The Lord Jesus Christ and the Death Penalty

Jesus commands you, in I Tim. 1:16, to follow His example of showing mercy with perfect patience with the worst of sinners, even murderers like Paul. Why do you not obey that command?

Jesus changed the requirement for implementing the death penalty in John 8. It is no longer the "2 or 3 witnesses" who implement the death penalty, it is "the one without sin among you". Why do you no obey that command?

I am not Jim, but I will answer. No. It is not about their being 100% proven or 95% proven guilty. Christians are commanded to be different from the world. Christians are commanded to show mercy with perfect patience with the worst of sinners, even murderers like Paul.

I have answered your question. Let me ask you a question or two.

Would you support the death penalty for someone whom you knew to be 100% guilty of murder and you knew for a 100% fact that they were a born again Christian whom Christ was using to further the His cause in this world?

Would you support the execution of a fellow Christian believer (guilty of murder prior to conversion) whom Christ was using to further His cause in the world?

BTW, all of you who support the death penalty, please feel free to answer.

peace to youraying:

 

Then let murderers off free?

How does "life in prison without parole" fit what you previously stated? ...

"I Tim. 1:16 that Christians are to follow the example of our Lord Jesus Christ and show mercy with perfect patience toward the worst of sinners, even murderers like Paul.

Support for the death penalty is contrary to that very specific command."

Is "life without parole" perfect patioence toward the worst of sinner, evern murderers..."?

 

Yes, it is good they would go to heaven when they are executed...but they must pay the penalty of the sin of taking the life of a fellow image -bearer.
God does not "need" them to accomplish His purpose...he has others that will be used instead.

 

Simply hilarious. :laugh::laugh::laugh:

 

Amazing!:tear: Even if you knew 100% they were a Christian and God was using them to further the cause of Christ in the world?

Why "must" they "pay the penalty"? Are you saying God would not use a murderer to further the cause of Christ in the world.

peace to youraying:

 

Really? The death penalty for fellow Christians is...hilarious?:tear:

peace to youraying:

 

Life in prison without parole is a fitting punishment for murder. It protects society from a violent person while giving that person every minute of his/her natural life to repent of sins and come to faith in Christ. That is consistent with the command to show mercy with perfect patience.

peace to youraying:

 

God commanded it and gave no exceptions in the command.

 

Matthew 5:17-20 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Well, all I can say is that I, John Calvin, John Gill don't agree with your exposition [if you want me to copy and paste their comments I would be glad to] --the Pharisees evidently tried to get Jesus to speak against the law to accuse Him and they never were able to [the woman caught in adultery]--so I ask you to read v. 17--He didn't come to change the LAW--Salvation, however, and its means would change at Calvary.

 

Simple answer.
From the 1689 Baptist Confession.

Chapter 19: Of the Law of God
1._____ God gave to Adam a law of universal obedience written in his heart, and a particular precept of not eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil; by which he bound him and all his posterity to personal, entire, exact, and perpetual obedience; promised life upon the fulfilling, and threatened death upon the breach of it, and endued him with power and ability to keep it.
( Genesis 1:27; Ecclesiastes 7:29; Romans 10:5; Galatians 3:10, 12 )
2._____ The same law that was first written in the heart of man continued to be a perfect rule of righteousness after the fall, and was delivered by God upon Mount Sinai, in ten commandments, and written in two tables, the four first containing our duty towards God, and the other six, our duty to man.
( Romans 2:14, 15; Deuteronomy 10:4 )

3._____ Besides this law, commonly called moral, God was pleased to give to the people of Israel ceremonial laws, containing several typical ordinances, partly of worship, prefiguring Christ, his graces, actions, sufferings, and benefits; and partly holding forth divers instructions of moral duties, all which ceremonial laws being appointed only to the time of reformation, are, by Jesus Christ the true Messiah and only law-giver, who was furnished with power from the Father for that end abrogated and taken away.
( Hebrews 10:1; Colossians 2:17; 1 Corinthians 5:7; Colossians 2:14, 16, 17; Ephesians 2:14, 16 )

4._____ To them also he gave sundry judicial laws, which expired together with the state of that people, not obliging any now by virtue of that institution; their general equity only being of moral use.
( 1 Corinthians 9:8-10 )

5._____ The moral law doth for ever bind all, as well justified persons as others, to the obedience thereof, and that not only in regard of the matter contained in it, but also in respect of the authority of God the Creator, who gave it; neither doth Christ in the Gospel any way dissolve, but much strengthen this obligation.
( Romans 13:8-10; James 2:8, 10-12; James 2:10, 11; Matthew 5:17-19; Romans 3:31 )

6._____ Although true believers be not under the law as a covenant of works, to be thereby justified or condemned, yet it is of great use to them as well as to others, in that as a rule of life, informing them of the will of God and their duty, it directs and binds them to walk accordingly; discovering also the sinful pollutions of their natures, hearts, and lives, so as examining themselves thereby, they may come to further conviction of, humiliation for, and hatred against, sin; together with a clearer sight of the need they have of Christ and the perfection of his obedience; it is likewise of use to the regenerate to restrain their corruptions, in that it forbids sin; and the threatenings of it serve to shew what even their sins deserve, and what afflictions in this life they may expect for them, although freed from the curse and unallayed rigour thereof. The promises of it likewise shew them God's approbation of obedience, and what blessings they may expect upon the performance thereof, though not as due to them by the law as a covenant of works; so as man's doing good and refraining from evil, because the law encourageth to the one and deterreth from the other, is no evidence of his being under the law and not under grace.
( Romans 6:14; Galatians 2:16; Romans 8:1; Romans 10:4; Romans 3:20; Romans 7:7, etc; Romans 6:12-14; 1 Peter 3:8-13 )

7._____ Neither are the aforementioned uses of the law contrary to the grace of the Gospel, but do sweetly comply with it, the Spirit of Christ subduing and enabling the will of man to do that freely and cheerfully which the will of God, revealed in the law, requireth to be done.
( Galatians 3:21; Ezekiel 36:27 )

Steve

 

IF a Christian abides in Christ, empowered by the HS in a daily fashion, staying in prayer/fellowship/bible study...

isn't he already doing what god desires, apart from the law?

 

It is not possible to do what God desires apart from the law as God always leads by and through the law. What was good in the past is good today.

 

If you are abiding in Christ and/or walking the the Spirit, that's great. But if your abiding and/or walking lead you to think you can ignore the Ten (not nine!) Commandments, then I beg leave to wonder if it's Christ you're abiding in and the Spirit in whom you're walking.

Steve

 

I know what the 10 Commandments are, but do NOT focus my efforts on making sure I submit to them, instead, i spend the time submitting to Christ through the power/person of the HS!

We are NOT saying one can :live as they please" as we are now nbelonging to Christ, its just that the law does NOT serve same function to me as it did for those under OT covenant relationship with God!

 

If your submission to Christ does not lead you to submit to God's moral law, are you sure that it's Christ your submitting to and the Holy Spirit whose power you are utilizing? 'Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practises righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous' (1John 3:7). I have known plenty of people who have said, "It feels so right! I can't believe God would be against it" as an excuse for sin. If it's against God's commandments, then He is against it.

Read Paragraph 6 in the excerpt I posted of the 1689 Confession. You might also consider Matt 5:19.

Steve