Capital Punishment

Capital punishment is taking the life of an individual found guilty of certain heinous crimes against humanity. Texas leads the nation in the number of people executed each year, a fact that appalls some while invigorating others. Is capital punishment wrong? What does God say about the taking of human life in this manner?

God told Adam and Eve if they sinned then they would die (Gen 2:16-17; 3:3). After they disobeyed God, he sentenced them to death for what some may believe to be a small sin (Gen 3:19). Furthermore, because of Adam's sin, all mankind is depraved and sentenced to die (Rom 5). Moses stated that anyone who murders another man should be sentenced to death without the chance of "ransom" or, more simply, parole (Num 35:31). God prescribed the death penalty for adultery (Lev 20:10; Deut 22:24), incest (Lev 20:11-14), perjury (Zech 5:4), disobeying one's parents (Deut 21:18-21), and nineteen other specific sins. The author of Hebrews tells us that the shedding of blood is the only way to pay for sin (Heb 9:22). God extends the capital punishment to both animals (Ex 21:29-32) and angels (2 Pet 2:4).

As humans, when we reject Christ, we live "condemned already" (John 3:18). In fact, scripture says that no person is righteous (Rom 3:10) and that only God is good (Mark 10:18; Luke 18:19). Furthermore, it states that we all are sinners and fall short of God's glory (Rom 3:23; James 3:2). He also declares the wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23) and that God declared that Christ had to die in order to fulfill his justice and redeem man (Isa 53:6, 10; Rom 3:24-25; 5:8; Heb 2:17; 1 John 4:10).

Based on all these scriptures, it is clear that God both instituted and finds nothing wrong with capital punishment. Therefore, we are allowed to use capital punishment in our justice system as a punishment for crime. Those who say capital punishment devalues life and violates God's law fail to understand God's view of capital punishment and that they, themselves, are sentenced to death.

Some say God's justice is perfect while man's is not. Proponents readily admit that the American justice system is imperfect. Therefore, we must use all available resources to ensure the accused individual is proven guilty beyond all reasonable doubt before sentencing them to death. This includes the use of DNA evidence, detailed forensic investigations, and technological advances that enhance the work of police investigators. Unlike the stoning method found in scripture, when capital punishment is instituted today, the method should be humane rather than brutal. However, those incapable of understanding right from wrong should be spared (Deut 1:39).