NOTICE:
I
will post a quote or article from a Christian in favor of capital punishment
every fortnight. As it is Good Friday today, I chose this article by Pastor Bob
Enyart for the Christian Article for the death penalty, it will also be the
article on the death penalty of the week.
NOTICE: The
following article is written by the author itself and not by me, I am not
trying to violate their copyright. I will give some information on them.
ARTICLE TITLE: God and
the Death Penalty
DATE:
AUTHOR: Bob
Enyart
AUTHOR
INFORMATION: Bob Enyart is an American
talk radio host, author, and pastor of Denver Bible Church.
God
and the Death Penalty
by Pastor Bob Enyart
Jeffrey
Dahlmer raped, killed and ate parts of at least thirteen men. As
punishment, the government was planning to feed, clothe, educate, medicate,
entertain, and legally represent him for the rest of his life. Families of
his victims would pay taxes, in part, to keep Dahlmer comfortable, warm in
winter and cool in summer. That type of punishment should scare the dickens
out of other mass murderers. Interrupting the governments plans for Dahlmer
however, an inmate beat the cannibal to death in prison.
Some
oppose the death penalty on practical grounds, arguing that it is not a
deterrent. However, the U.S. Supreme Court had reinstituted the death
penalty in July of 1976 after having struck down all state death penalty
statutes almost exactly four years earlier. During those four years without
the death penalty there were about 12,000 more murders as compared to the
four years prior to 1972, an increase of 19 percent, and more than 10,000
additional families who had raised a child who then became a murderer.
In
countries like Saudi Arabia, which enforce a swift and certain death
penalty, violent crime is rare. Singapore and Los Angeles have equivalent
populations, yet in one year Singapore had 58 murders (most followed by
swift execution) while Los Angeles had 1,063. Criminal sub-cultures like
the Mafia show that the death penalty is a powerful deterrent even among
career criminals, since few will ever double-cross their superiors, fearing
the repercussions.
Others
oppose the death penalty on moral grounds. The "morality"
arguments of atheists are not persuasive because if there is no God, then
there is no absolute morality, only arbitrary and subjective opinion. The
anti-death-penalty morality arguments of some Christians, on the other
hand, are persuasive to many. They base their arguments on statements made
by Jesus Christ and therefore many listen attentively.
These
"moral" opponents of the death penalty often intimidate good people
into shying away from execution. Many Christians claim society should
forgive criminals and instruct them to "go and sin no more."
Ideas have consequences and the popularity of this idea parallels a huge
sustained crime epidemic.
There
is a right way to deter criminals and to end the crime epidemic.
That deterrence, however, does not lie in telling Dahlmer to "go and
eat no more."
"And will you profane Me
among My people...
killing people who should not die,
and keeping people alive who should not live...?"
Ezek. 13:19
|
Death
Penalty Opposition
Biblical
arguments against execution consist primarily of six arguments:
First,
Jesus said:
- "You have heard that it was said, 'An
eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I tell you... whoever
slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also."
Mat. 5:38-39
Second,
Jesus forgave the woman "caught in adultery, in the very act." To
those arguing that she should be put to death, Jesus said:
- "He who is without sin among you, let
him throw a stone at her first." John 8:7
Third,
Jesus taught believers to forgive:
- "But if you do not forgive men their
trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."
Mat. 6:15
Fourth,
the New Testament teaches Christians not to judge:
- "Judge not, that you be not
judged." Mat. 7:1
Fifth,
Paul taught believers to:
- Bless those who persecute you; bless and
do not curse... Repay no one evil for evil... do not avenge
yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written,
"Vengeance is Mine, I Will repay," says the Lord."
Rom. 12:14, 17, 19
Sixth,
the Ten Commandments teach "Thou shalt not kill" (Ex. 20:13).
Biblical
History of Execution
In
the first crime in the Bible, Cain murdered his brother Abel. Cain
intuitively believed that everyone would think themselves justified in
executing a murderer.
- "It will happen that anyone who finds
me will kill me." Gen. 4:14
So
God forbade capital punishment:
- "Therefore, whoever kills Cain,
vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold." And the Lord set a
mark on Cain, lest anyone finding him should kill him. Gen. 4:15
Without
the death penalty, lawlessness reigned on earth:
- So God looked upon the earth, and indeed
it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.
And God said to Noah, "The end of all flesh has come before Me,
for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will
destroy them..." Gen. 6:12-13
Within
ten verses of the account of Noah's departure from the ark, God instituted
the death penalty. Interestingly, the first three commands given to man
after the flood parallel the very first three commands given to man before
the flood.
Before the Flood
|
After the Flood
|
1st
Command:
"Be
fruitful and multiply... have dominion... over every living thing
that moves on the earth." Gen. 1:28
|
1st
Command:
"Be
fruitful and multiply... And the fear of you... shall be... on all
that move on the earth..." Gen. 9:1-2
|
2nd
Command:
"Of
every tree... you may freely eat; but... of the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat..."
Gen. 1:29
|
2nd
Command"
"Every
moving thing that lives shall be food for you... But you
shall not eat flesh with its life, that is its blood."
Gen. 9:3-4
|
3rd
Command (Death penalty forbidden):
"Whoever
kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold."
Gen. 4:15
|
3rd
Command: (Death penalty commanded):
"Whoever
sheds man's blood, by man his blood shall be shed... Gen. 9:6
|
These were the only three commands given to mankind before the
flood, and the only three commands given to mankind after the flood
and before Israel's covenant of circumcision.
Thou
Shalt Not Kill
The
rendering of the sixth commandment in the King James was very unfortunate.
"Thou shalt not kill" in recent versions (like the NKJV,
NIV, RSV, ASB, NASB, etc.) is accurately translated "You shall not murder"
(Ex. 20:13). In Hebrew, as in English, the words for
"murder" and "kill" can be used interchangeably, but
their different meanings are easily understood from the context.
The
Hebrew word for murder (ratsach, which appears in
Ex. 20:13) is translated by the King James as murder/murderer
17 times, slayer/slain/slayeth 21 times, kill/killing 6
times, manslayer 2 times, and death once. The Hebrew word for
kill (which appears in Ex. 13:15-harag) is translated by
the King James as slay/slayer/slain 132 times, as kill 27
times, murder/murderer 3 times, destroyed once, out of
hand once, and made/put/surely 3 times.
The
Ten Commandments forbid murder, not killing1. The chapter following the giving of the
Ten Commandments has a number of commands from God to execute criminals,
including:
- "He who strikes a man so that he dies
shall surely be put to death." Ex. 21:12
- "He who strikes his father or his
mother shall surely be put to death." Ex. 21:15
- "He who kidnaps a man... shall surely
be put to death." Ex. 21:16
- "He who curses his father or his
mother shall surely be put to death." Ex. 21:17
- "[If an unborn baby is killed] you
shall give life for life." Ex. 21:23
It is
not plausible to suppose that God contradicted Himself just a few sentences
after delivering the Ten Commandments to Moses. Clearly God prohibited
murder but insisted upon execution of murderers and others. Some
Christians, however, are so influenced by the world's philosophy that they
are ashamed of the Lord's own words in Exodus 21. Others talk as
though God was a bad God in the Old Testament but that now in the New, He
is a much nicer God, as though He has gone through a rite of passage.
God
forbid murder, and commanded the lawful execution of murderers.
Execution
Not Optional
As
punishment for murder, the death penalty was applicable to each and every
murderer:
- "Whoever kills any man shall
surely be put to death.... You shall have the same law for the
[foreigner] and for one from your own country; for I am the Lord your
God." Lev. 24:17-22
The
death penalty was not a maximum penalty, nor was it optional. As the Lord
said:
- 'Moreover you shall take no ransom for
the life of a murderer who is guilty of death, but he shall
surely be put to death... So you shall not pollute the land where
you are; for blood defiles the land, and no atonement can be made for
the land, for the blood that is shed on it, except by the blood of him
who shed it.' Num. 35:31-33
Did
God change this law in the New Testament? Consider that Jesus supports the
death penalty in Matthew and Mark, and so does John in Revelation, and Paul
in Acts and Romans, as does the book of Hebrews.
Jesus
Supports Capital Punishment
Jesus
affirmed the Mosaic Law even to the keeping of the "least of these
commandments" (Mat. 5:17-19). He blasted the Pharisees for giving
their own ideas precedence over God's commands:
- "Why do you also transgress the
commandment of God because of your tradition? For God commanded,
saying... `He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.'
But you say..." Mat. 15:3-4
- "For laying aside the commandment of
God, you hold the tradition of men..." [Jesus] said to them,
"All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may
keep your tradition. For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your
mother; and 'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to
death.' But you say..." Mark 7:8-11
Jesus
reaffirmed the capital statutes of God's law. Not only the murderer
(Rev. 13:10; 1 Tim. 1:8-9; Rom. 13:4), but even the one
who curses a parent must be put to death (Ex. 21:17 and
Lev. 20:9) just as God commanded. God's commands to execute the one
who strikes or curses a parent are the death penalty statutes that liberal
Christians are the most embarrassed over. However, Christ was not at all
embarrassed over His Fathers commands. Jesus repeated these commands
without caveat or reservation.
Laying
aside the commands of God has its consequences. In America, murder has
become the number one cause of death among young black males, and suicide
is the number three cause of death among all teenagers. There is a death
penalty when children disrespect their parents. If Jesus' telling of God's
command is ignored, countless children will die terrible deaths at the
hands of other children and by their own hands. On the other hand, if God's
command were enforced, rather than ridiculed, the shedding of innocent
blood would virtually disappear in our land. God's wisdom would save
thousands of children. man's wisdom destroys them.
While
Jesus was on the cross the Romans inflicted the death penalty on the two
criminals2 next to Him. Christ said nothing in their
defense, or against their crucifixions. One of those two mocked Christ. In
response, the other criminal (whom Jesus would immediately declare
righteous, Luke 23:43) said of their punishments, "we indeed
justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done
nothing wrong" (Luke 23:41). What did this forgiven criminal,
this newly justified man, say about the death penalty? Bottom line: the
criminals were getting their just punishment. The dying criminal knew
the truth, as he said, "we indeed" are "justly"
punished.
Revelation
Supports Capital Punishment
The
angels in heaven also recognize the principle of just punishment.
- And I heard the angel of the waters
saying: "You are righteous, O Lord... because You have judged
these things. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and
You have given them blood to drink. For it is their just due."
Rev. 16:5-6
God
will equip the two witnesses of Revelation 11 to execute those trying
to harm them.
- And if anyone wants to harm them, fire
proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone
wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. Rev. 11:5
The
Apostle John also taught that you reap what you sow:
- ...he who kills with the sword must
be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of
the saints. Rev. 13:10
Paul
Supports Capital Punishment
The
Apostle Paul did not object to the death penalty. He knew his rights as a
Roman citizen and defended them. Yet while on trial, he volunteered the
following endorsement of capital punishment to Porcius Festus, Governor in
Caesarea:
- "For if I am an offender, or have
committed anything deserving of death, I do not object to dying;
but if there is nothing in these things of which these men accuse me,
no one can deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar."
Acts 25:11
- Then Festus, when he had conferred with
the council, answered, "You have appealed to Caesar? To Caesar
you shall go!" Acts 25:12
Vengeance
is inherently good. God said, "Vengeance is Mine." Individuals, however,
are not to avenge themselves, but are to allow God to avenge in His way:
- Beloved, do not avenge yourselves,
but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance
is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. Rom. 12:19 (see
also Lev. 19:18)
While
Paul instructs people not to seek their own revenge, but to "give
place to wrath." Paul then explains that the proper channel for wrath
is the "governing authorities." The government is the
"place" for wrath and vengeance:
- Let every soul be subject to the governing
authorities... For rulers are not a terror to good
works, but to evil. Rom. 13:1, 3
Godly
rulers are a terror to evil doers. Note that God's two witnesses in
Revelation "tormented those who dwell on the earth"
(Rev. 11:10).
God
through Paul specifically commands earthly governments to execute criminals
with the sword:
- For [the governing authority] is God's
minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he
does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an
avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Rom. 13:4
A
sword is not used for scourging but for killing.
Paul
instructs believers to "not avenge" themselves, "but rather
give place to wrath." Governments are the place for wrath for
they are "God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath."
Individuals have one role, governments have another. Individuals do not
avenge themselves, the government does. Believers forgive3, governments execute. So, if the governing
authorities are to obey God, they must not bear the sword in vain but
execute wrath on the criminal, for they are God's minister to avenge and
bring terror on him who practices evil. Thus God commanded execution in
large part to meet out vengeance against capital criminals.
Hebrews
Supports Capital Punishment
The
author of the book of Hebrews also supports the death penalty. The
certainty of punishment under the Mosaic law proves the certainty of punishment
for rejecting Jesus Christ:
- Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies
(present tense) without mercy on the testimony of two or three
witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will
he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot...
Heb. 10:28-29
Temporal
punishment through the law teaches men of the certainty of God's eternal
punishment. If the government neglects the death penalty, then the people
will scoff at the second death (Rev. 2:11; Rev. 20:6, Rev. 20:12-14;
Rev. 21:8).
- Be afraid of the sword for yourselves; for
wrath brings the punishment of the sword, that you may know there is a
judgment. Job 19:29
- The righteous shall rejoice when he sees
the vengeance... So that men will say, "Surely there is a reward
for the righteous; Surely He is God who judges in the earth."
Ps. 58:10-11
Further,
showing mercy to the wicked does not produce repentance. As Isaiah wrote:
- Let grace be shown to the wicked, yet he
will not learn righteousness... Isa. 26:10
And
as the proverb states:
- A man of great wrath will suffer
punishment; for if you rescue him, you will have to do it again.
Prov. 19:19
While
the Old and New Testaments strongly support the death penalty, some
Christians think Jesus repealed capital punishment during an event that
John described in his Gospel.
The
Woman Caught In Adultery
Does
the story of the woman caught in adultery, forgiven and released
(John 8:3-11) negate the death penalty?
God
Forgave Adulterers Before
Gomer
was an adulteress yet God forgave her (Hos. 3:1). Still, He demanded
that His people obey His law (Hos. 4:6).
King
David committed adultery and murder (2 Sam. 11). Yet God forgave
him (Psalm 32:1-5).
It
was a conscious decision on God's part to not execute David. As Nathan said
to David:
As
Nathan said to David:
- "The Lord also has put away your sin;
you shall not die. However... by this deed you have given great
occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme..."
2 Sam. 12:13
Still,
God's law remained in effect (Ps. 1:2; 19:7; 78:1, 5-8; 89:30-32;
119).
God
forgave the New Testament adulterer just as He forgave Old Testament
adulterers, in neither instance revoking His law. God has all authority to
forgive the criminal and disregard temporal punishment. Contrariwise, Men
must obey God and cannot ignore punishment.
The
Pharisees Wanted to Trap Christ
The
Pharisees wanted to accuse Jesus of rebelling against the Roman Empire:
- This [the Pharisees] said, testing Him,
that they might have something of which to accuse Him. John 8:6
Rome
had revoked the Jews' authority to put a criminal to death
(John 18:31). A straight-forward answer to the Pharisees would have
brought Jesus into premature conflict with Rome before His "hour had
come." Jesus solved this problem stating, "He who is without sin
among you, let him throw a stone at her first" (John 8:7). Christ
often frustrated the Pharisees giving clever answers that thwarted their
wicked intentions (Mat. 22:15-22; 21:21-27; Mark 12:13-17;
Luke 20:20-26).
Jesus
Did Not Repeal The Law
Without
the law, lawlessness cannot exist. Yet as Christ said, "because lawlessness
will abound, the love of many will grow cold" (Mat. 24:12).
Christ will throw "those who practice lawlessness... into the
furnace of fire" (Mat. 13:41-42).
Jesus
was born under the Old Testament law:
- ...God sent forth His Son, born of a
woman, born under the law. Gal. 4:4
The
Mosaic law was still in effect in the New Testament according to Jesus:
- "Do not think that I came to
destroy the Law or the Prophets... Till heaven and earth pass
away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till
all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least
of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called
least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches
them, he shall be called great..."
Mat. 5:17-19
- And Jesus said to him, "See that you
tell no one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer
the gift that Moses commanded as a testimony to them."
Mat. 8:4
- "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in
Moses' seat. Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe
and do..." Mat. 23:2-3
- [Jesus said,] "Did not Moses give
you the law, yet none of you keeps the law? ... Moses therefore
gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the
fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. If a man receives
circumcision on the Sabbath, so that the law of Moses should not be
broken, are you angry with Me because I made a man completely well
on the Sabbath?" John 7:19-23
Some
argue that all this changed after the resurrection. Yet after His
resurrection, Jesus said:
- "Go therefore and make disciples of
all nations... teaching them to observe all things that I have
commanded you." Mat. 28:19-20
And
years later, "James and all the elders" said to Paul:
- "You see, brother, how many myriads
of Jews there are who have believed, and they are all zealous for
the law." Acts 21:20
Paul
Used The Law
Paul
teaches that the unrepentant world is still under the law, and that the law
is designed to show guilt and to bring people to Christ:
- But we know that the law is good if one
uses it lawfully, knowing this: that the law is not made for a
righteous person, but for the lawless... and for sinners... for
murderers... for sodomites, for kidnappers, for perjurers...
1 Tim. 1:8-10
All
the world is under the law:
- Now we know that whatever the law says,
it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be
stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God... Do
we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the
contrary, we establish the law. Rom. 3:19, 31
- Therefore the law was our tutor to
bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after
faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. Gal. 3:24-25
Christians
who are untutored in the evangelistic role of the law oppose the foundation
of the criminal code upon God's law.
Turn
the Other Cheek
- "You have heard that it was said, 'An
eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I tell you not to resist
an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the
other to him also." Mat. 5:38-39
Pacifists
have an unworkable interpretation of this passage. Imagine applying the
pacifist view to a woman being raped? Does a father tell his daughter to
not resist the rapist? Pacifist father to daughter being raped: "Don't
resist the evil man, honey. Remember, Jesus said, 'Love your enemy.' If he
wants you for one hour, stay with him two."
Rather,
this teaching is similar to Paul's teaching, "Do not avenge
yourselves," knowing that the government is to bring wrath and
vengeance against the perpetrator. The command to not avail oneself of
"an-eye-for-an-eye" is not a strictly New Testament concept. Many
falsely presume that this is a New Testament teaching which opposes Old
Testament teachings. However, the command to avoid personal vengeance was
just as applicable to Old Testament believers as to us. "Do not say,
'I will do to him just as he has done to me; I will render to the man
according to his work" (Prov. 24:29). Graciousness from the
believer in his personal life is an enduring virtue and not a new concept.
Further,
a slap "on your right cheek" would normally be a
back-handed slap such as an insult. A punch to the face would usually land
on the left cheek, as most men are right-handed Thus Jesus was not
talking about a full-fledged violent attack, an attempted murder or a rape.
Jesus
was not here repealing the Mosaic law, but was teaching patience,
forgiveness, and self control for the individual.
It Is
Personal, Not Governmental
The
Sermon on the Mount (Mat. 5-7) does not lay down rules for governments
but principles for an upright heart.
- "Blessed are the poor in spirit...
You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not
murder'... But I say to you that whoever is angry with his
brother without cause shall be in danger of the judgment... Therefore
if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your
brother has something against you, leave your gift there before
the altar, and go your way... I say to you that whoever looks at a
woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in
his heart." Mat. 5:3-28
In
this very sermon Jesus made the distinction between individuals and
governments:
- "Agree with your adversary quickly,
while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to
the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be
thrown into prison. Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get
out of there till you have paid the last penny. Mat. 5:25-26
Jesus
did not tell the judge or the officer to turn the other cheek or to void
the law. God wants the governing authorities to uphold the law without
mercy (Heb. 10:28; Rom. 13:3-4).
The
Other Laws Remain
With
the following words, did Jesus repeal God's law that He referred to:
- "You have heard that it was said, 'An
eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I tell you... whoever
slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also"
(Mat. 5:38-39).
If
Christ here repealed "An eye for an eye," as some suppose, did He
at the same time repeal the other Mosaic laws that He mentioned in the
exact same manner? Few would even begin to argue that He did. Jesus used
the words "You have heard... But I say unto you..." to show the
personal application of the laws on murder and adultery. He said:
- "You have heard that it was said to
those of old, 'You shall not murder...' But I say to you..."
Mat. 5:21-22
- "You have heard that it was said to
those of old, `You shall not commit adultery...' But I say to
you..." Mat. 5:27-28
The
punishment side of God's criminal justice system in the Mosaic law is
directed to governments who were commanded to execute the criminals, it was
not directed to individuals. Thus, individuals who used these laws to
justify their own lack of forgiveness were misapplying the law. Jesus here
repealed neither the prohibitions against murder and adultery nor the
command to love your neighbor. Rather, He was correcting
misinterpretations. Thus, in the same way Christ was not repealing "an
eye for an eye" but explaining the right heart attitude of a believer.
An
Unusual Formulation
Old
Testament quotes are typically introduced with the phrases "It is
written," or "That which was spoken by the prophet," or
"Moses said." The formulation used in the Sermon on the Mount
indicates that Jesus was not directly addressing what was written, but
rather, what was said about what was written. "You have heard
that it was said."
Jesus
was not criticizing God's law, but the misinterpretation of the law. This
becomes obvious when it is realized that at one point, He corrects a
command that does not even appear in the law:
- "You have heard that it was said,
'You shall love you neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to
you, love your enemies..." Mat. 5:43-44
"Hate
your enemy," does not appear in the Mosaic law. Jesus is not
adjusting the law! He is correcting the misapplication of the law.
"You
have made the Word of God of no effect by the traditions of men."
Throughout this sermon Jesus is rebuking men for misinterpreting the law.
And what do men do, they completely misinterpret this sermon.
Pacifists
Only Go So Far
Many
churches claim to literally "turn the other cheek"
(Mat. 5:39). After losing a lawsuit, however, not many churches would
give double the judgment amount to their opponent (Mat. 5:40).
Further, in the context of evil requests from evil people, Jesus said to
"Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you
do not turn away (Mat. 5:42). The members of a church which publicly
claimed such a policy would end up poorer than church mice, and with less
shelter. Wicked people would take everything they own.
No
Contradictions Here
If
Jesus in Matthew 5:39 revoked part of the law, He would have severely
contradicted His own statement made just 20 verses earlier:
- "Do not think that I came to
destroy the Law or the Prophets... Whoever therefore breaks
one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be
called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and
teaches them, he shall be called great..." Mat. 5:17-19
Hence
Jesus command to turn the other cheek is not a repeal of God's command to
governments to apprehend and punish criminals but a command to individuals
to love one another.
But
Who Can Forgive Whom?
Some
argue that we are to forgive murderers. These same people insist that we
incarcerate murderers and make thieves pay restitution. They say
"forgive," but actually demand punishment. These objectors do not
sincerely believe in forgiveness, they only want to decide on the penalty
themselves while rejecting the penalty God has commanded.
You
can forgive a debt owed to you, but not one owed to your neighbor. If your
friend owes you $100 dollars, you can cancel that debt if you like;
however, if your friend owes me $100, you have no such authority to cancel
that debt. You can forgive a sin against you, but not a sin against your
neighbor. Only God has authority to forgive a murderer and even He will not
forgive the unrepentant murderer.
A
murderer has also assaulted the community, the law and God Himself. You can
only forgive the wrong done against you, not that done against God or your
community.
When
Jesus spoke of forgiveness, He did not confuse this simple truth. He taught
clearly that you must forgive those who sinned against you, not those who
sinned against your neighbor. For as He taught Israel to pray:
- "And forgive us our debts, as we
forgive our debtors" Mat. 6:12
Jesus
forgave sins and the scribes reasoned in their hearts, "Who can
forgive sins but God alone?" (Mark 2:7). Thus Jesus realized that
men would want evidence for His claim to be able to forgive sins:
- "But that you may know that the Son
of Man has power on earth to forgive sins" - He said to the man
who was paralyzed, "I say to you, arise..." Luke 5:24;
Mark 2:10-11
So
parents of a murder victim should forgive to the extent that they have been
hurt, which requires a tremendous amount of forgiveness to cover a
tremendous amount of hurt. In America, sadly, their sorrow is agitated and
increased by a government that mocks their grief through mercy to the
murderer. How does a mother's broken heart heal when the wound is reopened
each time her daughter's murderer is up for appeal, or sues the jail, or
gets a photo in the newspaper.
Do
Not Judge?
But
does the New Testament teach believers to not judge? Jesus did say:
"Judge not, that you be not judged" (Mat. 7:1)? Jesus gave
that teaching to hypocrites (Mat. 7:5) however. For He specifically
commands His followers to judge:
- "Do not judge according to
appearance, but judge with righteous judgment."
John 7:24
"Judge
not" is the Hypocrites Golden Rule. For "judge not" (Mat. 7:1-5)
is simply a hypocrites application of do unto others as you would have
them do unto you (Mat. 7:12). "For with what judgment
you judge, you will be judged" (Mat. 7:2).
Judge others
as you would have them do unto you inverted is Judge not if you do
not want to be judged. Therefore the hypocrite does not judge. As Jesus
said, "Judge not... you hypocrite" (Mat. 7:1, 5 KJV;
Ezek. 16:52).
Jesus
warned against judging falsely or with hypocrisy. For immediately after
saying "judge not," Jesus taught just how to judge correctly:
- "And why do you look at the speck in
your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?...
Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will
see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother's eye."
Mat. 7:3, 5
Christ
kept this theme throughout His ministry. "Hypocrites," Jesus
said, "why, even of yourselves, do you not judge what is right?"
(Luke 12:56-57). Still, His own followers have mostly ignored the
Lord's harsh rebuke: "Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own
eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck out of your
brother's eye" (Mat. 7:5). "Judge Not" is the
Hypocritical Oath and hypocrite haven. He who lives in a glass house should
not throw stones. Such Christians, though, should relocate. Move into
"the temple of the great God, which is being built with heavy
stones" (Ezra 5:8).
Jesus
paid a compliment to Simon [not Peter] when He said:
- "You have rightly judged."
Luke 7:43
Paul
commands Christians to judge:
- Do you not know that the saints will judge
the world? And if the world will be judge by you, are you unworthy
to judge the smallest matters? Do you not know that we shall judge
angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life? I say this
to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you, not
even one, who will be able to judge between his brethren?
1 Cor. 6:2-5
Paul
elsewhere teaches:
- ...he who is spiritual judges all things... 1 Cor. 2:15
Moses
and the law of God condemns and judges sinners, as Christ said:
- "Do not think that I shall accuse you
to the Father; there is one who accuses you 'Moses..."
John 5:45
Paul
teaches this also:
- Whatever the law says, it says to
those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all
the world [is] guilty before God. Rom 3:19
God
has always approved of giving warning to those who commit crimes:
- ...those who rebuke the wicked will have
delight, and a good blessing will come upon them. Prov. 24:25
Then
Why Is the Death Penalty Not a Deterrent in America?
God
promises that the death penalty is a reliable deterrent:
- "So you shall put away the evil from
Israel. And all the people shall hear and fear, and no
longer act presumptuously." Deut. 17:12-13
Yet,
the death penalty as executed through American courts is not much of a
deterrent. Wise King Solomon 2,900 years ago explained why this is so:
- Because the 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. Eccl. 8:11
When
a murderer is executed, three appeals and 12 years after his crime, society
has largely forgotten about him. His death has almost no deterrent effect
on crime. Further, a life sentence cannot be executed speedily. The swift
death penalty deters crime and aids evangelism. Thus Christians, in
obedience to God, should support the death penalty.
"But if he strikes him with an iron implement, so that he dies,
he is a murderer (ratsach as in Ex.20:13); the murderer shall surely
be put to death." Num.35:16
Criminals, that is, robbers not from the Greek kleptes for a
typical thief, but kakourgos (Luke 21:39) and lestes
(Mat.27:38; Mark15:27), for a thief who steals openly (Mat.21:13). This is
the same word lestes used for the thieves who attacked the man
helped by the good Samaritan. These robbers "stripped him of his
clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead" (Luke
10:30), that is, attempted murder.
Josephus, the first-century Jewish historian, speaks of many
robbers, one of whom was Judas, son of Ezekias, who, in the aftermath of
Herod's death, assaulted the palace in Sepphoris in Galilee, stole its
weapons, and was purposely vicious with everyone to build a reputation for
himself. Robbers, were also murderers. Elsewhere, Josephus speaks of the
Judean Procurator Felix, in AD 52 hiring robbers to kill the High Priest.
After that accomplishment, the robbers returned again and again to murder
others in the city and in the temple itself. Josephus claims that this is
likely the reason God rejected Jerusalem and its impure temple and brought
the Romans upon the Jews (AD 70).
The prohibition of personal vengeance has precedence in the Old
Testament. "`You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge but you
shall love your neighbor as yourself (Lev.19:18). No one could successfully
argue that the prohibition of vengeance in the Old Testament negated the
death penalty then. And no one can successfully argue the same today.
|
No comments:
Post a Comment