The Death Penalty

Topic
Morality

  1. All Men Are Condemned To Die. This Sentence Is Carried Out By God.
    1. Rom 3:23 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
    2. Rom 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
    3. II Cor 1:9-10 "Yes We had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us."
    4. I Cor 15:21-22 "For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive."
    5. POINT: God, the one that defines justice and punishment in our world, will carry out the death sentence even though He is Love and is the ultimate source of mercy and grace. The idea of the death penalty is not only Biblical, one might say it is God given.
  2. God Not Only Carries Out The Death Penalty But He Also Authorized Men To Carry Out The Death Penalty Through The Civil Law That He Gave To Israel.
    1. Reasons.
      1. Idol worship to Molech Lev 20:2
      2. Adultery Num.25:6-8
      3. Homosexuality
      4. Bestiality
    2. Purpose
      1. Deut 13:5 Eliminate Evil: "so you shall put away the evil from your midst."
      2. Deut 13:11 DETERANT AGAINST EVIL: "So all Israel shall hear and fear, and not again do such wickedness as this among you.
      3. Ex 21:1-25 PUNISHMENT FOR EVIL: This text speaks about various forms of punishment, one of which is "shall surely be put to death."
    3. Blame
      1. Lev 20:9 In this text as it speaks of the death penalty it says of the one being punished, "His blood shall be upon him."
      2. II Sam 1:16 "Your blood is on your own head"
      3. Num.35:19-28 The laws concerning the cities of refuge v27-28
      4. II Sam 3:33 Abner was responsible for his own death
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    4. POINT: God commanded Israel in their civil affairs to carry out the death sentence on those who committed certain crimes. Who are we to questions God s design for a civil government. God also gave the purpose for this penalty. Since God said it would act as a deterrent, who are we to question whether or not that it does. God also explained who would be responsible for the death of the one who is put to death. "Your blood is on your own head". Recently an Oklahoma criminal was put to death (Roger Dale Stafford). When he stands before Gods judgment, he will not only have to answer for the people that he killed at a local steak house, but he will also have to answer to God for his own death. The ones who carry out the deed will not be guilty.
  3. God Has Continued His Authorization For Governments To Carry Out This Death Penalty.
    1. Rom 13:1-6 Bears the sword not in vain. To execute God's wrath on evil
    2. Tit 3:1 God instructs us to recognize these authorities
    3. I Pet 2:1 Obey the laws. These are sent to punish evildoers.
    4. II Pet 2:10 Do not speak evil of those in authority
    5. Acts 4:19, 5:29 Obey God over man
  4. Common Objections To The Death Penalty.
    1. It doesn't work as a deterrent.
      1. God said it did. Deut 13:11
      2. Its not a public event and not carried out in a speedy manner as God meant it to be. Eccl 8:11
      3. Not all the crimes are punished with the death penalty that should be.
    2. Moral objections.
      1. If God used it and "commanded" men to use it also, who are we to question the moral grounds of it.
    3. How can a merciful nation put a man to death.
      1. We should never confuse mercy and justice. Heb 12:5-6
    4. Jesus did away with it.
      1. John 8:1-11 Jesus told them to stone her
      2. Romans 13:1-6
    5. What if we got the wrong man?
      1. The most famous execution in the world was a case like this and it was sanctioned by God. John 19:11
  5. Conclusion:
    1. To say that you believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God is to say that you believe He never made a mistake.
    2. Everything he taught, personally and through his apostles MUST BE TRUE, including this.
    3. It may seem compassionate to stand against the death penalty, but to do so puts you in opposition to God.
    4. As a christian, we should never be found opposing what God in His Word commands.
    5. We can never allow our feelings to make us go against God's word.
    6. Never forget that you too are under the penalty of death, and God has not released you from it.