One mistake that some Christians tend to make is not realizing that the Ten Commandments are a summary of all the other commands in Scripture. So in order to understand what any of the Ten Commandments mean, you have to look at every other passage that pertains to that command.

Many unbelievers, and even some professing Christians, believe that it is always wrong to take a human life. Is it always wrong? Not necessarily. The sixth commandment (Thou shall not kill) can be better translated as “You shall not murder.” To take an innocent life is always wrong. However, not all “lives” are “innocent.”

When then, is it okay to kill? We have no right to decide for ourselves when to take another life; we must let God’s word determine whether it is a time to kill or a time to heal.

So, according to the Bible, when is killing justifiable?

1. When defending yourself and your family. Exodus 22:2-3 tells us that if someone breaks into your home at night, you can assume that he means to do harm to either you or your family. If you kill the intruder, you are not guilty of murder. However, if it is daytime (meaning that you can see that the intruder is only after your stuff and not your life), you will be guilty if you kill him. Unless, of course, he attacks you.

Jesus told His disciples to carry swords (Luke 22:36-38). The number of swords they had (two) wouldn’t be enough to start a war, but could come in handy for defending themselves.

2. The civil government can impose the death penalty. God is the one who punishes sin, but He has delegated some of that responsibility to the family, the church, and the state (civil government). While God has not given the family or church the authority to impose the death penalty, He has given that authority to the state in certain cases, the most obvious being in the case of murder (Gen. 9:6; Ex. 21:12,14; etc.). Romans 13:4 says that “rulers” are equipped with “the sword.” This sword is not used to spank someone, but to put them to death in certain cases.

3. In a just war. When John the Baptist was approached by some soldiers about what they should do in response to his sermon, he didn’t tell them to quit their job. Rather, he simply told them to not oppress people (Luke 3:14). If a war is just (biblically speaking), soldiers who kill enemy combatants are not guilty of murder (Deut. 20:12-13; Neh. 4:14; etc.).

Other considerations:

4. Accidental killing. If someone is killed by accident, the person causing that accident would not be guilty (Deut. 19:4-6), unless the one causing the accident was being grossly negligent (like not restraining a dangerous animal, Ex. 21:29).

5. Martyrdom. One question that often gets asked in relation to self-defense, is: should we let someone martyr us or should we fight back? The answer to this may depend on the situation. For instance: if one individual is threatening to kill you for your faith, and you can’t run, do you have to let him kill you? I would answer “no” based on the fact that the Bible does allow self-defense. But I would also say, that in a situation where you are surrounded by a large number of persecutors, then your attitude shouldn’t be to “take as many out as I can before I die.” In that case, you can pray for deliverance, but if God doesn’t grant it, you’ll have the privilege of dying for your Lord (Acts 7:59-60; Heb. 11:35-38; Rev. 2:10,13; etc.).

6. Suicide. It is also often asked if suicide is a sin, or if those who commit suicide will go to heaven. First of all, a person’s eternal destiny is not based on how a person dies. Whether or not you were born again will determine whether or not you go to heaven. That being said, someone taking their own life may be evidence that that person wasn’t truly born again, though Christians can certainly be subject to seasons of despair too. As for whether or not suicide is a sin, I would argue that since God’s word regulates when it is acceptable to take a life, and the Bible doesn’t give a person the right to end their own life, suicide would be a sin. Of course, giving one’s life to save another would be acceptable (John 15:13), and ceasing to artificially prolong life wouldn’t necessarily be considered wrong in every case either.

While there are times when taking another life is acceptable, it is never something that should be done lightly. All human beings are made in the image of God; we have no right to destroy another human, unless their Maker has given us permission to do so. In most cases, our focus should be on protecting, preserving, and promoting life, not death.