For Christians, it is not about what we think or feel about the death penalty. Could some Christian out there prove to me by scripture that the death penalty is acceptable to God for Christians since Christians live under GRACE and not JEWISH LAW?

D. Walker,

Not trying to change your mind (as previously stated) but as a Christian who supports the death penalty, I felt I could answer your question.

For Jesus supporting the death penalty, see Mat 15:3-4 and Mark 7:8-11
For other (new testament) passages supporting it, see Rev. 13:10, 1Tim 1:8-9, Rom 13:4
There are more, and a good analysis of the Bible’s teaching on the death penalty can be found here:
http://www.theologyonline.com/DEATH.HTML

When it comes right down to it, the bible supports capital punishment.

Mathew 15:3-4 is not a support for the death penalty. It is narrowly quoted to purposefully misrepresent Jesus’ reference to the laws of the Old Testament in his conversations with the Pharisees (keepers of the law.) Jesus was revealing their hypocracy to them. These are the ways that Jesus came to transform. Read the complete refernce, Mathew 15:1-11.

The Mark reference is the same story from Mark. Once again Jesus is sharing the Pharisees hipocracy around the laws. The laws Jesus is here to transform.

Collapsing the Old and New Testament message does great harm to the Christian faith. I did not read the other references, I suspect they are equally self serving in supporting a persons view of the death penalty.

A simple story from the New Testament, John 8:1-11, represents Jesus’ view of sin, judgment, and executing others.

For D Walker: the empty cross represents the Christian faith. It is an ancient instrument of human execution, and without the body of Christ it symbolizes our belief in life over death, in all things.

It is no accident that Jesus himself was sentenced to death and executed while his followers watched. That story represents this very conversation, and each of them then had their reasons, except Jesus. He had his word, and he honored it.

Jesus’ message is clear, acceptance and forgiveness is the way to love, first of yourself, and then others.

Dan S - your response is idiotic. Because I think killing someone isn’t appropriate punishment I can’t defend myself? There’s a difference there. Because of what I wrote you think I just want to let everyone go? That’s idiotic. If one of your kids beats the other on the head with a bat, do you discipline him by hitting him on the head with a bat? Or do you select a more mature method of making your point? If a mugger knifes a guy in the leg, do we knife him in the leg and steal his wallet and then let him go? No, he goes to jail. So why is killing a killer granted an exception to this?

Thanks Scott K,

Anomanb, none of the scripture you’ve quoted justifies Christians condoning or believing in the death penalty.

There is not one Christ follower in the New Testament responsible for executing or putting to death anyone. Men who were not in Christ did these executions. These executors did not belong to Christ because they had not believed upon Him or in Him as their Lord and Savior. The world is part of the world system under the control of Satan. So it is not surprising that we have unjust laws that are in conflict with the will of God. Also nothing is fair about how the death paenalty is applied to some and not others. It is just plain wrong altogether and man is over stepping his God given role in life.

In Revelations 9:21 it is says, “Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic, their sexual immorality or their stealing”.

So you see, God even offers His grace to murderers, giving even them the opportunity to turn their hearts to Him and accept Christ as their Lord and Savior.

Scripture also tells Christians to not be surprised at the painful tests we will suffer, because it is to be expected and we are to be thankful and glad that we are sharing in Christ’s sufferings.

Then goes on to tell us that we must make sure if we are suffering that it is not because we are a murderer or a thief or a criminal or a meddler in other people’s affairs and that Christians will be the first to be judged. [1 Peter 4-15].

So you can see here that God intends for us to suffer consequences for murder, but not condemnation (death).

We can see examples also in scripture where one’s were murdered by murderers pleaded with the Lord to not hold their sin of murders against them, even though some may see this as something that had to be done because these that were murdered were innocent.

So, you see if God were able to show His grace towards murderers that kill the innocent, why wouldn’t God not show grace towards murderers today?

We are commanded to not make false accusations, and to not put an innocent person to death, for God says that He will condemn anyone who does such an evil thing. [Exodus 23:6].

If we were expected to live under the as you are using scripture to justify the death penalty, then we would be putting to death:

Those who practiced magic

Those who has sex with animals

Those who offer sacrifices to any other god except the Lord.

Those who strike their mother or father.

Those who kidnap someone, either to sell him or keep him as a slave.

As we can see from the list, our society is far from God; we do not even take most of these things all that serious today. Even those who are kidnapped and used as sex slaves get slaps on the hand.

Remember when God’s servant Stephan was stoned to death by the Jews from the synagogue of the Freedman, and where Saul who became Paul approved of his murder? They murdered Stephan and Stephan prayed to the Lord, like Jesus had prayed to the Father (God) that He not remember their sin of murder against them. [Acts 7:57-60, 8:1].

But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves. [Luke 23:34].

He like Jesus was prayed for them to have the opportunity to live and be given the opportunity to come into repentance and turn away from their sins. This is what Jesus and Stephan was asking for when they ask for their sins not to be held against them.

The above shows that we are not to condemn others. When we execute a sinner we condemn them. Without God’s grace and the sacrifice of Jesus, most of us alive deserve death. Only God has the authority to condemn, but we are to pray that God call these one’s to Him, even as they are placed into prison for life. Doesn’t mean that they will turn away from their sins, most people we are already told will not turn away from there sins even after God has called them to Him regardless of what their sins are. But, no Christian is to condemn anyone to death, not even in your hearts. When we feel that a person should pay with their life any crime, this is that fleshly part of us in operation, not the love of Christ or appreciation of all that He has done for us flowing through us that desires such a fleshly thing, this I am sure of. No matter what sins are crimes one has committed because Christians live under the grace of the New Testament, not under the Laws of the Old Testament we must not condemn anyone to death. I notice in scripture that God has His ways of allowing Satan who operates through people carry out many deeds. But, Christians must not be in the business of condemning others.

…Those who do not love are still under the power of death. Those who hate others are murderers, and you know that murderers do not have eternal life in them. This is how we know what love is: Christ gave His life for us. We too, then, ought to give our lives for others! If we are rich and see others in need, yet close our hearts against them, how can we claim that we love God? My children, our love should not be just words and talk; it must be true love, which shows itself in action. [1 John 3: 14-18].

Whether you are a Christian or not, when you choose to execute someone you end all possibility for them, and for yourself for them.

Execution is an attempt at retribution. In my view, there is no just payment for murder or any crime we may think worthy of execution. Short of that, it becomes an act of revenge. I just am not inspire by that.

I realize that God’s will is for everyone to be Christ like, (we would have a perfect world if that would be) but, we also must believe God’s truth that most are under the power of Satan and are very much part of this world, meaning that they are under the power of Satan in most areas of their lives. So many of those who say that they are Christians are under Satan’s power and are blind to it. Their thoughts and will (pleasing their fleshly thoughts are most important) than God’s will, (such as the death penalty) concerning most matters in their lives. These things will also be because of Satan in the world influencing people who are not always on guard protecting their minds protecting His influences from corrupting their thoughts. A Christian’s thoughts must always be in line with what is taught through the Holy Scriptures.

I spoke in the sense of Christians because hey are fooling themselves if they think they are right in God’s eyes on this issue. This country claims that it is a Christian nation and the fact that we have Christian pastors, ministers, etc.., who support the death penalty in error, and with such stubbornness and a refusal to see God’s truth, they themselves are in danger of the eternal death just as the murderer is. And yes, to some of those who don’t think it should be so, but a murderer can have salvation just like anyone else can if they repent and turn away from sin and except Jesus as their Lord and Savior and become faithful Christians.

If Christians do not repent and change their mind in this area and begin worshipping Christ in spirit and in truth, and begin teaching this truth they are in danger of the eternal death.

It should be elementary to anyone who knows the reason for Jesus Christ to see that those Old Testament scriptures being quoted to justify the death penalty are non-sense, and those New Testament scriptures being quoted, has absolutely nothing at all to do with the subject at hand.

I once believed that the death penalty was a justifiable act of self defence by society.

I then had an experience of profound freedom and power. Surprisingly, it occurred around a small and seemingly unimportant thing. It caused me to realize that anything is possible, and I will not now dismiss or reason away possibility.

On the other hand, I will not condemn or threaten others with enternal spiritual damnation because they do not see what I see.

Being related through marriage to one of these poor innocent misunderstand, unloved men, let me tell you, they should not only bring executions back, they should do them. The poor sweet thing that I was related to claimed over and over that he was innocent - wrongfully convicted of this terrible crime. He would say that he was “different” from the others in prison and that they were all guilty and bragged about their crimes back in the “wing.” But, when visitors came to visit, they boo hooed and claimed they were innocent. Finally, he admitted that he was guilty of the crime he was convicted of. He sits back in prison and writes men and/or women letters and asks for money to make life a “little easier” for him. He has brought in more money than those of us who work. He spoke of “disposing” of people if he were out. You hear about the ones that claim they found religion while in prison. I knew of a man that worked with prison ministries that visited one such prisoner. He made fun of the man, rolled his eyes when he was reading the Bible with the man, yet he ate like a pig on the man’s money. And then he claimed he had found religion while in prison. For those of you bleeding hearts that think that everyone in prison has had a raw deal, think again. How many of these men that were sent to death row were law abiding, kind and loving souls? Come on. It’s time to face reality. There really are truly evil people in this world. There are victims who have suffered horribly at their hands. Aren’t we forgetting the true victims while feeling compassion for cold blooded murderers? Want to leave your children in care of any of the death row inmates? Want to have them living next door to you? There is only one way to make sure they never get out on a technicality. There is only one way to assure they won’t commit any more crimes. Where is your anger at what they have done? Where is your compassion for the victims? Wake up and bring executions back.