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Do evangelism, not politics 3

We Can All agree to this  God Saves people to be Holy and to do good works  Ephesians 2:10 – created in Christ Jesus for good works  Matthew 15:16 let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your father who is in heaven  Galatians 6:10 as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone  2 Timothy 1:9 God has saved us and called us to a holy life 4

Feeling uneasy about the church influencing politics  Should the church/gospel influence:  individual?  marriage?  family?  realm of education?  work place?  realm of government? 5

Gospel and Politics  The only thing needed for evil to prosper is for good men to do nothing Edmund burke  No decision is a decision 6

The blessing of living in America 7 influence

Government The Sword, War and Capital Punishment Capital Punishment 8

Government capital punishment  Capital punishment, also dubbed the "death penalty," is the pre-meditated and planned taking of a human life by a government in response to a crime committed by that legally convicted person. 9

Government capital punishment  Amnesty International believes that "The death penalty is the ultimate denial of human rights. It is the premeditated and cold-blooded killing of a human being by the state in the name of justice. It violates the right to life...It is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment. There can never be any justification for torture or for cruel treatment." 10

Government capital punishment  Catholic Cardinal McCarrick, Archbishop of Washington, writes "...the death penalty diminishes all of us, increases disrespect for human life, and offers the tragic illusion that we can teach that killing is wrong by killing." 11

Government war and capital punishment 1.Should government determine if we go to war or not? 2.Can man make decisions regarding abortion, euthanasia, capital punishment and war? 12

Government war and capital punishment  Deeper and better questions 1.What is the origin of government? 1.That will answer how government should function 2.Can man, issues in and of himself, think rightly regarding moral/spiritual? 1.That will answer what sources we use to make such decisions and determine our conclusions 13

Government war and capital punishment 1.Man is a created being and is therefore dependent on the Creator for life itself and for instruction on how to live life 2.All of man’s faculties have been damaged by sin which further necessitates instruction from God  (Rom 3:11; 5:12; Ps 51:5; Gen 5:21; Eph 2:2- 3, 5:8; 2 Tim 2:25-26; Jn 8:44; 3:19; 1 Cor 2:14) 14

Government war and capital punishment  Man is NOT free to express his opinion and take action on moral/spiritual matters such as family, abortion, capital punishment, marriage, etc. 15

Government war and capital punishment  Who cares what you and I think? 16

Government war and capital punishment  Man is obligated to express, teach and carry out God’s directions on these matters  We should be expressing well - studied and well - articulated biblical viewpoints 17

Government war and capital punishment  Stanley "Tookie" Williams was convicted of four murders committed in 1979, and sentenced to death. He was also co-founder of the Crips, a deadly and powerful Los Angeles-based street gang responsible for hundreds of murders 18

Government war and capital punishment  About five years after incarceration, Mr. Williams underwent a religious conversion and, as a result, authored many books and programs to promote peace and to fight gangs and gang violence. He was nominated five times for the Nobel Peace Prize and four times for the Nobel Literature Prize. 19

Government war and capital punishment  Is the purpose of the death penalty: 1. to remove from society someone who would cause more harm? 2.remove from society someone who is incapable of rehabilitation? 3.to deter others from committing murder? 4.to punish the criminal? 5.to take retribution on behalf of the victim? 20

Government war and capital punishment  Understanding the origin of government will help us: 1.to understand the proper role and functions of government 2.Keep us from making pragmatic or emotional decisions/perspectives 3.Help us to formulate right viewpoints on moral and social issues 21

Origin of Government  Col 1: He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him

Origin of Government Rom 13:1-7 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. 2 Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 23

Origin of Government Rom 13:1-7 3 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. 24

Origin of Government 4 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. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. 6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, … 25

Origin of Government 4 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. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. 6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, … 26

Origin and purpose of Government 1.Government was created by God 2.Government is a minister or servant of God 3.Government’s authority is God - given 4.Government is obligated to make laws, rules, regulations and decisions in keeping with what is taught and expressed in God’s words regarding moral or spiritual issues 27

Government  Objection – Governments do many things that are wrong, contrary to God’s Word and at times evil  Yes, that is the case in a fallen world. However, that does not change the origin or purpose of government  Marriages, family the church is fallen but that does not change their origin or purpose  Fallen governments argue all the more for Christian involvement 28

capital punishment 29

capital punishment 1. Does not deter crime 2. Gruesome 3. 2 wrongs don’t make a right 4. Hypocritical 1. Should not take life in the womb but can kill and adult for crime?!? 5. What if the person is innocent? 30

Government Capital Punishment  Does the Bible clearly address the issue of capital punishment and if so what does it say? 31

Government 32

OT Capital Punishment  Genesis A massive flood destroys all of mankind except for 8 people 2.When the flood ended Noah and his family came out of the ark and human society started all over again 3.At that point God gave them instructions regarding the life they were about to begin 33

OT Capital Punishment  Genesis 9:5-6  5 And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each man, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of his fellow man. 6 “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man 34

OT Capital Punishment  Genesis 9:5-6  5 And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each man, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of his fellow man. 6 “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man 35

Capital punishment Genesis 9:5-6  “shed” translates the Hebrew verb shaphak which means “to pour out in large amount, causing death.”  Shedding blood refers to the violent and unjustifiable taking of human life (murder)  (Genesis 37:22; Numbers 35:33; 1 Kings 2:31; Ezekiel 22:4) 36

Capital punishment Genesis 9: This law from God is clear 1. When someone murders (violent, wrongful and unjustifiable taking of human life) the murderer should be put to death 37

Capital punishment Genesis 9:5-6 2.The execution of the murder was not going to be carried out directly by God but by human agent, “by man”. Yet:  This was not seen as human vengeance  It is the carrying out of God’s own requirement of justice (v. 5 from his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man” 38

Capital punishment Genesis 9:5-6 3.The reason:  the immense value of human life. Man is made in God’s image which means 1.Man is both like God (in some attributes) and also represents God 2.To be a human being is to be more like God than any thing else in creation 3.Has the highest status and privilege of all of creation 39

Capital punishment Genesis 9:5-6 1.The murder of a human being is to murder someone who’s more like God than any other creature on earth 2.The authority to execute punishment on wrongdoing is not invented by human beings but is given by God to human government 40

Capital punishment Genesis 9:5-6  Genesis 9 comes long before the establishment of the nation of Israel and therefore:  the application of this passage is NOT limited to the nation of Israel or for any specific period of time  but is intended to apply to all people, for all ages 41

Capital punishment Genesis 9:5-6  Conclusion from Genesis 9:5-6  God gave to human government the authority and mandate to carry out capital punishment 42

Government 43

Government The Sword  Rom 13:4 1.He is God’s servant, 2.an agent of wrath 3.to bring punishment on the wrongdoer 44

Romans 13:1-7  Ekdikos – “one who carries out punishment; one who executes wrath”  government is God’s agent for punishing wrongdoing through human agents  Mácharia – is translated “sword” which is used of an instrument by which people are put to death (Acts 12:2;16:27; Heb 11:37; Rev13:10 45

Romans 13:1-7  Therefore those who argue that sword simply means authority do not have a persuasive argument.  It means that authority from God has been given to use the sword for the purpose for which people used it in the 1st century, and that is to put to death  Ecc 8:11 Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil 46

1 Peter 2:13-14  13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, 14 or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right 47

1 Peter 2:13-14  V.14 - eis ekdikosis – “to punish” is the same war that Paul uses for “vengeance” that belongs to God (Romans 12:19)  Paul and Peter teach that government has the responsibility 1. to reward good 2. deter crime 3.actually bring about God’s punishment to the wrongdoer (consistent with Genesis 9:5-6) 48

Objections Answered 49

capital punishment 1. Does not deter crime 1.It does 2.It would not matter if it did not. God commands it and its intent is punitive 50

capital punishment 2.Gruesome  It is - all death is terrible  Most likely not as gruesome as the murder committed  Not as gruesome as it was when God commanded it  Not nearly as terrible as God’s eternal wrath that will be poured out 51

capital punishment 3. Two wrongs don’t make a right  it is not two wrongs  It is 1 terrible wrong (murder) being punished by God working through human agents 52

capital punishment 4.Hypocritical - Should not take life in the womb but can kill and adult for crime?!? i.e., If abortion is wrong why isn’t capital punishment wrong?  Abortion is the wrongful murder of innocent life  Capital punishment is God’s ordained servant or minister [government] serving as an instrument of God’s wrath to punish evil 53

capital punishment 5.What if the person is innocent?  The command was still given from God even though, in a fallen world, there would be both potential and actuality of executing an innocent person  More innocent lives taken in the absence of capital punishment  Every effort should be made for proper verdicts  Potentially more accurate today with digital images and DNA testing 54

Government task of government 1. What wrongdoing is worthy of punishment 2. What punishment is appropriate for each wrongdoing 3. Whether or not an individual is guilty of wrongdoing 4. This argues all the more for Christianity or the gospel to invade government 55

Government  Capital punishment 1.Police intervention  can justly take life 2.Military  can justly take life  Pacifism is contrary to Scripture 3.Self – defense  Can justly take life –Exd 22:2 If a thief is found breaking in and is struck so that he dies, there shall be no bloodguilt for him,Exd 22:2 56

Vote righteousness  We each have a responsibility to act in accordance to biblical principles, including how we vote.  We must vote for righteous leaders. If we vote for leaders who support abortion, same sex marriage, redistribution of wealth or subordination of sovereignty to other nations, we support unrighteousness. 57

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