The Death Penalty

[WebersHome]

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Q: Was Christ for or against the death penalty?

There's always a number of people out and about unaware that Christ, being
a Jew, was just as obligated as any other Jew to comply with the law that
Yhvh's people agreed upon with God as per Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and
Deuteronomy.

†. Gal 4:4 . . But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His
son, born of a woman, born under the law

Christ underwent the ritual circumcision that the law requires for Jewish
boys.

†. Luke 2:21 . . On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he
was named Jesus

†. Luke 2:27 . .The parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after
the custom of the Law

When a Jewish male undergoes ritual circumcision in accordance the law's
requirements, he becomes responsible to live by it.

†. Gal 5:3 . . I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he
is under obligation to keep the whole law.

I encounter people all the time who sincerely believe that Christ opposed
capital punishment. But had Christ done so, the law, under which he was
born and to which he was circumcised, would've immediately imposed a
curse on him.

†. Deut 27:26 . . Cursed be he who will not uphold the terms of this law and
observe them.

The grammatical tense of that curse is present rather than future, indicating
that the curse is instant-- no delay and no waiting period.

And then there are people who sincerely believe that Christ was a reformer;
viz: his brand of religious philosophy was kinder, gentler, and more loving
and understanding than the thunder and lightening of the Old Testament's
God. But Christ claimed that he and God were unified.

†. John 4:34 . . My food is to do the will of Him who sent me.

†. John 6:38 . . I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but
the will of Him who sent me

†. John 8:29 . . He that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me
alone; for I do always those things that please Him.

†. John 10:30 . . I and my Father are one.

The ultimate capital punishment is on display at Rev 20:10-15. The Great
White Throne event won't be a peaceful scene. I'd imagine that people will
be literally pale with terror, lips trembling, mouths too dry to speak;
screaming, shrieking, bellowing, sobbing and yelping-- eyes darting about
looking for something, anything, to clutch and cling to as a powerful force
they cannot resist drags them off to a mode of death akin to a foundry
worker falling into a kettle of molten iron.

The administrator of that horrifying scene will be none other than the sweet
little baby away in a manger.

†. John 5:22 . . The Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to
the Son

†. Acts 17:31 . . He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in
righteousness through a man whom He has appointed, having furnished
proof to all men by raising him from the dead.

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[JehovahsWitness]

[Replying to post 1 by WebersHome]

Christ did not come to destroy the law and the Mosaic law carried the death penalty for certain crimes, therefore Christ would have been FOR the death penalty.

CAPTIAL CRIMES [Death Penelty]

â—¾Murder [Deut 18:16-20],

â—¾Idolatry [Deut 17:2-3],

â—¾Apostacy [Deut 17:2-3],

â—¾Kidnapping [Ex 21:16],

â—¾Public Cursing/Rebellion [Ex 21:17],

â—¾Criminal Negligence [Manslaughter 21: 28, 29],

â—¾Sabbath Breaking [Deut 18:16-20],

â—¾Spiritism [Deut 18: 22],

â—¾Sexual Offences [Deut 22:13-30; Lev chap 18, 20],

Regards,

JEHOVAH'S WITNESS

[WebersHome]

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An incident recorded in the 8th chapter of John is sometimes appropriated to
suggest that Christ opposes capital punishment. But the incident is actually
better appropriated to show that Christ is a stickler for due process.

Long story short, a woman was brought before Christ accused of adultery;
which is normally a mandatory death offense under the terms and conditions
of the covenant that Yhvh's people agreed upon with God as per the Old
Testament.

†. Lev 20:10 . . And the man that commits adultery with another man's wife,
even he that commits adultery with his neighbor's wife, the adulterer and
the adulteress shall surely be put to death.

However; the covenant requires that no one can be given the death penalty
without the testimony of at least two witnesses.

†. Deut 17:6-7 . . At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall
he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness
he shall not be put to death. The hands of the witnesses shall be first upon
him to put him to death, and afterward the hands of all the people. So thou
shalt put the evil away from among you.

As it turned out; all the witnesses, to a man, recused themselves, leaving
none with which to build a case against the woman.

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[WebersHome]

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†. Gen 9:5-6a . . But for your own life-blood I will require a reckoning: I will
require it of every beast; of man, too, will I require a reckoning for human
life, of every man for that of his fellow man! Whoever sheds the blood of
man, by man shall his blood be shed;

The important thing to note is that Gen 9:5-6a is neither a Jewish law nor a
Christian law. It's not even a religious law. It's what's known as a law of the
land; and it pertains to everybody, both man and beast.

†. Gen 9:8-10 . . And God said to Noah and to his sons with him: I now
establish My covenant with you and your offspring to come, and with every
living thing that is with you-- birds, cattle, and every wild beast as well --all
that have come out of the ark, every living thing on earth.

The death penalty as per Gen 9:5-6 is mandatory only for murder; which
Webster's defines as: the crime of unlawfully killing a person; especially with
malice aforethought. The key word in that definition is "unlawfully"

Capital punishment for murder isn't optional. The word "shall" indicates an
edict: and anybody who thinks they're in step with God while actively
opposing the death penalty for murder has another think coming.

Q: Don't you think it's better to lock all murderers away for life rather than
risk taking the lives of those who are innocent?

A: It is never better to disobey God. The first couple did, and you see what
that got them.

Disobedience is on a scale with dark arts and the worship of pagan gods like
Shiva and Vishnu.

"Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying
the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed
than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and
insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry. (1Sam 15:22-23)

In war, commanders expect a percentage of casualties by human error
and/or friendly fire; and those kinds of casualties are usually factored in as
acceptable losses. But it isn't wise to turn off a war off just because
somebody might get hurt by friendly fire. Accidents happen; even under
ideal conditions.

It's the same with the war on crime. Just because a percentage of innocent
people get executed for something they didn't do, is no excuse to get in bed
with the Devil and oppose God's edicts as per Gen 9:5-6.

America's justice system, although far from perfect, has a pretty good
batting average. The overwhelming majority of people dead from executions
fully deserved what they got. Only a tiny percentage are victims of error;
and those percentages should always be considered acceptable losses in any
legitimate endeavor to protect domestic tranquility.

†. Gen 9:6b . . For in His image did God make man.

Interesting. So then; murder wasn't banned because it's immoral, but
rather, because it demeans the name of God. Apparently, were humanity
lacking His image, people could go on safari and stalk each other like game
animals and mount human heads as trophies of the hunt.

James criticized the cursing of humans not because it's immoral, but
because it demeans the name of God.

"People can tame all kinds of animals and birds and reptiles and fish, but no
one can tame the tongue. It is an uncontrollable evil, full of deadly poison.
Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it breaks out into
curses against those who have been made in the image of God." (Jas 3:7-9)

The image of God lends humanity a measure of divinity that it wouldn't have
otherwise.

"You made him a little lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory
and honor and put everything under his feet." (Heb 2:7-8)

Without that measure of divinity, humanity would just be another among
many air-breathing primates.

Refusal to pursue the death penalty for murder denigrates the sanctity and
dignity of Almighty God. So don't ever let anyone tell you capital punishment
for murder is wrong. No; capital punishment for murder isn't wrong; au
contraire, capital punishment for murder is divine.

†. Isa 45:9 . .Woe to the one who quarrels with his Maker

†. Rom 9:20 . .Who are you, O man, to talk back to God?

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[WebersHome]

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Below is a list of sins for which the law-- that Yhvh's people agreed upon
with God as per Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy --mandates
the death penalty.

Murder (Gen 9:5-6, Ex 21:12-14, Lev 24:17, Lev 24:21, Num 35:31-34)
Assault and Battery upon parents (Ex 21:15)
Kidnapping (Ex 21:16)
Execrating parents (Ex 21:17)
Harboring a dangerous animal (Ex 21:28-29)
Adultery (Lev 20:10, Deut 22:22)
Marrying a mother and her daughter (Lev 20:14)
Sleeping with a daughter-in-law (Lev 20:12)
Homosexuality (Lev 20:13)
Sleeping with the wife of one's father (Lev 20:11)
Necromancy (Lev 20:27)
Contempt of court (Deut 17:8-13)
Perjury (Deut 19:16-21)
Breaking the Sabbath (Ex 31:12-17)
Propagating cults and isms (Deut 13:1-18)
Blaspheme (Lev 24:13-16)
Malicious miscarriage (Ex 21:22-24)
Bestiality (Ex 22:18, Lev 20:15-16)
Tainted Virgins (Deut 22:13-21)
Naughty fiancée (Deut 22:23-27)
Sorcery (Ex 22:18)
Reprobate offspring (Deut 21:18-21)

The death penalty for those as sins is a covenanted penalty. Seeing as how
Christians are not covenanted with God to enforce the law as per Exodus,
Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy; then Christians, as a corporate body,
are under no obligation to punish sin in their midst in accordance with the
law's stipulations.

For example: If a member of your church is caught practicing sorcery, then
your church's governance may discipline the member, but that's the limit of
their authority because capital punishment for the sin of sorcery is restricted
to Judaism.

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[JehovahsWitness]

[Replying to post 5 by WebersHome]

Yes the Jewish law was very clear on the matter. Christian law however does not demand death for those that break God's law.

[WebersHome]

[font=Georgia]Christian law however does not demand death for those that break God's
law.[/font]

[font=Georgia]Municipal, State, and Federal agencies are not required to comply with the
religious laws governing Christ's followers. However, Christ's followers are
required to comply with theirs; viz: when Christ's followers fail to comply
with the law of the land; they disrespect God and merit punishment.

†. Rom 13:1-4 . . Let every person be in subjection to the governing
authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist
are established by God. Therefore he who resists authority has opposed the
ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation
upon themselves.

. . . For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you
want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise
from the same; for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what
is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a
minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath upon the one who practices
evil.

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[WebersHome]

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"For if we live, we live to Jehovah, and if we die, we die to Jehovah.
So both if we live and if we die, we belong to Jehovah" - Rom 14:8
NWT

The Watch Tower Society's version of Rom 14:8 isn't a translation: it's an
interpretation. In their opinion, God's name Jehovah belongs in that verse so
they penciled it in as a replacement for kurios.

Just for fun, let's see what the very next verse looks like with God's name
penciled in to replace kurios.

"For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Jehovah both
of the dead and of the living." (Rom 14:9)

Here's another verse where God's name Jehovah could just as easily be
penciled in to replace kurios.

"every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Jehovah, to the glory of
God the Father. (Phil 2:11)

You see; the Society isn't consistent. It pencils in God's name Jehovah
arbitrarily wherever they feel it belongs instead of kurios.

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[JehovahsWitness]

Municipal, State, and Federal agencies are not required to comply with the religious laws governing Christ's followers. However, Christ's followers arerequired to comply with theirs

Yes, I believe this is to a large extent true.


JEHOVAH'S WITNESS

[Yahu]

[font=Georgia]-
An incident recorded in the 8th chapter of John is sometimes appropriated to
suggest that Christ opposes capital punishment. But the incident is actually
better appropriated to show that Christ is a stickler for due process.

Long story short, a woman was brought before Christ accused of adultery;
which is normally a mandatory death offense under the terms and conditions
of the covenant that Yhvh's people agreed upon with God as per the Old
Testament.

†. Lev 20:10 . . And the man that commits adultery with another man's wife,
even he that commits adultery with his neighbor's wife, the adulterer and
the adulteress shall surely be put to death.

However; the covenant requires that no one can be given the death penalty
without the testimony of at least two witnesses.

†. Deut 17:6-7 . . At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall
he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness
he shall not be put to death. The hands of the witnesses shall be first upon
him to put him to death, and afterward the hands of all the people. So thou
shalt put the evil away from among you.

As it turned out; all the witnesses, to a man, recused themselves, leaving
none with which to build a case against the woman.

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Not only that. Was Yeshua one of the elders that would be called upon to judge a case?

Where was the man involved if they were both to be put to death if they were caught in the act? How did the men KNOW she was an adulteress if they didn't partake of the act with her themselves?