Is the death penalty wrong?

Convicted murderer Stanley “Tookie” Williams is going to be put to death tonight. His impending execution has rallied the anti-death penalty crowd and also brought the reaction of several Hollywood actors. Click here to read the facts. Now everyone is debating the death penalty again. Should this man who founded a gang responsible for thousands of deaths, and who was personally convicted of four murders be executed?

Has he truly changed and deserve clemency when he…

1. Has yet to admit the murders he was clearly convicted of doing?
2. Has yet to show any remorse for killing four people?
3. Has claimed he wrote children’s books which were actually written by ghost authors who used his name?
4. Will not give up the names of current member of his gang who are bringing in drugs all over the U.S.?

To see why the L.A. Times says Stanley “Tookie” Williams should die click here.

But all this talk about the death penalty brings me to one reader’s question.

Question: “Is the death penalty wrong? Didn’t Jesus say to ‘love our enemies”?

Answer: The question whether or not the death penalty is right is an often-asked question because of what seem like contradictory statements in the Bible. However, with a careful look we will find that these statements are not contradictory but are teachings given to different people in different roles. We will find that the death penalty is not wrong and is the government’s responsibility given by God.

On a personal level Jesus taught us in Matthew 5:38-45, "You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. "You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.”

In this chapter Jesus is going through and quoting all the maxims of the religious teachers of his day and refuting them. Here he is refuting personally taking vengeance. It was a common misinterpretation of Scripture in Jesus day to take verses written as commandments to judges and government officials and apply them to the individual.

The term Jesus refutes about taking an “eye for an eye” is from God himself. It can be found in Exodus 21:24, Leviticus 24:20 and Deuteronomy 19:21. In each of these passages, it is talking about what a judge and a court are to do. It gives requirements for witnesses, and other legalities. This command of taking an “eye for an eye” was a command for the civil court system not the individual.

The teachers in Jesus day were abusing the above passages by applying them to personal circumstances. The courts were to give justice not the individual. As individuals, we are to give mercy and not take vengeance ourselves.

The Apostle Paul instructs us in Romans 12:19-20, “Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary: ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."

So the instruction for the individual Christian is to never take vengeance because that is God’s department. For instance, if someone were to murder your loved one, it would be wrong for you to kill him or her. Vengeance belongs to God. Leave room for Him to do his job. Instead we should love our enemies just as Christ loved us when were his enemy by our many sins.

So how does God take vengeance? We know it belongs to Him. How does he execute his justice and vengeance up on the evildoer? God’s word goes on to explain right after Romans 12 where it says not to “take vengeance”, who his “agent of wrath” is in Romans 13.

Romans 13:1-4 plainly teaches, “Everyone 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. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves For 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. For 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.”

So Romans 12 gives us the rule for the individual. We are not to take vengeance or an “eye for an eye” but we are to forgive and love our enemies. Romans 13 teaches that God takes vengeance on the “evildoer.” And to do this God has established “governing authorities.”

Notice Romans 13:4 says that the government “does not bear the sword for nothing.” Swords were not used in Paul’s day to tickle people with. They were used to kill people. The government is established by God and has the right and the responsibility to kill evildoers.

This God given role of government is why the Christian should support both the military and the civil justices system in executing justice against the wicked. Government is God’s “servant” and His “agent of wrath.” To not support them or thwart their work is to thwart God’s justice.

In Jesus day the teachers took instructions to judges and courts in the Law and abused them by misapplying them to the individual. The ironic thing is, that today, many teachers take Jesus teachings to the individual and abuse them by misapplying them to the government, military or court system.

We should support our courts as long as their actions are justly applied against those who do evil. They are God’s servants to give us justice and punish the evildoer. Our police, judges, and prison guards are God’s servants to give us justice and they deserve our honor.

Genesis 9:6 "Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man."