Capital Punishment

TEXT:  Ecc. 8:11

INTRODUCTION:

A.      NOT DEALING WITH CONSTITUTION BUT WITH SCRIPTURE.

B.      HOT ISSUE - VERY EMOTIONAL.  IS IT LEGALIZED MURDER?

C.      LET'S LOOK AT CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IN THE 3 DISPENSATIONS.

I.      IN THE PATRIARCHAL DISPENSATION.

A.      CAIN WAS A MURDERER, YET PROTECTED BY GOD( Gen. 4:9-15 ).

B.      GOD'S ATTITUDE AFTER THE FLOOD( Gen. 9:5-6 ).

C.      JUDAH'S POWER IN HIS FAMILY( 38:24 ).

D.      THE PATRIARCH'S FEAR( 42:21 ).

E.      ABIMELECH USED IT AS A DETERRENT( 26:11 ).

II.     IN THE MOSAIC DISPENSATION.

A.      Ex. 20:13.  DOES IT REALLY PROHIBIT CAPITAL PUNISHMENT?

B.      CAPITAL PUNISHMENT –  AN IMPORTANT INSTITUTION IN THE OT.

C.      CITIES OF REFUGE INSURE TRIAL FOR CAPITAL CRIME. ESPECIALLY FOR

          MURDER( Num. 35:6, 11-12, 16-21, 29-32 ).

D.      13 SINS SPECIFICALLY CALLED FOR THE DEATH PENALTY:

          1.       Murder( Ex. 21:12-14 ).

          2.       Striking or reviling a parent( Ex. 21:15,17; Deut. 21:18-21 )

          3.       Man stealing( Ex. 21:16 ).

          4.       Beast kills, owner does nothing( Ex. 21:28-29 ).

          5.       Witchcraft and false prophet( Ex. 22:18; Deut. 18:9-14, 20 ).

          6.       Blasphemy against God( Lev. 24:14-23 ).

          7.       Sabbath breaking( Ex. 31:14-15 ).

          8.       Idolatry( Lev. 20:2;  Ex. 22:20 ).

          9.       Perjury in a capital case( Deut. 19:16-19 ).

          10.     Adultery( Deut. 22:22 ).                  

          11.     Unchastity( Deut. 22:21, 23-24 ).

          12.     Rape( Deut. 22:25-27 ).

          13.     Unnatural sex( Lev. 20:10-16 ).

E.      WHERE MAN HESITATED GOD DID NOT( Num. 15:32-36 ).

III.    IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.

A.      Acts 25:10-11.  "WORTHY TO DIE" - CERTAIN CRIMES WORTHY OF DEATH.

B.      Rom. 13:1-4.  "BEARS NOT THE SWORD IN VAIN" - macarah,-  "sword of destruction."

IV.   OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED.

A.      DOESN'T DETER CRIME!  DOESN'T IT?

          1.       Paul Harvey's story of the grocery clerk.

          2.       Rape drop off in Spain after manual strangulation of two rapists in public square.

          3.       "Most murders are out of passion or during drunkenness where the consequences are

                    never considered.  So the death penalty is not even thought of."  But what if it stops

                    one murder?  Most recent murders involve depraved killers who stalk their victims. 

                    They had plenty of time to think about the death penalty.  They saw they wouldn't get

                    it, so they killed innocent children.  Examples.  Poland brothers had all the way to

                    Lake Meade from Bumblebee.  Death of Christianne Fornoff.  Richard Bible.

          4.       Punishment not always intended to deter( Rom. 1:28-32 ).

B.      "THOU SHALT NOT KILL!"( Ex. 20:13 ).

          1.       "Do no murder"( Matt. 19:18, KJV ).

          2.       ratsach, murder, pierce.  Young.

          3.       13 crimes in which killing demanded - Sent Jews to war.

C.      "CONTRARY TO CHRISTIAN CHARACTER"( Mat. 5:38-39;  Rom. 12:19 ).

          1.       Deals not with civil government., but with individual

                   attitudes and personal vengeance.

          2.       Would prevent any punishment such as jail or fines.

          3.       God designed civil government as his agent for vengeance.

D.      death penalty FINE, BUT CHRISTIAN CANNOT PARTICIPATE.

          1.       Furnish the passage.  Civil powers ordained and approved of God.

          2.       No double standard.

CONCLUSION:  MANY CHRISTIANS ARE SIMPLY MISINFORMED.

A.      THE BIBLE SUPPORTS THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT IN CAPITAL PUNISHMENT.

B.      RATHER THAN BEING CRITICAL OF POLICEMEN & JUDGES AND THEIR

          ROLES WE NEED TO TEACH RESPECT FOR LAW AND THOSE WHO

          UPHOLD IT.( Ecc. 8:11 ).