The Death Penalty is Biblical

By -
Another controversial issue that we would like to defend is the death penalty. Most people think it's crooked and wrong BUT not what the Bible says. Now we would like to present our defense for the death penalty from both the Old and the New Testament since NOT all the rules of the Old Testament were abolished.

So here's what- people would present some of these common arguments against the Biblical death penalty mandate:
  • Killing is wrong
  • It's Old Testament Law
  • If you're a moralist then don't kill
  • Death penalty according to "research" does not deter crime
  • You're hurting the family of the criminal
  • Have you read the story of Jesus and the woman caught in adultery? Let he who sinned not throw the first stone.
  • Wrongful executions are possible.
  • The Vatican abolished the death penalty

I. Now it's time to answer these objections above:

  • Killing is wrong - First and foremost, Exodus 20:13 actually refers to murder in the original Hebrew. Killing is wrong when it's being done unlawfully. Murder is when a man kills unlawfully like shooting the tellers in the bank during a robbery scheme, abortion (which kills the unborn), live infanticide (like the mandate to kill all the baby boys in Exodus and later Herod the Great's demand) and executing of people who have done no wrong (like what Ahab did to Naboth). So if killing was wrong then here's what- David would be wrong in killing Goliath who was causing too much trouble for Israel, God's command to wipe out the dangerous Canaanites who were mostly cannibals and not to mention, the death of Queen Athaliah was but fair because she was sitting on the throne of Judah ILLEGALLY- she murdered 99% of her grandsons to stay in power save Joash who was revealed at seven years old.
  • It's Old Testament Law. - Another common objection. However, the only rules that don't apply from the Old Testament are the ceremonial laws. Like today, anybody can eat roast pork and God won't call it sin anymore as in Acts 10:11-16 but of course, the Kosher foods are still healthier. In Acts 25:11 the great evangelist Paul declared, "For if I be an offender or have committed any thing worthy of death I refuse not to die but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them I appeal unto Caesar." Funny how the Catholic Church should actually say they have Paul and Peter as their pillars when they disagree with most of their writings including this! Romans 13:4 says, "For he is the minister of God to thee for good. 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."
  • Death penalty according to "research" does not deter crime - Really? I personally would like to quote Ecclesiastes 8:11 (and this book is still practical even to today saying, "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."  Every case must be thoroughly examined to see whether or not the person is really guilty as charged but ONCE FOUND GUILTY FOR DEATH, IT MUST BE DONE IMMEDIATELY as to serve as an example. Achan's death in Joshua 7 was a reminder that God HATES sin.
  • If you're a moralist then don't kill.- This is another of the stupidest things I've ever heard. Murder is wrong but killing is right in certain situations like self-defense and defending others. This is not double standard, this is Bible standard. Murder means killing out of the boundaries God has set. God Himself ordered the death penalty in Genesis 9:6 saying, "Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man." and it is still in effect in Romans 13:4. Is God therefore immoral for ordering the death penalty of such wicked people? Nope. In fact, he ordered the Israelites to kill the Canaanites as a death penalty. The people in Canaan were a VERY terrible bunch- historians have recorded many of them were also cannibals, involved in orgies, prostitution, homosexuality, human sacrifice, bestiality and the list of immorality can go on- which they increase because they don't worship God. Elijah in 1 Kings 18 ordered the deaths of the prophets of Baal who were promoting immoral practices such as infant sacrifice (and today it happens in the form of abortion) and the murder of the LORD's true prophets. Then again why is abortion rampant huh?
  • You're hurting the family of the criminal.- It could be remembered how many Filipinos were saying that in protest after the speedy execution of many criminals (many were religious Catholics) for incestuous rape against their daughters which is a very common crime because their loved ones could be next. However if you read the Bible, God didn't care even if the offender were relatives if they broke the Law. In Exodus 32:27-29 during the golden calf incident, Moses ordered them to kill those not on the LORD's side. What about the family of the VICTIM?  Don't they even care about the family? Let's think about it in this situation- many people are losing their loved ones to criminals day by day by day. I have a cousin-in-law who got killed in a warehouse and until now, the culprits are still free because they were not executed. What about the Vizconde massacre? Where is the justice for Lauro Vizconde? None!  
  • Have you read the story of Jesus and the woman caught in adultery? Let he who sinned not throw the first stone (John 8:1-11). - This is another abused situation even by some Christians. One must see a clearer light to this situation. One must never take a story of the Bible out of context. Reading back to the Old Testament rules, Deuteronomy 19:15 required TWO valid witnesses. Also, should I mention in Deuteronomy 22:22 is that in the punishment for adultery, it takes two to tango. Right. That means BOTH the man and the woman are to be brought to be executed. So where was the man? Also, the accusers who wanted her stoned were not really witnesses, it was all based on gossip. And another, Jesus was 100% aware of this that the Jews were not allowed to carry their own executions during this time. Besides, He even told the Pharisees to pay their taxes to Caesar even if He didn't approve of the cruelty of Roman rule!
  • Wrongful executions are possible. - True but it happens when corrupt men and women are in power. One good example is that of Naboth's vineyard. 1 Kings 21 tells the story where Jezebel framed Naboth for what he didn't commit and was put to death. True it does happen but only because of corrupt men and women in power. False witnesses were put to death. Certainly God ordered Jehu to execute all the members of the house of Ahab for their wickedness was sky high!
  • The Vatican abolished the death penalty .- This is the agenda that many who are Jesuit operatives (or operatives for the other orders like the Opus Dei, Franciscans, Dominicans, Somascans, whatever...) would say why the death penalty is wrong- it depends on the votes of the Council of Trent as their final authority vs. the Scripture as the final authority. I have read several Catholic faith defender blogs (and I am NOT posting their URL here, I don't want to give Satan any more soapboxes than he already has on the world wide web and also in order not to defame them as persons but their doctrine, however I would entertain questions from them if they're done nicely), that use the excuses above. One had a Somascan priest (a trainer for Catholic faith defenders) frequently call Baptists as "buang" (crazy) because they uphold capital punishment never mind how the Inquisition killed millions of people to which he denies to this very day and that fat priest has the nerve to keep denying it when former priests and nuns spill out the truth! The decrees of the late Pope John Paul II and most recently Pope Benedict XVI had signed the worldwide abolition of the death penalty, which in turn hides the REAL ugly truth of the Inquisition which if you read the Foxe's Book of Martyrs from cover to cover had killed just anybody who opposed the Roman Catholic Church. The Roman Catholic Church is guilty of what Mark 7:13 would accuse them of that they regard their OWN TRADITIONS above the Word of God which is the only reliable source of the doctrines and traditions of the Church, which by the way its headquarters is in Heaven!

II. You should know this!

Life imprisonment for serious cases does more harm than good. Some convicted child molesters who should have been executed suddenly are allowed to get out of jail because of "good behavior". After updating many times on several controversial cases like drugs and major bank jobs, the masterminds of the EXIM Bank themselves should not just be sentenced to 240 years in prison, I believe they ought to be executed as to ensure that such a notorious crime should not happen again.  Every major con artist should have been executed for their investment scams. We would definitely suggest it's time to return STONING as a deterrent to crime- the guillotine is a quick death and so is lethal injection, God commanded STONING!  God does NOT contradict Himself when He calls for the death penalty.  He is the Author of Life and He has EVERY right to destroy evil.  God commanded deaths for wicked civilizations before they can do any more harm yet He gave them a chance to repent as well.

While most of America mock Muslim countries but here's what- going to Dubai for a tourist trip is actually a lot safer than going to America now. At least in Dubai, murderers get stoned even if they are unfriendly to Christians. Muslim countries though they may be Christ-hating and many of its people bound for Hell have deterred crime so effectively with death penalty. It's time to restore the Bible ordained death penalty RIGHTLY!