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“A Sight For Sore Eyes”
Categories: DOCTRINE, GOVERNMENT, RELATIONSHIPS, WITH MANKINDWhat are Christ’s teachings and Biblical views on capital punishment? I was always taught the viewpoint of an eye for an eye.Sincerely,
Ready To Strike
Dear Ready To Strike,
God authorizes governments to punish its citizens as it deems fit. God has given governments the ‘sword of terror’ to bring wrath down upon evildoers (Rom 13:3-4). God allowed the government of Israel to stone criminals (Lev 20:27) for various acts of wickedness against man and God. Stoning definitely would count as capital punishment!
Government authority and individual authority are different things, though. God tells us that we aren’t to take vengeance upon ourselves (Rom 12:18-19), but instead, we are to do good to our enemies (Rom 12:20). We are to turn the other cheek (Matt 5:39) and go the extra mile with people (Matt 5:41). The government has the right to punish ‘an eye for an eye’, but we as individuals do not (Matt 5:38-39).
