There has been a lot of news coverage on the abominable events in Bibb County. Ten children were held
captive in an underground room and sexually abused and tortured as part of a child sex-trafficking ring. I
believe 11 people have been arrested so far. I made the statement at Wednesday night service that we
should tell them about Jesus and, if found guilty, make sure they meet Him soon.
This brings up the question of a Christian’s support of the death penalty. Of course, our opinion of the
death penalty should be based on scripture, not feeling. That’s a tough thing to do sometimes, isn’t it?
Almost every emotion we have is stretched to the limit in this case. But…what does the Bible say?
The death sentence was prescribed for a variety of offenses in the Old Testament. But a lot of people
rightly speak of the grace and mercy that the New Testament endorsed. Jesus came to seek and to save
those who are lost, right? Surely Jesus wouldn’t endorse capital punishment. Didn’t he commute the
sentence of the woman caught in adultery? Understand, this was a situation created specifically to trap
Jesus into making a decision that would put Him at odds with either the Jewish law or His ministry of
compassion and love. He did not make a blanket statement about the application of the death penalty.
In fact, I believe this to be more about the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, than the death penalty.
Read Romans 13:1-5. Government is in place for a reason. One of those reasons, and a particularly
important one, is to keep law and order. Punishment for civil crimes is a governmental issue. What do
you do with someone who tortures and rapes a 2-year-old child on multiple occasions and then sells her
to be used for sexual gratification of other men? This went on for over three years with many children.
I do believe that the ultimate punishment should be administered judiciously and rarely and the accused
should be given the chance to appeal. But…here’s how I feel about the death penalty: As far I know,
none of the charges in this case carry the possibility of a death sentence. But given the depravity and
horror of what was done to those children, I think they should. Justice for these children cries out for
the harshest of punishment.
Say good things about your Savior.
captive in an underground room and sexually abused and tortured as part of a child sex-trafficking ring. I
believe 11 people have been arrested so far. I made the statement at Wednesday night service that we
should tell them about Jesus and, if found guilty, make sure they meet Him soon.
This brings up the question of a Christian’s support of the death penalty. Of course, our opinion of the
death penalty should be based on scripture, not feeling. That’s a tough thing to do sometimes, isn’t it?
Almost every emotion we have is stretched to the limit in this case. But…what does the Bible say?
The death sentence was prescribed for a variety of offenses in the Old Testament. But a lot of people
rightly speak of the grace and mercy that the New Testament endorsed. Jesus came to seek and to save
those who are lost, right? Surely Jesus wouldn’t endorse capital punishment. Didn’t he commute the
sentence of the woman caught in adultery? Understand, this was a situation created specifically to trap
Jesus into making a decision that would put Him at odds with either the Jewish law or His ministry of
compassion and love. He did not make a blanket statement about the application of the death penalty.
In fact, I believe this to be more about the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, than the death penalty.
Read Romans 13:1-5. Government is in place for a reason. One of those reasons, and a particularly
important one, is to keep law and order. Punishment for civil crimes is a governmental issue. What do
you do with someone who tortures and rapes a 2-year-old child on multiple occasions and then sells her
to be used for sexual gratification of other men? This went on for over three years with many children.
I do believe that the ultimate punishment should be administered judiciously and rarely and the accused
should be given the chance to appeal. But…here’s how I feel about the death penalty: As far I know,
none of the charges in this case carry the possibility of a death sentence. But given the depravity and
horror of what was done to those children, I think they should. Justice for these children cries out for
the harshest of punishment.
Say good things about your Savior.