In this regular feature Dave and Tom respond to questions from listeners and readers of The Berean Call.  Here’s this week’s question: Tom and Dave, Here in California and I suppose around the country the death penalty is a much discussed issue.Cardinal Mahoney of Los Angeles held a press conference recently calling on the governor to put a permanent end to state executions.While the Cardinal speaks for Catholics, I was wondering what God has to say about it in the scriptures.

Tom:

Dave as a former Catholic, I know the catechism teaches that they acknowledge the death penalty but there’s many qualifications.One is that we don’t need it anymore because we have the facilities to incarcerate somebody basically to protect the public from a killer.So it would be better given the sanctity of life and so on to not have capital punishment.

Dave:

It is very clear that the death penalty was instituted by God.Even for eating the fruit of a tree that He had forbidden.He said in the day that you eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die.Now they didn’t die physically, but they began to die—they died spiritually and that is even worse.For God to cut them off from His life so that they would be lost eternally—that’s very serious.In Genesis:9:5-6 [5] And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man. [6] Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.
See All... God says “And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man’s brother will I require the life of man.Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.”This is God saying that He requires this.

Tom:

Dave many Christians are—they are on opposite sides of this issue and one of the statements of some who are against capital punishment would say well that was the law and we are now not under the law.But that command by God was given before the law.

Dave:

Exactly.This was a foundational principle from scripture and God makes it very strong.Later He says that where they do not exact the death penalty the blood of the victims cries out from the ground.It doesn’t make sense that here is let’s say is a mass murderer—well even if he murdered one person and now the activists are saying but don’t take his life.Well, he took someone’s life and now we are going to protect him when the Bible says you take man’s life, your life will be taken.You see, one of the things we talked about earlier about the Qur’an and about Islam—one of the many things that distinguishes the Bible and Christianity from Islam is the penalties that are exacted.You steal something in Islam and your hand is cut off.You are marked for life.It destroys that marvelous mechanism the hand, then the arm doesn’t function, then the two arms don’t work together.You steal again then they cut off your foot on the other side and you are maimed for life.No the Bible doesn’t say that.It says you restore it fourfold—you steal something then you pay it back. The Bible doesn’t even talk about putting people in prison, but they repay.Now it says a tooth for a tooth and an eye for an eye and a life for a life and this is the justice from God.So I don’t think that there is any way that I can explain this away and say that this is no long required.The life of Jesus was taken.This is in the New Testament now.You couldn’t say well God says well that was Old Testament.When Jesus took my place, He took your place, He took the place of all mankind and He stood at the bar of God’s justice, never mind Pilate—that was unjust.What we did to Him was unjust.It was horrible, it was reprehensible and that would only add to our penalty.But God bruised him.It says in Isaiah:53:10Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
See All...: “Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin….”So when Jesus stood and took my place before the bar of eternal justice, God’s justice the penalty was exacted upon Him—death.His blood had to be shed.So I don’t think we can get around that and I don’t think that it is beneficial to society.It is not beneficial to the murderer.It certainly is not beneficial to the victims.

Tom:

Dave the New Testament seems to support this idea.It doesn’t seem to—I think it flat out does.Romans:13:1-5 [1] Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. [2] Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. [3] For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: [4] 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. [5] Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.
See All...: “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers.For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. 2) Whosoever therefore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.3) For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil.Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good and thou shalt have praise of the same: 4) 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.5) Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.This is establishing laws—

Dave:

Tom in other words, what it’s saying it is not condoning a Hitler, but it is saying—

Tom:

Or vigilantly committee, or some lone ranger.

Dave:

Right, but those who are in legitimate authority (are supp—and Hitler)—I wouldn’t call him in legitimate authority, although technically he was voted in and so forth and given this position, but nevertheless he did not execute God’s justice.He was an unjust ruler, so the Bible does not condone unjust rulers, but it is saying—Romans 13 is saying that authority figures on this earth are placed there by God for the purpose of executing His judgment—His justice in the earth and that would include what God has said in His Word.