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Prophet Samuel slays King Agag
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Christians
and the Death Penalty
When asked of what it means to be a
Christian, many of the same responses occur. To be a Christian means to be
Christ like. A Christian is to be loving, peaceful, humble and kind, willing
to, as Jesus proclaimed to Peter, forgive one another, as many times as 70
times 7! A Christians greatest command is to love the Lord God with all of our
mind, heart and spirit. Then to love one another .As Christians, love is a
motivating force behind all we do. That being the case, how is it possible that
a Christian can be so steadfastly supporting of Capital Punishment when their
opponents quote bible verses that would seem to contradict the Christian
lifestyle? The answer lies in the fact that we cannot isolate verses to present
a single viewpoint, but we have to take the Bible as a whole and understand the
context that God uses to have His will and way done. For example, opponents of
the death penalty often quote the sixth commandment that God gave to Moses on
Mt. Sinai, “Thou shalt not kill.” Surely they say, here is God Himself
declaring that the death penalty is against His will. But is it? The properly
translated verse reads “thou shalt not murder.” There is a difference between
killing and murder. Murder is the unlawful taking of a life. It can be either
premeditated, spur of the moment, or in some cases accidental or unintended.
But no matter the circumstance, a life was taken illegally. On the other hand,
to kill, is legally sanctioned. Whether it’s hunting for food or sport, a
farmer or rancher raising food for our table, or legally executing a prisoner
who has been tried and found guilty of a crime, the difference between
something legal and illegal is the reason we have laws. Punishments are put into
place for those who break those laws, equal to the severity of their crimes, so
as to further protect our citizens from harm. This is where some confusion
comes in.
Opponents of capital punishment
frequently contend that “Two wrongs do not make a right,” so, according to
their argument, executing an individual not only shows a blatant disregard for
Gods word, but it also shows a lack of compassion and respect for human life.
But does it? Rape, murder, kidnapping and other acts deemed worthy of the death
penalty are only inflicted onto individuals in the most extreme cases. Why,
because they were tried and convicted of crimes against humanity. Their cases
are the most extreme of the extreme. After the flood, God gave Noah some
commands. The first was to be fruitful and multiply. The second, in Genesis 9:6
“Whoever sheds the blood of man; by man shall his blood be shed, for God made
man in his own image.” Which is why Exodus 20:13 “You shall not murder.” Is
such an important part of our Christian life. This is where the difference of
opinion comes in on the two opposing sides. For example, the so-called “botched
execution” in Oklahoma a while back, was not really botched. He was put to
death. Albeit, under much better circumstances than his victims. But his death
was not, according to some anti Death penalty proponents carried out as a
result of some kind of revenge or retribution. His death was incurred as
punishment for the atrocities he willfully committed. It was his punishment for
those acts. It is what the Bible calls reaping and sowing.
But, the opponents say, “Are we not
now in the New Covenant? What about Matthew 5:7 “Blessed are the merciful, for
they shall receive mercy.” How does inflicting the death penalty show mercy?
The answer to that is also found in scripture. Romans 13:3-4 “For rulers are
not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who
is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for
he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does
not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who
carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.” So, ultimately, the state is God’s
tool to carry out his will. God’s will is perfect, and He is the one who metes
out the punishment. Which is why we adhere to Romans 12:19 “Beloved, never
avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written,
“Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” As Christians, we either
believe the Word of God or we don’t. We cannot just ride the fence. We have to
differentiate between what the Word says and our personal opinions. If our
opinion does not line up with the Word, then we need to change our opinions.
God’s Word is clear on capital punishment. It is a necessary punishment to
restrain evil. Since the advent of D.N.A, no one who was executed has been
proven innocent of their accused offenses. One undeniable fact is, that once
executed, there is no chance of them committing another heinous crime again, as
some released and paroled killers have in the past. Those facing execution
would do well to repent of their sins and come to the saving grace and
knowledge that comes through having a relationship with Jesus. Once executed,
their debt to society is paid and they can enter into eternal life. Or eternal
hell. The choice is theirs. John3:16-17 “For God so loved the world, that he
gave hs only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have
eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world,
but in order that the world might be saved through Him.” God’s Word allows us
to make decisions according to His will and way. Whether its rewards or
punishment, depends on the choices we make. Capital punishment is God’s will
for those transgressions that demand nothing less.
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