Capital Punish: Christian Or Barbarian?

CAPITAL PUNISH: Christian or Barbarian?

Rom 13:1-6 NIV Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing.

Ecc. 8:11 Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.

WHAT DOES JESUS BELIEVE ABOUT CAPITAL PUNISHMENT????

Texas has received a lot of flack about the fact that we lead the nation in Capitol Punishment. So . . . . What should I believe about C P. as a Christian?

Tonight I am not as concerned as to what you believe about Capitol Punishment or even what I believe about it but WHAT DOES JESUS BELIEVE ABOUT CAPITAL PUNISHMENT?

TO UNDERSTAND CAPITOL PUNISHMENT I BELIEVE WE NEED TO START IN THE BEGINNING:

A. There are seven dispensations that man has lived under.

1. Innocence 2. Conscience 3. Human Government

4. Promise 5. Law 6. Church 7. Kingdom

A dispensation is a period of time during which man is tested in respect to his obedience to some specific revelations of the will of God. These revelations are progressive and continual. (What is revealed in a prior dispensation is not negated because of added revelation in the following or the succeeding dispensations.) Most of the Bible was written during the law dispensation.

B. Someone will say that the LAW was done away when the Church age was established. NOT SO.

Rom 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

The question is WHAT LAW IS CHRIST THE END OF???

There were three sections to the Law of God as given to Israel:

1. The Moral Law

2. The Civil Law

3. The Ceremonial Law.

It was the ceremonial law that Christ did away with.

Read Heb. 10 Hebrews 10

1For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. 2For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. 3But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. 4For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.

5Therefore, when He came into the world, He said:

“Sacrifice and offering You did not desire,

But a body You have prepared for Me.

6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin

You had no pleasure.

7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come—

In the volume of the book it is written of Me—

To do Your will, O God.’”£

8Previously saying, “Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the law), 9then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will, £O God.” He takes away the first that He may establish the second. 10By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Did he do away with the Moral Law. Is it all right to lie, steal, cheat, commit adultery, etc.

Did he do away with the Civil law (Human Gov.)?

THERE ARE 3 DIVINELY ORDAINED INSTITUTIONS ON EARTH WITH GOD’S AUTHORITY TO DO THE WORK OF MAINTAINING ORDER IN THE AREA OF CIVIL AND MORAL LAW.

1. THE HOME Eph. 5:21-25 & 6:1-7

3. THE CHURCH Eph 4 & 5:21-25 & 6:1-7

2. HUMAN GOVERNMENT Romans 13

Remember that God set the home up first. Then he set up human Government. Then the church.

Most of the Bible was written under the Law dispensation and deals with the NATION of Israel. It dealt with a GOVERNMENT. It was a Theocracy not a democracy.