As we launch this site, we speak about being mavericks. Well, I may be a maverick among mavericks on this one. I am a pro-life maverick. Surely one’s first thought is that all of the contributors to the site are pro-life. I am not merely speaking to abortion, which I am firmly against, but also capital punishment.
I do not stand in favor of capital punishment, I believe arguements for it planted in the mosaic law have been uprooted in Christ. Also, it contradicts the christian teaching of mercy and finally, I believe the passages used to defend capital punishment are misinterpreted.
To begin, the mosaic command of capital punishment was tied to Israel’s theocracy and is no longer applicable. The law of Christ is not death, it is love. We are required to love and serve our neighbors (Matt. 22:37-40; 5:31-46; 1 John 3:18; 4:12,20), and we are
required to love our enemies (Matt. 5:43-44). Revenge is also forbidden (Rom 12:17-19; 1 Peter 3:8-9).
The 2nd issue is that of christian mercy. Cain, Moses and David all murdered with intention, not accidentally, and mercy was extended. Also, in John 8:1-11, the woman who was caught in adultery, the law clearly called for her execution (Lev. 20:10; Duet. 22:21, 24). However, Jesus told her to go and sin no more. Even for those who hold that the law still applies in that aspect today must recognize the mercy there.
Finally, I would like to address 2 passages commonly used to defend capital punishment; Gen. 9 & Rom 13. Gen.9:6 is used to preach capital punishment, while verses 4-5 are thought to be of no importance anymore (the eating of rare meat & the execution of animals that kill humans). I would also like to suggest that Gen. 9 is not prescriptive but, predictive. If you take a life, you should expect yours will be taken also. The hebrew is indescisive on the issue. I would lastly like to suggest that the government “bearing the sword” in Romans 13 does not necessarily refer to capital punishment. The sword clearly refers to the state’s right to punish evil-doers but that does not warrent capital punishment. In the Roman Empire most crimes were not punishable by death.
I could go into much more detail and there are many other arguments that could be made, but for the sake of time I just wanted to put this on the table. I believe, even in a group of evangelical mavericks I may be a maverick on this one. Let me know what you’re thinking.
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Alex your not the only Maverick on this one!
I agree with you on this one and have for some time. Also I would like to add the example of the Apostle Paul who persecuted the church before being redeemed but nonetheless by this law of capital punishment Paul would of died before we got the epistles. I find it odd that many of our fellow brothers and sisters would of killed of David, Moses, Paul, and more of our brothers that were shown grace. Nice post with wise words I stand as a maverick on this issue as well.
I’m not sure if I agree with you on this one, but I’ve been on the fence for a long time. As Christians we are supposed to love our neighbors, and love and murder do not fit in the same category (murder being different than being murdered). On the other hand I think that Old Testament law can be very relevant today, if not, then I do not know why it is still taught and read.
The death penalty is such an emotional issue. I enjoyed this review of a good book on the topic: http://www.lastingliberty.com/ll-blog/
First of all, just because one is taught something in church does not make it correct! Also, are you saying all the Old Testament law is relevant for today? If so, I’d love to hear how the idea of sending a woman out of the camp until there menstrual cycle is over is relevant for today.
I never said it was taught in church, I said it is taught. Of course not all the Hebrew laws are relevant today. The same as the U.S. Constitution, but there are very relevant things taught in the Old Testament. The problem is sorting out what we need to follow. Give me some better evidence against it, and I’ll contemplate your argument. As I said I’m on the fence.
I think this may be a helpful question for you, if you are going to say only some laws are relevant for today, how then do you decide which ones? Then we must ask what is the role of the OT law in the NT?
Alex I do believe you made a good argument I support you and think this is an issue that should be addressed more often!
Touche!
I would like to argue a points from your post, “the mosaic command of capital punishment was tied to Israel’s theocracy and is no longer applicable.” I don’t think that the command for capital punishment was merely a mosaic command that is only applicable in a theocracy. I think there is a principle behind it that rings true to us today. God is just. He punishes the unrighteous. In so much then, part of the dominion taking process is establishing that justice in the world. However, I would agree that justice does not mean necessarily an eye for an eye in all context. However, I do believe what God is teaching is that as believers who long to fulfill the dominion command in Genesis, we must be people who want a society that is just.