CAPITAL PUNISH: Christian or Barbarian?
Rom 13:1-6 NIV Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing.
Ecc. 8:11 Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.
WHAT DOES JESUS BELIEVE ABOUT CAPITAL PUNISHMENT????
Texas has received a lot of flack about the fact that we lead the nation in Capitol Punishment. So . . . . What should I believe about C P. as a Christian?
Tonight I am not as concerned as to what you believe about Capitol Punishment or even what I believe about it but WHAT DOES JESUS BELIEVE ABOUT CAPITAL PUNISHMENT?
TO UNDERSTAND CAPITOL PUNISHMENT I BELIEVE WE NEED TO START IN THE BEGINNING:
A. There are seven dispensations that man has lived under.
1. Innocence 2. Conscience 3. Human Government
4. Promise 5. Law 6. Church 7. Kingdom
A dispensation is a period of time during which man is tested in respect to his obedience to some specific revelations of the will of God. These revelations are progressive and continual. (What is revealed in a prior dispensation is not negated because of added revelation in the following or the succeeding dispensations.) Most of the Bible was written during the law dispensation.
B. Someone will say that the LAW was done away when the Church age was established. NOT SO.
Rom 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
The question is WHAT LAW IS CHRIST THE END OF???
There were three sections to the Law of God as given to Israel:
1. The Moral Law
2. The Civil Law
3. The Ceremonial Law.
It was the ceremonial law that Christ did away with.
Read Heb. 10 Hebrews 10
1For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. 2For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. 3But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. 4For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.
5Therefore, when He came into the world, He said:
“Sacrifice and offering You did not desire,
But a body You have prepared for Me.
6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin
You had no pleasure.
7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come—
In the volume of the book it is written of Me—
To do Your will, O God.’”£
8Previously saying, “Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the law), 9then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will, £O God.” He takes away the first that He may establish the second. 10By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Did he do away with the Moral Law. Is it all right to lie, steal, cheat, commit adultery, etc.
Did he do away with the Civil law (Human Gov.)?
THERE ARE 3 DIVINELY ORDAINED INSTITUTIONS ON EARTH WITH GOD’S AUTHORITY TO DO THE WORK OF MAINTAINING ORDER IN THE AREA OF CIVIL AND MORAL LAW.
1. THE HOME Eph. 5:21-25 & 6:1-7
3. THE CHURCH Eph 4 & 5:21-25 & 6:1-7
2. HUMAN GOVERNMENT Romans 13
Remember that God set the home up first. Then he set up human Government. Then the church.
Most of the Bible was written under the Law dispensation and deals with the NATION of Israel. It dealt with a GOVERNMENT. It was a Theocracy not a democracy.
HUMAN GOVERNMENT:
Let us be sure of the fact that Capitol Punishment fall under the authority of Human Government.
SOME FACTS ABOUT CP.
1. It was God’s idea. In fact, it is clearly mandated by God. Gen 9:6 Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.
2. It was given for the purpose of Protection & punishment, and deterring crime.
3. Once God had given clear instructions regarding CP - there is nothing that follows in the Bible to negate or cancel His instructions nor is there any teaching by Jesus nor any of the Apostle nor is there anything written in the New Testament that would indicate that God has ever changed His mind or canceled His instruction regarding it.
LET US LOOK TO THE WORD OF GOD:
Gen 9: 1-6 So God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.£ 2And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast of the earth, on every bird of the air, on all that move on the earth, and on all the fish of the sea. They are given into your hand. 3Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs. 4But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. 5Surely for your lifeblood I will demand a reckoning; from the hand of every beast I will require it, and from the hand of man. From the hand of every man’s brother I will require the life of man. 6 “Whoever sheds man’s blood, By man his blood shall be shed; For in the image of God , He made man.
The highest function of government is the protection of human life, out of which arises this responsibility of capital punishment. Man has no right to individually avenge murder but, as a corporate group, he is to safeguard the sanctity of human life as a gift from God.
Capital Punishment for the crime of murder is not only the most ancient principle of man’s law, but, according to the Bible, it is the judgment of God. God has commanded government to carry it out.
CP was given before the law of Moses. God handed down to Moses probably the strictest Moral and Civil law ever given to a people. Premeditate Murder is the bases of them all.
(Exo 21:12 KJV) He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death.
THERE SEEMED TO BE 12 OFFENSES PUNISHABLE BY DEATH IN THE NATION OF ISRAEL: They will seem very extreme to us because we live in a watered down society.
1. Murder Ex. 21:12 “He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death.
2. Striking or cursing a parent. (Exo 21:15 And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death.
3. Blasphemy - (Lev 24:16 And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the LORD, shall be put to death.
4. Witchcraft or Sorcery - (Exo 22:18 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.
5. False Prophecy -(Deu 18:20 But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.
6. Breaking the Sabbath - (Exo 35:2 Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a sabbath of rest to the LORD: whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death.
7. Adultery - (Lev 20:10 And the man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.
8. Premarital sex - (Deu 22:21 Then they shall bring out the damsel to the door of her father’s house, and the men of her city shall stone her with stones that she die: because she hath wrought folly in Israel, to play the whore in her father’s house: so shalt thou put evil away from among you. 22 If a man be found lying with a woman married to an husband, then they shall both of them die, both the man that lay with the woman, and the woman: so shalt thou put away evil from Israel.
9. Rape - (Deu 22:25 But if a man find a betrothed damsel in the field, and the man force her, and lie with her: then the man only that lay with her shall die:
10. Incest & Sexual Perversion - (Lev 20:11 And the man that lieth with his father’s wife hath uncovered his father’s nakedness: both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them. 12 And if a man lie with his daughter in law, both of them shall surely be put to death: they have wrought confusion; their blood shall be upon them. 13 If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
11. Kidnapping - (Exo 21:16 And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.
12. Idolatry - (Deu 17:5 Then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman, which have committed that wicked thing, unto thy gates, even that man or that woman, and shalt stone them with stones, till they die.
THERE IS LITTLE ROOM FOR CONTRADICTION THAT THE O.T. TEACHES THE GOD GIVEN RIGHT FOR GOVERNMENT TO EXERCISE CAPITOL PUNISHMENT. BUT HOW ABOUT THE NEW TESTAMENT ???
QUESTION:
1. Was the Jesus of the New Testament God?
2. Was the Jesus/God of the New Testament the Same God of the O.T.?
3. Is there any verse of Scripture in the N.T. that teaches that CP is no longer authorized by God?
NOW, WHAT IS THE NEW TESTAMENT TEACHING ON CP.??
We must assert the fact that the New Testament is not primarily concerned with Civil law. It is written with Eternal life or Eternal Death as its view. It has Eternal Punishment rather than Earthly punishment in focus.
After having said this, let me go on and say that it does clearly delineate the responsibility of Individuals, Families, Governments & churches.
First let us look at the Life of our Lord.
What He did not say speaks volumes. There were several occasions that our Lord could have resolved the controversy. He could have just spoke up and said, "Capitol Punishment is wrong and I want to speak out against it."
1. The woman taken in adultery.
2. His own death on the cross. His death on the cross demonstrates both the attitude of God the Father and God the son about Rome’s right to put the guilty to death.
The teaching of the Apostle Paul: Rom 13:1-6 NIV Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing.
NOW IN CLOSING LET ME TAKE A FEW MINUTES AND TRY TO ANSWER SOME OF THE OBJECTION THOSE WHO DO NOT BELIEVE IN CP HAVE RAISED:
1. It is said that C P is a plain violation of the sixth commandment "THOU SHALT NOT KILL"
The Hebrew word translated "kill" in that commandment means "murder". Murder is wrong. No individual has the right to take another person life. However, if God was giving instruction to government in this commandment then he contradicted his own law in the very next chapter of Exo. 21:12 “He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death.
Is all killing murder? If a police officer goes out to make an arrest and they start shooting at him and in the line of duty he kills the person - Is that murder?
If a soldier goes to war and kills people (even innocent women and children) is that murder?
If a drunken, drug deranged person come in our home and is in the process of raping your daughter and you take a gun and blow off his worthless head - Is that murder?
The answer to all these has to be NO. In each case they are carried out with the authority and backing of the government. So, we do believe that Government has the power to execute the death penalty in certain situations.
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2. It is said that C P should not be carried out because it is not a deterrent to crime.
Let use that same logic with rape. If a person is a rapist - should the courts not punish the rapist because even if they do there will still be people go out and rape?
The death penalty if a deterrent to crime. Especially if it is done right. Let me quote again Ecc. 8:11 Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.
3. It is said that Capital Punishment does not rehabilitate criminals.
Again, the object of C P is never rehabilitation of the offender but to administer justice and protection of the innocent.
Now, make no mistake about it. Jesus, want to save every soul on death row. He wants them to be born again. He love them and want to spend eternity with them and I believe that ever person on death row should have an opportunity to make peace with God before the execution but none of that means that the execution should not be carried out.
6. It is said that the death penalty belongs to the Old Testament age.
In the New Testament we have a "higher" law. As I have already shown, the God of the O.T. is the God of the N.T. God does not contradict Himself.
7. It is said that we are no longer under law but under grace.
Romans 6:14 says, "for ye are not under the law, but under grace." Many people try to tell us the law as given thousands of years ago and is not relevant for us today.
For those who believe this - try this - get you a toy gun - go down to a local bank and play stick up the teller. You will find that law is still in effect.
If we applied this Scripture to civil law then we should have no speeding law - none against robbery, stealing, rape, incest, abuse, etc..
8. It is said that capital punishment ends the redemptive work of God.
So, did the death of the innocent victim of the murderer. However, I am convinced that some of these folks will be in heaven because of death row.
Now too long ago the state of Texas executed a lady by the name of Carla Fay Tucker. She had a great testimony of the saving grace of our Lord by the time they executed her. I believe she was saved. I expect to see her in heaven one day. Was she the same person they day they executed her as she was the day she committed murder? Of course NOT. Is it possible that if government had not pushed her to face eternity that she might have died doing life in prison as a lost person? It was her testimony that the state had the right to carry out her execution.
CONCLUSION:
What should be the attitude of a Christian about C P.?
How should we feel when the state executes someone?
