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welcome to everyone it's good to be back in the house of our God just one brief announcement and then we'll begin first are the the ladies fellowship breakfast on Saturday at 9:30 you should have received an email and please remember to try and remember to RSVP by Thursday so they can plan for the food well for our call to worship you can turn with me in your Bibles to Psalm 90 for Psalm 94 I'll begin reading in verse 1 o Lord God to whom vengeance belongs oh god to whom vengeance belongs shine forth rise up o judge of the earth render punishment to the proud Lord how long will the wicked how long will the wicked triumph they utter speech and speak insolent things all the workers of iniquity boast in themselves they break in pieces your people O Lord and afflict your heritage they slay the widow and the stranger and murder the fatherless yet they say the Lord does not see nor does the God of Jacob understand understand you senseless among the people and you fools when will you be wise he who planted the ear shall he not hear he who formed the eye shall he not see he who instructs the nation's shall he not correct he who teaches man knowledge the Lord knows the thoughts of man that they are futile blessed is the man whom you instruct O Lord and teach out of your law that you may give him rest from the days of adversity until the pit is dug for the wicked for the Lord will not cast off his people nor will he forsake his inheritance but judgment will return to righteousness and all the upright and heart will follow it who will rise up for me against the evil doers who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity unless the Lord had been my help my soul would have would soon have settled in silence if I say my foot slips your mercy O Lord will hold me up in the multitude of my anxieties within me your comforts delight my soul shall the throne of iniquity which devises evil by law have fellowship with you they gathered together against the life of the righteous and condemned innocent blood but the Lord has been my defense and my god the rock of my refuge he has brought on them their own iniquity and shall cut them off in their own wickedness the Lord our God shall cut them off amen will please turn with me in your hem books to number 280 that's to 8-0 will stand as we sing together [Music] amen let us pray a great God and holy father it's a joy to gather in the house of the Lord again on the Sabbath day we come to you and acknowledge that you are God Most High that you are from everlasting to everlasting that you are Father Son and Holy Spirit a great and a glorious God the God who created the God who has governed and the God who redeems his elect from out of the world we give praise to you and we worship you and we want to adore and glorify your great name God we asked he would bless this time as we gather together that we would use that free access to God that we have as New Covenant Christians that we would have boldness as we come to the throne of grace not arrogance or presumption not any confidence in our own selves but confidence in the God of heaven and earth and the Lord Christ who has secured that privilege for us that we may enter into your presence we pray that you would be exalted and enthroned upon the praises of your people here we thank you for this one day in seven we thank you that you get to or you we get to come out of the world and into the house of God and to enjoy the the corporate worship of the living and true God so bless this time strengthen each and every one of us and promote in our hearts the fear and reverence for God and flood our hearts with that joy and that Thanksgiving that is fitting for those who have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb we give praise to you for every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus our Lord we thank you that you've justified us freely by your grace that you are sanctifying us by the power of your Holy Spirit and that you have purpose to glorify us and to bring us into that New Jerusalem we give praise to you for these blessings and we would pray that more and more people would come to know these truths more and more people would would receive them experientially by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ we pray that for any and all who've come here tonight that are still dead in their trespasses and sins we pray that you would awaken them that they would by grace look to the Savior that they would believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and know the joy of being found in him we ask God that you would forgive us for our sins and our transgressions against your holy law we know father that you have called us out of darkness into marvelous light you saved us freely by grace you've called us to live in a manner that is consistent with your word and yet father we confess that remaining corruption we confess that proneness to wander and that proneness to leave the God that we love we rejoice in the fact that you are a God who does forgive that if we confess our sins you are faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness and so we rejoice in this reality we pray as well father that you would just look with favor upon us and fill us with your spirit and cause us to pursue those things that are in fact pleasing in your sight we long to do that which is glorifying to God we long to shine as lights in a crooked and perverse generation and God we pray that you would give us that boldness and courage to hold forth your word of truth we ask tonight father that you would bless those in our mets that are not well physically there are several brothers and sisters that are suffering we just want to pray for them God we ask that you look with favor upon our dear sister Bev we pray for mrs. Boult we pray for brother dawn Neufeld and for John Proctor and for a dear brother Shane God we ask that you would look with favor upon each of them and that though they are hurting today though they are are physically suffering we pray God in heaven that nevertheless their hearts would rejoice in the reality that they are Christ in Christ as theirs we also pray for each and every one of us God if it's not physical afflictions and trials we all certainly have our spiritual struggles we all have many temptations we have trials in this world and we would just ask that you had strengthened us with might and the inner man so that Christ may dwell richly in our hearts through faith give us that help and that aid we need not just on the Sabbath but each and every day Lord God we do long too long and desire to please and to praise and glorify you and to that end we need the help the ministry and the aid of your Holy Spirit and God we pray for your blessing upon other churches we thank you for the churches in our community that are faithful those that are preaching the word of truth we also pray for pastor Kirkpatrick in certain surrey and for the Saints there we pray for the church and Vernon and we rejoice in the the good news concerning our brother Phil Zog we just ask that you would continue to watch over that local body and in your time may you provide for them a man to labor in the word and doctrine we also pray God that you would bless the persecuted Church we know that a multitude suffer for the cause of God and truth and we just pray for them that you would uphold them that you would be their portion and lot that you would strengthen them and cause them in the midst of such things - nevertheless rejoice that their names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life and God we pray for their testimony and for their their continued witness in these lands where there is such animosity toward the truth of the gospel we pray that more and more people in these nations would come to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior that they would be turned from the worship of their useless idols to the true and the Living God and that you would be merciful and send forth your gospel so that men women boys and girls from every tribe tongue people a nation would come to the Savior King and God we do pray that you'd be merciful to the civil government in this land we know there is a lot of unrighteousness there is a lot of lawlessness as we considered the sin the crime of abortion this morning and the reality of euthanasia all manner of lawlessness promoted openly God we pray that in your wrath you would remember mercy that you would put the fear of God in the hearts of men that are in high places and that they would carry out their tasks in a manner that is consistent with your law and Lord just bless this time now continue with us in this worship service and we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well please turn with me again in your hem books to number 463 463 will stand as we sing together [Music] [Music] we could turn with me in your Bibles to Genesis chapter 25 for our scripture reading this evening Genesis chapter 25 I'll begin reading in verse 1 Abraham again took a wife and her name was cateura and she bore him simran jokshan Medan Midian ish back and schewe Jackson begot Sheba and Dedan and the sons of de Dan were assuring latouche aim and looming and the sons of Midian were afar effer hey knock a by de and el dia all these were the children of keturah and Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac but Abraham gave gifts to the sons of the concubines which Abraham had and while he was still living he sent them eastward away from Isaac his son to the country of the east this is the sum of the years of Abraham's life which he lived 175 years then Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age an old man and full of years and was gathered to his people and his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the Cave of Machpelah which is before Mamre in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite the field which Abraham purchased from the sons of Heth there Abraham was buried and Sarah his wife and it came to pass after the death of Abraham that God blessed his son isaac and isaac dwelt at Barratt Lahaie Roy now this is the genealogy of Ishmael Abraham's son whom Hagar the Egyptian Sarah's maidservant bore to Abraham and these were the names of the sons of Ishmael by their names according to their generations the firstborn of Ishmael nebajoth then Kedar ad bill mid son mish ma duma nasa Heydar tama j tor nefesh and khaddama these were the sons of ishmael and these were their names by their towns and their settlements twelve princes according to their Nations these were the years of the life of Ishmael 137 years and he breathed his last and died and was gathered to his people they dwelt from hvala as far as sure which is east of Egypt as you go to our to Syria he died in the presence of all his brethren this is the genealogy of Isaac Abraham's son Abraham begot Isaac Isaac was 40 years old when he took Rebekah as wife the daughter of Beth ul the Syrian a paid a Pat and Aaron the sister of Laban the Syrian now Isaac pleaded with the Lord for his wife because she was barren and the Lord granted his plea and Rebecca his wife conceived but the children struggled together within her and she said if all is well why am I like this so she went to inquire of the Lord and the Lord said to her two nations are in your womb two people shall be separated from your body one people shall be stronger than the other and the older shall serve the younger so when her days were fulfilled for her to give birth indeed there were twins in her womb and the first came out red he was like a hairy garment all over so they called his name Esau afterward his brother came out in his hand took hold of Esau's heel so his name was called Jacob Isaac was 60 years old when she bore them so the boys grew and Esau was a skillful hunter a man of the field but Jacob was a mild man dwelling in tents and Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game but Rebekah loved Jacob now Jacob cooked a stew and Esau came in from the field and he was weary and Esau said to Jacob please feed me with that same red stew for I am weary therefore his name was called Edom but Jacob said sell me your birthright as of this day and Esau said look I am about to die so what is this birthright to me then Jacob said swear to me as of this day so he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob and Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils then he ate and drank arose and went his way thus Esau despised his birthright a man - let us pray our Father we thank you for the written word of God we thank you for your promise as its fulfilled and these passages in the book of Genesis we know the promise given to Abraham moves to Isaac and Jacob and ultimately results in the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ that that blessed seed that one in whom all the nations of the earth shall be blessed how we praise you for this book of of origins how we praise you for this book that testifies and declares and demonstrates so clearly the faithfulness of God to his promises and the sovereignty of God and the power and the majesty of God we thank you for these things for certainly they settle our hearts and they produced and us stability and security knowing that our God reigns and we praise you for these blessings and we pray in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ amen well for our final him before the preaching we'll sing Psalm 99 B as in Bravo that Psalm 99 B will stand as we sing together [Music] we could turn with me in your Bibles to Genesis chapter 9 Genesis chapter 9 this morning we looked at abortion tonight we're looking at the death penalty today is sanctity of life Sunday and the Bible's teaching on the death penalty further underscores the sanctity of life for the punishment of an offense highlights the seriousness of the offense and if the punishment or penalty for murder is the death penalty then we conclude that a premium is placed on the image of God that was murdered so while some would say it is inconsistent to claim to be pro-life and at the same time bro death penalty the bible does teach that it's certainly easier to simply say pro-life rather than pro judicially innocent life that's obviously what's in view when persons call themselves pro-life we don't want people that don't deserve it to be murdered at the hands of godless men however we want people who do deserve it to be dispatched according to God's will and God's rule according to his righteousness and justice for the execution of judgment upon perpetrators and for the safety of others other image bearers so we are pro-life even though we affirm the death penalty for the crime of murder so beginning in Genesis chapter 9 at verse 1 so God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth 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 the 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 but you shall not eat flesh with its life that is its blood surely for your lifeblood I will demand a reckoning from the hand of every beast I will require it and from the hand of man from the hand of every man's brother I will require the life of man whoever sheds man's blood by man his blood shall be shed for in the image of God he made and as for you be fruitful and multiply bring forth abundantly in the earth and multiply in it then God spoke to Noah and to his sons with him saying and as for me behold I establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you and with every living creature that is with you the birds the cattle and every beast of the earth with you of all that go out of the ark every beast of the earth thus I establish my covenant with you never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth and God said this is the sign of the Covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you for perpetual generations I set my rainbow in the cloud and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between me and the earth it shall be when I bring a cloud over the earth that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud and I will remember my covenant which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh the rainbow shall be in the cloud and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth and God said to Noah this is the sign of the Covenant which I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth amen well let us pray father thank you for the written word and thank you for the clarity of that word with reference to these matters of ethics we pray again that you'd help us to think your thoughts after you help us not to capitulate to the humanism of our own age the secularism the the revolt against the living and true God that we witness not only outside the church but oftentimes we see creeps into the professing church grant us grace to take seriously the word of the Living God for we know all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and that all Scripture is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction and for instruction in righteousness and we pray that you would thoroughly furnish one of us unto every good work so Lord bless this time as we study Scripture fill us with your Holy Spirit again forgive us for our sin and any that would darken our understanding and we ask in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ amen well as we did with the sermon this morning we're going to stick pretty closely to things that we've done in the past because again as I ask the question what would I want to communicate with reference to the scripture and this doctrine this is what I think is most helpful so we'll look first at the biblical doctrine of the death penalty and then secondly the common objections to the death penalty and with reference to the biblical doctrine we'll look first at the Old Testament and then secondly we'll look at the New Testament so we begin here in Genesis chapter 9 the mandate for mankind now this is called the no way at covenant now covenants typically we think of our redemptive in nature in other words they advance God's special grace this is however a common grace covenant it has not ever been abolished it has not ever been abrogated it has not ever been done away with in fact there's some debate among Christians in terms of which crimes should be punished with the death penalty and everybody who affirms the death penalty at least affirms that the crime of murder is a crime that should receive the death penalty and typically everyone goes to Genesis chapter 9 verse 6 to prove and to highlight that so it is the noahic covenant so we want to first of all notice the context we see that this is after the flood if you look back in Genesis chapter 6 for a moment you'll see the sorts of conditions that obtained prior to the flood in other words what did the world look like prior to the flood it looked very often like what it looks like today in our own generation and so we see there in Genesis 6 11 and 12 the earth also was corrupt before God and the earth was filled with violence so God looked upon the earth and indeed it was corrupt for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth so we come to this scene where Noah and his sons and their families emerge from the ark and God regulates God Institute's the death penalty he Institute's capital punishment because prior to the flood the earth was filled with violence well after the flood God has put into society a particular mekin to deal with that situation so in Genesis chapter 9 we see them emerge from the flood or from the the ark and then we see specifically a command to propagate life notice in verses 1 & 7 so God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth that is replete repeated in verse 7 and as for you be fruitful and multiply bring forth abundantly in the earth and multiply in it God also speaks to the provision for life in other words how do we sustain ourselves on this side of the flood well verses to be in three speak to that God gave him authorization to eat meat God is not a vegan God authorizes and permits man to eat meat and that is specifically stated there in verse 3 every moving thing that lives shall be food for you I have given you all things even as the green herbs now God isn't a vegan God doesn't eat so that was just a little attempt at humor there God doesn't have a body like man he doesn't nourish himself like men that was just simply a way to say that God is not one who promotes veganism God gives us now persons want to do that they're free to do that but God has given us authorization to eat meat but then as well he speaks concerning the protection of life and that's in verses 2 8 4 & 6 notice in verse 4 but you shall not eat flesh with its life that is its blood so after the authorization to eat meat to eat animals there is this prohibition against ingesting blood this is replicated or repeated in Leviticus chapter 11 God says not to do that Gordan Wenham says no sin shows greater contempt for life than homicide whereas an animal's blood may be shed but not consume human blood cannot even be shed and walki says if animal life is sacred because it is according to verse 4 in the sense that we may eat them but were not supposed to ingest their blood walki says if animal life is sacred how much more human life that bears God's image no sanction against the offender is stated for violating animal life but with respect to the taking of human life the threefold repetition of this phrase I will demand a reckoning brings emphatic attention to the value god bestows on it animal blood may be shed for food but human blood may not be shed at all except to compensate for homicide so that's the context in this post flood situation the propagation of life the provision of life for life and then the protection of life and then verse six addresses a particular offense it says whoever sheds man's blood by man his blood will be shed now later on in the Old Testament we see a distinction as I mentioned this morning between accidental homicide or manslaughter and murder this obviously speaks to murder whoever sheds man's blood with premeditation or if they lie in wait or if they had malice aforethought that's the crime that's the offense that is what is condemned here the taking of another person's life in an unlawful manner now notice the punishment that is meted out for this whoever sheds man's blood by man his blood shall be shed it's the agency of man that does this it's not the case that God immediately takes out criminal offenders but God has instituted the governing authorities and given them the sword for this particular activity for the punishment up to and including the death penalty here specifically for the crime of murder by man his blood shall be shed remember this morning the Lex talionis the law of retribution I for eye tooth for tooth burn for boot burn wound for wound life for life and that is mandated here in Genesis 9 sets and again with reference to the agency by man Luther said this was the first command having reference to the temple sword by these words temple government was established and the sword placed in its hand by God so again this isn't man's will or man's best attempt at trying to regulate society if we oppose the death penalty we are opposing the God who mandated it the God he gave it when persons well it's not the case that we should ever think that we could execute a criminal offender God commands it by man his blood must be shed and as we move on in the Mosaic Covenant or Old Covenant we see as I said further distinction in terms of accidental homicide or manslaughter and murder we see additional crimes treated as capital offenses with reference to the death penalty and then we see as well the necessity to execute murderers and we'll see that in just a moment but here finally we ought to consider the theological reason by or for which this command comes verse 6 whoever sheds man's blood by man his blood shall be shed for in the image of God he made man now some theologians say it's because that because man bears God's image he is therefore the lawful agency to inflict this capital punishment others say no this is the reason why we inflict capital punishment because man is made in the image of God that's the position I favor in other words when we assault a human being it is ultimately an assault upon God in life slain it is the image of God that is attacked according to Gary artist vos and Moses in Genesis chapter 9 and verse 6 now as as I said as we move on in the Old Testament we see the distinction between its manslaughter and murder Exodus 21 numbers 35 and Deuteronomy 19 we see the identification of additional capital crimes we see murder obviously adultery and sexual immorality bestiality homosexuality rape incest an incorrigible son Sabbath breaking kidnapping solicitation - apostasy witchcraft sorcery and false pretension of prophecy and blasphemy now persons ask the question do those things still require the death penalty today that's another sermon that's another series of sermons but suffice to say at least the crime of murder is still subject to the death penalty in our own day now turnover two numbers 35 for just a moment to see the necessity of the death penalty for the crime of murder numbers 35 and if you read the chapter beginning in verse 9 it deals with what's called the cities of refuge there were cities of refuge in Israel such that if somebody was to accidentally kill another human being they could flee to those cities of refuge until such time or they spent some time there and then ultimately they would be free to go from there but it was a period of years that they would be in these cities of refuge and I think again the idea was was to discourage carelessness and foolishness on the part of the body politic understand that even if you accidentally kill somebody your life is going to be radically altered you're gonna have to leave your wife you're gonna have to leave your kid you're gonna have to leave your city you're gonna have to leave everything you know and love you're gonna have to leave your job and your having to go go to these cities of refuge and then the tax proceeds to define what is accidental and what is murder but with reference to murder we see the necessity of the death penalty notice at numbers 35 at 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 there were some crimes in the Mosaic law where a monetary fine could be imposed we saw that this morning if men fight and they accidentally hit a woman who's pregnant and her children come out and no harm follows then the judges shall impose a fine as the husband stipulates but if harm follows then that lex talionis applies that law of retribution we'll hear there is no ransom price for murder there's no six years or seven years or 18 years or even life imprisonment the demand with reference to murder is the execution of the murderer now this is a tough one for most people to get their minds and hearts wrapped around somehow we think life imprisonment is not barbaric and somehow that's a no case situation personally if I was facing either-or I choose the death penalty because I don't want to be in prison for the rest of my life I think there's more dignity and dying according to God's law than there would be to be locked up for 60 or 70 years not at this age but you get the drift with other offenders but notice what he says verse 32 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 priests 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 so in the Old Testament we have this mandate for mankind in Genesis 9:6 and then we have the mandate for Israel the Old Covenant the distinction between homicide and murder the distinction are rather the addition of additional capital crimes and then the declaration concerning its necessity when we turn to the New Testament the first are item that we we present is is the death of Jesus the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ Christ never said I'm not going to that cross because it's unrighteous unholy and ungodly to execute offenders now Jesus obviously was holy harmless undefiled he didn't deserve any of that but you didn't see sort of the supporters of Jesus standing out there with signs objecting to the reality of the death penalty another line of evidence is found in acts 25 you can turn their acts 25 11 with reference to the Apostle Paul before Festus the Apostle Paul before fastest remember Paul is arrested Paul is looked upon as a troublemaker unbelieving Israel basically chases him into the hands of the civil magistrate the Roman magistrate and then notice in chapter 25 at verse 9 but fastest wanting to do the Jews a favor answered Paul and said are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and there be judged before me concerning these things so Paul said I stand at Cesar'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 offender or have committed anything deserving of death I do not object to dying see he didn't in principle object to the concept of or the doctrine of the death penalty or capital punishment and the language that is employed by the Apostle Paul seems to go beyond one crime if I have done anything worthy of death so when we look at the Bible we see that the chief proponents of holiness righteousness and the little law and will of God have no objection whatsoever to the death penalty have no objection whatsoever to capital punishment and of course we have then the teaching of the Apostle Paul in Romans 13 Romans 13 we'll spend a few moments there as it is most important concerning this issue of the death penalty it's important that we see Romans 13 in its context and the context actually begins in Romans 12 at verse 17 if you'll notice Romans 13:1 does not begin a new thought it doesn't say now on to other things but rather it continues the argument if you had no sort of verse or chapter indicators you would read this as one group of tax that speak to the same issue notice in Romans 12:17 repaid 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 see Paul does not say it is wicked it is sinful it is violent that in your heart you want criminal offenders to be punished that's not what he says what he says is what was wrong is for you to take the initiative in the punishment of those criminal offenders he says rather give place to wrath now when he moon the argument into the civil magistrate the sphere or realm of the magistrates lawful execution of that wrath were to think about these verses beloved do not avenge yourselves but rather give place to wrath he's condemning vigilantism he's condemning judge and jury is up he's condemning the the sort of figure that under the shadow of the the night goes out and takes out bad guys for you know the good of his environment that's what's condemned it's not the execution of wrath upon criminal offenders back to verse 19 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 and then he moves into this section concerning the civil government and here he speaks about the same concept do not avenge yourselves but give place to wrath within this historical context God has instituted a particular mechanism to inflict his wrath upon criminal offenders and that is civil government that is the civil magistrate and that's what Paul highlights he indicates that there is a duty for us to submit to governing authorities notice in verse one let every soul be subject to the governing authorities now again this is our mandate Titus 3:1 first Peter two thirteen and fourteen indicate the same sort of thing the Christian should be a good citizen the Christian and his body politic should it be a troublemaker he shouldn't be a rebel he shouldn't be the sort of guy that is constantly bringing attention to himself for not being one who submits to governing authority this is Paul's point let every soul be subject to the governing authority notice secondly the rationale or the reason for there is no authority except from God in other words it's God who instituted civil authority in proverbs 8:13 Christ speaking his wisdom says by me Kings reign Neb you could Nezzer recognize or realize that it's God Most High who raises men up and he puts men down consider the fact that God refers to nebulae desert now Nebuchadnezzar prior obviously to that drastic change we find in Daniel 7 was no honorable man was no godly man I'm sorry Daniel 4 was no righteous man but God refers to him as my servant do you know that Cyrus king of Persia is referred to by God the Lord as Messiah as Christ as Anointed One why is that because God raised up Cyrus and God raised up nebuchadnezzar to conduct specific tasks at his bidding the king's heart is in the hand of yahweh and he directs it the way he does with the waters civil authority is instituted by god and for that reason we need to be submissive to that civil authority notice he highlights the sin of resistance look at verse 2 he says therefore whoever resists the Authority resists the ordinance of God and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves now that does not mean civil authority can function any old way that they want fact John Gill says this is not to be understood as if magistrates were above the laws and had a lawless power to do as they will without opposition for they are under the law and liable to the penalty of it in case of disobedience as others and when they make their own will a law or exercise a lawless tyrannical power in defiance of the laws of God and of the land to the endangering of the lives liberties and properties of subjects they may be resisted there is this doctrine in the reformed tradition of resistance against an evil governing authority again it's a massive subject it's a large topic is there a time when a body politic may resist their authority again I would suggest that you not only be familiar with what Scripture teaches but read john calvin specifically book 4 in the institutes of the christian religion to get into the ballpark persons who begin to engage in this kind of thought well we just need to march against Ottawa or march against Washington DC I personally would never say that's not an option I would however say yeah better think it through you better figure it out and you better do it in a manner that is consistent with the Word of God with the best of the reformed tradition and that would in fact redound to the glory and honor of God I mean you've got the American Revolution that that was that justified or was it not again there's theologians on either side of that question and it's a big deal but in terms of God Paul's basic command be subject to the governing authorities to resist the authority is to ultimately resist God now notice he moves into the purpose of the function of civil government in society in verses 3 and 4 notice for rulers are not a terror to good works but to evil now I suggest that you add works in that statement they're not a terror or let me just get my glasses back on for rulers are not a terror to good works but to evil works again it'll punish thought Prime they don't punish covetousness they don't get inside your head and bring you to the bar that's not how it functions they punish external acts of wickedness that's their lawful function that is their role and again I suggest that this delimits government involvement in the lives of people protect us from murderers in our city and protect us from foreign invaders that's about as far as it goes with reference to the logistics of civil government at least here in this particular passage so notice the role of the magistrate is to punish evil works the role of the magistrate is to function as a public good notice verse 3 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 the idea of praise there is not that they'll have parades in your honor you obeyed the law so we're going to call you to the City Square and give you or confer upon you and good things I think the praise from the government that's envisaged here is that they don't mess with you they don't bug you they don't get into your life they don't get into your business that's the best praise our government could ever give to us it's just to leave us alone I don't need awards I don't need to go down to City Square I don't need wreaths on my head I just want to be left alone so that I can pursue life liberty and justice and happiness and all those good things that we long for and desire now notice as he advances the argument verse 4 for he is God's Minister back up just a little bit do you want to be unafraid of the authority verse 3 - what is good and you will have praise from the same verse 4 for he is God's minister to you for good that's his supposed role that's how magistrates are to function and minister here is the same word that we find with reference to the New Testament Deacon there's a deacon a minister a servant that functions in the ecclesiastical realm and then there's a minister a deacon a servant that functions in the civil realm they are servants they're not masters they're not Lords they're not the the suzerain they're not the absolute and utter authority rather they are God's servants for the good of people somewhere along the line they lost sight of that somewhere along the line they lost big-time sight of that and now it's all about them being served by everybody below that but that's not God's purpose with reference to the magistrate back to verse 4 for you as God's minister to you for good but if you do evil be afraid there's that deterrent effect now notice 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 notice that the parallel with what he stipulated in 1219 do not avenge yourselves but give place to wrath now he comes and says the civil government is the armor servant of God's wrath in history to inflict the sword on those who practice evil works again they're extra acts of evil that are punishable by the civil magistrate Calvin says magistrates may hence learn what their vocation is for their not to rule for their own interests but for the public good nor are they in dude with unbridled power but what is restricted to the well-being of their subjects in short they are responsible to God and to man in the exercise of their power that is a great and perceptive statement and that jives exactly with what Paul says concerning the function and role of civil government but then with reference to the sword notice he is God's minister to you for good but if you do evil be afraid tree does not bear the sword in vain that does not mean that every time the civil government punishes a criminal offender it is with the death penalty but it certainly includes the death penalty if such is warranted by the particular offense John Murray comments 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 that is as well consistent with Paul's teaching concerning the place of the civil government with reference to evil works in society they are God's Minister for the good of the body politic and for the execution of God's wrath upon those who would violate the civil order that's Paul's doctrine concerning the death penalty it is consistent with what we find in Genesis 9 whoever sheds man's blood by man his blood will be shed for the image of God he made man we have both Testaments both covenants we have consistency throughout Scripture and yet there are people that profess saving faith in Jesus Christ and say well the death penalty should no longer be enacted the death penalty or capital punishment should no longer be brethren that is to deny and to take a wave the very word of God Almighty imagine if well I guess people do do that with everything else as well well you know we know that we're not supposed to let women preach but let's go ahead and let women bridge let's we know that we're not supposed to do that but let's go ahead and let that these things ought not to be we all say and all confess that the Bible is in fact the Word of God and we need to be submissive to that and subject to it even in those things that obviously are not popular I mean if the Conservative Party in Canada is reticent to bring up abortion they I've never even heard death penalty and the the church of the people of God don't go to these town hall meetings and ask people what are you gonna do about criminal offenders are you gonna execute them brethren we have gone so far afield that the primary emphasis of civil government is not even thought about by people today the primary emphasis that God's word indicates with reference to civil government isn't even on the landscape for most people's thinking when it comes to the execution of criminal offenders now let's look secondly at the common objections to the death penalty I'm sure there's more that I'll just give you a few there's both a biblical objections and be pragmatic objections first of all the biblical the first is the mistranslation in Exodus 20 at verse 13 thou shalt not kill persons here that any well you can't kill even a criminal offender remember this morning I cited Walter Kaiser and he said that word rot saw used 47 times in the Hebrew Old Testament is the best word to encompass the concept of premeditation malice aforethought you shall not murder is the preferred translation of Exodus chapter 20 and verse 13 Exodus 20 verse 13 cannot be cited to militate against Genesis 9:6 or Romans 13:4 secondly we have a pacifist understanding of Matthew 5 38 to 42 you can turn there Matthew 5 38 to 42 you have heard that it was said an eye for an eye and a tooth for 2 but I tell you not to resist an evil person but whoever slaps you on your right cheek turn the other to him also if anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic let him have your cloak also and whoever compels you to go one mile go with him to give to him who asks you and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away now whatever this passage mean it does not mean that we as individuals are never to oppose wickedness inflicted upon our persons Jesus is slapped at his trial Jesus does not turn the other cheek and say give me another one please this is not a call to relinquish any thought whatsoever of personal defence from criminal offenders this is not a call by Jesus to get rid of our guns to get rid of our dogs to get rid of our Lots to to just invite criminal offenders into our home they want to rape our wives we tell them that our daughters are down the down the hallway that's not what this text is teaching this text also does not teach that the church can never oppose wickedness within our own ranks Matthew 18 tells us there is a manner in which we deal with wickedness unrepentant sin in the context of the church it's not execution capital punishment or the death penalty has never been given to the church it's always the monopoly of the civil state but this is not to be taken that way as well it is not a universal rule to never oppose wickedness in society because this would then fly contrary to Paul's teaching in Romans 13:4 if you want to keep your finger there or remember all the way back to when I cited Romans 12 I think the parallel to Matthew 5 38 to 42 is found in Romans 12:19 beloved do not avenge yourselves but rather give place to wrath for it is written vengeance is mine I will repay says the Lord this particular rule that our Lord is giving here in the Sermon on the Mount is contrary to the Pharisees and the scribes remember that he says if your righteousness does not exceed the scribes and the fair you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven the scribes and the Pharisees were very judgmental obviously they were very vindictive they engaged in personal retaliation they engaged in personal vengeance Jesus is condemning that in the context of believers individual believers he would not tell a civil magistrate hang up your sword and just love on people no he wouldn't do that because Paul doesn't say that in Romans chapter 13 it is the idea of a vindictive spirit that is a fault-finding irritated person that's always about their own sort of game or their own sort of space or their own justice turret in with reference to the Romans 12 passage says blameless protection is not prohibited in Romans 12:19 but private revenge that's the emphasis here in Matthew 5 don't be that petty vindictive person that's the teaching in the passage not allow criminal offenders to come in and plunder your goods allow criminal offenders to run rampant in the streets get rid of police get rid of alarms get rid of locks just be hippies that's not the teaching of the passage the passage condemns the personal retaliation of individual individuals in society it does not militate against the role and function of civil government in society to execute criminal offenders and then the third common biblical objection is the woman caught in adultery Johnny John chapter 8 another famous passage and vote to show that Jesus suspended Jesus abrogated Jesus did away with the death penalty we know what the offense was the woman was caught in adultery that was in fact a capital offense according Leviticus 20 and Deuteronomy 22 but we also know the specific situation facing Christ verse 1 chapter 8 but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives now early in the morning he came again into the Campbell and all the people came to him and he sat down and taught them then the scribes and Pharisees brought to him a woman caught in adultery and when they had set her in the midst they said to him teacher this woman was caught in adultery in the very act now Moses in the law commanded us that shut such should be stoned but what do you say so the offense is clear a woman caught in adultery but noticed the specific situation as John reports it to us verse 6 this they said testing him that they might have something of which to accuse him see they were not interested in justice if they were interested in justice they would have brought the woman and the man because if she was caught in the very act that means there was a man present as well that they didn't bring the man indicates they didn't care one whit about justice secondly John tells us they were testing him they wanted to try and pit him against Moses he's popular crowds are following him they want to put him on the horns of a dilemma Jesus if you mandate that this woman is executed then you're going to lose popular support from everybody around you that thinks you're this wonderful fellow but Jesus if you disregard the law of Moses and allow this woman to go unpunished then everybody will see that you're a fraud and you are not consistent with Mosaic law so they put Jesus on what's called in logic the horns of a dilemma so john alerts us to this consider as well if they were legitimately concerned about justice they would have sought out a civil or an ecclesiastical official christ was neither now I know that's an odd statement because he's the Messiah of God he's the second person of the Blessed Trinity but Jesus was a carpenter Jesus was an itinerant preacher Jesus was a minister of of the word he wasn't an actual official in the synagogue or temple he certainly wasn't an official with reference to the civil sphere he didn't have the authority to command capital punishment on this particular woman again it shows that they want to try and upset the applecart they want to show him or try to show as a fraud so that's the specific situation now notice the response we won't look at the Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with his finger as though he did not hear there's been a lot of speculation as to what he wrote with his finger the tax doesn't tell us what he wrote with his finger I mean you can speculate until the cows come home that might be a good question when you enter into heaven Jesus what did you write you know with your finger when you stoop down and as though you did not hear but notice his response in verse 7 now if you are not familiar with the horns of a dilemma it's sort of a logical conundrum where either answer either way or you're done you know the question have you stopped beating your wife yet how do you answer that yes okay you've stopped beating her no you're still beating her that is a logical conundrum that person speak about and it's called the horns of a dilemma how does Christ respond in this instance I'll just cut to the quick he goes right through it he upholds the law of Moses and he shows compassion and forgiveness that's precisely how Jesus does it notice what he says verse 7 so when they continued asking him he raised himself up and said to them he who is without sin among you let him throw a stone at her first what is this this is submission to on the part of Christ the law of Moses you see a capital offence or death penalty could never be inflicted except on the testimony of two or three witnesses so when Christ says what Christ says here he is saying we need witnesses to proceed when he says he who is without sin he means this particular sin he doesn't mean no sin at all Christ is not a Wesleyan Christ is not a perfectionist in terms of his theology he is speaking concerning this particular sin of adultery he was without this sin let him cast the first stone at her we know this because later he tells this woman go and sin no more again Jesus doesn't believe that a redeemed sinner will never have remaining corruption the emphasis is on go and do this sin this particular sin of adultery no more with reference to witnesses we see in Deuteronomy 17 whoever is deserving of death shall be put to death on the testimony of two or three witnesses he shall not be put to death on the testimony of one witness the hands of the witnesses shall be the first against him to put him to death and afterward the hands of all the people so you shall put away the evil from among you much matthew Poole comments on eight seven fantastically he says in reason those who are zealous for the punishment of others should neither be guilty of the same nor of greater crimes themselves again it's not a call to absolute sinlessness on the part of anybody that would function as a civil magistrate but it is a call to these men that they examine their hearts to see with what they have in terms of their status before God Poole is right and then remember that the two or three witnesses that would affirm or confirm the particular violation they would be the first ones to pick up the stone and throw it at that offender think about how that would cause you to reflect very seriously on your charges of another person these weren't like the City of Vancouver I mean you lived amongst a community of people that was pretty close pretty tight-knit and probably you knew everybody if you are at the position or point where you're going to take up stones to throw at one of your fellows you better be absolutely positively 100% right not only in terms of your accusation but right in terms of your own heart status before the living and true God if you're gonna function in this capacity you've got to examine yourself the literature suggests that these men were known for their profligate lifestyles these men were known for their their their their multiple multitude of girlfriends and and that sort of thing and the text shows that to be the case notice what happens verse eight or verse nine and then those who heard it being convicted by their conscience went out one by beginning with the oldest even to the last and Jesus was left alone in the woman standing in the midst when Jesus had raised himself up and saw no one but the woman he said to her woman where are those accusers of you has no one condemned you she said no one Lord and jesus said to her neither do i condemn you go and sin no more you see Christ handles this horns of the dilemma masterfully he upholds the law of Moses two or three witnesses are absolutely crucial in the death penalty everybody bailed everybody left there's no longer two or three witnesses he then exercises that Messianic blessedness of forgiving her her sin and then charging her to go and to sin no more brethren to suggest that Christ here suspends the death penalty or abrogates the death penalty or does away with the death penalty brings it into contradiction with lo Genesis 9:6 and Romans 13 I don't know why that doesn't bother more people I don't know why consistency is not pursued more earnestly on the part of God's people we need to think God's thoughts after him that is our calling that is our mandate that is what is prescribed to us if there seems to be a problem in the scripture you can rest a short it's not a problem in the scripture it's a problem in your own head or heart it's a problem with your interpretation those who say well there's all kinds of contradictions they're simply wrong and for professing Christians to say well Jesus forgave her so therefore Jesus didn't believe in the death penalty is foolhardy and brings those persons into direct confrontation with Paul's mandate in Romans chapter 13 at verse 4 with reference to the function of civil government now in terms of the pragmatics that means practical or the non biblical these are pretty easy to dispense with and I'm sure there's a whole lot more but again time is quickly evading us first of all the death penalty is not consistent with the Christians attitude of forgiveness the death penalty is not assistant with the Christians attitude of forgiveness well no penalty is consistent with the Christians attitude of forgiveness if we take that tact life imprisonment certainly doesn't seem to be an expression of forgiveness can we on the one hand forgive somebody and on the other hand demand that they be punished accordingly I say absolutely positively we can I think that that is a position that is absolutely maintainable in the hearts of God's people and in fact if the person is dealt with accordingly I think it facilitates and helps the forgiver in other words if the disposition is carried out if the person is dealt with logistically and and specifically it helps us to have closure and to truly exercise forgiveness secondly the death penalty is not an expression of mercy it's not supposed to be it's the death penalty that's not an expression of mercy it is retributive justice it is lex talionis it is the law of retaliation again it's not an expression of mercy to send somebody to life imprisonment either and yet nobody is whining about that thirdly the death penalty is used on innocent people that is a terrible one that is a horrific one and that is one that we ought by God's grace to not duplicate or not to engage it however if we take seriously the mandate of two or three witnesses and we praise God for general revelation and the light of nature that is afforded to us DNA fingerprinting a lot of this will be minimal at best as we proceed the abuse of something is not an argument for the non use of it people sometimes drive their cars into crowds of other people do we outlaw cars do we suggest that because somebody crashed into somebody no one should ever drive I realize that's a talking point at times with the federal government but no thinking individual ever goes down that path we need to take seriously what scripture says as well the death penalty does not deter crime as I mentioned this morning it always does in at least one case a murderer that is executed according to God's law will never murder again he is deterred once and for all but God's Word is clear Paul tells us if you do evil be afraid the reason why there is no deterrent is because we don't use it the way God intended it to be used persons don't fear punishment because oftentimes there is no punishment I think the state of California now if you steal anything under 950 dollars nothing at all happens not once I don't even think you get arrested you can literally walk out of a store with a TV I mean if they catch you you'll have to give the TV back but if you make it out and they find you they got a video recording I mean nothing's gonna happen well of course persons aren't afraid in that environment of course persons don't fear any repercussions when no repercussions are meted out turn to Ecclesiastes for just a moment to see this principle Ecclesiastes chapter 8 Ecclesiastes chapter 8 verse 11 Solomon says 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 that isn't a description of our generation I don't know what is the because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully setting them to do evil back to the argument that often times or it has in the past been used on innocent people consider that if you are sentenced capitally in America it in States an automatic 12-year appeal process twelve years that is a long time to hopefully sort everything out to get your case heard have evidence Wade and those things but that 12 years that's not the execution of justice in any sort of a speedy fashion the idea that I can steal or I can hurt or I can engage in crime and have no punishment or repercussion of course we don't see the effectiveness of deterrent in punishment when we don't actually punish people it's like the parent that says if you do this I'm gonna spank you and then they do that and you count one two three there's no fear of God before those eyes of those kids spank them carry out the threat engage in what you said you were going to do because if you don't execute it speedily the hearts of these little ones are going to be given over to madness and wickedness and rebellion there is a deterrent effect in the death penalty and for those who say otherwise they haven't read Romans 13 and they haven't reflected upon reality and then the final and this comes from a theological vantage point the death penalty will will prohibit sinners from being saved the death penalty will prohibit sinners from being safe typically that's a Pelagian or an Arminian argument brethren we can reverse that right back over on its head it could be the sentence of the death penalty that causes the sinner to reflect upon his or her misdeeds and lead them unto repentance this is based on faulty theology if God is going to save somebody the death penalty is not going to deter God he will save them in that 11th hour and intriguingly who gets to speak to the convicted at the very end it ain't his wife it isn't his friend it's his pastor why so he can urge upon that sinner to repent and believe the gospel this is founded on faulty theology and should not be entertained for a moment well in conclusion the death penalty in civil government in Canada it was eliminated in in Canada it was eliminated de-facto that means it didn't happen ever since 1963 and then du jour which is bylaw on July 14 9 seventy-six so there's been no death penalty in Canada for that amount of time Gordon Clark says with reference to capital punishment God gave the right of capital punishment to human governments he intended it intended it to be used wisely and justly but he intended it to be used see it's it is this kind of a common blunder that persons have this in and of itself is bad because it's been misused now as Clarke says we need to use it wisely just lead judiciously but we must use it it's not the case that we can say well bad things have happened as we've used it well then fix that deal with those issues don't eliminate it altogether he says abolition of the death penalty presupposes the falsity of Christian principles and Watson famously said to kill an offender is not murder but justice 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 this is God's mandate this is God's will this is God's command secondly the death penalty and the believer the believer must embrace the entirety of God's work we don't get to pick and choose well you know I kind of like this but I I don't like this I think I've shared with you once when I first got to chill Oh a couple years in I met a pastor and we got together we could hang out I asked him one time do you ever preach on abortion he says no it's so controversial and then he I said do you preach on the death penalty he says well you know the Old Testament seemed to teach it but Jesus he didn't like it or he did he didn't believe in it and I thought to myself are you kidding me you're a pastor of a church and you don't know what the Bible says concerning the death penalty that's that's pretty bad that's pretty pathetic and yet that's what happens in the lives not only a pastor's but in people we need to know what scripture says and even if we find something that sort of bristles against the flesh we embrace it because God's Word teaches it right we don't get to pick and choose this isn't a buffet I mean when I go to a buffet I don't eat salad man I go for the meat I I go for the the money items I I want what I don't normally get I'm get lettuce any time of the week right we don't treat the Bible that way we really love the love of God we really like that mercy of Jesus we like forgiveness and somebody once tell me I don't I don't like Paul I don't like Paul's teacher you don't have the right to not like Paul you don't have the right to not like what people in the scripture under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit teach our job is to submit our job is to comply our job is not to pick and choose as well the believer must recognize the enormity of the problem of evil I mean brethren if this world was not filled with sin and lawlessness and violence there would be no need for the death penalty that this world is filled with sin and lawlessness and violence it obtained prior to the flood so post-flood God says to the civil government here's a sword to deal with the violence that will be in the earth and then as well the believer must realize the consistency of God's holy nature he punishes crime he punishes sin he punishes crime through civil government according to Paul in Romans 13 for God has no truck whatsoever with evil sin is bad it is an offense against who God is and therefore God has instituted mechanisms for the punishment of criminal offenders in society and then finally the death penalty and the unbeliever if you're not a believer here tonight you're not going to become a believer by now believing in the death penalty the way of salvation is faith in Jesus Christ the way of salvation is belief in the gospel the reality that Christ assumed our humanity lived in obedience to the father's law died as a sacrifice at the cry on the cross and was raised for our vacation life is found in Christ believe on him and you will have everlasting life but the death penalty should function in this particular capacity if this is God's mind and will with reference to civil society visa vie the execution of criminal offenders what about the lake of fire what about the punishment to come to me that's always been the most inconsistent idea in a professing Christian oh no we we reject and are horrified at the concept or the thought of the death penalty and on the other hand we affirm the lake of fire the lake of fire and eternal punishment makes execution in the civil sphere look like a walk in the park either way it reflects God's mind relative to sin and abomination and hopefully that will provoke in your heart that fear of God so that you'll run to Christ and find refuge in the Savior that is the hope that is the prayer that is the desire will let us pray father thank you for your word and thank you for the consistency that we find it is such a blessing and such a joy to find the Word of God as a as a consistent whole we know that it is though it was authored by by 40 40-plus persons 40 plus men we know it's one author because you by your spirit caused those men to write what you would have us to know and I pray father that you would be gracious to us help us to think these thoughts after you and as well God we pray for civil society we know there is rampant crime we know there is such violence we know there's just gross transgression of God's holy law and we pray for a society to actually take serious the need to punish criminal offenders and we ask that you would now go with us help us in this coming week to bring glory to you and we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord amen you