USA still, one of the last democratic country, has a death penalty. But the USA do not seem to be a much better place regarding criminality, murder rate, rape etc. compared to countries without a death penalty.
Actually, the opposite seems to be true.
“Let every soul be subject unto the governing authorities. For there is no authority except
from God, and the authorities that exist [speaking of man’s governments and courts] are
appointed by God.… For he [a government or court official] is God’s minister [“servant”
or “magistrate” in some translations] to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he
does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an AVENGER TO EXECUTE
WRATH on him who practices evil” (Romans 13:1-4; New King James Version).
The God of love tells us in such scriptures as Hebrews 12:5-6 that for our own good those who
commit wrong must be corrected. Correction is the God-given means to prevent crime and other
problems. Using strong correction FORCES CHANGE in criminals convicted of lesser offenses
and eliminates entirely the threat of those convicted of violent crimes such as murder.
“Punishment, when meted out in the proper manner, and at the proper time, is one of the
greatest blessings a human being—at any age—can receive!” The reason is that if we do
not receive correction, we will proceed on a course to our own destruction (Proverbs 14:12).
Many people reject God’s clear commandments involving implementation of the death penalty.
And though the death penalty was reinstated by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1976, Americans have
demenstrated a fear to sternly correct evildoers, and are vacillating in their determination to use
the God-given option of executing people for horrible wrongs.
As the late FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover once stated about our modern permissive society,
we have “substituted INDULGENCE for discipline.” The result is that our prisons are full
to overflowing and our society is inundated in violent crime.
As for determining a person’s guilt, there is only one biblical rule: “Whoever kills a person, the
murderer shall be put to death on the testimony of witnesses; but one witness is not sufficient
testimony against a person for the death penalty” (Numbers 35:30). Deuteronomy 17:6 agrees:
“Whoever is worthy of death shall be put to death on the testimony of two or three witnesses,
but he shall not be put to death on the testimony of one witness” .
In God’s eyes, repeated reprieves and appeals—and now, insistence upon DNA testing to
verify guilt—should not be necessary for death-row inmates.
Ezra 7:26 guides us toward speedy response to crime by stating, “And whosoever will not do the
law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be
unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.”
The criminal mind does not respect authority. The only thing such a person respects is equal or
stronger FORCE! And when that strong force is used immediately to severely punish an offender,
it makes others of like mind think twice before acting likewise.
However, once again, the liberal element in our society says there is little deterrent value in
punishments such as the death penalty. They have a point—but only because of how hesitant
our courts are to use the death penalty!
People who commit crimes are promised a fair trial—NOT a perfect trial. Yet so many of the
habeas corpus appeals (many of which amount to little more than stalling tactics) are procedural
and/or frivolous in nature, nit-picking the court over minor imperfections in court procedure.
The book of Proverbs states, “When the scorner is punished, the simple is made wise,”
and “Smite a scorner, and the simple will beware” (Proverbs 21:11; 19:25). People can
learn vicariously from the experiences of others!
The deterrent effect of the death penalty is muted because of current practices. But even
basic understanding of human nature tells us that, if administered properly, the death penalty
would have a significant deterrent effect!
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