Is Capital Punishment O.K. according to the bible?

[snoboarder]

O.K. here is my second thread and the question is stated right at the beginning. once again i want you to GIVE BIBLICAL REFRENCES as to your opinion.. last thread people failed to do so and alot was based on opinion. you can go really deep into verses if you want to and pull stuff out from other portions and apply it to your main verses then go right ahead! oh yeah. another thing.. give me rep power! cmon people.. i have gotton 0 rep power so far 0! you can do better than that. oh and make sure it is positive rep power to ,-D

Looking forward to what you have to say.

P.S. try to keep on topic. I dont mind a little bit of fun but make sure it is topic related

 

[1still_waters]

Genesis 9:6
[FONT=trebuchet ms,arial,helvetica]"Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man."

Exodus 21:
[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica][SIZE=-1]12[/SIZE]"Anyone who strikes a man and kills him shall surely be put to death. [SIZE=-1]13[/SIZE]However, if he does not do it intentionally, but God lets it happen, he is to flee to a place I will designate. [SIZE=-1]14[/SIZE]But if a man schemes and kills another man deliberately, take him away from my altar and put him to death.


Romans 13:
[/FONT]1Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. 4For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.


It seems pretty clear there is room for a government to impose a death penalty. Now it's not the job of a private citizen or a Christian to impose a death penalty. But it is the job of a government and God seems in favor of it according to the Bible.

I don't think NT admonitions to forgive and not return evil for evil negates the validity of a government imposing the death penalty. If those admonitions negated all punishments, then we'd just let criminals run free.

I think in ideal situations where there is no doubt of the truth, the Bible allows for it. But here's the thing, we read of cases every so often where someone is on death row and they were wrongly convicted.

We all know God is a just God and wouldn't want someone wrongly convicted or killed.

So here's how I see it. In the ideal situation, the Bible does allow for the death penalty. Yet since the reality of a flawed system exists, I think it's best to suspend the death penalty. It's one thing to jail someone wrongly, it's another to kill them for wrong reasons. At least if they're still alive they have a chance of being proven not guilty.

 

[pagie]

STONING was the usual method for capital punishment in aintant Israel. people who broke speicific statutes of the Law of Moses were put to death by stoning. stoning was usualy caried out by the men of the comunaty Deut 21:21. upon the testimony of atleast 2 witnesses who would then cast the first stones Deut 17:5-7; John 8:7; Acts 7:58. stoning usualy took place outside the setlement or camp Lev 24:14,23; 1 kings 21:10-13
Acts punishable by stoning were disobediance josh 7:25, child sacrifice, Lev 20:2, consultation with magicians Lev 20:27,
blasphemy John 10:31-32, sabath breaking Num 15:32-36, the worship of false gods Deut 13:10, rebelion against parants Deut 21:21 and adultary Ezek 16:40

 

[pagie]

stoning was taken out under a Theocratic Judicial system of Law as a capital punishment, its not like our seciaty witch is ran by democratic Law.
im not sure if you were asking if the bible gives evidance that we should have capital punishment today or if you were asking if it existed in bible times.
the way it is caried out and the Laws for witch it is punishable by would have to be based on the system of law in witch the country operates.
if a country operats under theocratic Law, punishment would operate in the way that the god or deity recognized as the state's supreme civil ruler and Law giver determines it to operate.
Democracy is a form of government in which power is held by people under a free electoral system so under this system capital punishment would be operated in a totaly diferent matter and would be determined over a governing body of people rather that a god or deity.
as to weather or not it should be caried out today I dont know, but I believe that when some laws are broken death is a fare penalty but to govern the penalty over a multicultural people with diferent beliefs and faiths would be a realy dificalt task to undertake in a democracy.

 

[Mel]

I believe in capital punishment.

 

[NoahsDad]

Democracy is a form of government in which power is held by people under a free electoral system so under this system capital punishment would be operated in a totaly diferent matter and would be determined over a governing body of people rather that a god or deity.



The United states constitution was founded on the fundementals of the 10 commandments of the bible.
so in touching that I believe capitol punnishment does and always will have a place in society just as is pointed out in this verse (Deu 21:21 And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear. )
See how efective this is?a perfect example of cause and effect...Do this and get this.dont do this and recieve this......
I feel we as a nation have bocome lax in our carrying out of such laws and respecting our citizens by Not enforcing capitol punnishment.
For if the old public hangings or stonings were inacted again I feel most criminals would not be so apt to readily act out their fantasies.
And child rapes or rapes and murders would be less apt to happen.

 

[Baptistrw]

5 And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man.
6 Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man. Gen 9:5-6 (KJV)

 

[NoahsDad]

AMEN RW.........I thaught we'd never agree on anything .............Aint God good?I've been prayin about that,among other things.........hahahahahha

 

[carpetmanswife]

i say yep......

 

[Slepsog4]

Capitol Punishment was initiated by God himself. He legislated on it in the OT. He even recognizes the role of the state to exercise it in the NT.

 

[thefightinglamb]

I think everyone that has posted so far has been either foolish or short sighted...do you not remember Paul!!!!!???? If 'he got what he deserved'--the death penalty as Nazis from Germany did then where would the church be? IT is incredible to believe that so many Christians thought they were for it--for we all deserve to die thats what Jesus is about at heart.

I know Paul deserves to be seen as a mass murderer and it most have seemed hard (but for the grace of God) for the families of those he killed to accept him as a Christian, but for Christ's sake they accepted it as grace.

And think that if they did deserve to die yuou are probably sending them pre-eminently to hell?
And if not you have stained your own hands?

Its never to late until death...
Remember the Lord of the Rings, where Gandalf speaks of Smeagol to Frodo saying their our many who die who deserve to live, and live who deserve to die? Be not too hastey in dealing out judgment...If it wasn't for the evil Smeagol, Frodo would have become another Smeagol.

God bless and don't be willing to justify killing someone for whatever reason--even Pauls.

 

[Slepsog4]

Hey fightinglamb,

Have you ever read the writings of Paul? Try Romans 13:1-5. And while you are at it read Romans 1:18-32. The church is not in the business of executing this justice, nor the individual believer. But that does not negate the fact that capital punishment is biblical. It rests in the hands of the government. That does not mean that all governments have always done well with it and never overstep the boundaries.

Personally, I could help a person get saved in relation to God one minute and still pull the switch for the state to have him executed. Two separate issues.

 

[thefightinglamb]

But Paul would have been condemned by his government if it was righteous according to you...thats my point.

And if you believe that Jesus died for you, 'you also deserve the cross'.

I looked over Romans--and it does not legitimize governments killing people...Just as it was unlawful for Daniel to worship God and he continued to do so...and was righteously condemned by the government...

Follow the 'governing authorities' in pursuing righteousness never evil--never killing...

I was going to say that the early church never would have killed anyone, but then there is the story of the man and his wife that sold property and said they gave the church all but didn't and God struck them dead on the spot...so I suppose if the church could and did feel God calling them to pronounce a death sentence by God striking them dead (and God listened to them and struck them dead)...perhaps...but I have never felt called to do this...and I don't think a government would.

But it is puzzling...
God bless
tony

 

[Slepsog4]

I looked over Romans--and it does not legitimize governments killing people

Then pray tell, what does "he does not bear the sword for nothing" mean?? (Rom. 13:4)

 

[thefightinglamb]

should Paul have been killed?

 

[Slepsog4]

for what? What are you talking about? I may have missed something.

 

[thefightinglamb]

Okay Paul killed Christians or was responsible for their death, if the Romans were juest he is killed before his ministry.

 

[Slepsog4]

Paul never killed anyone. He consented to the stoning of Stephen. He used papers of extradition to bring people to Jerusalem for trial.

 

[thefightinglamb]

I would suggest that when the Lord says the government does not weild the sword in vain he is talking about yes, it will punish not that is is or is not Christian in itself...How could you devise laws and punishment that took forgiveness and mercy into account??? And just like Daniel though he was righteous, yes the government did wield the sword and executed him or tried to with the lions and his friends with the furnace...

So you are one of those that think executives of companies don't steal by making the poor slave for them or that the governing authorites (as you may think Paul was) was wrong for seeking the persecution of the Jews...This obey the government Christian logic gets warped when the government outlaws Christianity or Christian principles...which has happened in the past..and those that denied Christ were not those following him just because the governing authorities declared it.

I do hold Paul responsible. Just as Jesus held Judas more responsible then Pontius Pilate, he who handed me over to you is the more guilty...even though Judas might not have known it would lead to Jesus's death.

So yes, if you break the governments laws that prescribe death just as if you break the Jewish laws, the sentence is death...but I would not want to be the judge or the one that stained my hands..you throw however many stones you want and you will possibly be judged likewise...because if your wife was that girl cheating on you, you might have thought that Jesus was unjust in what he did, but who are you to judge him.

Mercy and love are depthless...
Hatred and revenge have always been killers...even Satan seeks 'just' punishment for what we have done wrong.

I don't think you can forgive those you give the death penalty.

 

[Slepsog4]

You have some convoluted ideas, you are even hard to read. The Bible is really quite simple in this matter. I suppose you think the day of judgment and hell are just a joke. You see, ultimately all sin is a capital offense. Hell is real, justice is real.

Capital punishment is God's idea. The OT and the NT uphold it. It is not the role of the church. No individual has permission to exact it. But governments serve for this, among other purposes.