Life and Death

Last night I was talking to a lady about a variety of topics centering around this upcoming Presidential Election. Given the fact that we both claim to be Christians, it is natural that the topic of life and death would arise. In other words, the emotional issues of abortion and the death penalty. I assume, based on her comments, that this lady is a Democrat or, at least, sides with the positions that the Party has held. Those positions being Pro-Choice and anti-capital punishment. She made it clear that conservative Christians and Republicans are being hypocritical because they claim to be pro-life, yet support the death penalty. I have often wondered how someone, who claims to be a Christian, can't see the difference between the two positions. Oddly enough, she was espousing the same position a relative of mine has about the two subjects. Although, to the best of my knowledge, my relative is not a Christian. Therefore, it doesn't surprise me that they would hold those positions. Personally, the inability to see the difference between protecting the life of an unborn child and taking the life of a murderer is evidence of a lack of biblical understanding. 

 "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience." Romans 13:1-5

In the Old Testament, God commanded death as the punishment for a multitude of sins. If you read through the book of Exodus, you will find that the death penalty was the punishment for murder, kidnapping and bestiality. Adultery, prostitution, and homosexuality are punishable by death according to the book of Leviticus. Deuteronomy says that the sins of rape and being a false prophet deserve death. It is clear that the wages of sin is death. Basically, every sin deserves to be punished by death. I think people forget that God created life. Therefore, when someone takes a life or uses the life they have been given to corrupt and mislead others, amongst other things, then taking their life is actually necessary to honor life itself. In Genesis, we see where God destroyed the entire population of the world, except for eight souls, during the Global Flood. He also destroyed two entire cities, Sodom and Gomorrah, because of their descent into the depths of sin and debauchery. 

There are countless other examples where God either destroyed life Himself or did so through one of His chosen instruments in order to punish unbelievers and sinners for their transgressions. If we don't have a death penalty as an option to punish individuals, what does that say about our respect for life? It says that a perpetrator can take a life knowing that, if captured, their life will be spared regardless of how heinous the crime. Christians against capital punishment are not coming to that conclusion from a biblical perspective. It is the byproduct of being swayed by the opinions of the world and reliance on our feelings. The "sword" the government yields is the authority to pass judgement on those who violate the laws of the land. Even if that judgment is the taking of one's life. What many seem to forget is that all of us are under a death sentence. And if it were not for the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ, that sentence would have been carried out and we would have no hope. 

 "If men who are fighting hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman's husband demands and the court allows. But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise." Exodus 21: 22-25 

We often hear the argument for those favoring abortion that you are not ending a human life when you perform an abortion. For my Christian friend, she seemed to equate the death penalty with abortion. Again, I must ask how is the taking of innocent life, that life which hasn't even seen the light of day, the same as the taking of guilty life? It is not. I remember the murder trial of Scott Peterson. Peterson was convicted of murdering his wife, Laci Peterson, who was eight months pregnant with their son, Conner. At the time, I remember asking "How is it that when a pregnant woman is murdered, the murderer is convicted of taking two lives, but if the mother had decided to "end" her pregnancy, it is choice?" It doesn't make sense. But, this particular case shows the difference between the taking of innocent life and the life of a murderer. Scott Peterson chose to take the life of his wife and son against their will. Because of this crime he was sentenced to die by lethal injection as punishment for his crime. I, and many Christians, do not see any contradiction in this verdict. You take innocent life, we take your life as payment. One wanted life lost. One unwanted life lost. A just society is preserved and the citizens are not burdened with the responsibility of having to pay to house a person nobody wants walking the streets where they could murder again. This is not a hypocritical stance, but one that lines up consistently with scripture.

 "This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." Matthew 1: 18-21

Senator Barack Obama was asked at "what point does a baby get human rights?" Senator Obama, a self-described Christian, responded by saying, "answering that question with specificity, you know, is above my pay grade." As a friend of my joked, "When Michele (Obama's wife) told him she was pregnant, he knew when life began!" Since Obama claims to be a Christian, he should know of Joseph's reaction when he found out Mary was pregnant. He planned to "divorce her quietly" because he believed she was pregnant with another man's child. He knew when life began. And as the angel of the Lord confirmed, life begins at conception, not when it is convenient for us to acknowledge it or not. This is why the lady I was speaking with is the one being hypocritical in their stance. Being a supporter of the Democratic ticket proves that she has the responsibility of lining up her beliefs with those of scripture. I am not one to say, like some believe, that she will have to "answer to God" for her political decisions. But, if she claims to be a Christian, her worldview should be filtered through the lens of scripture as much as possible. In this particular instance, the issues of life and death, when it begins and when to end it, are quite clear from the Bible's point of view.