Pulpit Speech II                                                KL Paulson
Preacher Silcox                                                   2-2-1999

Capital 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." -- God

INTRODUCTION:

  -- 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)