Taking a Life: Can a Christian Support the Death Penalty?

July 18, 2024 EMMANUEL ADEBAYO AJIBOLA

The death penalty is a verdict often passed to individuals who have committed serious or heinous crimes. The origin of the death penalty dates back to the 18th century when King Hammurabi of Babylon made the death penalty law for a series of crimes. Over the years, the death penalty has become more popular, and today almost every country has adopted the death penalty for different crimes. Countries like China and Japan invoke the death penalty even for financial crimes

In contrast, Saudi Arabia and other Islamic states invoke the death sentence for crimes like blasphemy, sexual assault, etc. Even though the death sentence seems logical in some situations, it can oppress a Christian’s faith. Christians pride themselves on the virtues of life, forgiveness, and repentance, the death penalty opposes all of these. This begs the question, “Should a Christian support the death penalty? Does it not affect a Christian’s faith?

Before writing this article, I spoke to a few Christians on this topic, and they all had different opinions and reasons to support their views on the death penalty. Let’s look at each other these reasons and see if we have a winner in this argument.

The top three reasons most people supported the death penalty were justice, deterrence, and scriptural references.

Justice: some believe capital punishment is just in response to grave crimes like murder. In Genesis 9:6, the Bible states, “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for in the image of God has God made man.” This verse can be interpreted as justification for capital punishment or supporting it but the bible also says “Thou shall not kill”. A straightforward commandment that prohibits humans from killing each other.

Deterrence: some christians feel the presence of capital punishment serves as a deterrent for criminals and anyone who might have a crime mind. Which is true to an extent. In countries like China where crimes like embezzlement and corruption can attract the death penalty, there is a low rate of embezzlement, but is that still enough reason to condemn a fellow human to death?

Scriptural References: The Old Testament calls for the death penalty for certain crimes, making some Christians feel it is justifiable. In Exodus 21:12-14 (NIV), “12. Anyone who strikes a person with a fatal blow is to be put to death. 13. However, if it is not done intentionally, but God lets it happen, they are to flee to a place I will designate. 14 But if anyone schemes and kills someone deliberately, that person is to be taken from my altar and put to death.” These bible verses are from one of the books of Moses, by reading them without understanding, a person could find justification for supporting the death penalty and wrong jungle justice.

The top three reasons most people were against the death penalty were the sanctity of life, the risk of error in judgement, the focus on forgiveness, and alternatives.

Sanctity of Life: Christianity is founded on the belief that all human life is sacred, regardless of action. Taking a life, even for punishment, contradicts this. The Bible emphasises the sacredness of human life. One of the 10 commandments says, “Thou shall not kill.”. Even though some Old Testament scriptures appear to justify capital punishment, the Bible as a whole is opposed to shedding human blood for any reason.

Risk of error in judgement: The justice system is not flawless. The execution of someone who has been wrongfully accused is irreversible. There are several cases of wrongful convictions, and some people have been wrongfully executed. An example is George Junius Stinney Jr., who was executed at the age of 14 for a crime he didn’t commit. Some people believe George Stinney Jr.’s case wouldn’t have happened if his sentence had been lenient.

Forgiveness: forgiveness is one of the pillars of Christianity. It is one of the fundamentals of being a Christian. The New Testament, which contains the teachings of Jesus and the apostles, emphasises forgiveness and redemption, but the penalty rules out the option of a criminal seeking repentance. Can we be true Christians if we are so bitter to the point of championing another man’s death?

Alternatives: Another argument presented to me is that there are alternatives to capital punishment. Lengthy prison sentences and life imprisonment offer punishment and remove the risk of wrongful execution. These options give offenders the chance to find themselves and seek redemption from God.

In essence, the death penalty can never be fully justified in any situation, nor can a person truly argue against it and win. Jesus emphasizes forgiveness and turning the other cheek (Matthew 5:38-42). This can be easily interpreted as a rejection of capital punishment. The Bible has repeatedly assured Christians that all sins can be forgiven as long as the sinner is truly repentant. So how does a person repent when he has been condemned to death? The Bible does not give a clear solution on whether to support the death penalty or not. It includes passages that appear to favour and oppose the death penalty. Finally, Christians must measure these verses against their conscience when concluding the matter.

The death penalty can never be fully justified in any situation, nor can it be entirely argued against. Jesus emphasizes forgiveness and turning the other cheek (Matthew 5:38-42), which can be interpreted as a rejection of capital punishment. The Bible assures Christians that all sins can be forgiven as long as the sinner is truly repentant. How can a person repent when condemned to death? The Bible includes passages that appear to favour and oppose the death penalty. Ultimately, Christians must measure these verses against their conscience when concluding the matter.

In essence, whether a Christian should support the death penalty is a complex question without a clear answer. Each individual must weigh the scriptural, ethical, and practical considerations carefully and prayerfully.