Pulpit Speech II KL Paulson Preacher Silcox 2-2-1999Capital Punishment TEXT: Genesis 9:5-6
"Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man." -- GodINTRODUCTION:
-- God's Word says that man who takes a life is to forfeit his own life. (We need to recognize the sacredness of human life--all ages included.)-- It is NOT murder to put criminals to death for certain, serious crimes.
-- Let's look at the Law of Moses. . . Capital punishment was required
in MURDER (Lev. 24:17; Deu. 19:11-13) sure thing in IDOLATRY (Lev. 20:2; Deu. 17:2-7) seed --> descendants in WITCHCRAFT (Lev. 20:27) in ADULTERY (Lev. 20:10; Deu. 22:21-22) in HOMOSEXUALITY (Lev. 20:13) abomination in BESTIALITY (Lev. 20:15-16) in RAPE (Deu. 22:25-27) in INCEST (Lev. 20:17) in BLASPHEMY (Lev. 24:11-16,23) stoning-- Today, God has given CIVIL government the authority to put offenders to death.
-- It is barbaric to allow wickedness to go unpunished. Ecc 8:11 "Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil." -- When severe justice is not meted out to capital offenders, Evil spreads like cancer throughout society. Fear of God diminishes.-- God is not only a God of love, but a God of HOLINESS & JUSTICE.
I. God Instituted the Death Penalty
A. Go back to Genesis 9:6
-- Men do NOT know more than God. -- Almighty God knows what is best for humans...He created them. -- He knows what man is about inside and out. B. Genesis 2:17 -- Adam & Eve were forewarned that Death would occur upon Disobedience. -- Spiritual Death (separation from God) IMMEDIATELY occured the moment they took of the tree. -- Later...Physical Death occured for Adam at the age of 930. C. Exodus 21:12 -- the death penalty included in the Law. -- Exo. 21:12,14,15,17; Num. 35:16-18; Deut. 24:7 D. EXAMPLES -- Disobedient Achan was executed by Joshua & Israel upon compliance with God (Joshua 7:15) -- Many, unforgiven sinners were wiped out in a flood by God during Noah's time (Genesis 6-7) -- Who can forget Sodom & Gommorah destroyed for sexual sins among others? (Genesis 19) -- Even in the N.T. we find Ananias and his wife made an example of for lieing to God the Holy Ghost. (Acts 5:1-11) -- Herod the Boaster (made himself out to be a god) died by WORMS. (Acts 12:23) He stole the glory from God. We need to be careful about this.II. God Instructed Human Government to Exericise the Death Penalty
Back to Genesis 9:8,9,12.
-- The SAME day God instituted human government, He made MANDATORY the death penalty for MURDER. -- 'Murder is the most extreme violation of the brotherly relation of mankind, and is to be punished accordingly.' -- Human government was to carry it out in a fair and speedy manner. Long & drawn out trials are not only unscriptural but unconstitutional. -- JUSTICE can only be maintained by PUNISHMENT in a sin-marred world.III. God has NEVER discontinued the Death Penalty.
A. The Law did NOT discontinue it.
-- Exodus 20:13 -- obviously refers to cold, blooded murder -- Laws have little VALUE, unless there is a punishment for those who VIOLATE the laws. -- Consider income taxes...high interest or jail time for late or deliquent payers. -- Provision for non-intentional (accidental) man-slaughter is addressed in other Scriptures ... City of Refuge ... High priest dieing, etc.B. The N.T. does NOT discontinue it.
-- JESUS did NOT come to destroy the Law. (Matthew 5:17-19) -- Both the ROMANS & the JEWS had set rules to enforce the capital punishment PRINCIPLE. -- JESUS Himself suffered willingly the ultimate Death Penalty though NOT even guilty of any sin whatsoever. -- REPENTANT THIEF's testimony (Luke 23:39-41) Condemned to die in a just manner. -- PAUL's testimony (Acts 25:11) Have I commited offences (crimes) worthy of death? If PROVEN guilty of crimes one must pay the price (even death if that is the case). -- Romans 13:1-7; I Timothy 1:8,9 The authority of the governmental 'sword' CONCLUSION: Jesus bore our sins in His own body on the tree. (Isaiah 53) Jesus died so that Justice would be done. (I Peter 2:24; 2 Corinthians 5:21) There is an eternal death penalty for the unsaved in the fires of Hell. (Ezekiel 18:4; James 1:15; Psalm 9:17; Revelation 20:14,15) We need turn from our sin and trust God as Lord and Saviour. (Acts 3:18,19; Romans 6:22-23; John 3:15-18,36)