For the past fifty years the issue of capital punishment has been a subject of controversy in the world. During that time a number of Western nations have abolished capital punishment. On the other hand, capital punishment is still practiced in many other nations, particularly in China and in Muslim countries, and also in many states of the U.S.A. As serious crime becomes more of a problem, some are calling for the reintroduction of the death penalty in nations that have abolished it. Others who are equally adamant are calling for its abolishment in the U.S.A. and other countries.
On the surface, both sides can make convincing arguments for their position. Those who favor capital punishment point to the increasing violence in the world and argue that only capital punishment can provide a real deterrent to violent crimes involving murder. They say that this is the ultimate deterrent, in that an executed murderer never kills again. Those who favor abolition point to the fact that capital punishment is so final, and that if one is executed wrongly, he cannot be brought back. Recent developments in the field of DNA testing have made it possible to determine with astounding accuracy whether tissue samples actually belong to the individual in question, and this technology has sometimes provided evidence that someone has been wrongly convicted of murder. Likewise, abolitionists argue that a lengthy prison term is not only as much a deterrent as execution, but that it also provides the opportunity for a review of the conviction if further evidence becomes available. They also argue that execution does not provide for any attempt at rehabilitating the one who has been convicted.
As with all moral questions, only the Word of God can give us the right answer. Man may reason, but God has given us in Christ through His Word “all things that pertain unto life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3). Let us look into the Scriptures to see what God has to say on the subject.
Scriptural Reasons for Capital Punishment
The Scriptures show that capital punishment is right, for God instituted it in this world. There are several reasons that are given for this.
The first allusion to the subject is found in Genesis 4:1010And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. (Genesis 4:10), after Cain had killed his brother Abel. When the Lord spoke to Cain about what he had done, He said, among other things, “The voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto Me from the ground.” Although government had not yet been committed into men’s hands, God shows clearly that the shedding of man’s blood was a most serious thing in His sight and that the blood of the one who was killed cried out to Him.
After the flood, government was formally given into men’s hands, and the Lord told Noah, “Surely your blood of your lives will I require. . . . Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed” (Gen. 9:56). These verses show clearly that God requires capital punishment in order to atone for murder and gives man the responsibility to carry it out. Despite the dispensational changes that have come about in God’s dealings with man, this command to man in government has never been rescinded. God’s moral principles do not change with dispensations.
When He committed government into men’s hands, God gave another reason why capital punishment is right. In Genesis 9:66Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man. (Genesis 9:6), already referred to, He also says, “Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made He man.” When He created man, God had said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth” (Gen. 1:2626And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. (Genesis 1:26)). Thus man is God’s representative on the earth, having dominion over every other creature, and over the earth itself. While the likeness to God in man was marred when he sinned, yet he retains the image of God as His representative on the earth. He who takes the life of man kills one who is here in the image of God. For this crime God demands the blood of the murderer.
The need for capital punishment was also reiterated in the law. God said to Israel through the law, “Ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it” (Num. 35:3333So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it. (Numbers 35:33)). Here we see clearly that God views the land as being defiled by the shedding of blood, and He says that it can be cleansed only by the blood of the one who shed the blood.
In the New Testament God confirms that He expects man to exercise government, even to the point of using the sword. “Rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. . . . But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil” (Rom. 13:34). The sword is clearly a reference to capital punishment which God expects man to use in dealing with certain crimes, particularly murder.
Safeguards and Balance in Capital Punishment
The question arises as to the “finality” or absolute character of capital punishment. Given human frailty, there is the possibility that an innocent person might be convicted and sentenced to death. I believe Scripture answers this question for us too.
First of all, the Mosaic law clearly put safeguards on the use of capital punishment. An alleged murderer could not be convicted on circumstantial evidence, nor could he be put to death on the testimony of one witness. Numbers 35:3030Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die. (Numbers 35:30) says, “Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die.” Also, the possibility of false witnesses was always to be kept in mind, and the punishment was severe for a false witness. “If a false witness rise up against any man to testify against him that which is wrong . . . the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness . . . then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to have done unto his brother” (Deut. 19:16,181916If a false witness rise up against any man to testify against him that which is wrong; (Deuteronomy 19:16)). Thus, the penalty for a false witness in a case of murder was that he himself would be executed — a very strong deterrent!
More than this, no gift or bribe was allowed that might induce the judge to lessen the sentence. Once his guilt was clearly established, they were to “take no satisfaction [literally, ransom] for the life of a murderer” (Num. 35:3131Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death. (Numbers 35:31)). He could not pay a fine to avoid the death penalty; he was to be put to death. In the same way they were to “take no satisfaction for him that is fled to the city of his refuge, that he should come again to dwell in the land” (Num. 35:3232And ye shall take no satisfaction for him that is fled to the city of his refuge, that he should come again to dwell in the land, until the death of the priest. (Numbers 35:32)). The one who was guilty merely of manslaughter, not intentional murder, must stay in the city of refuge until the death of the high priest. They must not take pity on him and seek to shorten his time of confinement, for even the crime of manslaughter was serious. Whether in the case of murder or in manslaughter, human feelings were not to govern the situation, but rather God’s claims.
Grace and Government
We cannot mix God’s grace to a lost world and His righteous demands in government. They are parallel, but different, truths. Some would try to say that because the Lord Jesus preached forgiveness, the law should no longer carry out capital punishment. This is mixing things that differ. The Lord Jesus came in grace, and thus, for example, would not condemn to death the woman taken in adultery (John 8:1111She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. (John 8:11)). He alone could do this, for He was going to die for her on the cross. On the other hand, He upheld the responsibility of the Jewish nation to recognize the Roman government and pay tribute to them (Matt. 22:2121They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's. (Matthew 22:21)). In the same way we may preach Christ to a convicted murderer and tell him that he may have full forgiveness before God, for Christ has died for him. However, the law is still responsible to execute him for his crime. Several years ago a woman convicted of murder in the U.S.A. asked to have her death sentence commuted on the grounds that she had become a “born again” Christian. The authorities did not consider this a valid reason for not executing her, and rightly so. Grace does not nullify government, but neither does government nullify the grace of God!
Finally, we should make a comment on the Christian’s place in all this. The believer is in the world but not of it. He should not be involved in government, but rather he waits for the Lord Jesus Christ, the rightful King, to come and set things right. As a heavenly citizen his responsibility is to obey the powers that God has set up, but he should not be involved in the government of this world.
May we have the grace to walk through this world as believers, recognizing and honoring God’s claims on the one hand, but showing out His grace to all!
W. J. Prost