00:00 Why Even Murderers Need the Gospel
00:46 Should Executions Be Live Streamed?
02:48 Genesis 9: Capital Punishment in the Bible
03:23 Romans 13: Government Bears the Sword
04:21 Why Our Culture Celebrates Death
06:42 The Bible Forbids Murder, Not All Killing
07:06 Hear and Fear: Is Execution a Deterrent?
08:51 Ecclesiastes 8:11: Justice Must Be Swift
11:06 Eye for an Eye: Retributive Justice
12:05 Personal Vengeance vs Government Justice
14:49 Should Christians Oppose Firing Squads?
16:08 Is a Firing Squad Humane?
17:42 Can a Murderer Be Saved by Grace?
18:33 God's Minister, an Avenger of Wrong
19:21 Should Christians Watch Executions?
Please subscribe to the Straight Truth Podcast channel for more biblical exposition. We encourage you to listen to the sermons linked below, that reflect solid reformed theology and clear expository preaching that will help you to think through what the Bible says about this widely controversial and oft misunderstood subject.
The Christian's Relationship to Governing Authorities: https://youtu.be/3gzMLMu16lc
Obedience in the Last Days: https://youtu.be/cScI9D2MUyM
Righteousness & Retribution: https://youtu.be/BNQT9UJtrt8
The Beautiful Life & Civil Authority: https://youtu.be/_CInzgExZVo
The Peaceful Love of God: https://youtu.be/MqAzBZzR2T4
Should executions be live streamed, and how should believers view capital punishment? In this episode of the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Josh Philpot and Pastor Richard Caldwell examine the debate regarding a live streaming of an execution through the lens of biblical justice.
Dr. Philpot opens with a news story sharing about Nidal Hasan, who killed 13 people at Fort Hood in 2009 and now faces a firing squad execution on December 3. A live streamed execution was planned that would be broadcast to the public as a deterrent, which has since been dropped. He asks Pastor Caldwell to talk to us about what does the Bible say about the death penalty. Is the death penalty biblical, does live streaming it deter this kind of evil, and should Christians watch when someone's death sentence is executed?
A Christian view death penalty is found first in Genesis 9:5-6 "whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image". In Genesis 9, capital punishment upholds the value of human life. Pastor Caldwell points out that even the law of Moses calls for capital punishment. What we learn from Scripture is that it forbids murder, not all killing. But sin distorts justice and calls light darkness when a culture tolerates abortion, cheers political violence, and in some cases, defends and celebrates death yet rages at just executions. Scripture speaks of this as the devolve of society when evil is defended as justice (See Isa. 5, Prov. 17:15, Rom.1:21,22,28 and 2 Tim. 3:1-5).
Dr. Philpot cites Deuteronomy's phrases "all Israel shall hear and fear" and "purge the evil from your midst" to show execution is meant to deter. Pastor Caldwell agrees, citing Ecclesiastes 8:11 to show it deters only when swift sentencing and execution of that sentencing occurs, but not after decades on death row like the 17 years since the Fort Hood killings or with Timothy McVeigh. Regarding lex talionis and the eye for an eye meaning, proportional retributive justice in the Bible belongs to God and the government He has ordained to execute it. This should not be confused with Jesus speaking in the Sermon on the Mount where He forbids personal vengeance.
Vengeance belongs to the Lord, who gives government the power of the sword and it's not in vain. Romans 13 teaches us there's a respect that citizens give to the government based upon the power they've been given to punish disobedience even to the point of death. Government is a minister of God and an avenger who is to bring wrath on evildoers. Capital punishment is not treated as murder in the Scriptures when it's carried out justly; the method matters less than the certainty of it, but it should be swift and humane. A firing squad is swift, and it accomplishes the penalty immediately, therefore humane. Elsewhere we have misguided compassion that forgets the victims to pity a killer who survived lethal injection. Yet in our biblical and Christian ethics, we still care for the murderer's soul and pray for his or her salvation before their life comes to an end.
Should Christians support the death penalty, and should executions be live streamed for anyone and everyone to watch? Pastor Caldwell sees nothing wrong with making an execution public for the deterring of lost humanity, though for believers grounded in biblical truth watching would change nothing, we understand it as capital punishment being carried out by the government ordained by God to wield the sword. Pastor Caldwell says he would not seek it out to watch or relish in the death, but he does desire the man's conversion, while also confirming that executing him is not wrong.
