IS THE DEATH PENALTY IMMORAL?
Key Facts
Genesis 9:6 “Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed, for in the image of God He made man.”
Exodus 20:13 “You shall not murder.”
Exodus 21:14 "If, however, a man acts presumptuously toward his neighbor, so as to kill him craftily, you are to take him even from My altar, that he may die.”
Matthew 26:52 “Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword.”
Luke 22:36 “And [Jesus] said to them, ‘But now, whoever has a money belt is to take it along, likewise also a bag, and whoever has no sword is to sell his coat and buy one.’”
Romans 13:4 “But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for [the government] does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.”
Other relevant verses: Micah 6:8, 1 Timothy 1:8-11, Acts 25:11, John 8 , and Ecclesiastes 8:11.
Key Scriptures
There are over 20 capital punishment crimes listed in the Old Testament.
In 2018, 54% of Americans favor the death penalty for people convicted of murder, while 39% oppose it. [1]
Solid majorities of white evangelical Protestants (73%) favor the death penalty. [2]
Between 1976-2016, there were 1,441 executions in the US, with 2,905 inmates still on death row. There were also 156 discharges of those wrongly convicted after an examination of the additional evidence (about 3.5%). [3]
Want to Know More?
“Capital Punishment” chapter in Politics by Wayne Grudem.
Application
Case Against Capital Punishment
There are several biblical texts and arguments which could be interpreted in opposition to the death penalty.
First, the biblical death penalty argument may be viewed as inconsistent. There are over 20 capital punishment crimes listed in the Old Testament, including homosexuality and adultery. Yet, capital punishment for these crimes are not preserved in society today. One would not suggest that these sins should be punishable by death in modern society. Why should we preserve only murder for capital punishment? These laws were only punishable by death because Israel was in a special covenantal relationship with God and God had laws specific to them in order to reveal Himself to the nations. No nation today exists in that same type of covenantal relationship. Therefore, these same capital punishment laws should not be preserved for society today.
In addition to its inconsistency, it seemingly goes against the biblical command to not murder in Exodus 20:13. The ten commandments are clear that the murder of others is wrong. These foundational teachings are significant for understanding morality in the Christian life. Christians value human life and the Scripture warns not to murder others.
In addition to scriptural evidence, there are the flaws in the earthly justice system that come with living in a fallen world. Death penalty cases are far more expensive and draining on our justice system. There are many people who have been on death row and later exonerated once new evidence came out. This means that it is likely that there are some who were wrongly executed. This unfairness seems to contradict the desire for justice that God calls Christians to uphold.
Case for Capital Punishment
There are also several biblical texts and arguments that can be used to support the death penalty.
The most prominent of these is Genesis 9:6, which reads, "Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image." Capital punishment for murderers is based on the high regard that God has for the creatures made in His image; this image of God still remains today. The application of capital punishment in murder cases in the US is consistent because the capital nature of these cases is echoed in the New Testament. Many of the Old Testament crimes are not punished capitally today; this is because they only applied to the theocracy of Israel. However, capital punishment is applicable today because both the Old and New Testament teach it and reveal it is a moral law which upholds God’s concern for human life.
In addition to its consistency, the death penalty ultimately affirms value in life in the case of murder. It does not go against the command to not murder because it is not murder, it is the self-defense protection of a society against those who do not affirm the value of life. Death penalty is a form of social self-defense that the Bible allows. National, personal, and social self-defense are all revealed in the Bible.
While God forbids personal vengeance, God established earthly governments to carry out justice (Romans 13:1-7). Specifically, God gives government the power of the sword (v.4), which carries with it the power to kill and take life when appropriate. Murder is one such occasion.
While the justice system might not be perfect and reforms should be made, injustice would result from the absence of a death penalty. Life in prison is not an adequate punishment for the deliberate, premeditated taking of a life. Justice was of utmost concern for Jesus and it should be for Christians too.
Conclusion
While both aforementioned approaches focus on aspects of biblical truth, the Bible reveals mercy in conjunction with justice. As seen in Micah 6:8, those who follow God are to act justly and love mercy. A synthesis of the two may be a more holistic biblical approach than the prior approaches which focus on either justice or mercy.
There is no one clear application of these texts, however mercy and justice should be clearly visible in each application of these verses. The death penalty is permitted by the Bible and even encouraged; however, each Christian must assess the ability of the state to carry out capital punishment biblically and examine the wise usage of this punishment in modern society. While the truth of the Bible does not change, the application of these verses to a modern society may change.
Christians can, in good conscience, come to different conclusions regarding the death penalty. Each Christian should discern the biblical texts to decide what action is best applied in their current context.
One important reminder when talking about this sensitive topic is to remember to pray for the salvation of prisoners and to share the gospel when possible. Whether or not they are on death row, the best result imaginable is for the prisoner to repent and come to a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. Similarly, Christians must also grieve with those affected by crimes and to help seek justice for the victims and their family. Thus, Christians can fulfill the call to seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God.