An atheist friend of mine asked me if I supported the death penalty.  Thinking back to the Old Testament, I know they stoned people for certain offenses, so I answered, “Yes.”  I have been thinking about it a lot in a New Testament context, and I haven’t been able to come up with any passages that address this.  One big problem I have thought of is that if I condone the death penalty, then I am in a sense taking away that person’s chance to repent and be baptized later in life.  I believe in some of the lists of sinners in several New Testament books, murderers are included (idolaters, sexually immoral, murderers, etc.) in the phrase “such were some of you”.  Are there any passages in the New Testament that address the death penalty under the New Covenant?  And if not, are there any principles that can be applied to figure out what God’s will is on this subject?

Sincerely,
Looking For Laws

Dear Looking For Laws,

The death penalty is a function of the government, and, as you said, when God designed Israel’s government, He believed certain deeds were worthy of the death penalty (such as blasphemy – Lev 24:16).  God’s attitude hasn’t changed about the death penalty (Heb 13:8, Mal 3:6).  What has changed is that God’s people are no longer a physical nation with national laws.  Christ’s church exists within all the nations of the world, and we must abide by our respective government’s laws (Rom 13:1-2).

So, is it okay for a government to put people to death for certain crimes?  The answer is ‘yes’.  God specifically says that He has given governments the authority to punish evildoers, and that governments are used by God to sustain order and be His avengers of wrath upon those that do evil (Rom 13:3-4).  Obviously, not all government decisions are good ones, and God never condones immorality, but in the case of the death penalty, governments are on solid ground when they execute justice.

In the Bible, does it state that at least two witnesses had to agree to the charges before the trial could be declared valid?  If so, where and what section?

Sincerely,
Legal Advice

Dear Legal Advice,

The verse that you are looking for is Deut 19:15.  In the Old Testament, God made the laws for the courts.  The nation of Israel, like all other societies, had people that broke the law.  God designed the law, so someone couldn’t be accused of a crime unless there were multiple witnesses.  Incidentally, America’s court system was originally modeled after Israel’s court system.  Why?  Because God’s ways work.

I saw your post about “Temporary Leave”.  About the guy in the Army, I thought it was a sin for someone to join the Army; they kill people for no reason; the Bible says, “Thou shall not kill.”

Sincerely,
Peaceful

Dear Peaceful,

There is nothing wrong with being a soldier; some of the most faithful men in the Bible were soldiers and had to kill people in the defense of their country.  David was a man after God’s own heart (1 Sam 13:14), and yet, David killed many people as a soldier.  Jesus marveled at the faith of a centurion soldier (Matt 8:8-10).  The first Gentile convert was Cornelius, a well-known Roman soldier (Acts 10:22).  When a group of soldiers asked John the Baptist what they needed to do to live a faithful life, he told them to be honest and faithful… but he never told them to stop serving in the military (Lk 3:14).

Lord willing, most christian soldiers will never have to kill anyone, but if they did, it won’t be murder (read “Kill Or Be Killed” for more on that topic).  Being a soldier is an honorable profession.

My fiancé just joined the army and is going to basic training.  He is a member of the church of Christ, but there is only Catholic and Baptist services offered on Sundays, so he can’t go to church during training.  Is this a sin?  He will miss about ten weeks of worship services.

Sincerely,
Concerned Fiancé

Dear Concerned Fiancé,

His situation is difficult, but not unique.  There have been many soldiers that have served Christ and country.  Cornelius the centurion was the first Gentile convert (Acts 10:1), soldiers asked John the Baptist how to be faithful (Lk 3:14), and another centurion humbly sought Christ’s help (Matt 8:9).  So take courage, you and your fiancé are not alone in your dilemma.

We consider his situation to be a 2 Cor 8:11 case.  He is accountable for what he is able to do.  If he is out in the middle of the deserts of Iraq, he is physically unable to make it to worship services.  Therefore, he is not condemned for that which he cannot do.  An analogous situation would be a mute Christian; he is commanded to confess Christ with his lips (Rom 10:9), but nobody expects a mute man to do this because he physically unable.  If your fiancé is able to make it to services – DO IT.  If he can’t attend, he should do what he can – pray (1 Thess 5:17) and study (2 Tim 2:15) on his own.  We recommend that he ask some christians that are veterans of the military for tips and advice on what they did to make it through those times where they were unable to make it to services.

Is Jesus a Republican?  When I got saved, I was told I had to change my party affiliation.  If I did not, I was probably not saved.  But truly, I asked God into my heart.  I’m not really into politics; do I have to be a Republican to go to heaven?

Sincerely,
Independent

Dear Independent,

Jesus is not a Republican, and you do not need to be a Republican to be saved.  Politics have always intermingled with religion because many political issues (such as abortion, homosexuality, etc.) have moral implications, but religion is not the same as politics.  Jesus’ attitude toward the government was that we should pay our taxes (Lk 20:25), obey the laws (Rom 13:1), pray for the rulers, and hope for a quiet life (1 Tim 2:1-2).  Politics are a big deal in this country (especially during such volatile political times), but Christianity transcends such earthly disputes and battles.  Stand by God’s Word in all issues, and you will always be fine.

Now, let’s talk for a second about how you are saved.  Asking for God to come into your heart is a wonderful thing, and we commend your zeal, but that isn’t how you are saved.  There are specific things the Bible tells us we must do in order to be saved, and until you do them, you have not obeyed God fully.  Please read the post “Five Steps To Salvation” and make sure that you have become a christian.

Is using deadly force ever justifiable in defense of self or family?  If there were ever a situation where there was complete societal breakdown (no government or police), food and water became scarce, and armed looters and gangs searching for food became a real threat to your family, would you be morally responsible to defend your family by any means necessary?  Would God expect you to turn the other cheek or fight for survival?

Sincerely,
Getting Prepared

Dear Getting Prepared,

When the Bible commands us to not kill, the word used for ‘kill’ is the word that we would use for ‘murder.  Some of the most faithful men in the Bible were soldiers and had to kill people in the defense of their country.  David was a man after God’s own heart (1 Sam 13:14), and yet David killed many people as a soldier.  Jesus marveled at the faith of a centurion soldier (Matt 8:8-10).  The first Gentile convert was Cornelius, a well-known Roman soldier (Acts 10:22).  When a group of soldiers asked John the Baptist what they needed to do to live a faithful life, he told them to be honest and faithful… but he never told them to stop serving in the military (Lk 3:14).  These are all examples of the difference between murder and self-defense (or war-time killing).

In the Old Testament, God made specific rules that allowed an individual to kill if they were defending their home or family (Ex 22:2).  In Lk 22:35-39, Jesus tells His disciples that persecution will begin after He leaves and that they ought to “buy a sword” – this is certainly an endorsement of self-defense.  All of these point to the fact that God distinguishes between defensive force and vigilante murder.