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Can one be for capital punishment in Christian manner? How do you justify it with the NT? As a Christian, is it your duty to work to end it? Please post petitions if you know of one. What do you use from scripture to deter others from supporting it? Go-
If the state has the right to execute someone, it is a right that should be exercised sparingly. As a christian I don't like the death penalty. There's just something about it that doesn't sit well with me.
This question has been raised in my church and the answer we got was that no soul should have his or her life ended short. In the case of habitual criminals that murder and rape or whatever for the pleasure of it, it is better to end their earth life so that they can no longer harm another. It's a judgment call on the part of the authorities, however, if the soul cannot be rehabilitated, they are better off in the spirit world.
Can one be for capital punishment in Christian manner? How do you justify it with the NT? As a Christian, is it your duty to work to end it? Please post petitions if you know of one. What do you use from scripture to deter others from supporting it? Go-
Because it was never repudiated in the NT from the OT therefore it still remains.
I see nothing in scripture that condemns the death penalty infact scripture supports the death penalty. God has instituted capital punishment in His Word; therefore, it would be presumptuous of us to think that we could institute a higher standard.
We Christians are commanded to obey the authority of the government because God put them there for our benefit so we Christians should never condemn nor interfere with the government's right to execute criminals.
Last edited by Fundamentalist; 09-09-2009 at 09:51 AM..
Can one be for capital punishment in Christian manner? How do you justify it with the NT? As a Christian, is it your duty to work to end it? Please post petitions if you know of one. What do you use from scripture to deter others from supporting it? Go-
Capital punishment is Scriptural. It is mandated for the commission of certain kinds of crimes.
Matthew 26:52 where Jesus says to Peter, "...for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword." is not directed to the soldier in the military; it is a reference to the criminal. All human government has as the source of its authority, God. Jesus told Pilate, "You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above..."
Under the laws of divine establishment there are certain systems of authority. The authority of the parent over a child; the authority of the husband over the wife; the authority of the police officer on the street, the judge on the bench. For the sake of protecting the life, property, and freedom of all, when a crime such as murder or rape is committed, then the criminal who committed the crime is to be removed from the face of this earth.
It is the function of the state to execute the criminal as per Romans 13:4 For it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath upon the one who practices evil.
The Hebrew word for murder is Ratsach, and is used in the sixth commandment--'You will not murder." It is a reference to the criminal act of taking someones life. Murder deprives a person of his life and freedom and therefore is an attack on Divine Institution Number One--Volition. The operation of free will is the basic issue in the angelic conflict and so Satan introduced murder into the human race as an attack on man's free will. Those who would violate the volition and freedom of another individual through an act of murder must come under the ultimate punishment of being removed from this life. This is by divine command and authority. Compassion is for the victim, not for the criminal.
Originally posted by fundamentalist
Because it was never repudiated in the NT from the OT therefore it still remains.
I see nothing in scripture that condemns the death penalty infact scripture supports the death penalty. God has instituted capital punishment in His Word; therefore, it would be presumptuous of us to think that we could institute a higher standard. We Christians are commanded to obey the authority of the government because God put them there for our benefit so we Christians should never condemn nor interfere with the government's right to execute criminals.
I disagree. We should interfere if the execution doesn't fit the crime or is too severe. By your standard, should we have supported drawing and quartering, burning at the stake, or execution for minor crimes. Like in the Middle Ages. We can see how well that turned out.
The state may do good, but the state is not perfect either. Which is why the death penalty should be used in extremely rare cases if at all.
I disagree. We should interfere if the execution doesn't fit the crime or is too severe. By your standard, should we have supported drawing and quartering, burning at the stake, or execution for minor crimes. Like in the Middle Ages. We can see how well that turned out.
The state may do good, but the state is not perfect either. Which is why the death penalty should be used in extremely rare cases if at all.
God has appointed civil governments and charged them with maintaining justice in this world, now to what extent in dealing with capital or corporal punishment? God never told us, somehow He has left that up to the governments to decide.
As harsh and cold as this may sound as far as drawing and quartering I don't like it nor do I like capital punishment but just like back then it is needed today. It is easy to judge another time period's way of handling criminals compared to our more "sophisticated" "civilized" manner of handling our own criminals but you must understand back then it was a harsher way of life which called for a harsher punishment, was it right? I don't know and you may have a case as far as far as drawing and quartering but it's really not for me to say since I am not an expert nor did I live in that time period but I can guarantee there were people back then who agreed with that type of punishment but they didn't like it.
Who is to say if this planet goes on for another 200 years people will not only see capital punishment as inhumane but the mere incarceration of human beings as cruel and barbaric.
The truth is the bible does not really give a definitive answer to this social debate in our world today. Christians who say otherwise and use scripture to support are really stretching scripture not to mention putting words in God's mouth.
Last edited by Fundamentalist; 09-09-2009 at 03:20 PM..
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