Before I look to the scriptures to answer the question, what circumstances might justify killing, I want to focus on what God has taught about the sanctity of life which is a principle at the foundation of the commandment “Thou shalt not kill” and the truer we live to this principle the more sure we can be about our standing with God when we have to use deadly force for righteous purposes.
The teaching of the sanctity of life in the Christian faith, as well as the Jewish faith, has been clear to affirm that God expects us to guard life, especially innocent life, from the natural beginning of mortal life to the natural end of life. We see this most punctuated in the fact that God gave the punishment of death for those who wantonly tamper with the strict laws that govern the divinely shared powers of creating new human lives and the power to take human life.
In our times we see an ever growing disregard for the sanctity of life in our society’s defense of the killing of the most helpless and innocent in our society in the practices of abortion and increasingly euthanasia.
Human life is a sacred gift from God. Elective abortion for personal or social convenience is contrary to the will and the commandments of God. Abortion is clearly a deliberate premeditated taking of an unborn human life, and only in rare cases might it be morally justified.
Miraculously when the sixth commandment was given again in our times to the prophet Joseph Smith, it was given in this way: “Thou shalt not … kill, nor do anything like unto it” (Doctrine and Covenants 59:6).
For those who struggle to make a clear distinction between the taking of life after birth from one taken before birth, this additional clarification to do nothing “like unto” murder seems to have been written prophetically for the time in which we live, a time when abortion has deliberately taken the lives of tens of millions.
Let us examine why and how life is precious to God so that we might be clear about when we or the laws and practices of our society are in violation to the commandment “Thou shalt not kill.”
“But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” — Matthew 18:6
Within these strong words of Christ we find moral justification to take up arms in physical defense, even unto the shedding of blood if necessary, in the defense of innocence. For no moral man can refrain from doing all that is needful to protect such innocence.
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” — John 15:13
“The worth of souls is great in the sight of God; For, behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him.” — Doctrine and Covenants 18:10-11
“He shall redeem their soul from violence: precious shall their blood be in his sight.” — Psalms 72:14
“For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.” — Luke 9:56
“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.” — 1 Corinthians 3:16-17
“And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation… For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.” —Acts 17:26-28
“O Lord, we delight not in the destruction of our fellow men; their souls are precious before thee.” — D&C 109:43
“Thy days are known, and thy years shall not be numbered less; therefore, fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever.” — D&C 122:9
“For there is a time appointed for every man, according as his works shall be.” — D&C 121:25
Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? Are not his days also like the days of an hireling? — Job 7:1
Understanding the ultimate purposes God has for us in this mortal life, helps us to reverence the sanctity of life. It governs our actions in the giving and taking of life, as well as our actions in living our lives.
“And the days of the children of men were prolonged, according to the will of God, that they might repent while in the flesh; wherefore, their state became a state of probation… For he gave commandment that all men must repent” — 2 Nephi 2:21, Book of Mormon
“And we see that death comes upon mankind, yea, the death… which is the temporal death; nevertheless there was a space granted unto man in which he might repent; therefore this life became a probationary state; a time to prepare to meet God; a time to prepare for that endless state… after the resurrection of the dead.” — Alma 12:24, Book of Mormon
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