intertwines with the concept of holy war, where violence is perpetrated in the name of God across various cultures and religions. Militant terrorists, driven by passionate conviction of their righteousness, claim credit for the slaughter of innocents, judging themselves beyond crime or sin. Holy wars, marked by fear and bloodshed, are not confined to any single faith, as seen in the jihad of Islam, the kamikaze doctrine of Shintoism, and conflicts among Christians and Muslims in places like Beirut. Even in supposedly secular contexts, wars deemed sensible, necessary, and just require stirring anger and hatred to persuade ordinarily peaceful citizens to kill, mirroring the frenzy of holy wars elsewhere. Secretaries of Defense calmly appraise risks and demand resources for preparedness to kill, using rhetoric that labels enemies as evil empires or antichrists, revealing a form of holy war rhetoric in disguise. God's supremacy over nations is evident in scriptures where He grants dominion and promises to fight supernaturally for His people, provided they obey Him. Yet, Israel's history shows a pattern of distrust and disobedience, often leading to dissatisfaction and war. Despite God's repeated offers to fight for them, as seen in moments like the parting of the Red Sea, Israel's weak faith and chronic doubt pushed them toward conflict, even when God allowed it as a consequence of their choices. The central fact remains that God has commanded not to kill, and obedience to this, coupled with faith in His promises, means never resorting to killing, as He will intervene to fight battles on behalf of His obedient followers. However, when the Kingdom of God is established on earth, participation in battle is foretold, contrasting with the current status of believers as ambassadors and sojourners who must not involve themselves in the wars of human nations, reserving fullest allegiance to God in heaven.