Murder VS False Evidence <Part 1> (07.13.2024)

[Pastor Stephen Yang’s ‘Christian Faith Column’]   

 Murder VS False Evidence <Part 1>

Written by/Pastor Stephen Yang

Senior Pastor, Goback Church

http://gobackchurch.org

Among the Ten Commandments God gave to humans through Moses are “You shall not murder” and “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”

If you weigh these two sins, which sin is greater? I had the opportunity to think deeply.

This is because bad people framed me with false evidence and sued me in court, causing me to suffer greatly 

for a long time.

In the Ten Commandments, God included the commandment not to murder and specifically not to bear false witness against your neighbor.

Why did God specifically include bearing false witness in the important Ten Commandments?

As I suffered from severe lies, slander, and perjury, I had a lot of time to think deeply about this.

There is something I realized after spending almost two years like this.

I realized that God the Creator views slandering one's neighbors with lies and false evidence as murder.

Rather, I believe that they view it as a greater sin than murder.

It was a realization that God the Creator views the act of slandering one's neighbors through false evidence, that is, 

using false words and actions, as murder.

Rather, I believe that they view it as a greater sin than murder.

Because, first of all, there are various crimes of murder. There are intentional murders, there are accidental murders, 

and there are also murders out of revenge due to injustice. So, it is true that murder is a serious crime, 

but there may be many cases where extenuating circumstances are necessary.

Therefore, even in worldly courts, various circumstances and causes, such as the motive for murder, 

the process of murder, and the method of murder, are analyzed and punishment is pronounced.

A very sinister murder is punishable by death or life imprisonment, but in cases where circumstances are sufficiently 

taken into account, a very light punishment is imposed. 

For example, in cases where a woman who is in danger of being raped by a violent person uses a nearby tool to swing the victim and the other person dies, in the United States, it is often recognized as self-defense and is not punished at all.

So, God knew all these cases and created a city of refuge system when he gave the law to Moses thousands of 

years ago.

The City of Refuge was created to give those who will lose their lives to avengers due to accidental murder 

a place to escape and an opportunity to recover.

However, acts that harm others through lies, such as false evidence, slander, and perjury, first cause great harm 

to the person's soul rather than damaging the victim's identity, property, or reputation.

A person who has been framed in a way that is difficult to express in words loses peace in his heart and, 

unable to overcome the injustice, becomes filled with anger. 

This causes anger not only in the person himself but also in the souls of his entire family, relatives, friends, 

and neighbors, ruining their happy lives. It will have a damaging effect.

In addition, if a person is unfairly punished or harmed by a lie, the victim of the lie will live with the aftereffects of being unable to trust others and viewing them with suspicious eyes throughout their future life.

This has the negative effect of impoverishing the person's life.

So the sin committed with this lie cannot be considered an extenuating circumstance no matter what the situation or environment is.

This is because sins such as false testimony, perjury, and slander involve criminal plans, intentions, and actions from 

the very beginning.

These sins cannot be accidental.

This is because it is a sin that cannot be accomplished if you do not plan it from the beginning.

From this perspective, when considering which of the sins of murder and false accusation God would say is a greater 

and more evil sin, I believe that the Lord would consider false accusations to be a more evil sin in general cases, excluding special cases.

---- Continued in next part ----