One has noticed among some believers an unsettled view of the proper Christian position regarding the current capital punishment issue. Life is so "meaningful" to some that the thought of administering capital punishment to those who have deliberately committed murder is unthinkable. Christianity and the golden rule are thought to be contrary to this practice.
We are living in what the Scriptures refer to as "the last days" (2 Tim. 3:1-91This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 6For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 7Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. 9But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was. (2 Timothy 3:1‑9)), those days just prior to the return of our Lard Jesus Christ. As believers we ought not to be surprised at the chaotic condition of this poor world. We are witnessing the fruits of man's rejection of Christ and His Word. "They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course." Psalm 82:55They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course. (Psalm 82:5).
As Christians, our only refuge at such a time is the Scripture. Ignorance of it is the root of all our doubts and problems; but a knowledge of His Word brings peace and joy into our hearts as the Holy Spirit illuminates our minds.
Is capital punishment cruel, barbaric, and not suited for civilized man? Let us briefly examine a few scriptures that ought to demonstrate what God has to say about this subject. Is it not blessed to have a source to which to refer, other than our own feelings or some current philosophy?
Following the great flood, man entered into a new dispensation; that is, he was put to another test. Prior to the flood man had no right to take another's life (see Gen. 4:10, 11, 14, 15, 23, 2410And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. 11And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand; (Genesis 4:10‑11)
14Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me. 15And the Lord said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him. (Genesis 4:14‑15)
23And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice; ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech: for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt. 24If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold. (Genesis 4:23‑24)). But God gave Noah (man) new authority. "Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made He man." Gen. 9:66Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man. (Genesis 9:6). This means the responsibility for capital punishment arises out of the highest function of government—the protection of human life. Man is not individually to avenge murder, but as a corporate group he is to safeguard human life as a gift of God. This precious gift cannot rightly be disposed of except as God permits. "The powers that be are ordained of God" (Rom. 13:11Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. (Romans 13:1)).
Some have thought that "thou shalt not kill" (Exod. 20:1313Thou shalt not kill. (Exodus 20:13)) does away with the thought of taking a life through capital punishment. We should note, though, that the Hebrew language uses several words to express the idea "to kill." The verb used here is a special word which can only mean murder, and always indicates intentional slaying.
It is interesting to read also that death was the punishment for over twenty other offenses in the Old Testament, such as adultery, sodomy, having sexual relations with animals, kidnapping, etc. (Exod. 22). However, we must make the difference between those which were restricted to the dispensation of the law, and the law governing capital punishment, which was divinely stated before the law of Moses, and has never been annulled, and is binding in every age of man. The authority of the sword delegated to Noah and his sons as representatives of government, is no more repealed or neutralized by the grace of the Christian revelation than it was by the righteousness of the Mosaic code. For while grace is the central idea in God's scheme for saving sinners by the cross, justice is and must be the foundation of all earthly government, Jewish or Gentile.
Does the New Testament have anything to say on the subject of capital punishment? In Acts 25:1111For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar. (Acts 25:11) we see Paul before Festus, being charged with crimes punishable by death. The great Apostle of grace is saying here, as it were, "If I'm guilty, I insist I die, but if not, I appeal to Caesar." He would not have agreed to such a thing if it had been contrary to the mind of God.
Let us now look at the "government" chapter, Rom. 13 Here we learn that governments are ordained of God, one of His provisions in a wicked world. Notice Rom. 13:44For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. (Romans 13:4). He who has been given authority "beareth not the sword in vain." In those days the executioner used a sword, and Paul is saying that he is using it for our good and protection.
We praise God for His precious Word. May we have hearts to bow to its authority, and be so saturated with it that it dominates our thinking—that as the Holy Spirit applies it to our hearts and consciences we may know how to stand in this "perilous time" for His glory.