PAGE
TITLE: http://www.christianpost.com/
ARTICLE
TITLE:
A Botched Execution is No Reason to Banish Capital Punishment
DATE: Monday, May
12, 2014
AUTHOR: Larry
Tomczak
AUTHOR
INFORMATION: Larry Tomczak
is a best selling author and cultural commentator who is married thirty seven
years, with four children and four grandchildren. He has served in full-time
ministry for over forty years and traveled throughout the United States and
abroad.
 |
| Larry Tomczak |
Scripture, not sentiment, must direct the life of
an authentic Christian. Misdirected mercy can seem right but it oftentimes
entails disobedience to God's clear directives.
For weeks, a story about a mishandled execution has
blazed across the Internet and newspapers in America. Once again we hear
individuals lifting their voices that it is time to do away with the death
penalty once and for all!
In case you missed what happened, here's a
facsimile version conveyed by "bleeding hearts." The purpose; to
evoke sympathy, stir emotions and raise opposition to the "barbaric and
archaic" death penalty still allowed in America.
"A young black man, a victim of an unfortunate
environment, was involved in a crime a while ago where a teenager lost her
life. He did not personally kill the girl but admittedly was complicit in
telling his friends to do something that resulted in her death.
A subsequent tragedy occurred when the confused man
suffered immensely because the mixture of administered drugs in his execution
did not take effect quickly. This caused him great pain as he contorted on a
gurney, struggling to speak, after he had been declared unconscious. One can
only imagine the excruciating pain and torture that this unfortunate individual
experienced until he eventually suffered a massive heart attack and died.
This unnecessary brutality in our criminal justice
system must stop. May what happened in Oklahoma be a rallying cry so the 32
states still murdering people through the death penalty act swiftly and change
their laws. Intelligent and compassionate people must arise and cause others to
come to their senses in abolishing the death penalty in the United States of
America."
Now what's the real story? And is capital
punishment a just, legitimate and biblical way to administer justice? If we
uphold the "sanctity of life" shouldn't we speak up for victims like
this poor man and stop promoting violence?
HERE'S THE DEAL
Clayton Lockett was loved by God as a sinner like
every one of us. Jesus Christ died on a cross for him and took the judgment he
deserved. He rose from the dead so all mankind can be redeemed through His shed
blood if we repent and put our faith in Him as our Lord and Savior.
At this
point, we do not know if he placed his full trust in Jesus to save him. Most
likely a chaplain counseled him prior to his scheduled execution and we hope
that he humbled himself to receive God's mercy prior to his death.
Something we do know is that Lockett and his
accomplices abducted two teenagers plus a man and his baby. He shot the young
girl with a shotgun and when she did not die he directed his partners to bury
her alive.
Here's the summary of his crimes:
- First-degree murder
- First-degree burglary
- Three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon
- Three counts of forcible oral sodomy
- Four counts of first-degree rape
- Four counts of kidnapping
- Four counts of robbery by force
Clayton acknowledged making the young woman watch
as her grave was dug and killing her in this heinous way. There was no question
of his guilt or of his sanity.
The full story to this botched execution helps
bring things into perspective. What if 19-year-old Stephanie Nieman was your
daughter? Would you shrug off the crime and desire leniency or do you think you
would cry out for justice with every fiber of your being?
Sweeping aside any gut-wrenching, emotional
reaction to a crime such as the above, let's deal with the question from a
Biblical worldview. "Does God mandate the execution of a convicted
murderer?"
While individual Christians are called to forgive
those who repent and refrain from vengeance, governing authorities are
entrusted with the responsibility of taking the life of an individual who has
been convicted of murder. Whether it is individuals at the Boston Marathon, terrorists
on 9/11, serial killers, aircraft hijackers, deranged people using weapons of
mass destruction or espionage that jeopardizes countless citizens, God directs
the taking of life when a criminal is found guilty. The same holds for the
average man or woman found guilty of pre-meditated murder.
In Genesis 9:5-6 God's directive in this matter
does not cheapen but rather elevates the dignity of human life. Why? Killing
another human being is a direct attack against God Himself for every person is
created "in the image of God."
"And from each man, too, I will demand an
accounting for the life of his fellow man. Whoever sheds the blood of a man, by
man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man."
The divine decree is that if an individual takes
the life of another human being, he or she must pay the ultimate price –
forfeiting one's life as punishment.
Whom does God entrust to carry out this act of
justice? In the New Testament, in Romans 13:1-5, we discover it is the civil
authorities.
"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."
These two sections of scripture are foundational
for understanding the Biblical worldview on the death penalty. The Greek word
for "sword" is used repeatedly in the New Testament to speak of the
instrument by which people are put to death.
1 Peter 2:13-14 reinforces this Biblical principle.
"Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among
men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are
sent by Him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do
right."
The primary functions of righteous and legitimate
civil government are simple: 1. Promote good 2. Punish evil.
And for those that might object saying that this is
taking revenge on people rather than demonstrating Christian love, we need to
remind ourselves that discipline is an expression of God's love (Heb. 12:6).
Let's also remind ourselves of what Scripture tells us clearly in Romans 12:19,
"Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it
is written: 'It is mine to avenge, I will repay…' "
Clearly stated, we should never seek to take
personal revenge on others when we have been seriously wronged, but we should
pray and seek justice be administered through the workings of civil
authorities.
In the last book of the Bible we have the account
of individuals who were free from any trace of sin and yet they looked to God
to avenge those who had murdered them. "When he opened the fifth seal, I
saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the Word
of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice,
'How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until You judge the inhabitants of
the earth and avenge our blood?' " (Rev.6: 9-10)
Even Paul the apostle understood the reality of
capital punishment, if he deserved it, when he stood appealing to Caesar for
justice. "If, however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do
not refuse to die. But if the charges brought against me by these Jews are not
true, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!"
(Acts 25:11)
Some people falsely believe that the death penalty
is not a deterrent to murder. They produce scant evidence to support their
argument.
The reality is this: most criminals know their
chance of being put to death is minimal so they rationalize they can get away
with their crimes. Appeals drag on for decades instead of governing authorities
dealing swiftly and decisively with capital crimes.
What does God warn about slowly administering
punishment to the guilty? "Because the sentence against an evil deed is
not executed speedily, the heart of the children of man is fully set to do
evil." (Eccl. 8:11)
From the grave we should listen afresh to the
founder of the FBI, J. Edgar Hoover, who once said, "Experience has
clearly demonstrated, however, that the time-proven deterrents to crime are
sure detection, swift apprehension and proper punishment. Each is a necessary
ingredient. Law-abiding citizens have a right to expect that the efforts of law
enforcement officers in detecting and apprehending criminals will be followed
by realistic punishment."
While Jesus wanted the men He discipled to carry a
weapon for self-defense (Luke 22:36-38; Matt.26: 52) and deter a criminal, He
taught them certain things are to be "rendered unto Caesar" such as
we've laid out in this commentary.
Were there botched executions in the time of Jesus
Christ? Who knows? We do know He would have been faithful to divine revelation
as long as we live in this fallen world.
Maranatha. Come quickly Lord Jesus!
No comments:
Post a Comment