Rev. David Holwick M Current Controversies #2
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey (middle section adapted from March 22, 1992 sermon)
April 10, 2005
Genesis 9:5-6
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I. The ultimate punishment, the ultimate controversy.
A. The latest national case.
Eric Rudolph, the Evangelical abortion clinic bomber, averts
a trial by accepting a plea bargain..
Received four life sentences for the bombings because he pled
guilty and has cooperated with authorities.
Jeff Lyons, whose wife was blinded by one of the bombings,
said he extremely disappointed in the life sentences.
He commented, "Let the punishment fit the crime. That was
a death sentence." [1]
B. In Colorado, don't turn to the Bible on the topic.
In 1995, Robert Harlan kidnapped a waitress and assaulted her.
She escaped and flagged down a female motorist.
Mr. Harlan caught up with the two women, shot the driver,
leaving her paralyzed, then beat and killed the waitress.
He was arrested, put on trial and found guilty.
Then the penalty phase began.
Mr. Harlan's lawyers urged the jurors to consider biblical
wisdom and find mercy in their hearts "as God ultimately
took mercy on Abraham."
They also made several references to Mr. Harlan's soul and his
habit of reading the Bible with his father.
The judge told the jury to go beyond the narrow confines of the
law in thinking about the death penalty.
They were told to make an "individual moral assessment."
The jury went into their room and began deliberating.
Several of them took out their Bibles to see what it said about
the death penalty.
Then the jury voted unanimously for death.
Because they used their Bibles, the Colorado Supreme Court
reversed their decision and gave Mr. Harlan life in prison.
They said the jury was not allowed to bring a "higher authority"
into the jury room beyond the evidence in the trial.
Even though the witnesses were sworn in on Bibles -
And the defense attorneys quoted the Bible -
And the judge told them to go beyond the law on the issue.
#29261
C. Why preach on such a harsh topic?
1) Because the young adults have asked for a sermon series on
controversial topics like this.
2) And because it is an important issue.
a) Not so much because of the lives it affects - less than
100 people are executed in the U.S. each year.
b) It is important because the issue touches deep
principles about justice and moral values.
D. The death penalty is the cutting edge in the culture wars.
1) Most other countries don't have it.
a) The U.S. is one of the few industrialized countries
which does.
b) Surveys claim fewer Americans believe in using it.
c) Many church groups in New Jersey rally against it.
d) Even Pope John Paul II was strongly against it.
2) The courts are increasingly limiting it.
a) Supreme Court just forbid it for minors.
b) Their decision pointed to world opinion - they have
no constitutional grounds for forbidding it.
c) Cruel and unusual punishment?
3) Some feel it is the only just sentence for heinous crimes.
a) Something in our souls demands retribution.
1> Also, families of victims can get closure.
b) Perhaps the death penalty would deter other criminals.
II. The death penalty in the Old Testament.
A. It upheld the sacredness of human life. Gen 9:5-6
1) Man is made in image of God, so murder is against God.
2) Commandment "Do not kill" refers to murder, not execution.
3) Upholding the sacredness by taking yet another life strikes
some people as counterproductive.
B. The death penalty applied to a wide range of crimes -- stoning! Lev 20,24
1) Disobeying parents -- stoning! Leviticus 20: 9
2) Adultery -- stoning! Leviticus 20:10
3) Homosexuality -- stoning! Leviticus 20:13
4) Occult activities -- stoning! Leviticus 20:27
5) Blaspheming God's name -- stoning! Leviticus 24:16
6) Murder -- stoning! Leviticus 24:17
C. Seven principles concerning death penalty. #1967
1) Proportionality. Lev 24:19-20
a) No more than eye for eye.
2) Intent. Num 35:22-24
a) Accidents aren't murder.
3) Due process. Deut 17:8-9
a) Special courts for difficult cases.
4) Individual responsibility. Deut 24:16
a) Fathers must not be executed for sons.
b) (Ugaritic - make an unsafe roof, your son is thrown off)
5) Fairness. Lev 19:15
a) Rich are not favored over poor, and vice-versa.
6) Certainty of guilt. Num 35:30
a) At least two eye-witnesses are required.
b) (This is more than United States requires)
7) Reluctance to execute. Ezek 33:11
a) God prefers life over death.
b) Death penalty not to be taken lightly.
1> O.T. is not just about having a stoning party.
2> True justice was the goal.
D. The death penalty was not always carried out in practice.
1) Cain was given a "life sentence" rather than death for
the murder of Abel. Gen 4:14-15
2) Moses committed "premeditated" murder, but God forgave.
Exod 2:11
3) King David committed a "contract" killing, but when he
repented God forgave him and spared his life. 2 Sam 11-12
4) Joseph was kidnapped by brothers and sold into slavery.
a) He could legally have put them all to death.
b) His forgiveness of them is one of the most touching
stories in the Bible, and an example to Christians.
III. Death penalty in the New Testament.
A. Role of government according to apostle Paul. Romans 13:4
1) It bears the sword (death) to punish evildoers.
2) But this does not demand the use of the death penalty.
3) And neither does it eliminate unjust executions -
the crucifixion of Jesus being the ultimate example.
B. Examples of mercy over justice in the New Testament:
1) Paul was an accessory to murder, and shown mercy by God.
2) The adulteress brought to Jesus should have been stoned, but
Jesus forgave her. John 8:1-11
a) His brilliant "let him who has never sinned cast the
first stone" nicely evaded the issue of whether the
Old Testament moral law was still valid.
b) But since Jesus himself was sinless, he could have -
and should have? - stoned the woman.
3) The Corinthian who slept with his step-mother did not die.
a) Paul tells the church to expel the man from fellowship
rather than execute him. 1 Cor 5:1-2
b) And Paul made clear that when such people repented of
their sin, they should be received back into
fellowship. 2 Cor 2:7
(some scholars think the same person is alluded to in
"a" and "b".)
C. Jesus and the forgiveness of enemies.
1) Jesus goes beyond Old Testament? "Moses said, but I say..."
a) Turn the other cheek. Matt 5:38-39
b) Pray for enemies. Matt 5:43-45
2) Even Paul follows this teaching, on an individual level.
a) Leave vengeance to God. Rom 12:17-19
3) Is Jesus too idealistic or firmly realistic?
a) Many who have "turned the other cheek" are no longer
with us.
b) But are Christians called to be realistic?
1> Jesus tells us to take up our cross (=death penalty)
and follow him.
2> Many Christians have forgiven the killers of their
loved ones.
c) My conclusions:
1> The Bible CONDONES the death penalty in society,
due to the hardness of human hearts.
2> The Bible does NOT REQUIRE the death penalty in
society, due to the mercy of God's heart.
IV. All of us are under a death penalty.
A. We have sinned against God and deserve death. Rom 6:23
1) One sin breaks whole Law. James 2:10-13
a) Jesus: have anger in heart, same as murder.
2) On Judgment Day, there is no appeal.
3) Based on the merits of our case, we are doomed.
B. But we have the ultimate defense attorney - Jesus. Rom 8:34
1) He makes Johnny Cochran look like a piker.
2) Jesus does not just defend us, he takes our sentence.
a) The innocent died in the place of the guilty.
b) It is the ultimate plea bargain.
C. Do you accept his plea bargain?
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SOURCES FOR ILLUSTRATIONS USED IN THIS SERMON:
[1] Star Ledger newspaper (Newark, New Jersey), April 9, 2005.
# 1967 "Punishable By Death," Daniel W. Van Ness, Christianity Today
magazine, July 10, 1987, page 24.
#29261 "Court Bars Execution Because Jurors Consulted Bible," Kirk Johnson
(adapted by David Holwick), America Online / The New York Times,
March 25, 2005.
These and 25,000 others are part of a database that can be downloaded,
absolutely free, at http://www.holwick.com/database.html
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