“Lay Down The Law”

Monday, December 15, 2014

      A lot of people I know believe some people should be killed for their crimes, even crimes such as stealing but especially killing.  But I was wondering, would God punish us for killing someone else that did wrong?  I believe so, but what does the Bible say on it?

Sincerely,
Do No Harm

Dear Do No Harm,

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).

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