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Romans 12, 17, I'll read through 
Romans 13, verse 10. Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in 
the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as 
depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not 
avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath. For it is 
written, vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. Therefore, 
if your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him 
a drink. For in so doing, you will heap 
coals of fire on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but 
overcome evil with good. Let every soul be subject to 
the governing authorities, for there is no authority except 
from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore, whoever resists the 
authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist 
will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to 
good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of 
the authority? Do what is good. and you will 
have praise from the same, for he is God's minister 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. Therefore, 
you must be subject, not only because of wrath, but also for 
conscience sake. For because of this you also 
pay taxes, for they are God's ministers attending continually 
to this very thing. Render therefore to all their 
due, taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, 
fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor. Owe no one anything except 
to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the 
law. For the commandments, you shall 
not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, 
you shall not bear false witness, you shall not covet. And if there 
is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, 
namely, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no harm 
to a neighbor. Therefore, love is the fulfillment 
of the law. Amen. Well, tonight, we're going 
to look at capital punishment. Last week, I mentioned it in 
passing. I hope it was a little more than 
in passing, but I thought we'd spend the hour tonight to expound 
this doctrine of capital punishment. As we've worked our way through 
the Book of Deuteronomy, as we've looked at various laws in the 
Old Testament, we have seen that there are three types of punishment 
in the Old Testament. And by punishment, I mean civil 
or criminal sort of punishment. There is restitution or compensation 
which includes indentured servitude if the criminal does not have 
money to pay back the crime. Secondly, as we saw last week 
in Deuteronomy 25 verses 1 to 3, there is corporal punishment. 
That means that the offender would have lied down, and in 
the presence of supervision, would have been flogged, would 
have been beaten with a rod, with the amount of stripes commensurate 
to the crime that he had engaged in. But as well as we have seen 
several times in the book of Deuteronomy, there is capital 
punishment, or the death penalty, where God mandates that offenders 
In given instances, given situations, criminal activity should be executed 
not by private persons but by the magistrate, by the governing 
authorities. The argument tonight is not that 
individual persons get to put people to death. It is the monopoly 
of the state, the government the officials, the magistrate, 
the judiciary, those involved in hearing and in adjudicating 
crimes and in ultimately bringing sentence to bear, they have the 
right to execute criminal offenders. Now, this isn't just some esoteric 
discussion. If you've been looking at the 
news over the last week, there was a man who appealed to the 
Bible or who said that there's not one word in the Bible that 
forbids slavery. There was a guy who was asked 
to close in prayer at the inauguration of President Obama. Well, this 
particular man preached a sermon against homosexuality in the 
1990s, and as a result, he's no longer welcomed by the tolerant 
Democratic Party to be able to pray at this inauguration ceremony. Well, with reference to this 
whole affair, Lawrence O'Donnell of MSNBC said the holy book she, 
the first lady, will be holding does not contain one word of 
God condemning slavery. Not one word. Now, presumably, 
Mr. O'Donnell is referring to what 
is called chattel slavery, that sort of slavery that was seen 
in America when people were stolen from the continent of Africa 
and brought over and enslaved. Does the Bible speak to that 
situation? It absolutely does. There is 
indentured servitude, again, that is a lawful form of slavery, 
whereas if I steal from Steve and I cannot pay it back, I sell 
myself into slavery or servitude to him until I pay the debt. But shadow slavery, where we're 
dealing with people as if they're property, and we're free to steal 
them and then sell them, is condemned in Deuteronomy 24-7. We saw this 
last week. If a man is found kidnapping 
any of his brethren of the children of Israel, and mistreats him 
or sells him, then that kidnapper shall die. So he's not talking 
about the child taken for ransom. He's talking about slavery, chattel 
slavery, stealing someone from a particular continent, bringing 
him over to another one, and then enslaving him. The Bible 
does speak to that particular issue. I'm only trying to highlight 
the reality that biblical law, the Bible, the law of God, is 
oftentimes under dispute and under debate. And so I want to 
shine the light upon that reality as we look at this most crucial 
subject concerning the punishment of criminal offenders. Real quick, 
because we're... Oh, absolutely. Joseph's brothers 
were wrong to do what they did. They kidnapped him and they sold 
him. That's what Joseph says. You 
meant this for evil. This wasn't legit. You meant 
this for evil, but God overruled it for good. So the idea here 
with Lawrence O'Donnell and this idea of slavery, just to illustrate 
that the Bible oftentimes is under-debated or disputed or 
just misunderstood or just neglected. For this man to say it does not 
contain one word of God condemning slavery Not one word is patently 
and demonstrably false. Well, opponents of the death 
penalty often employ the same sort of faulty logic. Most often, 
they say, well, the death penalty was only operative in the Old 
Testament. So what we're going to do tonight 
is what's called a biblical theology of capital punishment. Remember 
that biblical theology starts in Genesis and goes to Revelation 
and traces a particular theme through redemptive history. It 
differs from systematic theology. Systematic theology says, what 
does the Bible say about the Bible? And then it gives us the 
text. What does the Bible say about God? And then it gives 
us the text. What does the Bible say about 
Christ and about man and about salvation and about the church 
and eschatology? That's systematic theology. That's 
crucial and absolutely necessary. But right now we're doing a biblical 
theology. Start in Genesis and run through 
the Bible and we'll look at this biblical theology of capital 
punishment. First, the Old Testament. Secondly, 
the New Testament. And then we'll conclude with 
some common objections to the death penalty, both biblical 
objections and what I'll call pragmatic objections. So biblical, 
meaning that the Bible says we're not to execute criminal offenders, 
but then pragmatism, arguments like, well, there's not a lot 
of mercy in the death penalty, things like that. a pragmatic 
objection. I think at times when we treat 
objections and we answer them, we then see a good apology with 
reference to the truth of Holy Scripture. So remember, the Bible 
does authorize, and we're not going to develop this, this is 
an operating assumption here. The Bible authorizes three instances 
of lawful killing. There are three times or three 
instances in life where you may lawfully, I'm not saying go out 
and do this, where you may lawfully take the life of another human 
being. The first one is self-defense. The Bible recognizes that a man 
in his home has the right to defend himself. If a criminal 
breaks into your home and in the midst of your opposition 
to him, he dies, if it's dark, you are not held liable for the 
death of this particular individual. This means you may employ reasonable 
force to stop the man from doing harm to you or to your family. 
Self-defense is legit. In fact, Matthew Henry comments 
on this whole issue of self-defense on the classic passage in Exodus 
chapter 22. Matthew Henry says, a man's house 
is his castle, and God's law as well as man's sets a guard 
upon it. He that assaults it does so at 
his own peril. Jesus uses the assumption that 
a man will defend his home when he's illustrating the kingdom 
of darkness trying to plunder the kingdom of light. If the 
strong man knew that the owner of the house would be ready, 
he wouldn't break in at that particular time. So self-defense 
is authorized in the scripture. Secondly, legitimate warfare. Legitimate warfare. When we read 
in Deuteronomy 7 that God commands Israel to go into Canaan and 
to utterly destroy everybody in war, we have to understand 
that God is legitimizing war. It's okay. in his stipulation. There are rules governing warfare 
in Deuteronomy chapter 20 verses 1 to 20. In the book of Romans, 
what we just read, yes the civil government has the sword for 
the execution of God's wrath against criminal offenders, but 
hopefully that magistrate can employ that same sword to defend 
its citizenry against opposition from without. In other words, 
if an army wants to do battle in Canada, it is a legitimate 
application of Romans 13 for the Canadian Defence Ministry 
to protect its citizenry, to use that sword in a defensive 
posture, but in the midst of the use of that sword, as they 
say, at times people will die. So self-defense, legitimate war, 
and then the third instance of lawful killing is this issue 
of capital punishment. So turn first to Genesis chapter 
9. Again, I mentioned these passages 
last week. We didn't develop them. in any 
detail, simply trying to show you what the Bible says, so that 
when we face the Lawrence O'Donnells of this world, or the various 
sorts of media that attack the scripture, or when we are dealing 
with non-Christians, or unfortunately when we're dealing with Christians, 
we understand what's going on in the scripture. You remember 
the context in Genesis chapter 9. There are at least three things 
going on in this particular instance. God, the Lord, is speaking to 
the propagation of life. Remember, Noah and his family 
have emerged from the ark. So God tells Noah that he is 
to propagate life. In many respects, Noah is another 
Adam. There seems to be a succession 
of Adams. There's the Adam the first, then 
there's Noah, then you've got Abraham, then you've got Israel, 
then you've got the last Adam, which is Christ. Well, notice 
in each of these instances that Adam figure is told to be fruitful 
and multiply. Adam was given that mandate. 
Noah is given that mandate. Abraham is told that this is 
going to happen to him. Israel is supposed to do this. 
Ultimately, Jesus is the one from whom the blessings flow. But in Genesis 9, verse 1, be 
fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. And then as well in 
verse 7, And as for you, be fruitful and multiply, bring forth abundantly 
in the earth, and multiply in it. Secondly, what we find here 
is a mandate to protect life. You need to protect life, verse 
4. You shall not eat flesh with 
its life, that is, its blood. Verse 6 speaks to protecting 
man's blood. Whoever sheds man's blood, by 
man his blood shall be shed, for in the image of God he made 
man. So the propagation of life, the 
protection of life, and then the sustenance of life. Verses 
2 and 3. And the fear of you and the dread 
of you shall be on every beast of the earth, on every bird of 
the air, on all that move on the earth, and on all fish of 
the sea. They are given into your hand. 
Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have 
given you all things, even as the green herbs." So God is concerned 
here to regulate conduct after the flood in such a way as to 
see that life is propagated, life is protected, and life is 
sustained. Humanity is to continue, humanity 
is to increase, humanity ultimately vis-a-vis through Israel is to 
bring forth Messiah who will save his people from their sins. The covenant with Noah provides 
the common grace framework for the operation of special grace. God promises never again to destroy 
the earth, and that there will be sun, and there will be rain, 
and there will be legitimate ability to plan and grow things 
for these purposes, to propagate, protect, and to sustain life. Now remember, prior to the flood, 
the earth was a pretty bad place. It was exceedingly corrupt and 
it was filled with violence. So in verse 6, God addresses 
a particular offense, something that was going on on the earth 
prior to the flood. And that particular sin, that 
particular crime, is murder. Whoever sheds man's blood. That is the offense in view. The unlawful taking of another 
person's life. Remember that initially Cain 
kills Abel. And then Cain tries to hide that 
particular fact. When God comes to deal with him, 
he says, am I my brother's keeper? Well, that very quickly deteriorates 
or devolves into Lamech, who celebrates blood guiltiness. who celebrates murder, he says, 
Ada and Zilla, hear my voice. Wives of Lamech, listen to my 
speech, for I have killed a man for wounding me, even a young 
man for hurting me. If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, 
then Lamech seventy-sevenfold. So we go from a situation where 
there does seem to be at least a degree of shame with Cain, 
wherein he's trying to hide this murder, to Lamech, who is now 
exalting in it. So the earth had become corrupt 
and exceedingly corrupt and filled with violence, so God comes to 
regulate in the post-flood world. So the offense, whoever sheds 
man's blood. Notice the specific punishment 
that is in view. By man, his blood shall be shed. Very simple. Doesn't take a rocket 
scientist to figure this out. If I shed the blood of a particular 
man, then according to God, according to his law, according to his 
word, I deserve to die. That's what the Lord says. That's not what a think tank 
says is best. That's not what social architects 
design for this particular age. It is not something that we vote 
into being. It is a mandate, a command from 
God that by man his blood shall be shed. Remember the principle 
of the lex talionis, the punishment must fit the crime. Notice the 
agent by which this punishment is carried out. Whoever sheds 
man's blood, by man his blood shall be shed. You see the agent 
there, it's by man. God says that. God says there 
is a man. We will see later that it's the 
civil government. It is by man that that criminal 
is executed. That's not ungodly, it's not 
unrighteous, it's not unholy, but rather it is mandated by 
the Lord. By man his blood shall be shed." 
Martin Luther said this was the first command having reference 
to the temporal sword. By these words, temporal government 
was established and the sword placed in its hand by God. Everybody got that? That's what's 
going on after the flood. God is speaking to the situation. He wants to regulate society 
and He is saying that there is an agent that has the task of 
punishing criminal offenders and they are to utilize the sword 
to carry out that particular task. Now, with reference to 
the sword, we need to remember, I think John Murray captures 
the sentiment well. He says, the sword which the 
magistrate carries as the most significant part of his equipment 
is not merely the sign of his authority, but of his right to 
wield it in the infliction of that which a sword does. It can 
be wielded to execute punishment that falls short of death, but 
to exclude the right of the death penalty when the nature of the 
crime calls for such is totally contrary to that which the sword 
signifies and executes. So the sword, the reference here, 
involves and includes death. That is the punishment that is 
to be inflicted upon the murderer. Gordon Clark says, God gave the 
right of capital punishment to human governments. Now, I realize 
this opens up a huge other debate. What if that human government's 
unholy? What if that human government 
is ungodly? What if that human government 
is run by Joseph Stalin? Do we want to hand him the sword 
and say it's up to you, boy, on how to carry that? That's 
another debate, another discussion I am more than willing to have. 
Right now I just want us to see that God has instituted the magistrate 
the governing authorities as that agent by which he executes 
criminal offenders. So Clark says he intended the 
sword to be used wisely and justly, but he intended it to be used. Abolition of the death penalty 
presupposes the falsity of Christian principles. That's what Clark 
said, and I am inclined to agree with him. If God mandates a certain 
penalty, then who are we, in the name of greater mercy, greater 
humanitarian design, to say that it is barbaric and we cannot 
allow it? If God the Lord has spoken, we 
need to listen. And then notice finally, with 
reference to verse 6, the theological reason for this particular command. Whoever sheds man's blood, by 
man his blood shall be shed. Remember Pastor Barcello's preaching 
said that we look at that word for. For gives us a reason. For gives us an implication. For highlights to us a specific 
argument. So whoever sheds man's blood, 
by man his blood shall be shed. For, why? Do we do this? For in the image of God, he made 
man. It is a theological reason. Again, not sociological, not 
ecclesiastical, not familial, but rather it is a theological 
justification for the infliction of the death penalty upon a murderer 
by a human government. This is the word of the living 
God. Gerhardus Voss says, the nature 
of the crime is this, in life slain it is the image of God, 
i.e. the divine majesty that is assaulted. If we are image bearers of the 
living and the true God, for me to kill you or murder you 
is to assault that divine image. That's a no-no. That's the theological 
justification, or the rationale, or the reason behind this particular 
command by way of God in Genesis. So in the Old Testament, Genesis 
9-6 is foundational, irrespective of the Sinai legislation. If, 
as I've mentioned, this coincides with the Noahic Covenant. The 
Noahic Covenant has never been abrogated. I don't know of any 
theologian, any commentator that would ever argue that the Noahic 
Covenant is no longer binding upon us today. The Noahic Covenant 
provides, as I said, the common grace. If you don't like that 
terminology, we can debate that another time, but I'm going to 
use it. The common grace framework for the operation of God's special 
grace in redemption of his elect. So the next big section with 
reference to the death penalty is the Mosaic legislation. And because we have spent a lot 
of time in the book of Deuteronomy I do not feel constrained to 
spend a lot of time in the Sinai legislation. We see in that particular 
body of law, we see a distinction made concerning homicide and 
murder. a distinction made between accidental 
homicide and murder. It's one thing if I'm driving 
home and a kid runs out and grabs his ball and I run him over accidentally. According to the law of God, 
that is not the same as if I gun it and I chase some kid and I 
run him down because I can't stand him and I have malice aforethought. There is a delineation in the 
law or a distinction between accidental homicide and murder. So the Mosaic legislation speaks 
to that. As well, the Mosaic legislation 
identifies additional capital crimes. Now, I believe those 
crimes were already seen prior to Sinai, but nevertheless, it's 
codified. The various crimes that receive 
the death penalty are seen in the Sinai legislation. Again, 
it predates Sinai. We see God rain hell out of heaven 
upon Sodom and Gomorrah. What does that tell us? It tells 
us that God does not look favorably upon homosexuality. God does 
not look favorably upon murder. God does not look favorably upon 
this host of crimes. And so the mosaic economy identifies 
additional capital crimes. We've seen that. Murder, obviously, 
and most people that affirm the death penalty all agree that 
murder, for sure. Now it's the additional crimes 
that becomes debatable. But just for the sake of argument 
tonight, what we have seen or what we do see when we turn to 
the Sinai legislation, we see the capital punishment for adultery 
and unchastity. We see it for bestiality, homosexuality, 
rape, incest, the incorrigible son, Sabbath breaking, kidnapping, 
solicitation to apostasy, witchcraft, sorcery, and false pretension 
to prophecy, and blasphemy. So those are additional pieces, 
or additional crimes. In fact, I think if you look 
at it, every one of the Ten Commandments, save do not covet, is punishable 
by death. The Eighth Commandment, you shall 
not steal. If we apply that to man stealing, 
if we apply that to kidnapping, as we've seen in Deuteronomy 
24, 7, it then becomes a capital offense. So just all this to 
say that within the Sinai legislation, we not only see distinction made 
between accidental homicide and murder, but we also see the identification 
of additional capital crimes. But then in the Sinai legislation, 
we also see a declaration given concerning the necessity of the 
death penalty. You can turn to Numbers 35 for 
just a moment. Numbers 35. Verse 31, moreover, you shall 
take no ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death, 
but he shall surely be put to death. This is in the context 
of the cities of refuge. This is in the context of a distinction 
being made between accidental homicide and murder. So if a 
man accidentally commits, accidentally kills somebody, if he's swinging 
his axe and the head flies off and hits his neighbor and he 
dies, but it wasn't premeditated, it wasn't with malice aforethought, 
then he can flee to the city of refuge. So in the context, 
this is what's going on. But highlighting the gravity 
of the crime of murder, this is what the specification is. 
Verse 31, you shall take no ransom for the life of a murderer who 
is guilty of death, but he shall surely be put to death. You shall 
take no ransom for him who has fled to his city of refuge, that 
he may return to dwell in the land before the death of the 
priest. So you shall not pollute the land where you are for blood 
defiles the land and no atonement can be made for the land for 
the blood that is shed on it except by the blood of him who 
shed it. Therefore do not defile the land 
which you inhabit in the midst of which I dwell for I the Lord 
dwell among the children of Israel. Now again We have seen. We are not living under the theocracy 
that Old Covenant Israel found themselves under in the land 
of Canaan. There are some differences. There 
is some redemptive historical shift. All I want us to appreciate 
at this particular time is that as we trace through the Bible, 
we see foundational Genesis 9-6. We see in the Mosaic economy 
distinction, identification, and declaration. And then when 
we turn to the New Testament, We see the same things. The first line of evidence with 
reference to the death penalty or capital punishment is in the 
crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The crucifixion of Jesus Christ. God made him who knew no sin 
to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God 
in him. The Lord God most high in bringing 
justice to bear in terms of his death blow to sin is pleased 
to crush the son of his love on a Roman cross. Jesus doesn't 
ever object to that form of punishment. Jesus is not a pacifist. He doesn't 
tell Pilate. He doesn't tell Herod. He doesn't 
tell the unbelieving Jews that you can't send me to that Roman 
cross because it is unconstitutional. It is barbaric. It is the throwback 
to an earlier generation. It is assumed, and the Lord Christ 
goes to his death as the punishment for sin. The Apostle Paul, as 
he is brought up on charges, makes an interesting statement 
in Acts 25. In Acts 25, when Paul makes his 
appeal to Caesar, Notice in Acts 25 verse 10, Paul 
said, I stand at Caesar's judgment seat where I ought to be judged. To the Jews, I have done no wrong, 
as you very well know. For if I am an offender or have 
committed anything deserving of death, I do not object to 
dying. You see, he doesn't say the death 
penalty is cruel. He doesn't say God abrogated 
the death penalty. He doesn't say the death penalty 
ceased with the Mosaic economy. He does not say that. He is under 
trial. The Jews have offered or proffered 
evidence or false evidence against him for being a criminal and 
an offender. And I take in this statement 
more than just murder in view. He says, if I have committed 
anything deserving of death, seems to imply there's a plurality 
of crimes that the apostle agrees are worthy of punishment by death. Again, this isn't direct teaching 
on the death penalty. Paul is not saying here, here, 
I want to weigh in on this issue of the death penalty so that 
in the 21st century, they can have a word and figure it out. 
I'm just making illustration or observations at this particular 
point. Remember, we start in Genesis. 
We're sort of flying over the scripture. And we're looking 
at various places. Paul affirms the existence of 
the death penalty and does not refuse it if, in fact, he is 
guilty and deserving of it. But the classic passage is found 
in Romans 13. Romans chapter 13. This is teaching 
specifically on the death penalty. And it's important that we understand 
that Romans 13 follows Romans 12. That's not simply a mathematical 
observation. I don't want to teach you how 
to count tonight. But notice, when you get to Romans 
13, verse 1, there's no adversative. There's no indication whatsoever 
that there's a new argument in view. You know, oftentimes the 
chapter breaks indicate a new theme, a new subject. In this 
case, if there was no chapter break in 13.1, which, by the 
way, came later, you're not to interpret chapter breaks and 
verses and those sorts of things as being the infallible word 
of God. there are some poor choices in 
terms of chapter breaks and verse breaks in the Bible. But if you didn't have this chapter 
break and you kept reading verses 1 and following of chapter 13, 
it goes right along with that section beginning in Romans chapter 
12. Notice in Romans chapter 12, 
verse 17, Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things 
in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as 
depends on you, live peaceably with all men." Who is he speaking 
to here? He is speaking to individual 
Christians who make up the Church of Jesus Christ. He is highlighting 
here in Romans 12, beginning in verse 17, the Christian's 
personal responsibility, his personal disposition, his personal 
ethical response to the various contentions, the various issues 
that face him in this world. sock it away for later, one of 
the biblical objections we're going to look at is Jesus teaching 
in Matthew 5. When Jesus says, turn the other 
cheek, go with them another mile, I suggest that that section parallels 
what Paul is doing here in Romans 12, verses 17 to 21. Anyways, let's just look at this. 
So if it is possible, verse 18, as much as depends on you, live 
peaceably with all men. Notice the contingency. If it 
is possible, as much as depends on you. If you go over to your 
neighbor's house and he punches you in the mouth every single 
day, don't go over there anymore. I've got to win my neighbor as 
much as it depends on you. God's not calling you to get 
punched in the mouth every single day. As much as it depends on 
you. If you've done the best you can 
to make peace with somebody who's hard-headed, You can't keep going 
on. There's a place and a point and 
a time where we go too far. The Proverbs speak to these issues. 
Do not go with an angry man. Do not surround yourself with 
fools. They rage against all wisdom. 
So if it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably 
with all men. Beloved. Again, notice who he's 
addressing here. Beloved. Not civil magistrate. Not army. Not Navy, not Marines, 
not Air Force. He says, beloved individual Christians 
who make up the Church of Christ, beloved, do not avenge yourselves. He's saying, don't go by a 38 
and shoot your next door neighbor because he punched you in the 
mouth. Do not avenge yourselves. Now, Christians take that. as 
a call to never ever want vengeance. No, it is a call for us not to 
take vengeance ourselves. But look at the next phrase, 
but rather give place to wrath. What is he suggesting? It is 
written, vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. It is right 
for God to repay, it is wrong for you to repay. It's not wrong 
for you to want them to be repaid someday. If they don't repent, 
if they don't forsake, if they don't come to Christ, then may 
God indeed deal with them. Doesn't Paul say this in 2 Timothy 
4? Alexander the coppersmith did 
me much harm. May the Lord repay him. Do not the saints in heaven engage 
in a fourfold hallelujah when the great harlot is judged. Absolutely. The infliction of God's wrath 
upon his enemies is a cause for rejoicing to the people of God. The Proverbs speak to this issue. The Bible speaks to this issue. So we are told, beloved, do not 
avenge yourselves. Now notice this very important 
phrase. But rather give place to wrath. For it is written, vengeance 
is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. Therefore, here's your 
personal code of conduct. If your enemy is hungry, feed 
him. If he is thirsty, give him a drink. For in so doing, you 
will heap coals of fire on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, 
but overcome evil with good. Do not become like them. Do not 
become vindictive. Do not become pharisaical. Do 
not become little or small or vengeful, but rather do not avenge 
yourselves, but give place to the wrath of God. Now note how 
the context goes. Let every soul be subject to 
the governing authorities. For there is no authority except 
from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore, whoever resists the 
authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist 
will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to 
good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of 
the authority? Do what is good, and you will 
have praise for this. from the same. Now notice, this links 
us back to the previous context. Verse 4, For he is God's minister 
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 and avenger 
to execute wrath on him who practices evil. In the previous context 
we're told not to avenge ourselves but to give place for wrath. And in Romans 13, 1 to 4, God 
says, in history. See, this giving place to wrath 
doesn't just mean the lake of fire in the future. It may mean 
capital punishment in history by virtue of God's ordained servant, 
namely the civil government. You see, we're not to avenge 
ourselves, but we are certainly to hope that we have a functioning 
magistrate that does serve as God's minister of wrath his avenger 
of wrath to execute God's judgment in history. You see, there's 
connection. Do not take vengeance for yourselves, 
rather give place to God's vengeance. One of the places we see God's 
vengeance meted out is through the civil magistrate in time, 
in space, and in history. Does everybody see that? I think 
it's important that we understand that. The very concepts are repeated 
here. Vengeance is mine. Rather give 
place to wrath, verse 19, Ford has written, vengeance is mine. 
And then God stipulates in verse 4 of chapter 13 that he has a 
means by which he gives out wrath in history. It's not just an 
eschatological concept. There is a temporal concept of 
God's wrath inflicted upon criminals in the here and the now. So, 
putting this all into perspective, if somebody comes to do harm 
to you, it is legit for you to defend yourself, it is legit 
as well to report that person to the authorities so that he 
may be punished. Right? That is legitimate. You know, some of the arguments 
against the death penalty get rid of any form of penalty. Well, 
there's no mercy in the death penalty. And there's mercy in 
prison? There's mercy in a fine? There's 
mercy in whatever the case may be. You see, if we take the logic 
of the no death penalty people, we have no penalty whatsoever. God doesn't operate that way. 
God says that he has appointed a minister in time and space, 
a minister for good. Now let's focus in on this a 
little bit. They just wanted to get us in the context. The 
individual Christian is not to take vengeance because God has 
ordained the magistrate to execute his vengeance in time and in 
history. Turretin says blameless protection 
is not prohibited in Romans 12, but private revenge. Blameless 
protection is not prohibited in Romans 12, but private revenge, 
this attitude, this spirit, this vigilantism, that's what's being 
dealt with in that context. But notice, the duty to submit, 
again, this opens up a lot of questions. And what about Pol 
Pot? And what about Hitler? And what 
about Stalin? And what about? You know, we 
could name any number of men that were abusive in power. That's 
another issue. It's correlated, but we don't 
have time for that right now. Here we need to understand, let 
every soul be subject to the governing authorities. That is 
the Word of God. That's what God says. We are 
to be subject to the governing authorities. That is the marching 
order of the Christian. The Christian is to be subject. The Christian is to be a good 
citizen. The Christian is to conduct him 
or herself in a manner that is consistent with the scripture. 
Peter repeats the same thing in 1 Peter chapter 2, therefore 
submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether 
to the king of supreme or to governors, as to those who are 
sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise 
of those who do good." Now remember, these were not especially gracious 
times in the lives of people. The Roman Empire was not known 
for its kindness and mercy. Nero especially was not known 
for his kindness and mercy. Now, arguably, Nero was better 
when Paul wrote Romans than he would later become. But at this 
particular time, as Paul is penning Romans, Nero is the emperor. OK? Just so you get a flavor. Paul's not sitting in the new 
heavens and the new earth saying, let every soul be subject to 
the governing authorities. He is not living in the Bahamas 
under a benevolent dictator who makes all things you know, peaceable 
and lovely. Paul is living at a time with 
an oppressive government. But, that's the duty. Submit. 
Secondly, the reason for submission. There is no authority except 
from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Psalm 82 tells us this. Proverbs 
8, Christ speaking his wisdom, says, by me kings reign. Nebuchadnezzar 
recognized this reality, that God Most High raises men up. God Most High raises up Manasseh. God Most High raises up Ahab. God Most High raises up Omri. God Most High raises men up. And God Most High puts them down. This is Paul's logic. Let every 
soul be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no 
authority except from God. And the authorities that exist 
are appointed by God. Notice what he says is a sin. Therefore, whoever resists the 
authority, resists the ordinance of God. And those who resist 
will bring judgment on themselves. Now it's at this point that we 
get all these what ifs. What if Nazis are at our door 
and they're looking for Jews. Do we have the right to lie to 
them if there's Jews underneath our floor? That's another discussion 
for another time. I just want to give us the bare 
bones of what the Apostle is stipulating in this particular 
passage. All things being equal, if your 
government is not commanding you to sin, you are not to resist 
that. When they command you to sin, 
you may resist that. We see this principle in Acts 
5.29, when Peter and John and the apostles are forbidden to 
preach the gospel. Peter says, we must obey God 
rather than man. In this case where the people 
tell you you can't preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, we must 
obey God rather than men. Now we need to make sure we don't 
make that principle really elastic. What do you mean I can't have 
15 ounces of chocolate in my refrigerator? I must, you know, 
obey God rather than men. God hasn't commanded me. to have 
15 ounces of chocolate. So we need to make sure we're 
not real elastic with some of these principles. And I believe 
God gives wisdom, God gives grace. If we are in a situation where 
Nazis are knocking at our door, I actually believe the Spirit 
will guide and lead and help and all that sort of thing. But 
just giving you the framework, what Paul is bringing his argument 
to. Now notice, Verse 3, for rulers 
are not a terror to good works, but to evil. I think we should 
supply their evil works. The ESV has conduct, or bad conduct. I think that is legit. I don't 
think Paul is suggesting that the civil authority is a terror 
to evil. The civil authority cannot deal 
with thought crime. The civil authority does not 
have omniscience. The civil authority cannot police 
minds. God will deal with sin in the 
mind. The magistrate deals with evil 
works. If you take that sinful mind 
and you go into the public marketplace and there you inflict mass murder, 
it is at that point that the magistrate is to be involved 
and to punish that evil work. If it sits in your mind and it's 
never fleshed out, God will deal with that sin. Everybody see 
that? We're not Orwellian. This is 
not thought grind. This magistrate does not police 
ideas. That is a crime in and of itself 
when the government wants to police our ideas, when they don't 
want us to think a certain way. That's not what Paul is specifying 
here. Rulers are not a terror to good 
words, but to evil works. In old covenant Israel, if you 
entertained in your mind, if you entertained in your heart, 
bail worship, and you never acted upon it, or no one ever knew, 
you wouldn't be put to death by the magistrate. You will be 
judged by God for sinning in your mind, but the civil government 
cannot police the thoughts of men. So it is necessary that 
we understand verse 3 to say that rulers are not a terror 
to good works, but to evil works. Do you want to be unafraid of 
the authority? Do what is good and you will 
have praise from the same. Drive the speed limit and you 
don't have to worry about the cop. It's that simple. That's 
the logic. Do what you're supposed to do, 
and you shouldn't be put in jail. Shouldn't. Again, there's bad 
government, there's oppression, there's sin in that realm, and 
we need to deal with that to be sure. But in this context, 
this is what Paul is saying. Do you want to be unafraid of 
the authority? Do it as good, you will have praise from the 
same. The praise from the same doesn't mean they take you to 
five corners and and give you medals and say what a great guy 
or great girl you are. It just means I think they'll 
leave you alone. That's the best praise you can get from your 
government, is to let you be. There is no greater praise that 
you should want from your government than to be left alone. Just leave 
me alone. That's all the praise I want 
from my government. That's, I think, the point. I 
don't think he means that Nero's gonna have a special celebration 
for you because you've done what is good for 365 days of the year. No, the idea is simple. Do what 
is good, you'll have grace from the saint, you'll be able to 
conduct yourself and live without molestation from the government. 
Now, verse 4. Four, this is the magistrate, 
the government, the one appointed by God, the one who has been 
planted by God, the one who we are not to resist, for he is 
God's minister. It's the same Greek word that 
in the church is translated deacon. God has his deacon or his servant 
or his minister in the church as a minister of mercy. He has 
a deacon in the government and in this instance he is not ministering 
mercy, rather he is ministering justice. Verse 4, he is God's 
minister to you for good. If you do what you're supposed 
to do, he should leave you alone. You shouldn't get thrown into 
jail if you don't do anything wrong. That's the way it ought 
to be. Again, it's not always that way. 
I understand that. I'm not, you know, this isn't 
Pollyanna. I understand reality. Just sticking 
to this particular passage, though, in Paul's argument. For he is 
God's minister to you for good, but, here it comes, if you do, 
do evil. Yeah, not think it. not contemplate 
it, not have a thought, but if you do evil, and I think supplying 
works, is legit, for he is God's minister to you for good. But 
if you do evil works, be afraid. Why? For he does not bear the 
sword in vain, for he is God's minister and avenger to execute 
wrath on him who practices evil. So if you do not see in here 
the legitimacy of the death penalty in light of the rest of the biblical 
data, it would be very difficult to try and convince anyone of 
anything. This is what Paul is saying. 
The governing authorities appointed by God has been given or have 
been given as a primary piece of equipment this sword. And with this sword, he is God's 
minister. And he is an avenger to execute 
wrath on him who practices evil. So the purposes of God through 
the magistrate, it is to function as a terror to evil works. It is to function in such a way 
as to promote fear. Remember that concept on the 
plains of Moab. How many times after God stipulates 
that you put this person to death, he then says, all Israel shall 
hear, and what? Fear, right? You should be afraid 
to engage in criminal activity. The child in your home ought 
to be afraid to do things that are wrong. Not because you're 
going to capitally punish him, but because you're going to punish 
him, right? Isn't this the consistent testimony 
of scripture? The magistrate is to function 
in such a way so that people who do good are left alone. But people who engage in evil 
works are punished. And they are punished in such 
a way that everybody else hears and fears. They say, hey, did 
you see what happened to Billy? He went in and he engaged in 
this activity and he was put to death. I'm sure not going 
to go do that same thing. So people will say, well, it's 
not a deterrent. I argue that's not its purpose. 
That's a blessed corollary. You should be afraid. But the 
purpose of capital punishment isn't first and foremost for 
everybody else. The purpose of capital punishment 
is not remedial. The purpose of capital punishment 
is retributive. It is punishment, just like that 
incorrigible son. The proverbs are filled with 
remedial training. I believe those parents of the 
incorrigible son engaged in remedial training. They gave him the rod. They gave him reproof. They tried 
to break his will. They tried to harness that aggression. They tried to rein him in. They 
tried to pull him back. But when it came time to turn 
him over to the elders of the city, and he was executed with 
stones, there was no remedy involved. There was no rehabilitation involved. It was retribution. It was punishment. That is the primary purpose of 
capital punishment. So when people say, well, it 
doesn't deter crime, that's not the point. The point is to punish 
crime. That's why I think so many Christians 
struggle with the atonement of Christ. We have no concept of 
justice. We have no concept of punishment. There's no concept of retribution. That's why so many Christians 
struggle with the concept of hell. Oh, it seems barbaric. No, it's retribution. It's punishment. In a moral universe, when you 
offend God Most High, there's punishment. In a moral home, 
if you offend the parents, there's punishment. You get spanked. You get deprived. You get things 
taken away from you. So the apostle is very clear 
here. But there is, in effect, a deterrent. If you do evil, be afraid. So for people that say, well, 
there's no deterrent effect, there most certainly is. If capital 
punishment was being carried out faithfully, I suspect that 
more people would be afraid to do the sorts of things people 
get away with constantly. Ecclesiastes. We're going to 
not give them the objections tonight. Ecclesiastes 8.11. Don't 
think we're going for an all-nighter here. Ecclesiastes 8.11. Here's 
what I think is indicative of our generation. The preacher said, because the 
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. If there is no punishment, if 
there is no retribution, if there is no payback, if there is no 
eye for eye, if there is no lex talionis, they don't fear anything. It's the worst thing you can 
have as a criminal without fear. Not in Paul's world, not in Paul's 
mind, not in Paul's language. If you do evil, be afraid, for 
he does not bear the sword in vain, for he is God's minister 
and avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. So 
God Almighty has his purposes in capital punishment. In Romans 
13, it is to serve as a terror to evil works. It is to serve 
as punishment, retribution. It is to be a deterrent, or again, 
that's just the byproduct. You are afraid, and ultimately 
that criminal is deterred. That murderer or that rapist 
isn't going to do it again if he is capitally punished. Many 
times people are repeat offenders, not if capital punishment is 
their end. And then this is an expression 
of the execution of God's wrath in history. One other New Testament 
passage is in Hebrews chapter 2. Again, this is an indirect 
passage. It isn't a statement concerning 
capital punishment per se. Here's how you ought to deal 
with criminal offenders in society. It is indirect, but it does illustrate 
something that is contrary to much of modern evangelicalism. 
Notice in Hebrews 2.1, Therefore we must give the more earnest 
heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the 
word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression 
and disobedience, notice, received a just reward. It's not unjust. It's not barbaric. That old covenant 
legislation isn't vicious, it isn't cruel, it isn't unusual. According to the Apostle, when 
these transgressions and these acts of disobedience occurred, 
it received a just reward. Be very careful about reading 
the Sinai legislation and saying, wow, that seems a bit odd, or 
that seems a bit over the top, or that seems a bit too much. Who are we dealing with there? 
We're not dealing with Moses the man. We're dealing with God 
who spoke through Moses. If God says it's legit to execute 
a false prophet, then it's legit to execute a false prophet. Now 
again, theocracy, current modern day situation. I have some thoughts 
and views about how we apply that. But again, another time. So that is a brief biblical theology 
of capital punishment. Start in the old and finish in 
the new. We've seen Genesis 9 foundational. I think Genesis 9 and Romans 
13 are the two classic passages, Old and New Testaments, that 
speak to this same issue of the use of the sword given by God 
through man as his agent of punishment to punish those who engage in 
criminal activity. In the Mosaic economy, distinction 
between accidental homicide and murder, identification of additional 
crimes, and the declaration given concerning its necessity. I'll 
close with a quote by Thomas Watson, And then, God willing, 
we'll take up the common objections next week. I don't think Jesus 
is going to come back before next week. I don't feel any sort 
of constraint to finish Deuteronomy. I don't think we're in a running 
race. There's nothing I have found in my Bible that says, 
Jim, you've got to be finished with Deuteronomy by, you know, 
December 2013. So I think we will be finished 
with Deuteronomy by December 2013. But if we're not, I don't 
know that I'll go to hell for that. I hope I don't go to hell 
for that. Anyways, so I won't go to hell believing in Jesus. 
So no, I'm just kind of speaking tongue in cheek. Here's what 
Watson says. Here's what Watson says. Remember 
the context of Romans 13. We as private individuals are 
prohibited from avenging ourselves, okay? But we are rather to give 
place to wrath. How does one give place to wrath? 
I think the imprecatory Psalms are helpful at this point. That's 
the ones where David calls down God's wrath upon God's enemies. That's legit. Not somebody who 
cut you off on Wellington, God kill that person, make their 
car break, die, and they roll off a cliff. No, no, no. God's 
enemies. Okay? In Precatory Psalms, we find 
that repeated in the New Testament. I already mentioned Paul in 2 
Timothy 4. Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord 
repay him. That's a form of prayer. 1 Corinthians 
16, 22. If anyone does not love the Lord 
Jesus Christ, let him be anathema. That is an imprecatory prayer. So we give place to the wrath 
of God by praying to God to either save that wretch or to deal with 
that wretch as he sees fit. But we as well give place to 
the wrath of God by realizing the role, the function, and the 
duty of the governing authorities. He is God's minister and avenger 
to execute wrath. There's nothing wrong. with somebody 
calling the police, seeing a criminal arrested, testifying against 
that person in the court, and then being there witnessing his 
execution. That's not barbarism. It's not 
unholy. It's not ungodly. I would even 
argue, well, I don't want to go that far. But here's what 
Watson says. He says, to kill an offender is not murder, but 
justice. He says, a private person sins 
if he draws the sword. A public person sins if he puts 
up the sword. A magistrate ought not to let 
the sword of justice rust in the scabbard. It's wrong for 
a private individual to take up the sword. It's wrong for 
a public person to put up the sword and not use that primary 
piece that God has given to clothe them with reference to their 
task. Well, let's pray. Father, thank 
you for your word. Thank you for its clarity on 
this issue. We pray that you would give us 
the mind of Christ as we think through these issues. God, these 
are relevant. These are oftentimes hot topics, 
reasons that unbelievers have a problem with the scripture, 
and even so many Christians have problems with these passages. 
I pray that you would cause us to approach these things with 
humility. Forgive me, Lord, for my sin. I don't want to be proud 
or arrogant or think that I have all The answer is God. I pray 
that you would cleanse me in the blood. And yet, Father, I 
pray that we would see what the scriptures so clearly state concerning 
civil justice. I pray that you would go with 
us now and watch over us in the remainder of this week. And we 
pray through Christ our Lord. Amen.